[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 114 (Friday, July 30, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM IN OAK LAWN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 30, 2010

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Children's 
Museum in Oak Lawn, as its staff and volunteers celebrate the first-
year anniversary of the Museum's expansion to a new building.
  Since it was first established in 2003, the Museum has become a well-
known and much-loved institution in my District. Drawing 10,000 
visitors when it first opened its doors, the Museum attracted over 
85,000 visitors from over 36 states in the first year at its new 
location. The Museum gives children and their families an important 
place for fun and relaxation, while also actively immersing children in 
the joyful world of learning. The Museum's staff has taken care to 
align the exhibits with the Illinois Learning Standards required of 
schools. As a result, over 150 schools have reached out to the Museum 
to enrich their curricula and take their students on field trips. At a 
time when evidence increasingly demonstrates that learning environments 
and enrichment activities in early childhood profoundly affect later 
life outcomes, the importance of the Museum's work becomes increasingly 
clear.
  From the Museum's beginnings in a small space of 900 square feet, it 
has grown into an institution that stands as a pillar of Oak Lawn, 
Illinois' 3rd District, and beyond. I look forward to continuing to 
work with the Museum's staff, volunteers, and supporters to strengthen 
the Museum for many years to come. I ask you to join me in 
congratulating the Children's Museum in Oak Lawn on its work and the 
first-year anniversary of its new facilities, as well as to wish it 
many more years of success.

                          ____________________