Representatives of the Hands On Children’s Museum presented an update on their planned expansion and capital campaign, saying the project could add roughly 20,000 square feet of exhibit and program space and expand outdoor learning.

Marina Shaughnessy (grants manager) and Brandon Staff (COO) said the expansion aims to double exhibit square footage, create a dedicated makerspace and STEAM lab for older children, add preschool space with a dedicated entrance, increase parking and provide a flexible gallery for traveling exhibits. They told the CAR PFD board they expect the expansion to open in late 2027 or early 2028 if permitting and construction proceed according to the current timeline.

Campaign and funding: The project budget presented to the board was about $30.6 million. Museum staff said they have secured roughly $11 million in board and private donor commitments and identified $20.5 million of PFD funding in the campaign totals. A recent $1 million private gift was noted as an example of recent progress.

Why it matters: The Hands On expansion is a regional attraction that the presenters said drew hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and contributes to local economic activity. Staff emphasized that the PFD contribution is critical to reaching the philanthropic threshold many institutional funders require before they consider major grants.

Next steps and requests: Museum staff said the project is in design-build procurement with a 30% design milestone underway, permitting and site work planned for 2026, construction targeted for late 2026–2027, and exhibit installation and opening in 2028. Presenters asked the board to continue its planned PFD support and noted they will return with specific requests tied to campaign milestones.