Impacting More Children Across the State With Support from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
In July 2011, Minnesota Children's Museum received a $1,000,000 appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund of the Legacy Amendment. Thanks to funding from the Legacy Amendment, Minnesota Children's Museum is able to fuel imagination, creativity and love of learning in more of Minnesota's children. You will find descriptions below of Museum projects supported by the Legacy Funds.
Minnesota Children's Museum of Rochester
In April 2012, Minnesota Children's Museum opened a satellite location in Rochester, where residents of this fast-growing region will experience playful learning opportunities for years to come. An appropriation from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund provided two years of start-up and operations costs for the 5,000 square foot Museum that is projected to welcome 30,000 children and adults each year.
Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites
With support from the Legacy Amendment, Minnesota Children's Museum completed work on a national touring literacy exhibit based on seven beloved childhood storybooks. Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites immerse children in interactive literacy learning and hands-on play while providing messages to adults on developing pre-literacy skills. Millions of adults and children will be impacted by this innovative literacy project as Storyland completes a four-year national tour.
Storyland II
The Museum also developed and is currently touring a smaller version of the Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites exhibit throughout Greater Minnesota. Based on three of the books featured in the large scale Storyland, the exhibit will travel to at least nine sites over the next three years.
For more information about any of these projects, please contact Kylee Breems, public relations manager.
Smart Play Spots
The Museum will also use Legacy funds to combine the best elements of children's museum experiences and community partnerships through the development and installation of Smart Play Spots in non-museum locations, such as libraries and community centers, throughout Greater Minnesota. The Museum has completed eight of 18 planned environments.
Sun Ray Library, St. Paul
Westcott Library, Eagan
Hopkins Library, Hopkins
Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids
North Regional Library, Minneapolis
Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, Minneapolis
Rondo Community Outreach Library, St. Paul
Willmar Public Library, Willmar
About the Legacy Amendment
The Legacy Amendment is a constitutional amendment adopted by Minnesota voters in November 2008. It raised the state sales tax by 3/8 of 1% for a period of 25 years and dedicated the earned revenue to clean water, parks, outdoor habitat, and arts and cultural heritage.
A website was also created by the Minnesota Legislature to help citizens monitor how funds from the Legacy Amendment are being used. On the Minnesota's Legacy: watch the progress you can see how funds are being invested across the state.
