[title]
We were all children once, with vivid imaginations and a dreamlike view of the world. But every so often, something happens in the real world that rivals even the most wild child-like imaginations.
That’s sort of what’s happening with the Children’s Museum in Manhattan, which is moving into an 80,000-square-foot abandoned church in Central Park West to become a seven-story “magical castle” designed just for kids. This week, we finally got a rendering of how the final floor plan could look.
RECOMMENDED: NYC's subway system is turning 120 and celebrating with a huge, new exhibit
The new Children's Museum of Manhattan will be located at 361 Central Park West, which is the site of the century-old First Church of Christ, Scientist. We know that the new Children's Museum of Manhattan will include a performance venue, a teaching kitchen, a cafe, rooms set aside for a variety of activities, a rooftop terrace, and much more once it opens in 2028.
The New York Times recently reported that Laurie M. Tisch, the museum's founding board chair, donated $50 million to the project and was particularly excited about a program that will allow Rikers Island prisoners to spend time with their children at the museum. The new location will be able to accommodate double the amount of visitors and include activities for a wider range of ages, expanding the older end of its clientele to children who are 10 years old.
You have to admit that even if you don't have children the thought of an abandoned Manhattan church being turned into a giant playground for children is pretty cool.
The current Children’s Museum is located in 212 West 83rd Street on the Upper West Side and is open Tuesday through Sunday from from 10am until 5pm. For more information, visit the museum’s website.