3860. Go to the Paper Discovery Center in Appleton

One of the places I wanted to check out in the valley has been The Paper Discovery Center in Appleton. I have had several opportunities to pick up FAN Passes but never seemed to have the time to use them so I never picked them. I received a couple a dollar off admission coupons awhile back and they were about to expire. The hubby reluctantly agreed to accompany me. He was concerned this was a place geared towards kids.

The Paper Discovery Center is located on the Fox River in Appleton. It is a hands-on museum that showcases the paper making process and the history of making paper. The museum is just one large room but is filled with a lot of information and hands-on experiences.

One side of the museum gave you an insight of making paper (toilet paper) from the trees to the finished project.

The other side was the history of paper making including history of the Atlas Mill in Appleton. The windows even had shades that pulled down with facts.

In the back there is a arts and crafts area that featured snow and paper crafts and a children's play area. We made snowflakes. Mine actually turned out pretty good.

Another area had some holiday origami -- you could make a tree or a Santa. At first the tree seemed a bit tricky but I actually got through it.

In the way back was the whole reason I HAD to get to Paper Discovery Center before the end of the year... the Display on Pop-Up books. It was a library all of pop up books. I was in heaven. Too bad the hubby was with me and I could spend much time reading and exploring pop up books. Oh well, I would be there all afternoon if he let me.

Probably best the part of the Paper Discovery Center is Paper Making Station. A Museum worker will walk you through the process of making paper. The hubby was shocked to learn I never made paper. Hello, I didn't grow up in the Paper Valley. However, in the span about 10 minutes, I made a piece of paper. It is actually a really easy process... Rip up a sheet of paper, add some colored squares and glitter, toss in a blender with a cup of water, mix for a few minutes, pour into a mold, drain and press out all the water. Viola! A piece of paper.

The Paper Discovery Center is totally worth the price of admission ($7 adults). It was a nice way to spend an hour or so on a cold winter day. Unless there is another exhibit I want to see in the future, I may not get back there for a while. It is a great place for kids and if I had some we may visit more often.