Children's Museum of Denver facts for kids
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| Established | 1973 |
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| Location | 2121 Children's Museum Drive, Denver, CO 80211 |
| Type | Children's museum |
The Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus is a fun place in downtown Denver, Colorado. It's a big building on a 9-acre campus. The museum has about 20 different exhibits. Around 450,000 people visit it every year!
This museum is made for young children, from babies up to age eight. It helps them learn through playing and exploring. The museum focuses on important subjects like Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). It also teaches about Health and Wellness, and skills for the 21st century. Plus, it helps with reading and art. The museum's main goal is to create amazing experiences. It wants to celebrate the wonder and joy of being a child.
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History of the Museum
The Children's Museum started in a unique way. It began in June 1973 as a traveling bus! This bus brought fun exhibits to different places.
In 1975, the museum found a home in a renovated building. This was on Bannock Street. Then, in 1984, it moved to its current spot. This location is along the South Platte River.
The museum has grown a lot. In 2015, it was named one of the top children's museums in the United States. It ranked 11th on a special list!
In 2014, the museum began a big expansion project. They worked on it for two years. This project made the museum twice as big! It added 8 new exhibits, one outside and seven inside. The museum stayed open while they built the new parts. Its grand reopening was on November 20, 2015. That's when it became the Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus.
How the Museum Helps Everyone
The Children's Museum of Denver is a special kind of organization. It's a non-profit, which means it uses its money to help people. It raises money through events, gifts, and business support. It also earns money from tickets and memberships. Many people work at the museum. Hundreds of volunteers also give their time each year. They help make the museum a great place to visit.
Making the Museum Welcoming
The museum wants everyone to enjoy its exhibits. It has special ways to help visitors with disabilities. For example, it offers quiet times for children with disabilities and their families. During these times, fewer people are allowed in. Also, the exhibit lights and sounds are turned down. This creates a calm environment.
Free Programs for Schools
The museum has a program called Sponsored Admissions and Memberships. This program helps childcare centers and elementary schools. If a school has many students who get free or reduced-price lunches, they can get free educational programs. These programs are led by museum educators. Children who take part also get a free year-long family membership! In 2015, about 15,000 students visited the museum for free through this program.
Lower Admission for Families
In 2015, the museum started a pilot program called SNAP Initiative. This program helps families who receive food assistance benefits. They can visit the museum for a much lower price, just $1 per person. By the end of 2015, over 17,000 guests had used this program.
Growing Scientists Program
The Growing Scientists Collaborative is another great program. It helps elementary school students from low-income families. The museum works with the Denver Botanic Gardens and Butterfly Pavilion. This program gives students science learning experiences. It includes training for teachers and support for school lessons. Students also get to go on field trips. They receive science supplies and free family passes to these fun places. This program started in 2003. It even won an award for environmental education in 2006!
How Kids Learn at the Museum
The Children's Museum believes that kids learn best by doing. This idea comes from experts like Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. They studied how children grow and learn. They found that children learn by exploring and experimenting. It's like building knowledge piece by piece. When kids play, they can think in new and creative ways.
Because of this, the museum's exhibits are designed for open-ended play. This means kids can explore and discover on their own. There's no single "right" way to play. The museum also knows that parents and caregivers are important. So, the exhibit spaces are made for adults to join in the fun too!
Fun Permanent Exhibits
The museum has many exciting exhibits. They focus on STEM, Health and Wellness, 21st Century Skills, Literacy, and the Arts.
- Altitude is a tall, indoor climber. It's three and a half stories high! Inside, you'll find a real mountain gondola. There's also a wobbly monkey bridge. At the bottom, there's a smaller climbing area called Box Canyon for younger kids.
- The Art Studio is a place to get creative. You can work with clay, paint, and other materials. The studio also hosts different artists throughout the year.
- Assembly Plant lets you build things. It has real tools and workbenches. You can use recycled materials donated by the community. There are even blueprints to give you ideas for projects.
- Bubbles is all about bubbles! You can use different devices to make bubbles. This exhibit teaches you about evaporation and water vapor.
- Center for the Young Child is a special area for children aged three and under. It includes The Nest, a quiet studio with fewer bright lights and loud sounds.
- Energy explores different energy sources. You can learn about wind, solar power, and fossil fuels. The exhibit has a solar energy station, a hot air balloon launch, and even a rocket launch!
- Fire Station No. 1 features a real, retired fire truck. You can also pretend to be a 911 call operator.
- Joy Park: An Outdoor Adventure is a huge outdoor play area. It's 30,000 square feet! It has many different activity spaces designed for outdoor fun.
- Kinetics! is a physics exhibit. It has a system of tubes and balls. You can watch how they move and learn about kinetic energy.
- My Market is like a fresh food market and kitchen. It teaches you about local food and how it gets from the farm to your table.
- The Teaching Kitchen has daily programs. You can learn to make healthy food recipes.
- Water is a large exhibit about water. It's 2,220 square feet! It has activities that show how an urban water system works.
