A scaled-down, pilot children’s museum will open in the Twin City Town Center, where Hickory Farms opened during the holiday season, on Feb. 1 for six months to gather the community’s input for an eventual full-scale museum.
“It’s a testing of the waters,” Children’s Museum Advisory Group Vice Chair Allyn Roe said, “to see what the community reaction is. It will give us good data.”
The Children’s Museum Advisory Group, which operates under the Friends of the Chehalis Community Renaissance, have worked for more than four years to bring a children’s museum to Lewis County.
Roe said the pilot museum will offer a main exhibit called “Power of Air”, where air blows through a maze of flexible tubing. The museum will also house a train table, toddler area with building blocks and other youth-centered attractions.
The advisory group recently signed a lease for the 3,300-square foot space, which is located next to Maurices in the town center.
Roe said the advisory group was looking for a space that was visible in the community, and the town center location met that goal.
Roe said 68,000 cars drive on Louisiana Avenue by the pilot museum each day.
The advisory group interviewed officials from six other children’s museums in the region and found the common theme was to start with a pilot project.
The pilot project is expected to cost $50,000.
Roe said the group is seeking donations and volunteers to run the pilot museum and help construct the museum exhibits.
Those interested in volunteering or learning more can visit the museum’s website at www.discovermuseum.org or contact the Chehalis Renaissance at 345-1042 ext. 4.
