Have you ever wondered what it would be like to bounce around inside the stomach of a fourth grader?

Probably not, but exploring the insides and outside of a giant boy is the centerpiece of EdVenture, a new museum for children in Columbia, S.C.

Visitors to EdVenture will see Eddie, the museum's centerpiece, as soon as they walk in the door. A 40-foot structure made primarily of molded plastic, Eddie will be large enough for both adults and children to climb in, on and through.

Billed as the world's largest child, his three-and-a-half-foot wide smile belies the fact that he has a tough time finding shoes to fit his 12-foot-long feet. And at 35,000 pounds, good arch support is a must!

What can children learn from Eddie?

Eddie is an example of learning through immersion, allowing children and adults to learn about their bodies by using their gross motor skills to crawl into the four chambers of his heart, climb his backbone or bounce inside his stomach.

And while Eddie may be the $18.5 million museum's centerpiece, he is by no means its only attraction.

In fact, museum visitors can explore a diverse range of other topics in galleries with names like BodyWorks, World of Work, Mission Imagination, My Backyard, Kangaroo Crossing, The Great Outdoors and Critter Garden. The galleries interactive exhibits allow kids to get their own perspectives on health, fitness, the environment, nature, science and even an up close and personal experience with the fascinating continent of Australia.

An additional gallery will host traveling exhibits. The first, ColorPlay, examines the science of light and color. Next up is Arthur's World - which is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Hours are Tuesday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. The Museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It is open Mondays only between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Admission is $5.95 per child, $7.95 per adult and children under one are admitted free.

From Savannah, take I-95 north to I-26, then travel west toward Spartanburg. Exit at 111-B onto Highway 1, which becomes Gervais Street. The museum is located at 211 Gervais St.

For more information, log onto the museum's website, www.edventure.org.