On Saturday, October 7th over 1,000 people from all over Central Minnesota came together to celebrate a historic milestone for Great River Children’s Museum, breaking ground. This spectacular turnout shows the enthusiasm Central Minnesota has for GRCM and a space our community can enjoy for generations to come.  But what does building community look like? At Great River Children’s Museum, access and inclusion are at our core. We want to provide a space for children and families of all backgrounds with opportunities to play, follow their curiosity, and discover their potential. At our Bu ..read more

Museum construction can begin! Schematic of the main entrance to the museum and the outdoor exhibit space On May 22, 2023, the Minnesota State Legislature voted to approve an all cash bonding bill which includes a $7mm award to Great River Children’s Museum for the construction phase of the project. The funding will allow the museum to begin construction and set a target grand opening date of late-2024. “We couldn’t be more excited and grateful for this additional funding. We’ve been working hard to raise the funds we need to build an incredible children’s museum. Even amidst rising costs and ..read more

At the end of April, the Great River Children’s Museum team traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana for the 2023 Association of Children’s Museums 2023 InterActivity Conference. Executive Director Cassie Miles, Program and Outreach Manager Kylie Conover, and Board and Committee Member Vincent Mies represented the museum and participated in three days of conversations, panels, and information sessions. And, of course, there was time for play throughout as well! The Louisiana Children’s Museum in New Orleans hosted 700+ ACM InterActivity attendees in their new space which sits on over 8 acres of park ..read more

GRCM fund request passed House vote; awaiting Senate vote Lt. Governor Flanagan discussing the positive impact of a new children’s museum in Central Minnesota. Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan visited the future home of Great River Children’s Museum April 7, 2023 as part of a state funding request project site tour. Great River Children’s Museum (GRCM) has requested up to $7 million in state funding. If granted, the funding would allow the museum to begin construction – which will take approximately one year – and set a target grand opening date.  “We are so grateful for the generosity and ear ..read more

By Mike Helgeson, Co-Chair Facilities Committee and Cassie Miles, Executive Director Details make all the difference… Over the last several years, Great River Children’s Museum has gone from an idea to nearly fully designed and prepped for construction. At over 31,000 sq ft, thousands of decisions have to be made before this museum can open and be exactly the kind of joy-filled, high quality, playful experience that Central Minnesota deserves.  Mike’s granddaughter, Greta at the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul In subtle or not so subtle ways, details like font selection and sink h ..read more

Join us by contacting your legislators today and encouraging support of children’s museums and the families they serve. By Peter Olson, Cassandra Miles, and Clara Wicklund with input from the members of the Greater Minnesota Children’s Museum coalition For some of us, the giddy excitement of a school field trip to the museum is a treasured memory. We remember what it was like to walk underneath towering dinosaur skeletons, to discover what electrical currents look like, to build teetering contraptions with our hands, and to climb through mazes of tunnels and ladders. We were able to carry forw ..read more

By Jill Dubbledee Kuhn, Anisa Hagi-Mohamed, Jo Svaren-Eichler, Heather Allen Why is GRCM inviting local Central Minnesota artists to fill all three levels of the museum inside and out with art? Exposing children to various types of art encourages imaginative and creative thinking skills that benefit a lifetime. It is our hope that the various types of art generate conversations and new ways of reframing ideas.  Ways art supports children in development and learning: Art fosters discovery and experimentation.   “One of my favorite childhood games was to fill a sink with water a ..read more

During the coming year of museum demolition, design and construction, we are seeking to engage artists with connections to St. Cloud and Central Minnesota to design and build work that will be integrated into the museum. We are seeking to connect with and engage artists interested in working with the museum- as teachers, public artists and other creative partners. As we envision a welcoming, flourishing Greater St. Cloud where all children look forward to a future that offers expanding opportunities, we center play as essential to children’s learning and increased connections to the diversitie ..read more

New construction is within sight Design rendering of the Headwaters exhibit sponsored by Cross Works Foundation Recent donations have brought Great River Children’s Museum’s capital campaign efforts to more than $8.2 million, more than halfway to the campaign goal. “We are beyond thrilled to reach this milestone,” said Cassie Miles, executive director of Great River Children’s Museum (GRCM). “Our next milestone is $10.5 million – which we hope to reach before year’s end – so we can begin construction.” Recent donations include $2.5 million from Cross Works Foundation, $500,000 from an anonymo ..read more

By Jane Ellison, GRCM board member and volunteer Great River Children’s Museum offered a Play, Explore and Learn (PEL) Lab for Somali families on October 8 at our downtown building. This was a rich co-learning experience, where families learned about the children’s museum and children’s learning through play. GRCM volunteers listened to suggestions for the future museum and were able to field test a welcoming display of cultural fabrics, carvings, metalwork, and local artwork. The PEL Lab offered activities one might find in the future exhibits, and efforts were made to integrate Somali ..read more