History
"The Discovery Center…
my place to be
creative…
challenged…
a friend…
caring…
goofy…
active…
thoughtful…
but most of all…
myself."
— Jacki Miller
Jacki Miller
The Discovery Center has been located on the west side of Ann Arbor since its founding in 1974. Jacki Miller began her dream of providing high-quality early childhood programs at the center’s original location on North Maple Road. In 1984, the center moved to its current facility on South Maple Road that was designed and built to house our programs. The new building gave us the opportunity to expand the center’s offerings to three full-day preschool classrooms, a half-day preschool program, and a new kindergarten, now our Young 5s, program. In 2003, we renovated and further expanded our facilities with the addition of a new large motor/gym space, basement storage area, larger parking lot, and fourth full-day preschool classroom. A further renovation in 2019 included expanded and upgraded playgrounds with innovative features and a new woodland playground for outdoor exploration.
In 1990, the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC) established the Jacquelyn Miller Endowment in memory of The Discovery Center’s founder and former Michigan AEYC president. The endowment awards grants for innovative projects in early childhood education in two areas that were of particular interest to Jacki: (1) children and the arts, and (2) play environments for young children. The owners and staff of The Discovery Center are active in fundraising for the endowment and assist in its administration.