Willard Whitson sees worth and value in unlocking young minds. As the executive director of KidSenses Children’s Interactive Museum in downtown Rutherfordton, Whitson said the nonprofit usually draws about 30,000 visitors a year. He recently had to make the decision to close the museum’s doors amid coronavirus concerns. “It’s the heartbeat of this community,” Whitson said. “You see lives being changed and perceptions being changed.