Green energy, new gardens: Preview the new Experience Children's Museum exhibits

Numbers are one way to measure success.

Ainslie Brosig, executive director of Erie's Experience Children's Museum, thinks that attendance numbers say a lot about the museum's 19,000-square-foot addition that opened last June.

Before the renovation, the museum welcomed about 64,000 visitors a year. So far this year, the museum, located at 420 French St., is on track to see about 140,000 visitors.

And that's without the benefit of a top-to-bottom renovation of its old building scheduled to be opened on July 12.

Last year's addition and the work being done now were funded by an $18 million capital campaign.

"We are really excited," Brosig said. "I know some people didn't realize we were doing this full other half. They are in shock when they realize the museum is going to literally double its size."

Outdoor learning classroom

Another measure of success could be seen Monday morning as first-graders from Belle Valley Elementary School checked out the museum's newly opened certified outdoor classroom. The classroom features a car that kids can paint, a musical instrument area, gathering space and a water feature that demonstrates how dams work.

The most popular feature, however, were the raised beds, planted with strawberries, cabbage and other vegetables. The young visitors seemed to like the plants, but liked the watering cans even better. A museum employee had to gently return the cans to storage Monday when repeated watering threatened to turn the raised beds into swamps.

Museum to feature construction zone, alternative energy

While young visitors and their families spent time in the new building that opened in June of 2023, construction workers were busy Monday setting up new displays in the museum's original building that's now been completely reconfigured.

Dominant features in the new building will include an imposing recycling exhibit and a construction house that allows young guests to use age-appropriate tools to hammer, drill, cut and assemble.

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Other exhibits will show how solar panels and wind turbines can be used to charge batteries.

The building also will feature classrooms that can be used for birthday parties and rental space. There's also space to launch rockets and to create short-form videos and other works of art.

Adding exhibits for older children

Prior to the renovations completed a year ago, the museum catered mostly to visitors 8 and under. Brosig said new displays have helped the museum to expand its reach to kids up to the age of 12.

"This side definitely has more of an older-child vibe to it, but there are things for little kids to do as well," she said, referring to the old building that's now under construction.

Look inside: Erie's Experience Children's Museum unveils new building to young fans

There was an attempt, she said, to pair exhibits for older children alongside ones for younger visitors.

"If you have a family that has different age groups you can all be content in one space," Brosig said.

Ronald Meeder, site superintendent for the Erie architectural firm of Weber Murphy Fox, said he's happy that this will be his last big project before retiring.

"This place is beautiful," he said. "I'm excited about it."

Contact Jim Martin at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: New Experience Children's Museum exhibits almost open