About Us
The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast (TCM) has renovated the former chapel/auditorium building in Indian Riverside Park in Jensen Beach. The new 12,000 sq. ft., 5 million dollar facility will serve up to 50,000 visitors annually from Indian River to Palm Beach County, west to Okeechobee and beyond! With a mission to offer children and families a place to explore and learn through hands-on, interactive activities, the Children’s Museum exhibits will reflect Florida’s unique character. TCM is partnering with area school districts, social service and other organizations to ensure a comprehensive reach to all children. TCM is also pursuing LEED certification and is registered with the United States Green Building Council. The key innovation of the sustainable features will be the use of the building as a teaching mechanism, integrating signage explaining the “green” features. Interpretation will be designed to teach children and their families the merits of environmentally friendly building design.
The first phase is open!
After close to 10 years of planning, designing and preparing, Phase One of The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast has opened!
There are four primary exhibits in the Frances Langford “Our Town” wing, each packed with informative and tactile interactive activities, all created by renowned exhibit designer, Dave Piper of Sparks Exhibits and Environments. Sparks was the designer of the Miami Children’s Museum and has also completed many projects with Disney, especially in Epcot and Downtown Disney. Although there will be four main exhibits initially, we have the ability to create 2-3 additional exhibits, including a bank and a veterinary clinic, in the future.
When you enter the Museum, it is as if you have entered a child-sized Floridian town. There is a grocery store, a traditional Floridian cracker house, a wellness center and a beach-themed toddler play area. At the Our Town Market children will be able to role play shopping for produce, dairy, meats and drygoods, complete with shopping carts and checkout stations. They will also have the opportunity to work in the market as a clerk or cashier. There will also be an interactive called “What’s that Smell?” which teaches children about the 4 types of taste through smelling various unidentified foods. The “Favorite Meals” Interactive will allow the children to look up a recipe for a meal and then shop for those ingredients in the store. A recycling center will teach what happens to the things we recycle.
In the Cracker House exhibit children will learn about the architecture of a cracker house and why it was significant and practical for early Floridian lifestyle. Children will also get the opportunity to compare houses in Florida to those around the world in the “Guess Which House is Mine” interactive. Budding architects and artists will be able to design their own dream homes using templates in another area of the house. And sure to be a favorite is the “Build your Dream House” interactive in which children use 3’ x 6’ interlocking planks to build their own kid-sized home.
Babies and toddlers will enjoy “A Day at the Beach” complete with a riverwalk, lighthouse and toddler boat. They will experience lots of climbing in around and through things, shape recognition and tactile learning. There will also be a “Look at Me by the Sea” interactive in which the toddlers can peek through portholes and discover themselves dressed as various seafaring characters.
Finally, in the Our Town Wellness Center children will learn about their body systems enjoying interactives involving a healthy heart, breathing and lung function, digestion and the digestive system, bones and the skeletal system, and the functions of the brain. There will also be opportunities to learn about germs and hygiene, diet and exercise and who helps you when you’re hurt. As you can see, there will be enormous amounts of fun and learning for all ages inside The Children’s Museum, ready to serve the families of the Treasure Coast. As our fundraising efforts progress, we look forward to further enhancing your experience with the opening of additional exhibits and the Explorer Wing. Can’t wait to see you at The Children’s Museum!
Our History
2001
- Formed as a 501(c ) 3 organization
2002
- Received option to lease building at Indian Riverside Park
- Held first Children’s Ball fundraiser
- Established partnership with the Junior League of Martin County which conducted hand tile and community survey projects
- Hired Garcia Stromberg architectural firm
2003
- Expanded board and selected new executive board members
- Launched Child’s Play newsletter awareness campaign with the Junior League of Martin County
- Hired Sparks Exhibits & Environments, Orlando
- Developed sponsorship and marketing material
- Unveiled 5 year business and strategic marketing plan
2004
- Received $1 million matching community challenge grant from Wayne & Marti Huizenga
- Launched “Dig It” traveling exhibit to area schools in conjunction with the Junior League of Martin County and SEFAS
- Held second successful Children’s Ball
2005
- Groundbreaking Ceremony
- Began building renovation
- Awarded $500,000 Cultural Facilities grant from the State of Florida
- Held inaugural Treasurefest Family Fun Day
- Began pursuing LEED certification
2006
- Began to pursue additional corporate partners
- Unveiled exhibit design concept to community VIPs and dignitaries
2007
- Hired first executive director, Renee Booth
- Building construction continues and phase one of museum is scheduled to open in 2008 with second and third phases to follow.
2008
- Certificate of Occupancy issued
- Phase One Exhibit fabrication begins in Orlando
- Inaugural memberships offered
- Partnership formed with Martin County Health Department to introduce “We Can” program, addressing childhood obesity.
- Exhibit installation scheduled to begin in April
- Educational Summer Camp offered for ages 6-12
- Phase One opens in August while exhibit construction continues in Phase Two of museum