This past summer, Saint Louis Science Center hosted two characters from Blippi, an uber-popular kids’ program, to film an educational video that debuted in January.
The video, entitled “Blippi & Meekah’s Coolest Cars Ever,” has more than 392,000 views as of publication. In just under 14 minutes, it showcases many of the most notable highlights at the beloved facility – and introduces it to an audience of millions of YouTube subscribers.
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“Welcoming Blippi and Meekah to the Saint Louis Science Center was a special treat, as these beloved characters show how science learning can come to life through play and fun,” Saint Louis Science Center Public Relations Manager Doug Bolnick says. “And, as their focus on inspiring the curiosity to learn echoes our organizational mission, we thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity.”
Blippi videos, which typically run between 12 and 16 minutes, are designed to make learning fun for kids ages 2 through 6. Kiddos can watch on YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Max, and more while parents can follow along on social media to watch shorter clips and get program updates. Notably, this isn’t the first time St. Louis has been featured in a Blippi video, as The Magic House made an appearance in a video that debuted in late 2023.
Scenes for the main Blippi program were shot in the Science Center’s GROW gallery, James S. McDonnell Planetarium, Discovery Room, Makerspace gallery, flight simulator area, and ball machine in the main lobby. Other segments featured Blippi and Meekah’s typical upbeat attitudes in the Game XPloration gallery, the Paleontology exhibit in the Earth Sciences gallery, and the iconic arches in the Structures gallery.
“The visit was a full day for our team, with the production crew arriving early in the morning and staying for nearly 12 hours,” Bolnick says. “It was a pleasure to work with their team, and the shoot went smoothly.”
Bolnick adds that the team at the Science Center is pleased with how the videos turned out. Since the videos debuted, employees have been able to chat with the museum’s young guests about their experiences with the exhibits showcased on the program.
“The Science Center and the Blippi programming are an ideal match,” Bolnick says. “We both strive to connect kids–and their parents–with a curiosity for STEM learning and believe that this education should be open and available to everyone.”
The museum welcomes hundreds of thousands of people each year to experience 700-plus interactive galleries plus rotating programming that inspires and engages. In 2024, the Science Center will welcome a new look for the Life Sciences atrium, a new exhibit focusing on NASA’s Artemis missions returning to the moon, programming around the solar eclipse in April, the return of Summer STEM Explorers camp in June/July, and plenty more. Bolnick says that exposure from a program like Blippi only amplifies the Science Center’s mission to “connect with curiosity.”
“As millions of fans watch these programs every month, this programming gives the Science Center an opportunity to introduce our facility to viewers around the world – and helps to share that St. Louis is the perfect place for families to explore.”
