About
EdVenture

Mission

To inspire children, youth, and the adults who care about them to experience the joy of learning.

Impact

EdVenture inspires lifelong learners in a space that is engaging, safe, and inclusive. We foster boundless curiosity.

Click here to read our 2023-24 Annual Report.

Mission

To inspire children, youth, and the adults who care about them to experience the joy of learning.

Impact

EdVenture inspires lifelong learners in a space that is engaging, safe, and inclusive. We foster boundless curiosity.

Click here to read our 2023-24 Annual Report.

Museum Policies

Privacy Policy

EdVenture is committed to maintaining your confidence and trust. Accordingly, we maintain the following privacy policy to protect personal information provided by you.

EdVenture collects the following types of personal information: names, postal and email addresses, phone and facsimile numbers, and billing information.

EdVenture will use your personal information only for the purpose for which it was submitted, such as replying to inquiries and processing billing and business requests related to program participation.

If your personal information changes or you would like to review the personal information we may have on file, please email us with the new information.

Our website is not set up to track, collect, or distribute personal information nor does it employ any form of tracking or cookies.
Photography Permission Policy

Periodically, EdVenture takes photographs and video of museum visitors and activities for use in promotional and editorial material. With admission into the museum, you give permission to the museum for the recording of photographs and/or video of yourself and your dependents. You grant the museum all rights to use these still or moving images for educational, promotional, advertising, and other purposes which advance the overall mission of the museum, “to inspire children, youth, and the adults who care about them to experience the joy of learning.” All rights to the photographs and video belong to the museum. If you do not consent to this policy, please see the welcome desk at any EdVenture location.
Admission Policy
Please note that EdVenture’s exhibits and programs are designed for children aged 0-10 years and kindergarten through the 5th grade. Below is our admission policy. The museum may close due to weather, special events, and holidays, so be sure to check our website before planning your visit.

Except as otherwise provided in this policy, adults must be accompanied by a child.

Adults must have a child with them to enter. Adults unaccompanied by a child must be escorted at all times by an EdVenture employee, if one is available. If an associate is not available, the unaccompanied adult may not enter.

The museum prohibits persons who enter our property from carrying a handgun, firearm, knife, or other weapon of any kind, regardless of whether the person is licensed to carry the weapon. The only exception to this policy will be local, on-duty police officers and other federal or state law enforcement officers.

Smoking, alcohol use, or being under the influence of any legal or illegal substance is prohibited.

Right to Refuse Service
In order to maintain a high standard of service and safety for visitors, employees, volunteers, and students, EdVenture reserves the right to refuse or discontinue service to any visitor. A visitor may be denied service in circumstances including, but not limited to, the following:

violation of any of the museum’s policies or procedures;

misrepresentation of the need for service;

threatening or offensive language or behavior;

trespassing;

physical contact with visitors, employees, volunteers, or students;

unreasonable demands for service.

Any museum employee can exercise the right to refuse service to any visitor based on these or similar circumstances. Visitors in violation of any museum policy will be asked by museum staff to leave the premises.
Sick Policy
EdVenture strives to provide a safe and healthy environment for all our visitors. To keep everyone safe, we request the following “Sick Person Policy” be followed by our visitors, our staff and our volunteers.

As a general rule: if you or your child have a fever or are too sick to go to work or school, then you are too sick to visit the museum.

The following guidelines are more specific and we request that visitors with these symptoms not visit the museum.

Staff may be called upon to identify the following symptoms and to ask a visitor to leave if symptoms are present. If a visitor is asked to leave, free passes to return will be given to the visitor.

Fever

Flu symptoms (headache, high fever, chills, lethargy, muscle aches, cough, sore throat)

Upper Respiratory Infections (nasal congestion, runny nose, scratchy throat, painful swallowing, cough watery eyes – with or without fever)

Diarrhea or vomiting

Conjunctivitis or “pink eye” infection

Impetigo (infectious skin disease which shows up as small pimples that turn into red blisters in a circular pattern)

Strep Throat (child must be on antibiotics for 48 hours before coming to the museum.)
Cleaning Policy

EdVenture Children’s Museum is dedicated to providing a clean and safe learning environment for all of our guests. The museum follows daily cleaning protocols, using hospital grade sanitizers and other cleaning supplies. The museum also follows CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations and guidelines to provide information to staff, volunteers and guests visiting our two locations (Columbia and Myrtle Beach). For more information about how to keep your family healthy, please visit cdc.gov.

Civil Rights Statement

Museum Policies

Inclusion Statement

We at EdVenture believe that inclusion is a core value. We foster and support this value by providing a safe and welcoming environment where all children and adults can experience the joy of play and learning. We support equality, and welcome humanity, individuality and diversity. EdVenture embraces differences through appreciation and respect of all people and supports opportunities to learn through those differences. At EdVenture, we believe we are all one. “All One EdVenture”
Privacy Policy

EdVenture is committed to maintaining your confidence and trust. Accordingly, we maintain the following privacy policy to protect personal information provided by you.

EdVenture collects the following types of personal information: names, postal and email addresses, phone and facsimile numbers, and billing information.

EdVenture will use your personal information only for the purpose for which it was submitted, such as replying to inquiries and processing billing and business requests related to program participation.

If your personal information changes or you would like to review the personal information we may have on file, please email us with the new information.

Our website is not set up to track, collect, or distribute personal information nor does it employ any form of tracking or cookies.
Photography Permission Policy

Periodically, EdVenture takes photographs and video of museum visitors and activities for use in promotional and editorial material. With admission into the museum, you give permission to the museum for the recording of photographs and/or video of yourself and your dependents. You grant the museum all rights to use these still or moving images for educational, promotional, advertising, and other purposes which advance the overall mission of the museum, “to inspire children, youth, and the adults who care about them to experience the joy of learning.” All rights to the photographs and video belong to the museum. If you do not consent to this policy, please see the welcome desk at any EdVenture location.
Admission Policy
Please note that EdVenture’s exhibits and programs are designed for children aged 0-10 years and kindergarten through the 5th grade. Below is our admission policy. The museum may close due to weather, special events, and holidays, so be sure to check our website before planning your visit.

Except as otherwise provided in this policy, adults must be accompanied by a child.

Adults must have a child with them to enter. Adults unaccompanied by a child must be escorted at all times by an EdVenture employee, if one is available. If an associate is not available, the unaccompanied adult may not enter.

The museum prohibits persons who enter our property from carrying a handgun, firearm, knife, or other weapon of any kind, regardless of whether the person is licensed to carry the weapon. The only exception to this policy will be local, on-duty police officers and other federal or state law enforcement officers.

Smoking, alcohol use, or being under the influence of any legal or illegal substance is prohibited.

Right to Refuse Service
In order to maintain a high standard of service and safety for visitors, employees, volunteers, and students, EdVenture reserves the right to refuse or discontinue service to any visitor. A visitor may be denied service in circumstances including, but not limited to, the following:

violation of any of the museum’s policies or procedures;

misrepresentation of the need for service;

threatening or offensive language or behavior;

trespassing;

physical contact with visitors, employees, volunteers, or students;

unreasonable demands for service.

Any museum employee can exercise the right to refuse service to any visitor based on these or similar circumstances. Visitors in violation of any museum policy will be asked by museum staff to leave the premises.
Sick Policy
EdVenture strives to provide a safe and healthy environment for all our visitors. To keep everyone safe, we request the following “Sick Person Policy” be followed by our visitors, our staff and our volunteers.

As a general rule: if you or your child have a fever or are too sick to go to work or school, then you are too sick to visit the museum.

The following guidelines are more specific and we request that visitors with these symptoms not visit the museum.

Staff may be called upon to identify the following symptoms and to ask a visitor to leave if symptoms are present. If a visitor is asked to leave, free passes to return will be given to the visitor.

Fever

Flu symptoms (headache, high fever, chills, lethargy, muscle aches, cough, sore throat)

Upper Respiratory Infections (nasal congestion, runny nose, scratchy throat, painful swallowing, cough watery eyes – with or without fever)

Diarrhea or vomiting

Conjunctivitis or “pink eye” infection

Impetigo (infectious skin disease which shows up as small pimples that turn into red blisters in a circular pattern)

Strep Throat (child must be on antibiotics for 48 hours before coming to the museum.)
Cleaning Policy

EdVenture Children’s Museum is dedicated to providing a clean and safe learning environment for all of our guests. The museum follows daily cleaning protocols, using hospital grade sanitizers and other cleaning supplies. The museum also follows CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations and guidelines to provide information to staff, volunteers and guests visiting our two locations (Columbia and Myrtle Beach). For more information about how to keep your family healthy, please visit cdc.gov.

Civil Rights Statement

Meet our Team

Naomi Aitken

Curiosity Crew

Dallas Austin

Exhibits Manager

Tina B.

Curiosity Crew

Sharla Brown

Digital Media Manager

Olivia Cormier

Museum Operations Coordinator

Vicki DiMuzio

Education Coordinator

Marc Drews

Director of Experiences & Education

Rachel Duddles

Director of People & Culture

Greg Evans-Pryor

Building Maintenance & Technician

Dawn Futrell

Curiosity Crew

Brittany Gazda

Accounting Manager

Jessica Gregory

Myrtle Beach Museum Manager

Robin Harriford

Director of Development

Kelsey Hennighan

Director of Marketing and Events

Rachel Kearse

Curiosity Crew Lead

Andy Marquart

CEO

Lloyd McDonald

Director of Facilities & Exhibits

Marjorie Mokrisky

Finance Associate

Fred Mutz

Deputy Director & CFO

Christine Pamphile

Museum Manager

Gabi Peeler

Curiosity Crew

Velichia Ponds

Visitor Experience Coordinator

Kelsey Richards

Curiosity Crew Lead

Rachel Ross

Curiosity Crew Lead

Jayden Sack

Myrtle Beach Curiosity Crew Lead

Paul Shelley

Curiosity Crew

James Sonatore

Building & Grounds Associate

Karen Tiller

Curiosity Crew

Jo Todd

Curiosity Crew

Carolyn True

Education Coordinator

Elena Tudor

Education Coordinator

Santeyanna Turner

Curiosity Crew

Meghan Westfall

Exhibits Technician

Dr. Kathie Williams

Health and Safety Advisor

Dr. Kathie Williams

Health and Safety Advisor

Dr. Kathie Williams

Health and Safety Advisor

Dr. Kathie Williams

Health and Safety Advisor

Board of Directors

Dr. Jamelle Ellis – Chair

Senior Scientist, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership

Dr. Dwayne Porter – Governance Committee Chair

Associate Chair and Director of Graduate Studies, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health

Amy Alimohamed

Partnership Development Manager, Columbia Chamber of Commerce

Bradley Anderson

Retired Columbia Fire Department Chief

Dr. Alissa Richmond Armstrong – GOVERNANCE Chair-ELECT

Professor – Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina

Willie Calloway

Retired Museum Director

Angela Houlemard-Smith – SECRETARY

General Counsel, Advance Stores Company, Inc

Harold Reaves

Special Events Coordinator, City of Columbia

Bob Ruff

Senior Vice President, Group and Voluntary Benefits, Aflac

Robyn Watson

ICT Modernization Portfolio Manager, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina

Sue Williams

CEO, Children’s Trust of South Carolina

City of Columbia Board Liaison
Dr. Aditi Bussells

Richland County Board Liaison
Jesica Mackey