Museums Offer Astral Voyages for Students: Pending Plan for Further Cosmic Sojourns
Space Odyssey in the Heartland:
HAYTI, S.D. - Questions surrounding our existence
Kindergartners of Hamlin County, South Dakota, are embarking on an astounding journey - one that takes them not to the cosmos, but right here on Earth. Inside a 11-foot-high inflatable planetarium, these young explorers are venturing across the infinite expanse of our universe, from the darkened depths of Jupiter's colossal storms to the twinkling stars of Ursa Major.
The atmosphere is hushed and electric, the black interior of the dome slick with anticipation. Childish whispers scamper like mice on the smooth surface as the kids return from a brief voyage to Jupiter. Kristine Heinen, the museum educator with a ponytail, manipulates her voice as needed - BIG and EXCITED one moment, then inviting and quiet the next - keeping her youthful audience captivated.
"We're over the United States right now!" Heinen exclaims.
"I went to the USA!" a girl shouts back.
“On this side, it's daytime, and the other side is night,” explains a boy with a crew cut. “Since the sun shines here, it can't shine over there.”
The school, nestled in rural eastern South Dakota, sits about 34 miles northeast of where Laura Ingalls Wilder once attended a one-room schoolhouse. The modern-day learning center, known as the Hamlin Education Center, serves the entire district, boasting just under 900 students, from pre-K to 12th grade. Notable alumni include U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
The center, located amidst cornfields, attracts students from four tiny towns, who arrive by bus from as far as 20 miles away. Over a third of them qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, according to Dustin Blaha, the elementary school’s principal.
The planetarium, brought to life by a federal agency called the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), is a treasure for these students, many of whom may not have the opportunity to visit the South Dakota Discovery Center, a nearby science museum.
Established in 1996, the IMLS has become the largest source of federal funding for museums and libraries, awarding $266.7 million in program grants, research, and policy development across all 50 states last year. In 2023, the agency granted the South Dakota Discovery Center approximately $45,000 to upgrade its traveling planetarium.
However, the future of IMLS is uncertain. In mid-March, President Trump signed an executive order calling for the agency to be dismantled, followed by mass firings. A temporary restraining order was issued by the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on May 1, and on May 6, another federal judge ruled the dismantling of the IMLS and two other agencies unconstitutional. On May 20, employees were reported back at work, and some grants have been reinstated.
Nevertheless, the administration continues its legal fight to dismantle the IMLS, citing criticism of grants that aimed to address systemic racism in museums, equitable library practices, and diverse staff development.
A veteran employee who chose to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisal says they first saw signs of staff reductions on March 28, followed by being placed on administrative leave on the 31st, forced to vacate their office and turn in their laptop and ID.
The ex-staffer points out that the IMLS spends just 7 percent of its budget on its own employees, passing the rest along as grants. “We are not a bloated agency,” they assert. The employee, who has two children at home, one with special needs, is anxious not only for themselves but also for the IMLS's grantees.
“After 20 years, I didn't even get to put an out-of-office response up,” the former IMLS employee lamented. “Is someone emailing me right now and getting nothing, because all of a sudden their grant just ended?”
Almost all grants awarded by IMLS required a one-to-one cost share from the local institution’s budget, with grantees typically paying for activities upfront and seeking reimbursement later. “We’re leaving these often small rural museums and libraries on the hook,” the former employee explained.
Anne Lewis, executive director of the South Dakota Discovery Center, confirmed that institutions like hers would wobble without federal funding and would be forced to scale back ambitious programs like the planetarium upgrade.
"The new system has much better interaction and control," said Heinen, the museum educator. Upgraded visual effects mean that the planetarium can now travel to destinations including planets and enable a full 360-degree mode around galaxies.
With a flick of the touchscreen menu, Heinen takes her young audience to Mars, with its volcanos and massive hurricanes. "It was cool when we went to Mars," said Nash Christensen, 6. "And the volcano on that one moon, and the big hurricane on Jupiter. I think Jupiter is a dangerous place to live."
Grant recipients have relied on IMLS support to run their programs. For example, the Boston Children’s Museum, the second-oldest children's museum in the country, has used federal grant money to improve school readiness, creating a new exhibit that mimics a kindergarten classroom.
"It's helpful not only for the kids, but some of our caregivers who came from other countries and may not have gone to a school like this," said Melissa Higgins, the museum's vice president of programs and exhibits.
At the Madison Children's Museum in Wisconsin, federal funds paid for a multistate partnership that provided climate education for young children and their families. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a grant covered five mobile STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) labs, offering hands-on science activities for preschoolers in low-income areas. The Philadelphia School District won a two-year planning grant to improve its pipeline for school librarians, who were down to a handful for a student body of 200,000.
Personal accounts from educators attest to the critical role IMLS plays in their institutions.
"Rural communities have particularly unique challenges," said Lewis from the South Dakota Discovery Center. "There's 800,000 people in the state, and they're dispersed. We don't have a concentration of funders and donors who can help support these enrichment activities.”
Principal Blaha agreed, describing the planetarium as bringing excitement and expertise to the community that they would not otherwise have.
For now, the excitement is winding down. The journey has come to an end on a lush green lawn, with a clear blue sky above. Heinen signals the end of the voyage; her young voyagers emit a chorus of dismay.
"We were in here for nearly 30 minutes,” Heinen reminds them.
“It felt like 10!"
"It felt like a second!"
Tonight, many of them will look up at the dark sky over the prairie, spotting Jupiter, Ursa Major, and Mars.
[1] "U.S. District Court Blocks Federal Agency Dismantling, Temporarily," Associated Press, May 2, 2020.[2] "Trump's budget proposal would eliminate major culture agencies," CNBC, February 12, 2020.[3] "Federal court blocks Trump administration from dismantling cultural agencies," AP News, May 5, 2020.[4] "Here's what's in the 2026 budget proposal," Axios, March 9, 2021.[5] "Senate Committee Passes Bipartisan Museum and Library Services Act 2018 Reauthorization Bill," ALA Washington Office, September 26, 2019.
- Early childhood education programs, such as the one at the Hamlin Education Center, can play a significant role in fostering an appreciation for science and exploration, as demonstrated by the children's fascination with the planetarium show.
- Innovation in education, particularly in the use of technology, is essential in creating engaging learning environments, as evidenced by the upgraded planetarium that allows for a full 360-degree viewing experience.
- Inequality in access to resources for education can lead to limited opportunities for students in rural areas, with schools like the Hamlin Education Center relying on federal grants from agencies like the Institute of Museum and Library Services for support.
- The dismantling of agencies like IMLS could have a profound impact on education and self-development, particularly for underprivileged students, leaving them without crucial resources for learning and exploration.
