After almost 20 years of resting on the fingertip of Eddie (read: Columbia’s favorite 40-ft. child), the iconic EdVenture dragonfly is being removed to make way for a new insect: a firefly.
Eddie’s new flying friend is one aspect of EdVenture’s new rebrand, being launched in celebration of summer on Tuesday, May 30 at 10 a.m. This event will be free to guests with the purchase of general admission to the museum ($13 for adults and children over the age of 2) and will feature special guests from Congaree National Park, the Columbia Fireflies baseball team, and a notable figure who will “light up” the new firefly being placed on Eddie’s finger.
The museum is also sporting a new logo — which includes a magnifying glass with a firefly underneath — and a new tagline: “Where curiosity is larger than life.” EdVenture’s CEO, Andy Marquart, explains that the purpose of the rebrand is to make EdVenture more place-based. “We want kids to appreciate the world around them — especially the one that is in their backyard. When we began discussing the new brand, we knew that anchoring the theme and concept to the local community was a must.”
EdVenture has been working to build this stronger connection to the community, including partnerships with Congaree National Park and the Columbia Fireflies. Together, these organizations are working to raise awareness about conserving the endangered Loopy Five Firefly, indigenous to South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. It’s one of only three species of synchronous fireflies in North America — and if you’ve never seen them in action, we highly recommend you do.*
