Children’s Museum Opens New Wing : Expansion: With new science and theater rooms and a Preschool Playpark, the La Habra facility expects to double its attendance--and its effectiveness in teaching youngsters.

Six-year-old Patrick McCollum, one of 500 people who came Saturday to the grand opening of the Children’s Museum of La Habra’s new wing, looked at a mysterious mechanical exhibit and asked his dad:

“What’s it do?”

Patrick, wearing an orange baseball cap and missing a few teeth, was asking about four metal plates and a microamperes meter on display in the new Science Station room, which is filled with hands-on displays and experiments for children.

Mitch McCollum, Patrick’s father, motioned toward two of the plates and said, “Put your hands on them.” Then he pointed at the meter. “See? You have electricity flowing through you.”

“Oooh!” said Patrick, pulling his hands away.

The museum has encouraged children to use their hands to learn since it opened 12 years ago, and now with a new wing that triples its space and a new schedule allowing it to be open on Saturdays, there’s that much more room and time for the children to touch--and discover.

There are two other rooms in the new wing: a Kids on Stage room, where children can try on donated costumes and can work spotlights and play with props; and Preschool Playpark, where toddlers can play inside an artificial tree. The wing also contains an auditorium for performances and office space.

The museum’s older attractions remain, including the Nature Walk exhibit where children can pet stuffed wild animals and view a live bee colony through glass.

The new wing is designed in a California mission style to blend in with the original museum facility, a 1923 Union Pacific train depot. The wing, new equipment, exhibits and operating expenses cost $700,000, raised mostly through private contributions and grants.

Assistant director Melissa Banning said the museum expects that its attendance will double to 200,000 a year now that there is the room, the staff and, with Saturdays, the time to handle more visitors and tours.

“We’re more of a learning center than we’ve ever been,” Banning said. “We’ve always wanted to do art programs, craft programs. Now we can do it.”

The Children’s Museum of La Habra is at 301 S. Euclid St. and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day but Sunday. Admission: $1.50 for ages 2 to 16, $2 for adults. Free for children under 2. Information: (213) 905-9793.