Parents Join the Fight to #SaveOurMuseum

For parents in the Metro East, a quick trip over the river for a family fun activity can be daunting. There are logistics to consider, diaper bags to be packed, and enough snacks bought to fend off any temper tantrums that erupt before crossing the Poplar Street Bridge.

Yet right in their own backyards, these parents can find a fun, affordable and cool way to educate and entertain their kids for a couple of hours. With its kid-sized Star City, numerous STEM exhibits, and a variety of educational activities, the Edwardsville Children’s Museum lets children play, climb, pretend, and learn to their little hearts’ content.

Unfortunately, playtime could soon be cut short. Faced with financial issues, the Museum may have to close its doors within the next three months, breaking the hearts of kids and parents alike. Yet, as they’ve done before for other local landmarks, Edwardsville residents are stepping up so kids can have a place where their imaginations run as wild as they do.

The support of the community

Founded in 1998, the Edwardsville Children’s Museum welcomes more than 12,000 visitors a year who explore its 30 interactive exhibits, participate in its playgroups and summer camps, and take part in its educational outreach programs. The Museum is open three days a week for general exploration and available the rest of the week for field trips, scout programs and other events.

Said McKenzie Breihan, chairperson of the Museum board, via email, “The Museum has given moms and dads an inexpensive place to visit with their children that will build memories and allow the child to learn about what he/she wants to be when he/she grows up.”

“Most of the exhibits are guided toward the parents and allow them to work with their children in a fun environment whether that be solving a crime, ordering food from the café, shopping at a grocery store, or building a bridge and knocking it down with an earthquake. There are so many experiences in the Museum that a child can have, and we have so many more ideas and exhibits that we want to add and revitalize.”

As beloved as the Museum is and as supportive as its donors have been, like any nonprofit, it faces its share of challenges. According to Breihan, only 40 percent of community members are aware of the Museum and its impact on the area’s children, and many believe incorrectly that it’s funded by the City of Edwardsville. These issues are affecting the Museum’s bottom line and raising the possibility its open sign may soon go dark.

For parents like Trish Cheatham, the news is devastating. When she moved to Edwardsville seven years ago, she and her then three-year-old son became regular visitors to the Museum.

 “I was blown away that something like the Children's Museum existed in the community,” she remarked. “Our first experience there was at a friend's birthday party and my son had so much fun that we were hooked.  Consistently over the years the Edwardsville Children's Museum has worked hard to create meaningful exhibits that children find fun while they unwittingly learn. Even today, at the ‘cool’ age of 10, my son loves walking through the doors and exploring.”

Instead of accepting the news, Cheatham, the CEO of Think Tank PR, Marketing & Design, decided to do what she could to help keep the Museum doors open. Through Think Tank’s CreateAthon, a yearly event in which the company devotes 24 straight hours to pro-bono marketing projects for local nonprofits, Cheatham and her team produced a compelling video showing why the Museum is critical to the community. In addition, they helped launch #SaveOurMuseum, a social media campaign to raise awareness of the issue.

Said Cheatham, “I think having a resource like the Edwardsville Children’s Museum in our community is critical. Their preschool playgroups, parents’ night outs, partnership with SIUE, and summer camp are an amazing resource.”

To help the Museum continue serving kids in the St. Louis metropolitan area, spread the word through #SaveOurMuseum, sponsor an exhibit or make a donation, or most important, visit the Museum at 722 Holyoake Road in Edwardsville any Tuesday, Friday or Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Save Our Museum! from Edwardsville Children's Museum on Vimeo.