Bronzeville Children's Museum facts for kids
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1998 (current location since 2008) |
|---|---|
| Location | 9301 South Stony Island Avenue Chicago, IL 60617 (August 19, 2008–present) 9500 South Western Avenue Evergreen Park, IL 60805 (1998–2008) |
| Type | African American Children's museum |
| Public transit access | Chicago Transit Authority 28, X28, 95E buslines |
The Bronzeville Children's Museum is a special museum located in the Calumet Heights area on the South Side of Chicago. It holds a unique place in history as the very first and only African American children's museum in the entire United States.
The museum first opened its doors in 1998. It later moved to its current home at 9301 South Stony Island Avenue in the Pill Hill neighborhood in 2008.
Museum History
The Bronzeville Children's Museum was started in 1998 by Peggy Montes. She was a retired teacher from Chicago Public Schools. Montes was inspired to create the museum after visiting many other children's museums at a convention.
The museum first opened in Evergreen Park, Illinois. It was located inside the Evergreen Plaza. In 2000, the museum moved to a much larger space. This new location was ten times bigger and had three times more exhibits. Companies like Commonwealth Edison and Jewel-Osco helped support the museum's new home.
What the Museum Offers
The Bronzeville Children's Museum is specially designed for kids aged 3 to 9 years old. Even though the museum is not directly in the Bronzeville, Chicago neighborhood, it is named after it. Bronzeville is a very important area in Chicago where many African Americans settled.
There are over 100 children's museums across America. However, the Bronzeville Children's Museum is the only one that focuses on African American culture and history. It teaches young visitors about the rich heritage and contributions of African Americans.
