Room to Play Final Update | Fall 2017

We did it! With unwavering support from the community, we reimagined our flagship location in downtown St. Paul and launched a new era for Minnesota Children’s Museum.

Though our space has been transformed, our commitment to playful learning remains steadfast.

The museum’s history is a story of growth. Since first opening our doors in a converted warehouse in 1981, families have flocked to our spaces in increasing numbers. Our move to a newly constructed building in downtown St. Paul in 1995 provided much-needed breathing room.

Annual attendance during the next two decades grew 50% from 300,000 to 450,000. Popularity brought challenges. There were days when the museum felt too crowded. Beloved permanent exhibits started to show their age.

Six years ago, the organization took the first planning steps to expand, renovate, and reimagine all our

galleries and program spaces. Our aim was to meet future community needs and elevate the role of play in early childhood learning.

The museum launched Room to Play, an ambitious capital campaign to raise $30 million. The campaign received a fantastic response from our community, including $14 million from the State of Minnesota, $1 million from the City of Saint Paul and over $11 million contributed by individuals, corporations and foundations. The Room to Play expansion and renovation broke ground in December 2015 to build a bigger, better and bolder museum for our community.

In our first summer open, over 150,000 visitors explored the new galleries. We are tremendously grateful for our generous public, corporate, foundation and individual donors, as well as our talented project partners who helped make this new museum a reality.

Thank you!

All-New Minnesota Children’s Museum is Open!

Grand Opening CelebrationsPresented by

The museum opened with a month of celebration events.

Play for All Ball | May 20, 2017Donors explored the new museum and raised funds to support the Museum’s Play for All program.

Testing & Sneak Peek Days | May 22 – June 6, 2017Members and other families test-drive the 10 new exhibits before opening to the public.

Opening Day & Ribbon Cutting | June 7, 2017The museum is now officially open to the public!

Block Party & free weekend | June 17-18, 2017Free community celebration

Great ReviewsFamilies are having a great time in the new experiences. They’re sharing their enthusiasm on social media and review sites, creating positive word of mouth throughout the community.

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A Bright FutureWith a focus on creating exhibits that can be readily changed out through the years, as well as adding more flexible spaces indoors and out, Minnesota Children’s Museum has been revitalized for generations of young children and their families to explore and learn through powerful play. The museum remains committed to ensuring that all families have access to the high-quality experiences through the Play for All access program.

Thank you for your generous support of the Room to Play Capital Campaign and ongoing support of the museum’s mission to spark children’s learning through play!

Signature Gifts3M FoundationBest Buy FoundationCity of St. Paul Cultural

STAR ProgramState of MinnesotaTarget Foundation

Premier GiftsAnonymousMartin and Esther Capp Family

Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation

Ecolab FoundationGeneral Mills FoundationMartha MacMillan

Leadership GiftsAnonymous Katherine B. Andersen Fund of

The Saint Paul FoundationFred C. and Katherine B. Andersen

FoundationHugh J. Andersen FoundationAndersen Corporate FoundationF.R. Bigelow FoundationCargill FoundationThe Driscoll FoundationHardenbergh FoundationMarialice and Nevin Harwood

FamilyInstitute of Museum and

Library ServicesJE Dunn ConstructionMardag FoundationMSR DesignMr. and Mrs. John G. Ordway, Jr.

and their familySuzanne C. and William B. PaynePohlad Family FoundationWilliam and Martha Rappaport

MeyersThe Saint Paul FoundationWilliam Schmoker Family

FoundationSecurian Financial GroupTerri Tersteeg and Jim PetersonThrivent Financial FoundationTravelers FoundationWells Fargo Foundation Minnesota

Major GiftsAnonymousTom and Amara AboodCharlene and Mark AltmanJohn and Kelly Baker FamilyBeaverdale FoundationOtto Bremer TrustPatrick and Aimee Butler Family

FoundationCandylandSarah Ross CarusoChad and Maggie DaytonKatharine and Douglas DonaldsonEmerson Process Management –

Rosemount DivisionAnn Ferreira and Jon ReissnerHT Fish and Kathryn NelsonNancy and Robert HatchThe Hubbard Broadcasting

FoundationRick and Gretchen JelinekDianne and Scott KrizanLandscape Structures, Inc.John Larsen Foundation

Amy and Bill McKinneyThe McKoy FamilySusan Oberman Smith and

Doug SmithI.A. O’Shaughnessy FoundationRahr CorporationJames L. Reissner Family

FoundationShakopee Mdewakanton Sioux

CommunityAnn Simonds and Ken RosenblumHelene and Jeff SlocumEd and Valerie SpencerThe Toro CompanyU.S. Bank FoundationLillian Wright & C. Emil Berglund

Foundation

SupportersBrad and Holly BoehneAnn and Mike Brilley and FamilyBetsy BuehrerCashill FamilyCaztek Engineering Terry and Sarah ClarkJoel and Melissa ConawayMichael and Michelle ConklinJohn and Gretchen CorkreanWendy Wenger Dankey and

Jeff DankeyKristi and Jeff FoxAllison and Scott GageJanel Goff, Goff Investment GroupTrisha HomansEric and Katherine KirchnerPhilip and Sarah KrumpMinnesota State University

Mankato The Longview Foundation –

Lucy and Bob MitchellBeth and Nathaniel OppermanMarcia Page and

John HuepenbeckerEloise and Carl Pohlad Family Fund David and Laura QuiggCarleen RhodesSaint Paul Fire DepartmentSaint Paul-Ramsey County Health

and the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership

Phil & Schele Smith Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation

Scott and Jenny Slipy Cassidy and Andrew SteinerJon and Lea TheobaldThink Mutual BankRonda and Rodney Wescott

FriendsWilliam and Caroline Au-YeungKevin and Julie BalonRobert and Jeannine BefidiMatthew and Ashley BrownSteve Christenson and

Lisa HondrosKaryl and Dan CorcoranJay and Page CowlesLarry and Beth CrosbyDr. Francis and Holly DenisLiz Deziel and Tom StukelLisa Poseley DuffPaul and Jennifer DzubnarLisa FarrellRaymond and Carrie FaustMichael and Brandy FiddelkeHelen and Jim Franczyk

James and Laura GrantGreat Clips IncorporatedHema GunasekaranDan and Jill GustafsonBarbara Hahn and Paul NesethPatrick and Laura HarrisCatherine and John HarvankoTaylor and Sara HarwoodJohn HeizerSara Hill and Jonathan GloverHuebsch & Goettl Fund of the

Minneapolis FoundationSuzette and Michael HuovinenBob Ingrassia and Lida PoletzMichael and Angela KaphingPaul and Carey KasbohmMargaret H. & James E. Kelley

Foundation, Inc.Alexandra and Robert KlasWade and Renee LauStephen and Ann MastenArlene and Michael McHughKate and Ian McRobertsJennifer Moll and Tim BolanJames MomonRochelle and Colin MyersJoy and Christopher NewborgLaura Nichols-Endres and

Jake EndresJoseph Olson and Lisa Foss OlsonRhoda and Paul RedleafAmy and Kenneth SaldanhaJean SchlemmerSercl Family Fund of the

Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation

Steven and Suzanne StensrudCarley and William StuberCarolyn TaylorJeanne M. Voigt FoundationStephen and Sara Zawoyski

ContributorsSiyad AbdullahiJennifer Abuzzahab and

Kenneth SchlosserJennifer and Jeff AchenDiane AckertJudith and Richard AlbrechtErin and Ryan AlbuAdam and Christy AlslebenBeth and Rick AndersonMary and Don AndersonJulayne and James AndresenMolly and Brent AugustineLauren Baker and Eric BlackJeremy Bateman and

Lauren GiammarArthur BeckGary and Kristine BehmChristopher and Kelly BelliniClara BerganKari and Rashid BharuchaLeslie BrandtMelissa and Robert BrinkmanAnthony and Christy BrownNicole and Cory BrownTyler Candee and Jessica IntermillMelissa and Kevin CaseyDerik Casper and Amanda WestLauren and Ben CatlinWendy and George CaucuttJerry Chang and Yifen KuanStuart and Megan ChmielewskiJames C. and Melissa Clark

Tom and Cindy ClarkDesiree Clater and Jessica StoltzChris P. ClaudeKathleen and William ConleyRajesh DashJames and Stephanie DeBenedetAnna DeckerCraig De MasterLiz DillonPaul and Kody DonahueAnne DooleyKimberly and Traian DumitricaEric Dunn and Lori RickeAsumpta and Amadeus DzekedzeDeborah EideKate ErricksonFran and Katie FabrizioHarvey J FrankRyan FrenchEmily and Linda FritzRichard and Leslie GentnerBrooke E. GilesCindy and Mark GrabeJoann GreenwellJudith and Bruce HadlerFaith and Jacob HankeRuth Hanold CraneKit and Stephen HansenCarol HendricksJoshua and Emily HennagirAlisha and James HillstromKara and Patrick HobartAngela and Eric HoglundRobert and Sylvia HokeBree and Jason HolgersMary Hoopman and

Michael WallnerJames and Christina HornScott and Andrea IngalsbeAlexandra and Carla IversonChad and Holly JohnsonJennifer and Ryan JohnsonChristopher L. JonesKrista KetelsenAlison and Imran KhanChinda KhuonSteve King and Susan BorenAshley and Nick KlofstadChristopher and Heather KnoopSusan and Richard KollajaMichael Lee and Erin BensonAnna LoehrKathryn and Michael LyonNora MakkyChernelle Malone and

Brittany HarenzaBob and MaryEllen ManskeJohn and Jennifer MarshallCourtney MastinTyler McKinley and Thea PorischHeather Mclean and

Christopher FormbyShannon and Mike MillerColleen and Richard MinerAllyn Mishek and Katyna JohnsonDave MisiakCarrie Mock and Raelene FairchildMiranda and Alexander MortonJim and Natalie MulrooneyNational Christian Foundation –

Twin CitiesSenator Carla NelsonAndrew NewmanMark and Dani NicholsonKirstin and Chris Nielsen

Derek NordstromAndrew and Janelle OlsonPeggy and Scott OppenheimerChristy O’Shea Novak and

Joby NovakRyan and Aly PalmerKent and Katie PekelStacy and Adam PhillipichKelly and Reid PlumboPatricia and James PolnaszekAmy and Mark PowersJacalyn PrenticeSara B. RatnerWint and Tina RitchieWilliam and Dolores RivardBecky and Chris RobinsonBrian and Jessica RudolphDan and Karen RyanChristine Sammons and

Thomas MalundoJennifer and Robert SangsterEric and Linda SanksColleen and Tom ScheckCharles Schmidt and Kisha DelainEric SchmidtEmily and Adam SchohAndrea and Mark SchroederTom Schultz and Tiffany CogginsJoy and Dan SchwarzElizabeth and John SebastianAlicia and Erik SemelisClayton SmithHowell K. Smith IIShahara Smith and Luke MetzenSuzanne and Sam SmithKarine Stanko and Chris RuppJana and Stacy SullivanSarah TaylorJohnny Thao and Jackie VangKatharine Tinucci and Colin HaleyJohn and Jill TrautzJessica A. TurgeonMai and Eric VangVickie VanNessKatie and Scott Van OvermeirenJeanne Vergeront and

Andrew DickDebra WardKathryn C. WeglerMary R. WeilandJacky Wilson and Byron de JesusMr. and Ms. Frank S. Wilkinson, Jr.Wayne and Sue WillGudrun and Ben WillettPamela WilsonSarah and Jeff WinekeJocelyn Wong and Michelle CheukAndrew and Cate ZinkelAmy Zwart

Project PartnersGyroscope, Inc.JE Dunn ConstructionKidzibits, Inc.MSR DesignTEGRA GroupVStar Entertainment Group

This list includes all capital campaign donors as of 8/10/17. We have made every effort to ensure accuracy and ask that you contact Laura Nichols-Endres, Vice President of Development, with any questions or corrections at 651-225-6039.

Campaign Donors

All-New Museum!

Birthdays!

Family Memberships!

Grand Opening!

Grand Opening Celebration!

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“The new space is very open with lots of natural light coming in and the exhibits are interactive and updated.” — Seoul S.

“Totally worth the wait! The exhibits feel more open and inviting and I love the wide variety of exhibits with Tot Spots in many areas.” — Angel G.K.

“I absolutely love the new museum! It was a blast for our family.” — Angie G.

“Exhibits are interactive and exciting. The fire truck is the biggest hit for my son.” — Tiffany M.

“Our kids practice their balance, problem solving skills and coordination. They have opportunities to keep trying — perhaps the most important lesson our kids can learn.” — Robin R., Albert Lea

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The BackyardThe Backyard is a new outdoor gallery that leverages the natural world to create an abstractly familiar landscape.

Tip Top Terrace in the Ecolab GalleryTip Top Terrace is a rooftop outdoor space that transports visitors to another world filled with unique elements and invites them to take in the sights and sounds of the city.

The Studio in the Target GalleryThe Studio is a well-defined work space reminiscent of an artist workshop where visitors can explore the properties and uses of authentic tools and materials.

Super Awesome Adventures Super Awesome Adventures invites adventure seekers to take on daring physical challenges in an action-packed and imaginative space, while creating their own stories along the way.

ImaginopolisImaginopolis is an ever-changing gallery where visitors can work together with abstract materials and even venture into a mysterious noodle forest.

10 All-New Experiences

Our World in the Best Buy GalleryOur World is full of interactive experiences that prompt visitors to build on and contribute to the vibrancy of a community with their presence, interests, ideas, creativity, concerns, and efforts.

Forces at Play in the 3M GalleryForces at Play utilizes powerful air, flowing water and simple machines to engage visitors in playful explorations that encourage STEM learning.

Creativity Jam in the Target GalleryCreativity Jam is a flexible and changeable gallery space offering opportunities for visitors to work together and leave their mark as they construct with the materials.

The ScrambleThe Scramble is an exhilarating four-story climber that invites children to problem-solve with their bodies, set goals, test abilities and take safe risks. The Scramble is made possible thanks to generous support from the Martin and Esther Capp Family Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation.

SproutsSprouts, designed for children birth through 3 years, uses natural materials, a warm palette of varied textures and earthy colors, natural light and pops of vibrancy to create a softened and sound space for young children.

Visitor ExperienceImproving visitor experience was the top priority of the museum’s Room to Play project. The expanded facility boasts:

More Space: • 35% more space for visitors; expansion from 65,000 to

74,000 square feet• Dedicated school group entrance on W. Seventh St.,

including new multipurpose rooms• Wider hallways and better sightlines for improved visitor

circulation and intuitive flow• New main staircase and additional elevator for easier

access to galleries• Additional entrance and new box office on the skyway level

More Amenities:• Café with coffee bar and retail store• Comfort rooms• Twice as many bathrooms• More seating and stroller parking

More Fun:• Updated approach to exhibit design with more focus

on open-ended activities that give children space and freedom to explore

• New glass facade housing The Scramble, a four-story vertical adventure

• Renovated birthday party spaces• More exhibit space on street-level, including an

outdoor gallery

Room to Play | Timeline & Funding

Groundbreaking ceremony and

Statewide Day of Play

(October 2015)

Construction Phase 1 began

(December 2015)

Construction Phase 2 began, Forces at Play and

new box office open

(August 2016)

Construction Phase 3 began, museum closed to visitors

(December 2016)

Grand Opening

(June 2017)

2012 2013 2014 20162015 2017

Board of Directors established Capital Expansion Advisory Committee

(June 2012)

Research partnership with University of

Minnesota formed

(November 2012)

Exhibit Master Plan completed

(April 2013)

$14 million in State support secured

(May 2014)

Room to Play Expenses$30m

$15.6m Construction Cost

$8.3m Exhibits

$3.4m Legal, Financing & Fundraising

$1.8 Design & Engineering

$.9 Project Management

Room to Play Income$30m

$14m State of Minnesota

$7.7m Corporate & Foundation Support

$3.5m Individuals

$3.1m New Market Tax Credits

$1.1m City of St. Paul

$.7m In-kind

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Our Vision: Kids play more. Adults do, too. We thrive as a happier, healthier and more innovative community through the radiant power of play

Our Mission:

Sparking children’s learning through play.