Cookies and milk. Baseballs and bats. Crayons and paper. Some things just go together.

Like kids and water. Thats why Splash! has been such a popular area of KidZone at the Louisville Science Center for the past 17 years. Kids have flocked to the Water Table like ducks to a pond since it opened in 1987 in KidSpace.

But over a million pairs of happy little hands have left Splash! sadly in need of complete reconstruction. When other areas of KidZone were renovated in 1998, Splash! received little more than a fresh coat of paint. Now the Water Table itself is looking shabby, the plumbing system is outdated, and the floor is leaking.

Clearly there is much work to be done, and we need your help to make it possible.

A lead gift from the Gilbert Foundation enabled an advisory committee to develop an exciting new schematic design for Splash! Architect Peter Exley, recipient of the AIA Chicago Distinguished Building Award for his work on the Dupage Childrens Museum, has created a preliminary plan sure to captivate every child - and adult - who enters the new Splash!

Imagine the possibilities: Overhead, a kinetic system of tumbling water. Around the perimeter, a series of water troughs in varying heights that could encompass a Sink or Sail station, a Spray station, a Pouring station, and an updated version of the popular Water Power station. On the floor, a water table girding a crawl-through tunnel. And the return of an old KidZone favorite, a Waterfall Room.

The new Splash! will accommodate a greater number of children of varying heights and age levels. The space will be more accessible to handicapped children. New modern construction materials will better ensure safety and hygiene. And our early childhood experts are linking the exhibit areas to science concepts.

We are pleased to announce a recent gift to the Splash! renovation from the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. Their generous donation, along with gifts received from many supporters, has rowed us farther down the stream of our fund-raising goal for Splash! Now we ask you, as someone who has enjoyed KidZone in the past, to support this very popular exhibit. Every gift will be greatly appreciated, tax-deductible, and publicly acknowledged in Louisville Science Center publications.

Kids and water. Supporters and success. Some things just go together. With your help, we can assure smooth sailing for Splash! Thank you in advance for supporting the Science Centers mission and engaging the imaginations of future generations of kids.

To make a donation, download a donation form or contact Kelly Grether at (502) 561-6563 or .

You will need Microsoft Word to download the donation form.