By the end of 2024, The New Children’s Museum will have even more opportunities for visitors to think, play, and create with an 8,600 square-foot expansion that not only provides more gallery space and classrooms but expands the San Diego-based Museum’s wildly popular art-making studio space.
That is if the community can help the Museum raise $650,000 by the end of August.
With more than 1,800 visitors coming to the Museum on any given day, slots for the Museum’s current popular art-making studio space, which can only accommodate between 12 to 15 students at a time, fill up within hours of opening.
The expanded studio space will now be able to accommodate upwards of 200 guests at a time, who will be invited to explore a variety of ideas, materials, and hands-on techniques, including ceramics.
The Museum’s hope? Not only will there be more for visitors to do but older visitors, from years old to high school age, will have more to enjoy.
“The New Children’s Museum is, really, a space for everyone,” said Elizabeth Yang-Hellewell executive director and CEO of The New Children’s Museum. “As our audiences grow, so must our organization grow to nurture the creative space our visitors need to explore their creativity and fulfill their curiosity at new levels.”
The New Children’s Museum’s three-story location, which opened in 2008 in the heart of downtown San Diego, was originally designed by Rob Quigley. San Diego-based architect Jim Brown was brought on to create a low-impact design within the original building footprint that honors Quigley’s vision. In addition to the expanded studio space, visitors will be able to enjoy classes, programs, arms, and events in an all-new education commons on the Museum’s upper level.
“Art plays such a vital role in helping us discover who we are and explore the world around us”, said Gabrielle Wyrick, chief curator & director of audience engagement. “Here at The New Children’s Museum, we believe that all young people deserve access to opportunities to develop their creative potential and this expanded space will help us provide that access to thousands of youth each year.”
Funding thus has been provided, in part, through grants and private contributions. The New Children’s Museum still needs to raise $650,000 by the end of the year to fully fund its expansion.
The community can support the upcoming expansion by visiting https://thinkplaycreate.org/join/donate/.