Discovery Center Museum Executive Director Sarah Wolf Announces Retirement

Discovery Center Museum announced Executive Director Sarah Wolf will retire at the end of January 2024 after leading the museum for 43 years. Wolf was one of the founders of the children’s museum and is its first and only executive director.

Sarah Wolf led the museum through many changes and substantial growth, from humble beginnings in the old Rockford Post Office to a nationally recognized children’s museum. Publications like USA Today, Forbes, Child Magazine, Family Vacation Critic, Family Fun Magazine and Reader’s Digest have all listed Discovery Center as one of the top children’s museums in the nation.

"Sarah has been an outstanding leader and a tireless advocate for informal education and the importance of play in the Rockford Region," said James DiVerde, Chair of Discovery Center’s Board of Directors. "For more than 40 years, her vision and dedication to providing educational opportunities for children has touched the lives of countless people and transformed Discovery Center from an improbable endeavor into a nationally recognized museum beloved by children, parents, grandparents, and educators,” DiVerde added.

Rockford Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ehren Jarrett explained, “During my 13 years leading Rockford Public Schools, Sarah Wolf stands out among the community leaders who consistently make a positive impact. She tirelessly advocates for students, including arranging field trips to the Discovery Center and creating opportunities for extended learning throughout the year. Her commitment to RPS staff, students, and families has truly made a difference. I’m immensely grateful for her years of dedicated leadership and service.”

When asked about Sarah Wolf’s legacy, John Groh, president/CEO of the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau had this to say: “When I think of Sarah Wolf, I think of a young mom and teacher who simply wanted to improve the educational opportunities for local children and along the way created one of the finest children’s museums in the country. Over the years, Sarah and her team have welcomed more than 5 million visitors and residents to the museum, making it one of Rockford’s top visitor destinations and generating significant tourism spending in the community. As she retires, Sarah will give away the credit for the museum’s growth and success to others. However, without Sarah’s indomitable spirit, her relentless drive for quality, her deep love for children and her creative ability to solve problems and seize opportunities the Discovery Center Museum would not be the crown jewel of Rockford’s museum community or the national model of excellence it is today.”

Under Sarah Wolf’s direction, Discovery Center Museum:

• Welcomed almost five million visitors and served almost 6.5 million children and families including its school and outreach programs since its opening in 1981.

• Transformed into a major tourism destination.

• Successfully completed two major capital campaigns. The first campaign centered on the transformation of a downtown Sears building into a museum campus in 1991. The second campaign allowed Discovery Center to expand its exhibit and classroom space, create new exhibits, and build a shared exhibition hall with Burpee Museum in 2010.

• Created the nation’s first community-built outdoor science park in 1991. The park, situated behind Discovery Center on the banks of the Rock River, has received numerous accolades. It was built by thousands of volunteers over the course of several weeks.

• Participated in a seven-museum national collaborative that developed science-based traveling exhibitions that toured the country. Known as TEAMS, the collaborative received four National Science Foundation grants in recognition of the excellence of their work.

• Formed long-term partnerships with NASA, providing access to information, funding, and resources to excite and inform children about space-related topics.

• Established Fun for Everyone events (for children with disabilities and their families) and mentor memberships (for area social service agencies serving children and families), providing opportunities for hundreds of people to enjoy free visits to Discovery Center.

• Established an endowment program for the museum currently valued at approximately $1 million.

“It has been my privilege and pleasure to work with so many dedicated and skilled board members, staff, and volunteers over the years,” said Sarah Wolf. “I am proud of all we accomplished together.”

Sarah Wolf grew up in Belleville, Illinois, and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Illinois as well as a master’s degree in education from Northern Illinois University. She is co-editor of the book, Handbook for Small Science Centers. Wolf is married, has two sons and daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. Upon her retirement, she looks forward to spending more time with her family and continuing her work with Alignment Rockford.

Wolf has helped position Discovery Center to attract a successor who will guide the museum into the next stage of its evolution and expand on its role as a leader in playful learning.

Discovery Center Museum is committed to continuing Sarah Wolf’s legacy. The museum’s Board of Directors has formed a search committee and is actively working to identify her successor.