Discovering the science of BMX

USA BMX Foundation Partners with Hardesty Family Foundation to Bring BMX Exhibit to Discovery Lab

Partnership to promote STEM Education through BMX in Tulsa Museum 

TULSA, Okla. (March 26, 2024)—The USA BMX Foundation, Hardesty Family Foundation and Discovery Lab are partnering together to bring a 2,000-square-foot STEM-focused BMX exhibit to the Discovery Lab in Tulsa come 2025. 

The collaboration between the USA BMX Foundation and the Discovery Lab is being supported by the Hardesty Family Foundation in an effort to advance STEM education in the Tulsa community by creating an interactive museum exhibit showcasing the STEM elements inherent in BMX. 

As the exhibit presenting sponsor, the Hardesty Family Foundation has donated a significant amount to make this project possible and will have prominent naming recognition throughout the exhibit and educational materials.

“At the Hardesty Family Foundation, we are big believers in STEM education and hands-on learning,” said Hardesty Family Foundation Executive Director Michelle Hardesty. “We are proud to support this collaboration between the USA BMX Foundation and Discovery Lab—two excellent organizations working tirelessly to ensure kids have the opportunity to combine learning with fun.”

The missions of the USA BMX Foundation and the Discovery Lab work in tandem to inspire confidence in youth through STEM education. Ray Hoyt, executive director of the USA BMX Foundation, said this partnership will allow children to interact with STEM education principles through a sport they can easily engage with. 

“Not many people connect BMX racing with STEM education right off the bat, and this partnership with the Discovery Lab made possible by the Hardesty Family Foundation will allow more people to understand the connection between the two,” said Ray. “There are so many elements of mechanics, engineering and physics that play into the sport of BMX. This dynamic exhibit will bring to life those aspects of BMX racing in a way that is exciting and fun for children and adults alike.”

A press conference discussing the partnership will be held Wednesday, March 27 at 11 a.m. at the USA BMX Headquarters Hall of Fame at 490 North Lansing Avenue in north Tulsa. Ray Hoyt, and a representative from the Discovery Lab will be speaking at the press conference and taking questions from attendees. 

“This partnership between Discovery Lab and the USA BMX Foundation embodies Tulsa's vibrant STEAM learning ecosystem. By joining together, we advance Tulsa's position as an emerging leader in STEAM education, showcasing our city's innovative spirit. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Hardesty Family Foundation, the presenting exhibit sponsor, whose generous support has enabled this collaboration, bridging Discovery Lab and the USA BMX Foundation to inspire and educate our community and visitors,” said Executive Director of the Discovery Lab, Ray Vandiver. “Through this exhibit, we invite everyone to delve into the fascinating science behind BMX, engaging them with interactive experiences that explore safety equipment, track design, racing reaction times and more.”

The exhibit design and development are currently in progress, which will include 8-10 components that immerse visitors in both racing and freestyle BMX. Elements of the exhibit may include components that help visitors understand:

• How helmets work

• Why gear ratios matter

• What it looks and sounds like at the starting gate of a BMX track

• The optimal soil composition for a BMX track

• How to build your own bike using different parts and materials

• How to balance a freestyle bike

• Track design

• Using “tools of the trade” to fix a bike

After the exhibit has been at Discovery Lab for 12-18 months, the exhibit will embark on a nationwide tour for approximately seven to 10 years, stopping at children’s museums and science centers for three-month stints. According to USA BMX, there are more than 240 sanctioned USA BMX tracks within a short distance of children’s museums and science centers. The traveling exhibit is expected to entertain and educate more than 1 million individuals throughout its nationwide tour.

“We have seen through a lot of our educational programming and STEM curriculum that once a child experiences BMX in this kind of setting, they are more inclined to talk to their parents about visiting a BMX track to experience the sport themselves,” Hoyt continued.

The traveling exhibition is still accepting corporate sponsorships at varying levels. Those interested can contact Discovery Lab Director of Development Stephanie Arnold de Verges at 918-295-8144 ext. 2219.

Note: For media inquiries and further details on this partnership, please contact Ella Ho Ching at ehoching@commitagency.com or 602-625-9054.

About USA BMX Foundation

The mission of the USA BMX Foundation is to build confidence in youth through STEAM education principles in unison with the hands-on experience of cycling to instill teamwork, exploration, mobility, discovery, and physical fitness for life skills.

The Foundation offers myriad programs for youth, parents, and educators programs that all focus on STEAM education through hands-on, project-based learning concepts, in which young students are learning new ways of seeing science, technology, engineering, and math, all through the lens of a BMX bike.

About Hardesty Family Foundation

In December 2005, F. Roger Hardesty and his wife, Donna J. Hardesty, established The Hardesty Family Foundation. The primary purpose of The Hardesty Family Foundation is to address specific needs in Tulsa and the surrounding areas. Being native Oklahomans, Roger and Donna feel a profound responsibility to give back to their state and contribute to a brighter future for all who call Oklahoma their home.

About Discovery Lab

Discovery Lab has been igniting the curiosity of children since 2007, initially as a museum without walls. In May 2013, Discovery Lab opened its first walls in the Owen Park Recreation Center--seeing over 130,000 children and families each year, including nearly 30,000 through outreach. In early 2022, the Museum opened a 57,000-square-foot world-class facility in Gathering Place park that will be transformative for Tulsa’s children and families, and will respond to a compelling educational need in the community. The museum projects to impact more than 300,000 children and families each year at the new site.