Many of us remember how going through the car wash as a kid sitting in the backseat was somehow a wondrous experience that made for a special day, from entering the washing tunnel with it’s swirling suds and unique sounds, to the powerful rinses and drying fans at the finish.
Explore & More – The Ralph Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum, in partnership with Delta Sonic, is now offering a special car wash exhibit that they have designed and developed over the past year, suitable for all ages.
“It’s very cute and it’s totally immersive,” said museum representative, Jess Basil. “We have different costumes for the kids to put on, like a firetruck and a Super Mario Kart. Then they can actually go through a car wash and go through the wash, rinse, and dry.”
Each section of the exhibit has different features. The wash area has a projector with lights and bubbles, while the rinse area features colored lights and mirrors, and the drying section has wind that blows and sparkles hanging from the ceiling. There’s an interactive vacuum wall where visitors can add scarves and watch them fly around. As they go through, they can play with different water jets to rinse off a miniature car, and use dryers on a heat activated color changing car. Each area has liquid floors that are fun for little ones to bounce on.
The other great thing is it’s fully accessible, so kids that are in a wheelchair or adults in a mobility device can experience the full exhibit,” Basil said.
The car wash exhibit is included in the cost of admission for the museum and will be an ongoing feature for some time. Families are encouraged to pre-purchase their ticket online or by calling the museum at 716-655-5131, as regulations for capacity can change. The Museum is following all COVID-19 regulations and guests are encouraged to check their website prior to their visit to stay informed on the most up-to-date procedures.
“Explore & More Children’s Museum is about everything Western New York, and Delta Sonic is such a Western New York institution,” Basil said. “They wanted to get involved in the museum and we were brainstorming ideas, and this came to light. And it’s a completely unique exhibit; the company we worked with to develop the exhibit had never done a carwash for a children’s museum so it was fun to trailblaze.”
The Museum is open to the general public on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Members-only hours are on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and they have vulnerable populations play time on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. As part of a current promotion with the Erie County Bicentennial, Explore & More is featuring a special admission price of $7.16. Visit their website for more information.