January 28, 2026
Chronicle Excerpt
The United Learning Center (ULC), located on the corner of Maple Street and North Pearl Street in downtown Centralia, is nearing completion, and its opening is within sight.
The 17,900-square-foot early learning campus will include a subsidized Montessori preschool for 80 children run by the Bezos Academy, the Discover! Children’s Museum and the temporary clubhouse for the Boys & Girls Club of Lewis County’s after-school program.
Amy Buckler, Centralia deputy city manager and parks manager, told the Centralia City Council during its Tuesday meeting that the museum is anticipating a soft opening at the end of March. Larry McGee, chair of the Discover! Children’s Museum of Lewis County, confirmed that the target date is March 28.
The Bezos Academy’s preschool targets Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) families in the community and will launch in September 2026. The start date for the Boys & Girls Club’s clubhouse is unknown at this time but will open sometime in between March and September, Buckler said.