EdVenture Columbia is home to Eddie, a boy whose insides contain a jungle gym: Children climb up to his head, two stories above the floor, and slide down through his body, listening (as they slide and climb) to the firing of his synapses, the beating of his heart, and the growling of his stomach. Eddie's appearance is made of the average weighted composite of traits of children of all backgrounds and ethnicities in South Carolina in 2002, the year he was designed and created for EdVenture, which opened in Columbia in 2003. EdVenture has been the source of endless hours of educational fun for children throughout our state and across the nation. Support from our community has enabled us to grow in ways that we never thought possible. From community outreach programming to field trips, birthday parties, and special-themed events, EdVenture has been the center of non-traditional educational opportunities for families and school groups. We see upwards of 200,000 visitors each year in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. Additionally, over 19,000 students came on field trips from 293 schools in FY24. Nearly 33,000 visitors participated in labs at EdVenture. We spark the joy of learning!