MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - With Murfreesboro and Rutherford County growing faster than almost anywhere else in the country, thousands of new families are settling in and looking for places to explore. One of the most delightful surprises for newcomers is AT 502 SE Broad Street: the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands‑on museum born from a local dream long before Murfreesboro became the booming city it is today.

The Discovery Center didn’t start as a city project or a university initiative. It began with a mother—Billie Little—who believed children in Rutherford County needed a place to learn through play. Her idea caught fire among other young families in the mid‑1980s, and together they built the first version of the museum, the Discovery House, in 1986. Powered almost entirely by volunteers, it welcomed more than 11,000 visitors in its first year, proving the community was hungry for a place where curiosity could run wild.

As crowds grew, so did the vision. By the mid‑1990s, leaders and families rallied again, this time transforming the old Murfreesboro Water & Sewer Plant into a larger children’s museum and nature center. The City of Murfreesboro leased the land, families raised $1.8 million, and on August 3, 2002, the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring opened its doors. The wetlands location wasn’t just convenient—it honored a historic gathering place and preserved a rare ecosystem right in the heart of the city.

Today, the Discovery Center welcomes more than 130,000 visitors a year, and its newest traveling exhibit, Storyland, is already drawing families eager to step inside scenes from the books “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” “The Snowy Day,” “Peter Rabbit,” and more. Designed for children ages 0–8, the exhibit blends early literacy with imaginative play and runs through May 3.

There’s more on the calendar. On Saturday, March 21, the museum hosts March into the Arts, a free Cultural Heritage Celebration featuring hands‑on art, live performances, and the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Musical Instrument Petting Zoo. Spring Break brings Campology: Explore It All for grades K–5, offering STEAM adventures from wildlife habitats to game design. And adults get their own night out on March 7 with A Night at the Museum, complete with wine, whiskey, ale, food trucks, a silent disco, and after‑hours exploration.

Much of this creative energy comes from CEO Tara MacDougall, whose leadership keeps the museum joyful, innovative, and deeply connected to local families.

The best way to understand the Discovery Center is simply to go. Bring your kids—or grandkids—and rediscover the wonder waiting at 502 SE Broad Street. Visit their website: explorethedc.org or phone (615) 890-2300. They're open 10AM - 5PM Tuesday through Saturday, noon-5PM Sunday, and closed on Monday.