Children's Museum at Tohono Chul reports 31,000 visitors, new summer exhibit planned

Oro Valley, Ariz. — The executive director of the Children’s Museum at Tohono Chul told the Oro Valley Town Council on April 2 that the museum served more than 31,000 visitors in the last fiscal year and expanded community outreach in Oro Valley.

In a presentation to council, Executive Director Hilary Van Ellsberg said the museum has increased on‑site programming and off‑site outreach. She reported nearly 3,000 attendees at the museum’s Chillin’ at the Chul event and nearly 200 children served through five separate Oro Valley parks and recreation outreach efforts last year.

Van Ellsberg described new and enhanced museum programming, including partnered activities inside the Tohono Chul gardens called Ready, Set, Explore; monthly arts activities with the Southern Arizona Clay Artists; and continued exhibit improvements. She said a prototype of a prickly‑pear exhibit has been tested and a larger, interactive prickly‑pear installation is planned for summer, along with a kids cactus club that will incentivize repeat visits with a story‑time and reward structure.

The museum emphasized partnerships with Tohono Chul and local schools and said it will continue a mix of on‑site and off‑site events to reach families across Oro Valley. The presentation did not include new municipal funding requests.

Speakers - Hilary Van Ellsberg, Executive Director, Children's Museum at Tohono Chul (presenter) - Miguel Vela, Planning Manager, Town of Oro Valley (introducing staff)

Clarifying details - Visitors: “more than 31,000” visitors in the last fiscal year (figure provided by the museum) - Chillin’ at the Chul: nearly 3,000 attendees - Outreach: nearly 200 children reached at five Oro Valley parks and recreation outreach events - New exhibits: prickly‑pear prototype tested; larger prickly‑pear exhibit scheduled for summer; kids cactus club planned

Provenance - topicintro: {"block_id":"s=1146.39","local_start":0,"local_end":300,"evidence_excerpt":"K. We'd like to, welcome, miss Van Ellsberg, who's the executive director of the children's museums..."} - topfinish: {"block_id":"s=1420.06","local_start":0,"local_end":120,"evidence_excerpt":"Thank you for your support. We appreciate you."}

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