New St. Cloud Children’s Museum could bring thousands downtown

ST. CLOUD – Hilary Seeger was sweating as she tried to keep her sons, 7-year-old Benz and 5-year-old Riggs, within a line of sight at St. Cloud’s new Great River Children’s Museum.

There was only one problem. Riggs had climbed to the top of the three-story “Climber to the Clouds” exhibit, and while brave on the way up, he needed Mom’s help to come down. The feature, which includes the sounds of rain and thunder as it teaches about weather patterns, is one of eight engagement areas for children and grown-ups to experience together at the new museum.

“I don’t need to go to a gym – I can come here,” Seeger joked after she navigated nearly a dozen netted levels that lead to a skyline view of downtown St. Cloud. Naturally, as her sons got to ground level, they immediately started climbing again.

The museum had a soft opening and will mark its grand opening, which could draw thousands of people, Friday through Sunday.

In addition to being a parent, Seeger is also one of dozens of business owners in the vicinity who can speak to the impact of this 31,000-square-foot attraction that took more than six years and $17 million in public, private and in-kind contributions to become reality.

“It’s amazing, and it’s been an incredible journey to get here,” said Seeger, who operates Bare Wax, a waxing studio two blocks away. “It was a huge undertaking, and I didn’t expect it would be this massive. It’s a blessing to have this in our town.”

Great River, the second-largest of Minnesota’s 13 children’s museums — originated decades ago with Glen Palm, a former chair of the child and family studies department at St. Cloud State University. Palm and others created a nonprofit for the purpose in 2012, but the museum didn’t have a site until Liberty Bank donated the building in 2018, nor an employee until Chief Executive Officer Cassie Miles was hired in 2020. After fundraising, the linchpin of which was a $7 million appropriation from the Legislature in 2023, construction took more than a year.

“When I saw it for the first time after it was ready to open, I was just blown away,” said Palm, who visited three dozen children’s museums around the country in the last 10 years to gather ideas. “It’s an amazingly beautiful space. But watching the kids interact with the environment is what brought back all of the memories of how we put this together. … I was so excited to see it in action.”

Miles supervises a team of 32 full- and part-time employees and many volunteers, including former teachers and future ones among college and high school students. She anticipates 130,000 visitors in the year ahead, which could be within reach given that more than 80 elementary schools are within a reasonable driving distance.

“Ideally, we want the museum to be for families, but we realize the challenges working parents may have in getting here and so we’re going to partner with preschools and early childhood family education programs so we can reach as many kids as possible,” said Miles, a former teacher and child care provider.

She said the new museum has also attracted Twin Cities families and others who’ve never visited a children’s museum.

Along with Climber to the Clouds, other exhibits include a 35-foot interactive water table; an outdoor-themed area geared toward toddlers; a theater and interactive art wall; Everyday Engineering, which features a construction zone, magnetic gear wall, pulley systems and air-transport tubes; Tinker Workshop, for crafting, painting, building and printmaking, with a stock of tools and materials; and an outdoor sensory garden and play area that includes a sandbox, picnic tables and benches under an oversized sun shade.

There’s dedicated space for visitors to sit and eat, programming rooms for special demonstrations, a rooftop plaza and third-floor administrative space. Some aspects of the site are still in progress.

Seeger already has her membership, with an eye toward entertaining her children when weather keeps kids indoors. Others experiencing the museum for the first time this week said they’ll be back.

“It’s awesome,” said St. Cloud resident Cecilia Morse, who watched her five children ranging in age from 15 months to 11 years old. “I love how they have a different variety of toys here that we don’t have at home, and how they’re connecting with the other kids here. It’s an affordable option we’re lucky to have.”

Where: 110 8th Av. S., St. Cloud

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday through Sunday; 9-7 p.m. Thursday; closed Monday

Tickets: $14 for adults and children (12 months and younger enter free), with membership discounts and reduced prices for those with WIC or SNAP benefits. Tickets are available online and at the door.

Grand opening: Friday through Sunday, experience interactive art and activities each day. Jupiter Moon ice cream will be available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Freeze pops will be given away Sunday. A food truck will be on site Saturday and Sunday.