Explore & More Children's Museum is one step closer to becoming a reality on our waterfront. The John R. Oishei Foundation has given the museum a two-year $200,000 general operating support grant that will allow operations to move in a direction that would support planning efforts. At this time, it's not a question of "if", it's a question of "when".
The museum has stated that it intends to open in May of 2016. "Explore & More is coming to Canalside, located in the Aud Block near the canals," said Barbara Park Leggett, the museum's Director. "We have been working with the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation for many years, and in May, we were chosen by their Board to be the children's museum operator. The coming year is going to be very exciting as we focus on detailed plans for a phenomenal children's museum reflecting Buffalo. We're reaching out to the community to create a museum for the people of Western New York. In September, we'll begin our Master Planning process - which will look at exhibits, programs and operations.
"Once the Master Plan and the complementary Capital Campaign Plan are complete and approved, the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation will begin the design and construction of the building. Like museums and attractions around the region and throughout the country, the building will be government-owned, and Explore & More will be responsible for the build-out and exhibits," noted Leggett.
Once open, the 20 year old museum is anticipating on drawing crowds of over 130,000 visitors per year. "We are truly grateful for the John R. Oishei Foundation for making this strategic investment in the museum's future," noted Leggett. "Explore & More is at a pivotal time of planning, with many unique opportunities for alliances, collaborations and funding partnerships -- opportunities that may not come again."
In coming months Explore and More will finalize its selection of a master-planning firm - as of this point nineteen firms from around the world have thrown a hat into the ring. The hope is to come up with a completely unique museum concept that would be a major draw in the region.
Just wondering if we are expecting this to be better than Rochester's?
I don't think it'll be in the same ballpark. Strong Museum is on a national level with 250,000+ square feet, Explore and More's proposal was 25,000 square feet. Strong Museum has been around a lot longer and has corporate and private sponsors with a lot deeper pockets than Explore & More.
A look at this list will show you the types of local and multi-national corporations they draw on.
http://www.museumofplay.org/about/give/corporate-support
They anticipate 130k a year, The Strong get's over 600k
I don't know if they expect that many - the study commissioned said we'd need at least 140k to 170k paying customers, with a $300,000 subsidy, to break even, neglecting the $25,000,000 estimate for building the museum. I'm afraid that they'll build it without finding long-term funding, and either suck up money from other culturals or just we'll end up with a half-assed, run down museum.
We have two other large institutions, the Zoo and Museum of Science, that don't have anywhere close to the funds they need, can we afford another one?
I'm just going by the article
>Once open, the 20 year old museum is anticipating on drawing crowds of over 130,000 visitors per year.