National Medal Winner 

“Receiving the National Medal is a tremendous honor for our museum and the people who work to create our unique environment. We continuously respond to the needs of our community and strive to make it the best place for hands-on learning. This distinction is a testament to the exceptional dedication and passion from our staff, board of directors, volunteers and supporting community—past and present.”

“Congratulations to Mort Sajadian and his team on receiving this well-deserved honor! I am thrilled that Amazement Square was selected as the recipient of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. From their unique partnerships with the region’s schools and hands-on workshops for youth who are living with severe physical and mental challenges to providing interactive, educational programming for children of all ages, Amazement Square is a shining example of how a museum can be an asset to the region that it serves. Our communities would benefit from more organizations with the heart of Amazement Square.”

“Congratulations to Amazement Square on this enormous achievement. Receiving the National Medal for Museum and Library Service is a true testament to Amazement Square’s commitment and service to the Lynchburg community, and this award underscores the value of the museum for children of all ages.”

“Amazement Square provides an invaluable service to the community by offering children – not to mention those who are still kids at heart – an opportunity to explore and understand the world around them through hands-on learning. I am pleased to congratulate everyone at the museum on this well-deserved honor.”

“The City of Lynchburg congratulates Amazement Square for this great accomplishment.  Since the Museum first opened its doors it has been a place of wonder, amazement and learning for children and adults alike.  Amazement Square is a vital part of this city’s arts and culture community and in the revitalization of downtown.  Throughout the years the Museum has demonstrated its commitment to this community and to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background or socio-economic status, can have the opportunity to enjoy all that it has to offer.  This capstone achievement is well deserved and we are proud of everyone connected to Amazement Square.”

“The contribution that Amazement Square Children’s Museum has made in the lives of foster children and birth families in the City of Lynchburg has been significant. The museum has graciously invited Lynchburg Department of Social Services to facilitate family visitation at their amazing museum at no cost…. The feedback from the birth families, children, social workers, and therapists has been phenomenally positive….If you could only see the faces of the children it would speak volumes. It is with a grateful heart that I can boast about the generosity and outstanding community service that the museum delivers. We are thrilled that Amazement Square has been willing to stand in the gap and in return, has changed the lives of many families and children.”

“LAUREL students are unique, different and special. Amazement Square takes time to get to know and understand these differences and accepts us for who we are. Amazement Square continues to strive to meet not only our students’ special needs but to make their museum program more accessible and learner friendly to others with special needs in the community. Our students are given the opportunity to take what they have learned in the classroom and generalize these skills into a community based setting. As a regional program serving only students with special needs, we have limited interaction with our non-disabled peers. Amazement Square gives us this opportunity.”

“Amazement Square is a wonderful children’s museum that has partnered with our school, Carl B. Hutcherson School, to engage in learning activities for young children attending our programs for at-risk students. The museum has been creating and providing activities to foster curiosity, creativity and cognition in our pre-kindergarten students”