Carter Polakoff on Why Play Matters for Every Family

Rich Bennett 0:00
Make sure you listen to the very end of this episode for a very special Q-Pon code, which is only good for a limited time. Two-port discovery children's museum. 

Wendy & Rich 0:13
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios Harford County Living Presence conversations with Rich Bennett. 

It's fine, it's fine, it's fine. 

Rich Bennett 0:39
Today I'm excited to welcome Carter Polkov, President and CEO of Port Discovery Children's Museum. Port Discovery is more than a museum. It's a place where learning happens through play, curiosity is encouraged, and families create meaningful memories together. Under Carter's leadership, Port Discovery continues to expand its impact, making hands-on learning, accessible, inclusive, and fun for children and caregivers across our region. So Carter, first of all, I want to welcome you to the show, but before we get in to Port Discovery, because Port Discovery is a 501(c)(3), right? 

Carter Polakoff 1:21
Yeah, absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 1:22
How long, before Port Discovery, how long have you been in the non-profit world? 

Carter Polakoff 1:28
Oh, I've been in the non-profit world since, well, actually since high school, but I actually was an intern here at Port Discovery during its start-up. 

Rich Bennett 1:38
Really? 

Carter Polakoff 1:39
So, when I was a junior in college, I got the opportunity to intern in Philadelphia at the Police Touch Children's Museum, and I always thought like I was going to go into real estate, or I'd be in corporate finance, or whatever, and I fell in love with sort of this idea of being an education, but not being a teacher at that time and administration, and so I actually transferred colleges so that I could get an internship here while this building, while this museum was being 

Rich Bennett 2:16
Right. Wow. 

Carter Polakoff 2:17
So that was, 28, 29 years ago. I was here for a couple of years, and then came to juices, and then I left, and they went and worked at a couple of other non-profits living classrooms foundation, and then Baltimore School for the Arts for 22 

Rich Bennett 2:32
Oh! 

Carter Polakoff 2:32
years. Yeah, and then I came back to the museum during COVID. It was very much kind of like a turnaround project 

Rich Bennett 2:42
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 2:42
here, and so I've been here five years since, but I have a long, long history with this museum, with non-profits in Baltimore, and it's all I've actually ever done, so. 

Rich Bennett 2:53
I bet you're happy you didn't get into real estate in state. 

Carter Polakoff 2:55
[laughs] 

Rich Bennett 2:56
Profit, huh? 

Carter Polakoff 2:56
Well, my husband is a real estate developer, and 

Rich Bennett 2:59
Okay. 

Carter Polakoff 3:00
so we are good -- but also in Baltimore City, so we're both kind of very deeply embedded in kind of the work we do here. 

Rich Bennett 3:09
Now, where did you go to college at? 

Carter Polakoff 3:11
Okay. Well, I graduated from Galtor. 

Rich Bennett 3:14
Okay. 

Carter Polakoff 3:15
Yeah. 'Cause I was already working here, 

Rich Bennett 3:18
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 3:18
actually. By the time I finished college, so they actually paired my education there up to meet this, so that I could do both at the same time. 

Rich Bennett 3:28
All right. So, for everybody that's listening, and I know, I want to say probably 99% of the people that live here know what poor discovery is, 

Carter Polakoff 3:39
-- Maybe. 

Rich Bennett 3:39
but for 

Carter Polakoff 3:40
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 3:41
Hopefully, they do. 

Carter Polakoff 3:43
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 3:43
But for those people living in other states or even other countries, how do you describe poor discovery in your own words? 

Carter Polakoff 3:53
So, first of all, children's museums are actually -- I mean, there's 700 children's museums in the country. 

Rich Bennett 4:02
Wow! 

Carter Polakoff 4:03
Maryland doesn't have a lot of children's museums, but there are other states that have six, eight, 12 children's museums. So, I think poor discovery in Maryland, children's museums is a little bit more of an anomaly than it is in other places. But nobody really knows what a children's museum is unless 

Rich Bennett 4:22
But 

Carter Polakoff 4:22
you're keep in that world. And I've been thinking a lot about that in the last couple days. So, first and foremost, we're a community resource, right? So, our job is to really look at the needs of children and families and provide kind of all the resources that they might need to thrive. Most specifically, though, I think of us as a museum at play. And what that means to me is that someone could walk in and -- you may be a child that doesn't like to be silly, that has been told that they can't make a mess, that has worries at home, and or you may be a mother who's got a cancer diagnosis or, you know, all the things, and our role is sort of to take you as you are and to create an environment they can feel kind of free from all of those things that bog them down. And it seems so silly to say that because kids are naturally supposed to be like really happy fun, but like the truth is that we all are living boxes. And so I'm kind of here to push not just kids, but also their grown-ups. Like, to say here, I've got you, like like let me let's, let's, and what do you need? Like what do you need to thrive? And, dude, does that mean a vaccine clinic? Does that mean story time? Does that mean teaching mothers or fathers or caregivers how to play? And so we have a, like a whole staff that's just dedicated to professional development for caregivers. And so, uh, daycare providers, teachers, preschool teachers, like we have an entire unit that's just on that alone. So we're really, we're not just an entertainment place, you know, we take our work really seriously. And we just are trying to help children and their families thrive together. 

Rich Bennett 6:22
All right. Yeah, you say children's museum. And anytime I think of anything with children, I especially think of children's authors, because to me, a good children's book can also teach adults. 

Carter Polakoff 6:37
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 6:38
Do you find, especially since your time there at Port Discovery, do you find that you're seeing so many adults learn probably even new things? 

Carter Polakoff 6:47
I mean, I would call us, if I were in charge of the world, which, you know, I am working on, I mean, we're a family. You know, we are a family museum. So, and, and I really think children's museums should be called family museums, 

Rich Bennett 7:01
Yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 7:01
if I'm being honest, because what, what my responsibility is is to see the grown-up that walks in and just say, like, what is that grown-up need to be a better parent? What is that grown-up need to feel relaxed? There was a mother the other day, sound asleep in one of the rooms. She was a, you know, lovely woman who was exhausted. You know, I put my hand on our shoulder and I was like, "Hey, are you okay?" She's like, "I'm just so tired." I was like, "Hey, no problem. I got it." Like, and we like played with their kids. And, you know, just like, There was another parent who was there, because she had a baby in the Nicky, and she was bringing the three-year-old. And she hadn't slept in like two months, and we 

Rich Bennett 7:48
"Wow." 

Carter Polakoff 7:48
were like, "Hey, was to just play with your child for a little bit?" And, because she wanted to have a really good day with her three-year-old, right? Like, she wants a win. We all want a win as a parent, like, but we all feel like we're doing it wrong. And so, I think what I always say is like... Can I do you need some coffee? Like, can you take a seat? Like, we have all this pressure to play with our kids and we need to, but at the same time, like, I want my staff to say, "Notice the grown-up." Like, the grown-up needs to help first. Kids will play with anything. The kids are super happy. But... 

Rich Bennett 8:24
They're like, "Catch! You give them a box!" 

Carter Polakoff 8:26
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But grown-ups aren't. And so... 

Rich Bennett 8:28
No. 

Carter Polakoff 8:30
And they will rush their kids, like, if they're not happy. They'll be like, "Come on, come on. Let's go to the next room. Let's go play." But, I mean, I see it all the time, like, kids are just like happy playing with Legos, and all of a sudden you've got a parent that can't sit down, can't get comfortable, it's hot or cold. And so, my focus is always the grown-up. Like, let's get the grown-up comfortable. Let's make them feel good. Let's... They have trouble being silly. They have trouble with art projects. So, if you can get them doing it, the kids are going to do it. 

Rich Bennett 9:00
All right. So, for those people that are listening, especially adults, because, you know, we mentioned... I like the idea of "family museum." 

Carter Polakoff 9:10
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 9:11
But, yeah, you're right. Sometimes the parents will rush the kids along or just get impatient or whatever. Is there, like, a lounge area, coffee, or whatever for the parents? 

Carter Polakoff 9:21
I find it that you say that. So, we're actually... We are... And I realize this is an evergreen podcast, but we are... I just got the designs for a new lounge today. So... 

Rich Bennett 9:30
Get 

Carter Polakoff 9:30
here. 

Rich Bennett 9:31
out of 

Carter Polakoff 9:31
Are... Yeah, yeah, literally this morning, I just got them, and we are literally really looking at that lounge experience so that you can... And we do have coffee now and stuff, but sit... 

Rich Bennett 9:43
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 9:44
you really can relax in this space even more because there was a movement 20 years ago in all children's museums actually in all play spaces that we don't provide seating for grown-ups that they have to play. When cell phones came out everybody said oh no so we got to create spaces for people aren't on their phones and they're just can play with their kids so like let's not put seats down and let like and the truth is like I don't think that worked like I I think that parents the reality is they are on their phones and they are trying to multitask and they are trying to do and so if you can like help kind of bridge it so they feel like they're playing they eventually might put their phone down and be our biggest most popular exhibit is our pretend it's pretend diner and I think it's why because the parents sit in the booths and I say parent generically could be aunt grandma 

Rich Bennett 10:40
right 

Carter Polakoff 10:40
foster parent they sit in the little pretend diner booths the kids serve them they play make believe they're playing in the kitchen they're cooking you know they're but the parents are sitting and they're usually unfortunately playing on their phone or they're reading but the kids don't realize that their parents aren't playing with them 

Rich Bennett 10:58
kids 

Carter Polakoff 10:58
the 

Rich Bennett 10:59
they're having a blast 

Carter Polakoff 11:00
they're having a blast and so the parents always are like this is so cool I'm like this is just a room with a couple booths and some plastic food but there is that sort of curated experience that happens where the kids are like oh mom like they have so much fun 

Rich Bennett 11:18
yeah 

Carter Polakoff 11:18
but it's because the parents are like able to participate but they are kind of worn out and say you just have to like honor that I'm just really an honoring like yeah it's hard 

Rich Bennett 11:29
but I love that idea 

Carter Polakoff 11:30
yeah 

Rich Bennett 11:30
it's a 

Carter Polakoff 11:32
it's hard 

Rich Bennett 11:33
but it's a big difference from and I'm thinking of my daughter from when she was a little girl and had that little was it the play school kitchen set 

Carter Polakoff 11:39
yeah yeah 

Rich Bennett 11:40
and I sit on the sofa and she would bring me the little fake eggs and I have to try them 

Carter Polakoff 11:45
a 

Rich Bennett 11:45
act like 

Carter Polakoff 11:46
yeah still 

Rich Bennett 11:46
it's a but the set up like a diner is a me I mean that's awesome 

Carter Polakoff 11:50
yeah and we're redoing the diner so it's going to be more so we're really leaning into Maryland like 

Rich Bennett 11:55
okay 

Carter Polakoff 11:56
you know that our museum is a she is the center out you know if you've seen it's a ship that crashes into the building so it's a huge ship and so we are leaning into sort of Maryland in the port and fish so the diners would be like the new dockside diner it's really like gonna be like a fish camp kind of space and we have a new and we have a port table that celebrates the port of Maryland and the shipping industry and so 

Rich Bennett 12:24
wow 

Carter Polakoff 12:24
we like I love sort of the leaning into the place that we are and letting people kind of celebrate being in Maryland 

Rich Bennett 12:31
are you bringing in different exhibits all the time right 

Carter Polakoff 12:35
yeah we but I will say you know an exhibit costs like each exhibit I mean they're like three or four million dollars to build yeah and 

Rich Bennett 12:44
wow 

Carter Polakoff 12:45
so so they do have to last a long time 

Rich Bennett 12:48
right 

Carter Polakoff 12:49
and a children's museum exhibit is they the reason is they're very expensive because they have to sustain like thousands thousands and thousands of kids beating on them and so climbing 

Rich Bennett 13:04
yeah 

Carter Polakoff 13:04
touching you know everything that we create has to be you know 

Rich Bennett 13:09
safe too 

Carter Polakoff 13:10
yeah yeah you can't put them on Alisa here unprotected right like so you have to make sure that everything we do can be kind of kid tested a lot 

Rich Bennett 13:19
what's what's one of your favorite things either past or present there 

Carter Polakoff 13:25
well I mean I'm biased because we just put two new exhibits in the museum that will probably be here for 10 10 15 more years and they are yeah they're they're really special and one is called skies and it's it's really like celebrating sort of what we call low sensory moments where 

Rich Bennett 13:47
mm-hmm 

Carter Polakoff 13:47
we have a museum that is like full of energy and I'm a big big big proponent of like noise mess silly like but I also know that you have to bring it down a lot and 

Rich Bennett 13:58
right 

Carter Polakoff 13:59
so you have this beautiful and it's got art and local artists senate and it's just 

Rich Bennett 14:03
oh 

Carter Polakoff 14:03
it's a really special yeah .. and I like to bring in artists from all over the place, like, the more we can bring in the community, the more authentic these exhibits feel. So... We just designed that. It has a special room, uhm, you know, if you have somebody having a meltdown, whether it's because they're tired, or because they're hungry, or because they have autism, or there, you know, any kind of neurodiversity, like, there are spaces needed now. And so we have a beautiful family space now for that. Uhm, you know, we do a lot of work with children from local hospitals, and, uhm, and those with learning differences and special needs and, uhm, it's just, it's really magical here to be 

Rich Bennett 14:51
Ah, 

Carter Polakoff 14:51
quiet on 

Rich Bennett 14:52
man, 

Carter Polakoff 14:52
it, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 14:53
actually, how do you decide, you know, what type of exhibits to either create or bring in? 

Carter Polakoff 15:02
Oh, I mean, you usually like hire a lot of consultants that talk to the community a lot. You hear what they're looking for, you know, uhm, it's interesting because you have to ask kids, because if you ask grown-ups, they're gonna want something much different than what kids want, and so you have to listen to the kids. Uhm, because, you know, grown-ups are gonna say like, we want nature, we want recycling, we want, uhm, you know, STEM, and kids are all like, we want superheroes, 

Rich Bennett 15:33
want... 

Carter Polakoff 15:33
and 

Rich Bennett 15:33
Yeah! 

Carter Polakoff 15:33
we Crocs, right, like, 

Rich Bennett 15:36
got... 

Carter Polakoff 15:36
and you've 

Rich Bennett 15:36
Bluey! 

Carter Polakoff 15:38
Yeah, but, 

Rich Bennett 15:38
[laughs] 

Carter Polakoff 15:39
but it's true! 

Rich Bennett 15:39
I know! 

Carter Polakoff 15:41
You have to really make sure that, like, we just did this galactic builders exhibit, which is parachute, launching, and rocket building, and 

Rich Bennett 15:50
Wow. 

Carter Polakoff 15:50
we took a ton of ideas to the kids first, and they, like, threw them in the trash, and they were like, that's one thing we thought we had nailed these, like, rovers, or like, these kids are gonna love building deserves. They were so hard, and the kids were like, uh, uh, I don't want to do that, and so you have to take your ideas to the kids, because it's for them, 

Rich Bennett 16:10
and... Yeah! 

Carter Polakoff 16:11
And it is supposed to make them relax, so if you give them something that's so, so hard, and I do believe in pushing kids, I don't, I'm not trying to say, I believe kids are far more capable than we give them 

Rich Bennett 16:22
Oh, 

Carter Polakoff 16:22
credit. 

Rich Bennett 16:23
absolutely! 

Carter Polakoff 16:23
Far more, but at the same time, if you give them something that's gonna take hours and hours, and they can't do, and it's frustrated, you've also lost, you know, you've sort of missed that sweet spot of opportunity to grow. 

Rich Bennett 16:34
Gotta get them when they're learning! 

Carter Polakoff 16:36
Yeah! 

Rich Bennett 16:36
mean, 

Carter Polakoff 16:36
I 

Rich Bennett 16:36
we talked about that not too long ago with our Lions Club. We had an author come in. And you see, a lot of people, they want to give books to the high schools, because kids aren't able to... 

Carter Polakoff 16:51
But, 

Rich Bennett 16:51
No, we gotta start when they're pre-K, 

Carter Polakoff 16:54
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 16:54
probably even before then, and get them, you know, get them to read now, and the same with what you guys are doing down there. 

Carter Polakoff 17:01
Well, like I said, I worked in a high school for 22 years, and I realized, I mean, I love... Oh, so I love youth, I love 

Rich Bennett 17:09
Mm-hmm. 

Carter Polakoff 17:09
youth in Baltimore, City. I'm really passionate about how we educate kids here, but I did, I was excited with the opportunity to come and get the kids really early, because I just think that, you know, by high school, like, they're really grown by You know, and there are so many fundamental things that we need to work on them, like, we need to teach some good character, and how to help one another, and how to play together, 

Rich Bennett 17:38
Yes. 

Carter Polakoff 17:38
and... You know, I talk about like... How to find joy, but to me as, like, not just a word, that means, like, helping others. Like, you feel joyful when you can help someone else. 

Rich Bennett 17:51
Oh, 

Carter Polakoff 17:52
So, like, 

Rich Bennett 17:52
yes. 

Carter Polakoff 17:52
how do you, how do you teach that? How do you cultivate that? So, you know, I love to, like, throw words around, like, joy, and creativity, and curiosity, and you did it, but it doesn't mean anything unless the kids aren't actually learning how to do that, and how to... 

Rich Bennett 18:11
And when they see, that's the other thing too, because when they see adults doing that, 

Carter Polakoff 18:17
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 18:17
and I... Well, I think a December. December, I love 'cause I play Santa professionally. 

Carter Polakoff 18:24
Oh. 

Rich Bennett 18:24
And that... I know, the beard's going, I shave it off 

Carter Polakoff 18:28
What 

Rich Bennett 18:28
after. 

Carter Polakoff 18:28
do you mean, Santa's not real? 

Rich Bennett 18:30
Of course, he's real. 

Carter Polakoff 18:31
You're just playing another Santa. Like, 

Rich Bennett 18:34
Yeah, I 

Carter Polakoff 18:35
in 

Rich Bennett 18:35
help 

Carter Polakoff 18:35
case... 

Rich Bennett 18:35
him. 

Carter Polakoff 18:36
Yeah. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 18:37
But, I mean, to me, that just to see, and when you mentioned special needs this year, especially where I did it, every night that we did dinner with Santa, they brought in... Not just kids, but even adults with special needs. And to see the joy on their faces just brings me so much joy. 

Carter Polakoff 18:56
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 18:57
DEESMILAN. And it's funny how many of them come up and- Can I be your elf? 

Carter Polakoff 19:04
Yeah, well it's true. And you know, I was just listening to um, David Rubenstein was talking about the Oriole Sailor Day, but he was talking about, like, history of America and the Declaration of Independence, and he was like, it is life-liberty and the pursuit of happiness, right? And like, that's something we can all lean into, whatever political view we We don't deserve to be happy, and we deserve to help our children and help, and- but you have to have children model that too, right? 

Rich Bennett 19:36
Actually, you know, as you mentioned, I don't even think about that because, you know, America's- we're celebrating 250 years this 

Carter Polakoff 19:42
That's 

Rich Bennett 19:42
year. 

Carter Polakoff 19:43
all 

Rich Bennett 19:43
That's 

Carter Polakoff 19:43
right. 

Rich Bennett 19:43
all right. 

So, is- are you guys doing anything special for that at Port Discovery? I- even though- I don't care if they hear this 10 years from now, I think it's important. 

Carter Polakoff 19:52
I mean, you know, we lean into it a little bit differently. We are really passionate about supporting the military and our veterans and so our focus is just to expand on that. And so, you know, we do something called, like, USO night where, you know, our military families are- they come in droves for free, and we provide dinner and play, and- that are- you know, anybody who's serving and their families come to the museum for free. So, I feel that the best way our museum can support through- through the 250 project is to really embrace those serving and- the Armed Forces and our veterans. And so, 

Rich Bennett 20:35
I 

Carter Polakoff 20:35
that's-

Rich Bennett 20:35
had no idea. 

Carter Polakoff 20:36
Yeah. So, that's like my passion project, not my passion. The museum's 

Rich Bennett 20:41
been-

Carter Polakoff 20:41
always 

Rich Bennett 20:41
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 20:42
But, um, I just feel like there's gonna be a lot of wonderful museum programming around the 250, and of course, we're gonna lean into this life overeating happiness. 

Rich Bennett 20:53
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 20:53
I think it's- I've loved how he phrased it the other day. Um, but we've decided to really lean in on supporting our military and being grateful for everything that people are doing in this country to 

Rich Bennett 21:05
Wow. 

Carter Polakoff 21:05
help us. And, um, you know, this is supposed to be a safe, secure place in our museum and- and I want people to- everybody to feel welcome here. 

Rich Bennett 21:17
And- well, I think about it. That goes perfect because you had the army, Navy, and Marines just celebrated 250. 

Carter Polakoff 21:25
That's right. Right. That's right. Well, I mean, the thing is it's like-

When you talk about the military in particular, you know, these- a lot of those families, they're first-comers into Maryland. 

Rich Bennett 21:38
Yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 21:38
They are not familiar with coming into Baltimore at all. 

Rich Bennett 21:41
Mm-hmm. 

Carter Polakoff 21:42
So most times, when we're serving their families, it might be their first trip into Baltimore City. And we- there are narratives around the city that make them nervous, right? 

Rich Bennett 21:52
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 21:52
And so, it is very exciting for me to be able to say like, "Come here," and it's awesome here. And they- everybody's really happy. And, um, and you know, my military families are great because they clean up after their kids. 

Rich Bennett 22:05
Yeah. 

I- and I want to thank you for that. Me being a veteran myself, because you see a lot of- a lot of things out there for veterans, but not a lot of things for veterans families. And I want to-

Carter Polakoff 22:17
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 22:17
For that, because that's- yeah, we- a lot of people- especially those that are serving- they don't realize the struggles that the spouse and the family-

Carter Polakoff 22:28
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 22:29
Point through. 

Carter Polakoff 22:30
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 22:31
This guy, and here you are providing a nice place for them to go to. 

Carter Polakoff 22:36
Well, I mean, yeah. Can you imagine like, you've got somebody that's deployed, and you're, um, mom, pregnant, living at Fort Mead with three kids, and you're not making a lot of money, and you know, you have- like, we've just seen how much like a free Chick-fil-A sandwich and passes, and then- and then, once again, seeing them. Like, literally looking at their eyes and being like, "Your life is really hard. How can we help you?" You know, that means a lot. 

Rich Bennett 23:04
Wow, they- see 

Carter Polakoff 23:05
So-

Rich Bennett 23:05
now you're going to bring me to tears here. That's not-

Carter Polakoff 23:07
I love this job. I mean, I'm sure. 

Rich Bennett 23:09
Oh, I bet. 

Carter Polakoff 23:10
But-

Rich Bennett 23:11
Well, and that's the thing about- because I mean, I've been in the nonprofit world for a long time. But yeah, the joy, there's that word again. The joy you get from seeing how you're helping others, everything you're doing. I think that's the biggest reward you can ever get. 

Carter Polakoff 23:27
Yeah, yeah. And it's the staff here too. You know, we've got 80 staff members here. Are there young- like, it's-

Rich Bennett 23:33
Yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 23:34
Just seeing them- how to look at the world differently too. I mean, it's such a privilege. 

Rich Bennett 23:38
Alright, so you started there as an intern. Do you have an intern now? 

Carter Polakoff 23:42
Ah, there's an intern in the other room. I don't have one personally. Right now, we do try to- We have a volunteer program and we're 

Rich Bennett 23:51
right. 

Carter Polakoff 23:52
we are really good with interns. There are a lot of work for me because I'm kind of all over the place and so we've made that mistake of like giving me one and then I could be like bopping all over the place but I love, I am a huge believer in internships. It 

Rich Bennett 24:07
Yes. 

Carter Polakoff 24:07
completely changed my life. I want everybody listening to know that you have to take them in and your companies because it's how people learn and I feel like we ask 12 year olds and 14 year olds to be like what do you want to be with your group and then we don't show them possibilities. So yes, we do have interns here. I just don't have one right now. 

Rich Bennett 24:28
Are you seeing a staff of 80? 

Carter Polakoff 24:32
Yeah, yeah. We're kind of big crew here. Just to operate on the floor on the floor means like out, we have you know 15 people that have to be out there every 

Rich Bennett 24:42
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 24:42
day. There's someone in each space. Then you've got the box off, you've got you have birthday party rental coordinator membership coordinator overnight coordinator because we do Boy Scouts Girl Scout over nights. Then you've got school group coordinators. I mean all of that 

Rich Bennett 25:00
overnight you mean sleep in there. 

Carter Polakoff 25:02
Sleepover is yeah. 

Rich Bennett 25:03
Really. 

Carter Polakoff 25:04
Yep. Yep. We do yeah Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts especially. 

Rich Bennett 25:09
Well, all right, wait a minute, I got a bone to pick with you. 

Carter Polakoff 25:12
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 25:14
You're listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. We'll be right back. 

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Carter Polakoff 26:28
you 

Rich Bennett 26:28
well have 

Carter Polakoff 26:29
not together. 

Rich Bennett 26:29
clear. Well, I know. No, 

Carter Polakoff 26:34
Just 

Rich Bennett 26:34
but 

Carter Polakoff 26:34
wanted to 

Rich Bennett 26:35
have you have you reached out to any of the American legions or VFWs and just have a veteran's 

Carter Polakoff 26:40
night? I don't know. I'm going to write a time right now. 

Rich Bennett 26:43
I think that would be a blast. Or veterans, veterans family night because you got to have, yeah, you got to have the kids there. But and the other thing too, even veterans that don't have families because a lot of times the kids like to talk to other veterans and other veterans like to talk to other veterans. 

Carter Polakoff 27:02
All right. Well, good. You just signed up to help me. 

Rich Bennett 27:04
Okay. 

Carter Polakoff 27:05
I'm so excited. 

Rich Bennett 27:06
I'm a member of my legion here. 

Carter Polakoff 27:07
I know. I can tell. You know what? I don't know a lot about the American legion 

Rich Bennett 27:12
really. 

Carter Polakoff 27:13
Yeah. We'll have to have to sidebar. 

Rich Bennett 27:16
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there's there is and I had no ideas that you know ideas. No idea that you guys were doing this with veteran families. And I just think that's wow. 

Carter Polakoff 27:28
I think about poor discovery, which is a little different than other institutions, the larger ones and that is like we're nimble. It's not that hard for us to open up a night for these kind of event. I mean, it everything costs money, but 

Rich Bennett 27:43
right. 

Carter Polakoff 27:44
We've got the staff that like really loves to be here, and we can open the doors at times when others can't, you know, just because of, I don't know. It's not that complicated all the 

Rich Bennett 27:56
time. 

Carter Polakoff 27:56
Yeah. And you know, if there's a patient who's sick at a hospital that needs to come into the museum, but can't be injurms, I will open to hours earlier for that patient. You know, like there are, it's just we do have a little bit more vulnerability of being nimble, then say the aquarium, which, you know, that's not because they're not the nicest because they are the nicest 

Rich Bennett 28:19
Yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 28:19
stuff. It's just that we're like an old-fish market building with, you know, a crew that can open the door really easily and get kids what they need. 

Rich Bennett 28:28
You mentioned, I believe you mentioned something about going to hospitals earlier. 

Carter Polakoff 28:35
We 

have what we have what's called the At Play Learning Institute, so we 

Rich Bennett 28:41
Okay. 

Carter Polakoff 28:41
have a team of educators who work with different nonprofits. 

Sometimes that could be a hospital, it could be a shelter. And we work with their parents on playful learning techniques. And so there's six week cohorts where the parents and the kids come together. We work, we go to that location. We have sort of a curriculum, a framework that we work with them on. Could be, you know, fathers exiting incarceration. We have a whole group of them. They may have lost custody with their kids, right? And so, you're creating, they're nervous 

Rich Bennett 29:20
with 

Carter Polakoff 29:20
to play 

Rich Bennett 29:20
Yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 29:20
So, right, like, can you imagine, they haven't played with their kids? So, we're creating like really simple play techniques for them to like, work to that. And they'll say like, oh my god, I'm feel so much better now. Like, I was so stressed out. And, yes, so we have a team that just does that work. 

Rich Bennett 29:38
wow. 

Carter Polakoff 29:39
And that's, it's called Apply at Play Learning Institute. 

Rich Bennett 29:43
You know what I think you need? I 

Carter Polakoff 29:45
What? 

Rich Bennett 29:46
think you need some buses and tractor trailers and do port discovery on tour. 

Carter Polakoff 29:51
Maybe. 

Rich Bennett 29:52
Hey, all right, wait a minute. I didn't, don't tell me you were thinking about that already too. 

Carter Polakoff 29:57
No, no, we, 

Rich Bennett 29:58
Carter, do you have any other surprises? 

Carter Polakoff 30:01
we had a van and stuff and I actually got rid of it because I was like the upkeep was, I mean, we operate on a really 

Rich Bennett 30:08
Yeah, 

Carter Polakoff 30:09
lean, we're lean, we're lean and we're scrapping. And so, yeah, someday, maybe in 10 years when we're listening to this. 

Rich Bennett 30:16
All right, so because of how big port discovery is, you guys are 501(c)(3). 

Carter Polakoff 30:25
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 30:25
And you mentioned how some of these exhibits can be millions. Overhead has got to be like astronomical. Tell everybody how they can help out by either donating or the membership program. 

Carter Polakoff 30:44
I mean, I was going to say, you know, buying tickets and becoming a member is just as important as 

Rich Bennett 30:50
Yes. 

Carter Polakoff 30:53
That's how we fuel fund most of our programming. So, like 70% of the museum is funded through our our 

Rich Bennett 31:00
tick, 

Carter Polakoff 31:00
membership 

Rich Bennett 31:00
oh, 

Carter Polakoff 31:01
and our 

Rich Bennett 31:01
wow. 

Carter Polakoff 31:02
And I mean, our membership program, you can literally, you make your money if you come twice. 

Rich Bennett 31:07
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 31:08
Make it back so, I want people to just come to this museum and use it. You know, I mean, I'm not going to pretend on a podcast. We're going to raise millions and millions. We might, though, if someone's listening, 

Rich Bennett 31:22
never know. 

Carter Polakoff 31:23
But, I mean, we have an active, obviously, fundraising team. But for me, I know that once people come here now, that is like worth its weight in gold 

Rich Bennett 31:35
that 

Carter Polakoff 31:36
because from there, all things follow. And I also believe that, you know, the wider we open our doors, you know, if a hospital or Ronald McDonald House, you know, all of those organizations, they don't pay because, you know, you open your doors. Like, it's going to serve us well in the end. So, but yes, tickets and memberships, tickets and memberships. 

Rich Bennett 31:57
So for those people that aren't members, which they should become members, but for those people that aren't members, how much does it actually cost to come to the museum? 

Carter Polakoff 32:07
That's right. So it's 24, 95 per person, 

Rich Bennett 32:11
that's 

Carter Polakoff 32:11
which 

Rich Bennett 32:11
it. 

Carter Polakoff 32:12
Well, that's grandparents adult everybody. So even if you're a kid, so if you're a family of four, you're still spending $100. 

Rich Bennett 32:20
That's not bad, though. 

Carter Polakoff 32:21
It's not bad, but, you know, I want people to come often. And so a membership is like $190. So if you come, like I said, if you come twice, it's worth it. 

Rich Bennett 32:36
The membership that's $190 per person, 

Carter Polakoff 32:39
no total 

Rich Bennett 32:40
for the family 

Carter Polakoff 32:41
or family of four. Yeah. So it's like fair or like 190 to 210 and we have sales all the time. I mean, it is, I want families to be here. You know, like the other thing for those who can't afford, we have community day, which every time the public school systems are closed, we are open here for $10. And so people come for $10. 

Rich Bennett 33:07
And 

Carter Polakoff 33:08
we have our playmaker program. So if that feels too hard, if you have an ebt or wick card, it's $5. So there are a lot of ways to come to this museum. They're just art. And, you know, there's all sorts of opportunities. Playmakers is 300 is every day that we're open. Community days are a couple of times a month, then we do in summer, we have make time in the weekends, those are $10. So I really try to make this museum a place for our community. 

Rich Bennett 33:46
Alright, so the benefit to me, it just makes more sense for people to become uh, to get the membership because 

Carter Polakoff 33:53
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 33:53
incorrect me if I'm wrong. Let's say you don't get the membership you take your family there. So that's say a family of four, that's $100. 

you can see everything in there and one day is there. 

Carter Polakoff 34:19
I mean 

Rich Bennett 34:20
maybe see it but not enjoy it. 

Carter Polakoff 34:21
Not if you're using the museum 

Rich Bennett 34:24
the right way. Right. 

Carter Polakoff 34:25
I like to say, this is not Disney World, right? Like you're supposed to spend time in... 

Rich Bennett 34:31
and 

Carter Polakoff 34:32
this is what I talk about with parents rushing. If you have a membership and you're gonna come back you're not gonna rush the child out of the water. 

Rich Bennett 34:42
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 34:42
You're gonna be like, okay let's just sit here for a while. So that's why I love members because members love the museum. They like make it part of their routine and they might come to one space and they might spend an hour or two. Now obviously it's different if you live a couple hours away from here but that's what you want. Is you want your child to get into this like pattern of flow they're playing and where you're probably playing at that point you're relaxed. 

Rich Bennett 35:12
So yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 35:13
We're kind of not worried about the rest of the world and it's safe here. It's clean here. You know like you know you're like we got you like we got germs around you so they can kind of relax a little bit. And so I do always like when I see tourists coming of which we have a lot which is great. They do rush their kids more and I love the idea of being like hey let's just settle in for a little bit. And it's okay to spend a little bit longer in the art room today because we'll be back. 

Rich Bennett 35:43
Wow. 

Carter Polakoff 35:44
Okay! 

Rich Bennett 35:44
So and to me the membership makes more sense because you never know once the kids get there they're gonna want to go back time and time and time again. 

Carter Polakoff 35:56
It's up to the parent you know it's 

Rich Bennett 35:59
Well I did. Yeah they're 

Carter Polakoff 36:00
you 

Rich Bennett 36:00
the 

Carter Polakoff 36:00
know 

Rich Bennett 36:00
taxi drivers. 

Carter Polakoff 36:02
that's right. 

Rich Bennett 36:03
But even the parents don't have a blast at it. I'm just picture myself now with my great nieces and great nephews sitting in that diner. 

Carter Polakoff 36:12
It's a real wind. 

Rich Bennett 36:13
They might be too old for that 

Carter Polakoff 36:15
now. How are they? 

Rich Bennett 36:17
Are you going to ask me a trick question? I think the youngest is oh maybe not the youngest would be I think she's six. 

Carter Polakoff 36:24
Yeah I mean really now with our new exhibits I mean really six seven eight still a good 

Rich Bennett 36:30
music 

Carter Polakoff 36:30
age for the 

Rich Bennett 36:31
right 

Carter Polakoff 36:32
in the future there will actually be more experiences for the older kids to we are building quite a large that will come out in a couple years. So I'm not talking about today except to say there is something we are fundraising for it right now and um we are very aware that families come in all ages and so you don't you shouldn't outgrow or discovery but you know a seven year old turns into a 14 year old but a 14 year old also has a little cousin that might be two and you might all come together and so 

Rich Bennett 37:07
climber 

Carter Polakoff 37:07
we really need to make sure everybody can have fun. 

Rich Bennett 37:10
And as we adults we want to be that kid 

Carter Polakoff 37:13
a 

Rich Bennett 37:13
again. 

Carter Polakoff 37:13
that's right 

Rich Bennett 37:15
Always 

Carter Polakoff 37:15
that's right and 

Rich Bennett 37:16
the heart 

Carter Polakoff 37:17
and everybody and that is kind of part of it people adults sometimes say why do I have to pay even this is for my kids I'm like oh no no no this is for you too. 

Rich Bennett 37:24
Yeah 

Carter Polakoff 37:25
it's not this is not that's why well and we need to take a revenue but it is supposed to be an experience for everybody. 

Rich Bennett 37:34
What what moment actually made you step back and say this is why we do 

Carter Polakoff 37:44
what we do. Well I have a bear. I mean. I didn't come to for discovery when my little ones were younger because my one child had temper tantrums all the time and 

Rich Bennett 37:53
Okay 

Carter Polakoff 37:53
we tried to come here once and what we I mean we did come everyone's well but like and I loved purchase I remember I had worked here I and one was extremely shy and the other was very difficult and I know what it's like to be a parent to walk into here to have their kid ever around to it would be a day of a work to for me to start crying because I wanted to have the best day ever with my kids and it was a disaster and so I bring that to my work was why I came back because I wanted to make sure that like parents knew that I saw them that like I really understand and I didn't have an extreme situation. I was a normal mom right and it was really hard and so I think raising kids is hard and it's also amazing and so I just really wanted to lean into that so that's my moment if you really want to. 

Rich Bennett 38:51
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I miss those, 

Carter Polakoff 38:53
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 38:54
These moments when they were so... Now, my daughter's 24, all, you know, and now, she's always reminded me because she likes to interrupt whatever I'm watching. 

Carter Polakoff 39:03
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 39:03
She just always hits me with, "You're gonna miss this?" 

Carter Polakoff 39:07
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 39:08
Really? Well, yes. No, I missed the little one. 

Carter Polakoff 39:12
And so, like, I watch videos of my kids now, and I'm 

Rich Bennett 39:15
"Oh". 

Carter Polakoff 39:15
like, Oh. God. And the funny thing is, like, they talk about that day that we came as the bat, like, one of their best memories with me. As a mom, and I think about that day when they were growing up, as, like, so hard and stressful, 

Rich Bennett 39:30
Yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 39:30
and so, you know, perspective is really important in all of this. I mean, and I'm not trying to sound so serious. Like, it's fun here. Like, it's 

Rich Bennett 39:39
Yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 39:39
just fun, too. Like, sometimes I take myself a little too seriously. I'm like, "Oh whatever." Like, let's just, like, you know, there's nothing wrong with a woopie cushion, and there's nothing wrong, you know, like, all that's fun, too. 

Rich Bennett 39:52
Oh, oh, my God. 

Carter Polakoff 39:54
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 39:54
Well, I ain't going to get into the woopie... 

Carter Polakoff 39:56
But, you know, like, 

Rich Bennett 39:57
a speech, but, yes, my niece had a blast before. 

Carter Polakoff 40:00
That's right. 

Rich Bennett 40:02
Oh, they are. They're a lot of fun. So, as a leader, what lessons has Port Discovery taught you, 

Carter Polakoff 40:10
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 40:10
personally? 

Carter Polakoff 40:12
my gosh. Well, I think I'm a lot more patient than I used to be. 

Listen, being a leader of staff is hard. Like, I mean, I... And I have a lot of, you know, I'm a little bit older than my staff, a lot of them, and they are learning now to staff their own teams. 

Rich Bennett 40:32
Mm-hmm. 

Carter Polakoff 40:33
And, you know, they'll say, like, I feel like I let you down or this, but I'm like, "Oh, staffing is hard." Like, if we could just do the work, like, if we could just come to Berk each day and do what our job description says, 

Rich Bennett 40:46
Yeah. 

Carter Polakoff 40:46
like, no-no-brainer. But, it's the people management of life that's really hard, and so I'm constantly reading books, and I'm constantly listening to podcasts, and I'm constantly trying to figure out, like, how to show up for them, and I have failed so many times. I'm the worst at firing people. Like, I, there's... 

Rich Bennett 41:08
"Oh, I hate that." 

Carter Polakoff 41:09
Yeah, but, you know, I, I, I would change so many things I did four years ago. 

Rich Bennett 41:15
Mm-hmm. 

Carter Polakoff 41:16
I think I'm getting stronger at it, you know, but yeah, I don't know. I think that's what I think a lot about right now, most of my job is staffing, and I'm... it's hard. 

Rich Bennett 41:28
All right, so crazy question, because you mentioned it, how you listen to podcasts, and I think my youngest listener is 6. But, and, with learning, have you guys thought about doing anything like that at Port Discovery? 

Carter Polakoff 41:47
Not, no, I'm not supposed to, I'm not, I couldn't do something, um... No, I mean, it's interesting that the Jewish Museum down the street just built, like, a sound studio and everything because they would 

Rich Bennett 41:57
They 

Carter Polakoff 41:57
love... 

Rich Bennett 41:58
did? 

Carter Polakoff 41:58
Yeah, it's awesome, and they keep talking to us like, "Huh, isn't there something we could do together with this?" I mean, they have this awesome sound studio for people to use, like, and run out, and then partners, and so... 

Rich Bennett 42:13
Wow. 

Carter Polakoff 42:13
I mean, yeah, you should come see it. It's really cool. Um, and uh, but, yeah, I know, I mean, I mean, we're talking more about like a story booth, you know, where kids can kind of share their... 

Rich Bennett 42:26
Yes. 

Carter Polakoff 42:27
Um, 

kind of prompts, and really it's around this idea of building character, and like, you know, well, being kind, and joyful, and, you know, and we haven't fully formed that thought out yet though. 

Rich Bennett 42:40
All right, so is there anything there... 

Carter Polakoff 42:43
So yeah, I can't wait for you to come run that program. 

Rich Bennett 42:47
You're giving me all kinds of work, aren't 

Carter Polakoff 42:50
you? I know, yeah, yeah, that's why. 

Rich Bennett 42:52
All right, so is there anything, besides the stuff that I mentioned, that you, that has not been there yet, that you would love to see at Port Discovery? 

Carter Polakoff 43:08
Yeah, I mean, there are a couple things, and, and I'm sure you'll see them eventually. I mean, I believe in like, I want kids to feel this sense of like freedom, so the route, so we see all over the country splatter rooms and breaking rooms where you throw things and break them, and, and I love that feeling of like a release of energy of all the things in the world. And so, Navigating that and figuring out like what we can do that's different from what everybody else is doing But there is that feeling that I love of like throwing pain on the wall or Making a massive breaking something and just like really getting out that energy and so 

Rich Bennett 43:55
great for 

Carter Polakoff 43:55
um 

Rich Bennett 43:55
your mental health 

Carter Polakoff 43:56
It's so yeah, it is we all want to do it's why people like axe throwing. It's why you know like there's there's now um bow like archery um it's a cult like there's all these things that people can do, right? Like archery dodgeball. It's called 

Rich Bennett 44:12
What 

Carter Polakoff 44:13
yeah bow dodge look it's like yeah, it's like dodgeball with These like 

Rich Bennett 44:18
oh 

Carter Polakoff 44:18
foam 

Rich Bennett 44:18
Okay, 

Carter Polakoff 44:20
yeah, not 

Rich Bennett 44:20
real 

Carter Polakoff 44:21
Yeah um so 

Rich Bennett 44:23
Well, that could be fun 

Carter Polakoff 44:24
But you know like so and so and we are building an enormous probably climber like and I'm talking like Just something so unique and different that you can't find anywhere else And so you know this really needs to be a place where like you don't do it at home It's not done in 

Rich Bennett 44:39
Right 

Carter Polakoff 44:39
your preschool Like that it's something special and so um Yeah, and we are building probably a teaching kitchen and really teaching kids out of cook and get their hands dirty I mean, I just I like I really like to make a No one else at this museum likes 

Rich Bennett 44:53
a mess like I So it's something very important for those people listening especially for those that have never been there Who's that are visiting from other states countries or whatever What's the website date so they could find out what hours are open what exhibits you got going on how they can get their membership 

Carter Polakoff 45:14
Yeah, absolutely. It's a port discovery dot org um We 

Rich Bennett 45:18
Oh, that's 

Carter Polakoff 45:19
have 

Rich Bennett 45:19
so hard to remember 

Carter Polakoff 45:21
so easy I think our websites pretty self explanatory 

Rich Bennett 45:25
Yeah, 

Carter Polakoff 45:25
The the hours do change So people definitely need to check the hours always before they come because There are days where I don't know. I mean It could be a school day. It could be a holiday. You know, we just have to change them a lot. So We are Group free on Fridays. You don't have school groups or camps. That's this really special thing that we do now um, but in general, you know 10-3 10-5 you can find us here. We're only closed to like three days a year um, so Wow yeah, so we're we're we're always open and and um and we just want to be there, you know 

Rich Bennett 46:07
Yeah, 

Carter Polakoff 46:07
people need to know 

Rich Bennett 46:08
Alright, so before I get to my last question. Is there anything you would like to add? 

Carter Polakoff 46:16
Yes I want people to sort of trust incoming to Baltimore and to come to port discovery Like if the famous thing is like that we don't have a park like we don't have parking. We have parking garage attached to our building 

Rich Bennett 46:29
Mm-hmm 

Carter Polakoff 46:30
I think people forget that when you're in a city you don't have parking all the time you cities you have to sometimes walk a block or two The quarem doesn't have it a science center like that's part of living in a city And I think people in Maryland forget that sometimes But we have a parking garage that is literally on the same block You just can't get into the museum from the garage. So you have to walk outside for like 200 feet and everybody says like you don't have parking so I like to talk about that a lot and say like shame on everybody Of course we have we have it It is what it is on the same block and we are in a city and so that's part of living in a city. Sometimes you got a park and you got to walk a little bit 

Rich Bennett 47:15
Usually for my last question, I'll have somebody 

Carter Polakoff 47:18
you 

Rich Bennett 47:18
pick 

Carter Polakoff 47:18
didn't think that it's not say that did you it was gonna be more prolific 

Rich Bennett 47:21
No, but that's great point you brought up now I knew about the parking garage, you know, but a lot of people don't And they think about that it's like oh god how far do I have to walk Yo and they think about crime 

Carter Polakoff 47:35
and is it safe? I know 

Rich Bennett 47:36
Yeah, I don't tell me a city where you're not gonna have problems They all have problems 

Carter Polakoff 47:43
Yeah, and I will say like we have secure like 

Rich Bennett 47:45
Yeah 

Carter Polakoff 47:45
we 

Rich Bennett 47:46
It's 

Carter Polakoff 47:46
your area like uh, we're not I'm not blind to what we're happening in Baltimore city We're I'm very aware like we we pay a lot of attention to it. But this is a place that You you can come to and we're gonna take good care of you here 

Rich Bennett 48:00
and so And here's my take if it was that bad you want to be working there No 

So I mean I'm gonna get I'm gonna two questions because I like the one that I pick but go ahead and pick a number between one and one hundred 

Carter Polakoff 48:15
Oh gosh. Okay, how about 51 

Rich Bennett 48:17
50 oh Okay 

Usually most people pick it between one and ten. I'm glad you picked a higher number Now I got to find it number 51 

Mm-hmm, okay. What is a belief you once held strongly that has since completely changed 

Carter Polakoff 48:36
Oh, God 

Rich Bennett 48:37
and what caused that shift 

Carter Polakoff 48:39
Are you kidding me? Why that's a hard one 

Rich Bennett 48:41
(laughter) Well, you want me just jump to the one that I picked out 

Carter Polakoff 48:45
'Yes, 

Rich Bennett 48:45
then? yes' You sure? 

Carter Polakoff 48:47
yes, 

Rich Bennett 48:47
Alright cause you mentioned education earlier right? 

Carter Polakoff 48:50
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 48:50
So if you could design a perfect educational system, what would be its core principles? 

Carter Polakoff 48:58
Yeah, well, I mean it's what the Children's Museum is, which is like perseverance, curiosity, creativity, happiness, joy, love, and, you know, adaptive. And, you know, I always say like, if every kindergarten was built like a Children's Museum, we would have like the best education system in the country. Like, there are lessons to be learned by what we're doing here, 

Rich Bennett 49:27
being 

Carter Polakoff 49:27
and so, and are values of like, I mean, like I said I work on them a lot, or what I believe personally, kids need to thrive. So, I don't know if that answered 

Rich Bennett 49:40
it. Nah, no, no, you dig- no, that was 

Carter Polakoff 49:42
But, you know, 

Rich Bennett 49:42
perfect. 

Carter Polakoff 49:42
I've been thinking, I think about it a lot, you 

Rich Bennett 49:44
Yeah, 

Carter Polakoff 49:45
know. 

Rich Bennett 49:46
no, that was perfect. So, those of you listening, when you visit Poor Discovery, Children's Museum, hopefully you'll see Carter in her B costume, or with the house and on her shoulder, everybody listening to pride right now is like what 

Carter Polakoff 50:05
world? 

Rich Bennett 50:05
in the 

Carter Polakoff 50:06
What is she talking 

Rich Bennett 50:06
Yes. 

Carter Polakoff 50:06
about? 

Rich Bennett 50:07
Well, you just have to go there to find out. But let's keep the conversation going. If you've been there, send me a message, let me know, or a voicemail, let me know, and maybe we'll have to bring some of you listeners on with Carter, and better yet maybe we just go down there and do a recording with some of the listeners, and... 

Carter Polakoff 50:31
So, 

Rich Bennett 50:32
tickets. 

Carter Polakoff 50:32
three 

Rich Bennett 50:33
Just as a B. 

Carter Polakoff 50:35
Whatever, I got the B glass. Let's say they're all back there. Whatever you all need, we'd love to have you. We'd love to have you, we'd love to have your listeners. You know, we can make that work. 

Rich Bennett 50:47
What's your 

Carter Polakoff 50:47
We could 

Rich Bennett 50:48
favorite? 

Carter Polakoff 50:48
do a coupon code probably. 

Rich Bennett 50:50
Oh! 

Carter Polakoff 50:51
I could come real real, yeah. 

Rich Bennett 50:54
What's your favorite costume that you've worn there? I know I said "What 

Carter Polakoff 50:57
I 

Rich Bennett 50:57
a f*ck" crashes, but... 

Carter Polakoff 50:58
mean, I was Miss Frizzle this year from the Magic School Bus, 

Rich Bennett 51:01
was... 

Carter Polakoff 51:01
and 

Rich Bennett 51:01
Oh, 

Carter Polakoff 51:01
that 

Rich Bennett 51:02
God! 

Carter Polakoff 51:02
By far. Like, yeah. And I bought the costume in like four colors, so I mean, like I don't even think of it as a costume anymore. 

Rich Bennett 51:10
Right. 

Carter Polakoff 51:11
And I am that person that walks in with like ten bags and you know, is filled with ideas like a hundred ideas a minute, so I'm a lot to manage 

Rich Bennett 51:22
Now 

Carter Polakoff 51:22
that. 

Rich Bennett 51:22
you got to get the costume for... I don't even know the character's name. Schoolhouse Rocks. 

Carter Polakoff 51:29
Oh, yeah, I don't know. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:31
Remember that card? 

Carter Polakoff 51:33
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:34
I don't know. It was a guy. A normal man, wasn't 

Carter Polakoff 51:38
it? Yeah. It's like the reading rainbow 

Rich Bennett 51:40
guy. Yeah. Oh, God. Wow. Look, you're already hit when you said Magic School Bus. It like... 

Carter Polakoff 51:47
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:48
Took me back, 

Carter Polakoff 51:49
when... 

Rich Bennett 51:49
although 

Carter Polakoff 51:50
Okay, 

Rich Bennett 51:50
I'm older 

Carter Polakoff 51:51
but no, because it's your daughter's son, like if your daughter's 24, she was Magic School Bus. Like, we 

Rich Bennett 51:57
one. 

Carter Polakoff 51:57
weren't 

Rich Bennett 51:57
Yeah, she loved Magic School Bus and the Wiggles. 

Carter Polakoff 52:00
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 52:01
Yeah. Her first concert. 

Carter Polakoff 52:02
Same with my... I drove. 

Rich Bennett 52:04
No. 

Carter Polakoff 52:05
I drove my kids to Reading, Pennsylvania to see the Wiggles. I saw them here. I've been like five Wiggles Concert. 

Rich Bennett 52:12
Wow. 

Carter Polakoff 52:14
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 52:14
My daughter, it was her first concert and her math was... Once they came out, she was just like... 

Carter Polakoff 52:21
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 52:21
Staying in on my lat the whole time. 

Carter Polakoff 52:23
You consider like match 

Rich Bennett 52:25
a 

Carter Polakoff 52:25
for date 

Rich Bennett 52:26
match for date? Yeah. Wow. Now you are taking me back. Carter, thank you so 

Carter Polakoff 52:31
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 52:31
much. 

Carter Polakoff 52:33
I know. I could talk forever. You can tell. I'm like...

Rich Bennett 52:35
From now until February 28, 2026, if you use coupon code C-R-B podcast, again it's C-R-B podcast, you'll get 10% of all memberships from Port Discovery Children's Museum in Baltimore City. Again, that code is C as in Charlie, R as in Rich, B as in Bennett podcast. This discount is valid only for memberships purchased between February 10th of 2026 until February 28th of 2026. It cannot be applied retroactively to previous purchases. It may not be combined with any other discountable promotion. All memberships purchased are none refundable. 

Rich Bennett 53:26
Thank you for listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and learned something from it as I did. If you'd like to hear more conversations like this, be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. And if you have a moment, I'd love it if you could leave a review. It helps us reach more listeners and share more incredible stories. Don't forget to connect with us on social media or visit our website at conversationswithrichpenet.com for updates, giveaways, and more. Until next time, take care, be kind, and keep the conversation going. You know, it takes a lot to put a podcast together, together, and my sponsors help add a lot, but I also have some supporters that actually help me when it comes to the editing software, the hosting, and so forth. There's a lot that goes into putting this together. So I want to thank them, and if you can, please, please visit their websites, visit their businesses, support them however you can. So please, visit the following, Full full circle boards, nobody does charcuterie, like full circle boards, visit them at fullcircleboards.com. Sincerely, Sincerely Sincerely, soil your photography. Live in the moment. They'll capture it. Visit them at sincerelysoilure.com. The Jopetown Lines Club, serving the community since 1965. Visit them at jopetownlinesclub. org, and don't forget the "e" at the end of Jopetown because they're extraordinary.