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Children's Museum of Yuma County plans mezzanine expansion; elevator funded but exhibit funding remains
Summary
The Children's Museum of Yuma County is planning to add roughly 6,000 square feet on its mezzanine and has secured funding for an elevator, but additional exhibit funding remains needed; the museum reported attendance growth to over 50,000 visitors and projects about 1,000 school field-trip visits this year.
Sabre Lehi, executive director of the Children's Museum of Yuma County, told the council the museum opened a permanent location in April 2023 and has grown rapidly, reporting attendance of just over 50,000 visitors last year, up from about 24,000 the prior year.
Lehi said the museum currently operates about 18 exhibits and is pursuing a mezzanine expansion that would add roughly 6,000 square feet to its existing footprint. "We're funded for a lift to get us upstairs," Lehi said, noting the elevator is fully funded, "but once we get up there, the only thing we have funding for at this moment is that sensory room. Any of that floor space is up for grabs." She described the museum's operating model as covering roughly 40 percent of expenses from admissions and relying on grants and donations for the remainder, and said the museum charges $8 per visitor while estimating the cost per visitor is about $11.
Council members pressed for detail. Council member Morales asked whether the mezzanine would be administrative or exhibit space; Lehi said she is "trying to shoot for 100 percent exhibits up top," including a sensory room (already funded) and a pair of free-to-the-public 3-D printing stations. Councilman Morse asked about the museum's tracking of visitors to understand how many are local versus tourists; Lehi said staff recently began tracking ZIP codes and described the data as "very premature."
Lehi also told the council the museum fields many outreach requests and is exploring a mobile unit to take exhibits to children who cannot visit the museum. She recognized city economic development staff and named multiple community partners supporting the museum.
The council thanked Lehi for the update; no formal action was taken. The museum indicated it will continue pursuing grants, donations and partnerships to complete mezzanine exhibits once the elevator is in place.
