The expERIEnce Children’s Museum $18 Million expansion is well underway, and the Grand Opening of Phase I is set for Wednesday, June 21, 2023. The museum will be open from 11 am – 7 pm for their Grand Opening, with hour-long entrance timeslots starting at 11 am.
In addition to the new space, the expERIEnce Children’s Museum is updating their old logo to reflect the future of the museum. Look out for the new logo showcasing a pinwheel, which adorn the outside of the museum. The new logo not only signifies the playfulness and joy of childhood, but also the transition to the new museum. The new logo will go into effect on June 1st, the last day the current museum is open.
Tickets to the Grand Opening will be available on the new website, www.eriechildrensmuseum.org, in June.
“This project began as a dream in 2015, and we are thrilled to share the culmination of years of work with the Erie community!” said Ainslie Brosig, Executive Director. “From a new logo, to new exhibits, the museum expERIEnce is completely changing from what we’ve had that past 27 years downtown.
Since opening in 1995, the museum has grown into a significant community asset drawing 65,000 families downtown annually. The expERIEnce Children’s Museum will host world-class exhibits and a focus on Science Technology Engineering Art and Math (STEAM) education. STEAM education to help local children develop skills in critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and innovation. Skills that are recognized as the ones necessary for steam jobs in the 21st century. The renovations to the museum will play a significant role in making the city more attractive for future residents, visitors, investors, and businesses by providing a resource for families living, working, and playing in downtown Erie.
The opening of Phase I includes 3 floors of exhibits. Enter the 1st floor at the new entrance on the corner of 5th and French Streets and find an all-new lobby and gift shop. An entire wall is dedicated to the largest sponsors of the project, with interactive musical elements that can be played while checking in. Plus, put yourself in a whole new world with a Green Screen Interactive as you enter the museum to play!
On the 2nd Floor, be a part of the kid-sized town, My Erie! An upgraded version of the small town in the current museum, different parts of a town come together to show a community works within itself. My Erie includes a restaurant, Erie Eats, a Grocery Store, Farm, Theater, Auto Shop, Nursery, Pet Vet, and Tot Spot. Erie Eats allows children to be a part of all aspects of a restaurant, from taking parties to their seats, taking and preparing the orders, to checking them out and counting back their cash. The Grocery Store keeps the concepts and play from the beloved Wegmans Kid Market in the current museum, but now with a bigger, better space! Directly beside the Grocery Story is the Farm where children can milk a cow and harvest plants to sort and send over to the “Farm Fresh” section of the Grocery Store. The Theater allows children to put themselves in the spotlight with scenes from the Philharmonic, Erie Playhouse, Erie Dance Conservatory, and the Warner Theatre. The Auto Center features the Super Service Center, currently previewing at the museum, and a race track. Find our updated Operation Game in the Nursery. Visit the Pet Vet station, put on a white coat, and become a vet with stations about Communication and Grooming, Diet, X-ray, and more! Plus, enjoy the Tot Spot for little learners, with the alphabet tree from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom where you’ll be able to play baby songs from New American families living in Erie with English translations.
You will find “Lake Life” in the basement, highlighting the fun of being on Lake Erie: A Ship Climber, Ice Table, Bubble Exhibit, Interactive Lake Projection, and a Water Table. The Ship Climber, modeled after the Brig Niagara where children will be able to climb among the ship and become a Captain. You will also find an Ice Table, likened to “Erie’s Sandbox” with activities similar to that of a sandbox… but on ice! Plus, an old favorite, “The Bubble” is making a comeback now better than before. An ode to favorite exhibit from the early 90’s, “The Bubble” allows you to step into the exhibit space to create a bubble surrounding your body. Plus, add some technology to your visit and interact with a lake projection that moves to your footsteps below it. Finally, wrap up your visit at Lake Life with a brand new water table that is 3 times the size of the water table in the current museum. The water table is modeled after what goes on in Erie’s Bayfront, and is the 2nd largest water table in the country!
The project is headed by local companies, including lead architects, Weber Murphy Fox. Additional contractors on the site include Perry Construction Group (Afton Trucking, Maya Brothers Concrete), EE Austin & Son (Moran Masonry, Amthor Steel, Erie Custom Millwork, McCreary Roofing, Corporate Glass, Bauer Specialties, Beals-McMahon Painting, Foulks Flooring America, Wm. T. Spaeder, Rabe Environmental Systems, Keystone Electric, and Dahlkemper Landscape.
Lookout for the exciting updates Downtown, and join the museum for their Grand Opening on June 21, 2023 from 11 am – 7 pm!
