CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 29, 2026) – Discovery Place, Inc., today announced that Catherine W. Horne, President & CEO, will retire from her role after more than 12 years of distinguished leadership. Horne has served as the chief executive of Discovery Place since 2014, guiding the organization through a period of remarkable growth and community impact. 
 
Under Horne’s leadership, Discovery Place expanded to a network of four museums with the opening of Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham, significantly broadening access to museum learning for the region and serving more than 600,000 annually, including families, students and educators.  Horne led the advancement of major strategic initiatives including the Charlotte Museum of Nature and a future Discovery Place Kids location in Matthews, N.C. Among her many accomplishments at Discovery Place, Horne launched the lauded Welcome Program, which provides access to Discovery Place museums at a reduced cost. Since its inception, the program has connected more than 630,000 members of our community with a Discovery Place museum. 
 
“Discovery Place’s mission, the families we serve and the extraordinary staff I have had the privilege to work alongside are a part of who I am,” said Horne. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead this family of museums during a period of growth, and I look forward with great optimism to its next transformational chapter.” 
 
Discovery Place’s Board of Trustees is leading a nationwide search for the organization’s next leader. In the interim, Horne and the senior leadership team remain fully committed to advancing the organization’s work and sustaining momentum during this period of transition. 
 
“Under Catherine’s leadership, Discovery Place has grown from a beloved Charlotte institution to a regional destination and a network of museums that serves hundreds of thousands each year,” said Stephanie Sadowski, Chair of the Discovery Place Board of Trustees. “She leaves behind a strong foundation, a clear mission and an organization poised for growth. The Board of Trustees is grateful for her many contributions over the years.” 
 
A visionary museum professional and published scholar, Horne previously served for more than 17 years as President and CEO of EdVenture, the South’s largest children’s museum and a National Medal for Museum and Library Services winner. In 2018, Horne was appointed by NC Governor Roy Cooper as a Member of the NC Board of Science, Technology and Innovation, on which she served for more than five years. Horne was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Association of Science and Technology Centers from 2015 – 2023. 
 
 
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About Discovery Place 
Discovery Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the leading hub for science learning in the Carolinas dedicated to the exchange of ideas, scientific exploration and creative expression to stimulate innovative problem-solving and learning. Discovery Place’s network includes four distinct museum experiences—Discovery Place Science, Charlotte Museum of Nature (currently under construction), Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville and Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham. For more information about Discovery Place, visit discoveryplace.org.