The Discovery Center’s Secret Garden Party Returns
The Secret Garden Party, benefiting the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, returns for its 31st year. For ages 21 and up, the event will be held at the home of Susan and the Honorable Royce Taylor in Murfreesboro on Friday, June 2nd from 7 to 10 PM. Featuring a “Farm to Table” theme with a seasonal menu crafted by Five Senses Restaurant, the event will feature an open bar, live music, demonstrations by local artisans, and a live auction. All proceeds from the event benefit the Discovery Center. Tickets to the Secret Garden Party are $100 per person and can be purchased at www.explorethedc.org.
“The Discovery Center at Murfree Spring has depended on the Secret Garden Party to support our programming and help us grow for more than 30 years,” said Tara MacDougall, President and CEO of the Discovery Center. “This event is critical to supporting our innovative and sensory-friendly programs, exhibits, and outreach that help us engage our most precious asset—our children. The impact of this work would not be possible without the support of our hosts, Royce and Susan Taylor, our sponsors, and our donors.”
In addition to live music and an open bar, the Secret Garden Party includes an auction of trips, experiences, and gift packages donated by local businesses for attendees to bid on in support of the Discovery Center. A VIP cocktail hour for sponsors will be held at 6 PM the evening of the event. For information on becoming an event sponsor, visit the museum’s website.
The Secret Garden Party kicks off the return of the Secret Garden Tour on Saturday, June 3 rd from 10 AM to 4 PM and Sunday, June 4th from 1 to 4 PM. The Secret Garden Tour is a self-guided walking tour that allows participants to explore and view private and public gardens in and around Murfreesboro. The tour is for all ages and tickets are $10 per person. The Secret Garden Party and Tour weekend is one of the Discovery Center’s primary fundraising events and has helped the museum expand and renovate its facilities as well as bring new traveling and permanent exhibits to the area.
Co-Chaired by Kelly Goodman and Sarah Patterson, this year’s Secret Garden Party committee includes Lauren Brown, Annie Cotter, Brittany Farrer, Jessica Fewell, Brittany Gammon, Becca George, Rachel Hagler, Nicole Holladay, Lindsey Jennings, Ashton Montgomery, Claire Oliver, Laura Beth Payne, Greyson Phillips, Jessie Pinson, and Candice Urias.
Named “Best Museum” in 2022 by Rutherford Parent Magazine, The Discovery Center has been one of Middle Tennessee’s leading environmental, cultural, and educational museums for over 30 years. Their 32,000-square-foot facility hosts more than 120,000 children and families each year. It is the museum’s mission to engage curious minds to fuel the future through interactive, hands-on exhibits and programs that promote STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education.
Adjacent to the protected Murfree Spring wetlands, a natural habitat for a variety of fish, amphibians, and birds, the Discovery Center is located at 502 SE Broad Street in Murfreesboro, TN 37130. For more information, visit www.explorethedc.org or call (615) 890-2300.
