When the Renaissance Center opened in Dickson in 1999, it was a unique haven for those interested in the arts and sciences all under one roof. Star shows beamed audiences to galaxies far far away, and actors took audiences to other places in other times. Meanwhile, painters and clay artists honed their skills with classes, and then were given a chance to sell their creations in the gift shop. In the basement laboratory, looking like an ancient alchemist’s hideaway, children were introduced to the exciting world of chemistry and other sciences. But then the property was given to Freed-Hardeman University and all that changed. With the recent sale of the building to David Rives Ministries, the building will transform once again.
David Rives Ministries has spent the last 13 years devoted to Biblical scientific research. The organization plans to turn the 100,000-square foot space into the Wonders Center and Science Museum. It will contain “massive exhibit halls, and museum displays, a … full dome planetarium, …chemistry and paleontology laboratories,…full sized dinosaurs, Bible manuscripts, observatory class telescopes, and kids hands-on activities,” according to Rives on his video introduction to the facility.
The building, which sits on a 7.5 acre campus, will become the home of the entire organization, including their production facilities, Genesis Network daily operations hub, and ministry organizational offices that will be moving from their current 12,000 square feet of space in Lewisburg, Tennessee. It will also house the Creation Superstore and Gift Shop, tiered conference rooms for speaking events, master classes and breakout sessions, and a large auditorium for creation seminars and gospel concerts.
It will take some time for them to move into the facility completely, as it will need an estimated $5.5 million dollars in physical and technological upgrades, as well as extensive repairs to the planetarium that was hit by a tornado in 2021. Rives, however, expects the new center to be completely open by mid-2023 with some parts available for use in late 2022.
“Our purpose is to highlight amazing design in anatomy, astronomy, physics, mathematics, biology, and more,” says wondercenter.com. “By studying these things closely, visitors will see how this design reveals God’s fingerprints throughout the universe. There really is evidence for the God of the Bible, and a closer look at the natural world around us only brings us closer to this truth, and ultimately the Gospel message.”
The ministry has been operating Genesis Science Network, a 24/7 television network airing science and nature programming from a Christian perspective, for more than six years. The Wonders Center will house their operations base, television studios, and production offices.
Previous to selling the building in June of this year to the Rives Ministries, the University listed it for $7.5 million. It was under consideration by Dickson County Schools as the possible location for a Magnet School, but the $4.5 million update price tag was more than the district wanted to pay and they passed on the opportunity.
The Renaissance Center was originally built for $25 million, including furniture and equipment. Built by the Jackson Foundation, it drew people from the region, as well as tourists from as far away as Germany.
Said one former visitor, “This used to be a great place for community learning, especially the arts.”
“Students of all ages used to be able to come her and take classes to feed their interests, like ceramics, painting or music,” said another former community member who used the original Renaissance Center facilities. “Now people drive 70 miles or more to Nashville to take these classes.”
When Freed-Hardeman owned the center, they offered college classes, and they shared the space with Nashville State Technical College. Freed-Hardeman has been slowly phasing out classes and working with current students to help them complete their degrees.
When the Wonder Center is completed, it will be the largest creationist science center in the country, and Rives sees it drawing visitors from all over the world.
