Water, wood and flights of fancy beckon kids to the new Children’s Museum in downtown Tacoma.
The new play space, located on the north edge of the city’s Pacific Avenue museum district, opens to the public Jan. 14.
But museum members got a sneak play preview on Tuesday.
“I like the water exhibit,” said 7-year-old Annabelle Dickson. “And the bird – going in the bird’s head.”
The “bird’s head” is one of the museum’s most whimsical creations. The tall structure, dubbed Voyager, looks as if it was ripped from Leonardo daVinci’s notebook. The fantasy vessel is framed in metal, featuring the head of a bird, giant wings that flap and an assortment of kid-powered gizmos.
Elsewhere in the museum, kids can get their hands wet in an exhibit with flowing water and a cascading waterfall. It’s designed so that kids can adjust the volume and flow of the water. There are yellow ducks to float and plastic pipe to redirect the miniature stream.
An exhibit titled Woods suggests the fun to be had outdoors, with a suspended rope bridge and a crawl-through, splinter-free log pile. But inside, there are quiet places for reading or contemplating hidden treasures like a collection of acrylic-encased insects.
Annabelle’s aunt, Lynne Dickson, said she likes the natural light and the design of the new exhibits, especially when compared to the museum’s previous Broadway location.
“It was more play-specific,” she said. “This (new museum) is not directing you how to play.”
That’s intentional, explains museum Executive Director Tanya Andrews. The philosophy behind the new exhibits relied on input from area artists as well as families. The museum provides a blank canvas, but kids add the color and their imaginations help the sculpture-like exhibits take flight.
“The museum is imagination-based,” Andrews said. “It gives kids platforms on which to strut their stuff, and make it whatever they want it to be.”
The new space – 8,700 square feet – is the culmination of years of hard work and a $7 million fund-raising campaign that’s still in progress, with nearly 60 percent of money raised. Part of the campaign is dedicated to maintaining the admission-by-donation policy in order to eliminate financial barriers for families to participate. Families who choose to support the museum with a membership gain extra admission times, discounts or passes to children’s museums in other cities, limited parking next door to the museum and other perks.
The museum is designed as a kid-pleaser, but there are amenities for parents as well: well-placed restrooms both within the exhibits and outside the play space, stroller parking, lockers for coats and diaper bags and Café Play, operated by Tacoma’s Satellite Coffee and offering espresso for tired parents and healthy snacks for kids. And yes, adults can take their coffee into the play space.
One feature that’s noticeably missing is the museum toy store that was part of the old facility. Parents told museum staff it was a temptation for kids who wanted to play with the merchandise – or cajole their parents into buying it. While the sales provided revenue for the museum, the staff decided to listen to patron feedback.
The Children’s Museum of Tacoma got its start in 1985, when it was established by parents, teachers and community leaders. The original downtown location was on Court C.
In 1997, the museum relocated to Tacoma’s theater district on Broadway. But museum supporters realized that the facility would eventually outgrow its 3,800-square-foot storefront there. For the past decade, museum supporters tested ideas and continued to search for a new home.
Judging by the smiles on both parent and kid faces Tuesday, it looks like the hard work paid off.
“I like it,” said 5-year-old Emma Stangl, moments after she tumbled out of one of the facility’s climbing toys.
What does she like?
“Everything.”
Debbie Cafazzo: 253-597-8635
debbie.cafazzo@thenewstribune.com
