Madison Children's Museum

From its origins in a small basement facility, Madison Children’s Museum has grown to fill a 56,00- square-foot building with more than 122,000 visitors each year. In an overscheduled world, children, parents, and caregivers can take part in open-ended play, a freewheeling experience that creates intergenerational conversations, provides fertile ground for learning, and sparks the imagination in sometimes unpredictable but always delightful ways. With a commitment to using local resources, products, and people, the museum attracted 15,000 volunteers who donated time, money, and objects to enhance the museum’s exhibits. The museum was built for and with the community and, through an environmentally responsible approach, anticipates being the first LEED-certified museum in Wisconsin. Through its Family Access Program, it opens the museum and its resources to families who could not otherwise afford to visit, and through programs designed to involve minority groups, the museum is helping residents bridge cultural and ethnic divides.