76 AUGUST 2024 | INTHEVUE.COM { b y T a y l o r S h e a W e s t } SMALL BUSINESS Feature Discovery Park of America opened on November 1, 2013, has attracted more than 2.25 million visitors and we continue to see our numbers grow each year.” The park continues to thrive, with June 2024 marking its most successful month to date. In 2023, the park welcomed over 265,000 guests, hosted 75 events, and facilitated educational visits for 48,300 students. Volunteer contributions amounted to 1,150 hours, and numerous free tickets were provided to military families and those in the SNAP program. The park’s impact on local tourism is significant, with Obion County generating $74,462,200 in domestic visitor spending in 2022, reflecting an 11% increase from the previous year. When Robert Kirkland envisioned an educational center in Obion County, he aimed to provide locals, many of whom might never travel far, with a space filled with artwork, artifacts, memorabilia, and experiences inspired by his global travels. The idea took shape on October 16, 2007, when Kirkland and over DISCOVERY PARK OF AMERICA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum and heritage park located in a rural region of Tennessee with the mission of inspiring children and adults to “see beyond”. A visitor to Discovery Park will experience the visual, literary, music, and performing arts; interactive STEM exhibits, opportunities to learn about the cultural heritage of our region, and more. This is achieved by convening public programs, the presentation of exhibits; and live performances and partnerships of all kinds. “Discovery Park was the vision of philanthropist Robert Kirkland who wanted to create a center of education that would both inspire children and adults and create an attraction that would draw tourists to Northwest Tennessee,” said Scott Williams, president and CEO of Discovery Park of America. “I love that he included numerous volunteers and members of the community in theplanning. The museum and heritage park that
