PARKERSBURG — A building that’s stood in downtown Parkersburg for more than a century has begun a new chapter as an interactive children’s museum.

Over the last few years, the former Masonic Temple at Ninth and Market streets has been transformed into Discovery World on Market, geared toward children ages 0 to 8 and focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (S.T.E.A.M.) topics with a local flavor.

“The idea is to introduce S.T.E.A.M. at an early age and get kids excited about those fields,” said Wendy Shriver, executive director of Discovery World.

Phoenix Associates in Parkersburg is the general contractor on the project, working with architect Mills Group out of Morgantown. The features were designed by Roto, a Dublin, Ohio-based company that creates exhibits for museums, zoos and aquariums. Each comes with a rubric detailing which specific skills it engages.

“It’s not just kids playing with Legos on a table,” Shriver said.

Leading the way on the project is the Ross Foundation, which has long supported a variety of ventures in the community.

“As a family, they discussed … ‘what could we do on a large scale that would affect thousands of people?'” Shriver said.

The ball got rolling in 2018, after Tres Ross, executive director of the foundation, and his wife Melissa pitched the idea, Shriver said. Ross began touring downtown buildings and attended a children’s museum conference where he connected with Roto. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in delays but work continued behind the scenes, with the master plan completed in the fall of 2020 and building renovations started in May 2021. Shriver came aboard that fall and went to work fundraising.

So far, Discovery World on Market has received more than $1.5 million in community support from local foundations, businesses and other donors.

In February, the finishing touches were being put on $4.1 million worth of exhibits, including the two-story Ball Factory, which reflects the area’s manufacturing heritage and allow children to climb, slide and fill a hopper with lightweight plastic balls that rain down on the kids when the quota is met. Shriver recently had a chance to see some kids test it out while a commercial was being shot at the museum.

“Just to watch those kids in there playing, it’s pure joy,” she said.

The basement features the River Adventure, with interactive exhibits focusing on the movement of water, as well as commerce and wildlife along local rivers.

On the third floor are a design studio and makerspace featuring multiple exhibits, including Parkersburg: You Are Here. Sponsored by the Bernard McDonough Foundation, it lets “the kids simulate being the city planner and deciding where buildings should be built and how to build them,” Shriver said.

There are multiple “soft opening” events planned and the grand opening was earlier this month.

“We don’t know what our demand’s going to be locally,” Shriver said. “So we want to figure that out before putting them on the door.”

Field trips will generally be planned for Mondays and Tuesdays, though some are scheduled for Wednesdays in May to accommodate interest in the new facility. Schools from as far away as New Martinsville and Arnoldsburg have signed up, while birthday parties are scheduled into December. Admission is by individual ticket sales or memberships. The Museums for All program will offer scholarships for qualifying families. More information is available online at dwonmarket.org.

“You want to make sure that you’re providing that opportunity for this experience to all children,” Shriver said.

Even as Discovery World gets ready to open to the community, there are plans in motion for what comes next.

The organization is applying for a $250,000 grant through the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, that would require a local match, to renovate a theater space on the fourth floor. Shriver said the space could be used for museum programming as well as concerts, movies and comedy shows.

Discovery World recently purchased the Wood County Senior Citizens building next door, which allowed them to expand their available parking and presents opportunities for future additions.

“We want to have some sort of outdoor component for the children’s museum,” Shriver said. The hiring process is underway for museum and cafe assistants, but employing people is not the only way Discovery World is expected to impact the local economy.

“We are very excited about the potential that comes with the opening of Discovery World on Market,” said Mark Lewis, president and CEO of the Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to marketing it as a family friendly option in conjunction with Blennerhassett Island.”

That might entice visitors to spend more than a day in the area, he said.

“Overnight stays generate considerably more spending than day trips,” Lewis said. “We think that Discovery World on Market will be an attraction from … all of Ohio, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, our target markets.”