Special to 1812Blockhouse
You may have noticed a lot of activity taking place at 175 West Third Street, home of the new Little Buckeye Children’s Museum.
The building, located between the Renaissance Performing Arts Association’s Theatre 166 and the Dollar General, has been undergoing many changes in the last six months including a repaved parking lot and a new entrance off of West Third Street.
The project, which is part of the Imagination District, originally started construction pre-COVID in January of 2020.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced closures in March of 2020, construction was halted by state mandate. But that didn’t stop the project. The joint capital campaign between the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum and the Renaissance Performing Arts Association for the Imagination District announced its successful conclusion in February 2021, just as state mandates on construction of museums was lifted, and construction resumed.
Today, Phase 1 of construction is nearly complete.
The building, which was purchased by the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum in late 2018, had sat vacant for roughly 15 years. Since being purchased by Little Buckeye Children’s Museum, the building has been gutted and completely redesigned. It has received a new roof, new parking lot, completely remodeled bathrooms and HVAC system, new flooring, and new lighting and electrical work. Repairs were also made to the windows and the elevator.
Phase 2 of construction will begin this month and will consist of building the exhibits that Little Buckeye Children’s Museum is known for. Conceptual drawings for the first-floor exhibits, which are designed for children ages 2-10 by Kevin Haring at Splashmakers, have been released (see above and below). These exhibits include all your favorites from the current museum, plus many new ones! Concept drawings for the second-floor gallery, which will house exhibits for individuals ages 10 and up are being finalized now.
The project is anticipated to be completed sometime in early 2022. In the meantime, families can still play at the current location of Little Buckeye Children’s Museum on West Fourth Street Wednesday–Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Source, Photos: Little Buckeye Children’s Museum
