Blast from the Past: We found a Time Capsule!

Brianna Wollak
May 22
2 min read

While renovating a section of the M&M Children's Museum building, our crew stumbled upon something incredible—a time capsule from 2003 tucked inside the last lane being taken apart! Inside, we found a handwritten note from the original Sheridan Lanes bowling alley mechanic and owner, a bowling pin and bowling ball used at the time, a bowling alley "dollar" used for food & beverages, and the most recent issue of Bowlers Journal highlighting the top of the line bowling balls in 2003. What an amazing find with fun memories from 22 years ago!

This unexpected find has us thinking: What would you put in a time capsule?

Let’s turn this fun surprise into a few exciting learning activities your family can try at home:

🔎 Activity 1: Make Your Own Time Capsule

Ages: 5+ Supplies: Shoebox or jar, paper, markers, small items

Have your child collect a few things that represent their life today:

A photo of your family
A drawing of their favorite toy or pet
A letter to their future self
A small item like a bracelet or keychain
A list of their favorite foods, songs, and friends

Seal it in a container and pick a "do not open until..." date. Don’t forget to label it!

🗺️ Activity 2: What Was Life Like in 2003?

Ages: 6+ Discussion or research prompt:

What kind of phones did people use?
What movies or music were popular?
What was the price of gas or milk?

Use this as a chance to look up photos from 2003 and compare them to life now. It's a great way to build curiosity and learn how quickly the world changes!