MISSION
Our mission is to be the Nation’s leader for food and agriculture education, events and engagement.
With the relocation of the American Royal Association to Wyandotte County, Kansas, an opportunity existed to create an educational experience that bridges the gap between the consumer and the agriculture industry, to build a center that is the go-to place for knowledge and experiences unlike any other in the world, and to propel the consumer trust and economic growth of agriculture forward for years to come. It is with these goals that the concept of an educational ‘epicenter’ was born to serve as a destination to provide agricultural education, to break the stereotypes around food production and farming, to educate consumers on where their food comes from, and to inspire innovation and ideas in the industry and in the global food security challenge.
To help identify the specific needs of the new ‘epicenter’ and further evaluate physical space and programmatic details, an Education Center Committee was formed and over two years, a design-thinking process created the committee’s vision for the future: develop a very purpose-driven Learning and Engagement Center within the new American Royal campus that expands beyond its dedicated space, but instead carries educational programming throughout the entire campus.
Such design elements include the following spaces:
· Auditorium with Live Animal Access
· Experimental Learning Lab
· Demonstration Kitchen
· Recording Studio
· Virtual Simulations and Augmented Reality
· Outdoor ‘Voice of the Farmer’ Garden
· Archives, Art, Historical and Hall of Fame Exhibits
· High-Tech Classrooms and Meeting Rooms
· Live Animal Learning Spaces (Birthing Center, Milking Demonstration, etc.)
· Catwalks and Viewing Areas into Arenas
· Integrated Educational Experiences throughout Barns and Arenas