The last chance for residents to take advantage of the exhibits and programs at Austin Children's Museum, 201 Colorado St., will be Sept. 1. The museum will be open until 5 p.m. on Sept. 1.
The Austin Children's Museum will have a grand opening Dec. 7 and 8 for the new location of the museum. The museum will reopen as the Thinkery at the Meredith Learning Lab, in the Mueller development at 1830 Simond Ave.
The new building will almost double the amount of space for exhibits and activities, increasing from about 20,000 square feet to about 40,000 square feet. Museum officials announced the new name and a rebranding effort in June as the construction project came closer to fruition. The building—the Meredith Learning Lab—was named after the Meredith family and the MFI foundation, which donated $2 million to the construction project.
Mike Nellis, the executive director of the Austin Children's Museum, said officials with the museum are excited about the move and the prospects it holds for the nonprofit.
"As our region has grown, so have we as an organization," Nellis said at the rebranding announcement in June. "We've seen an increase in the demands and services that exceeds our capacity in the current downtown facility."
During the transition period between the closing of the downtown museum and the opening of the new space, Austin Children's Museum focus on its "museum without walls" mission and be present at local farmer's markets and events.
Some of the exhibit expected in the new space include Currents, which focuses on water, En Mi Familia, an exhibit inspired by the works of Mexican-American artist and writer Carmen Lomas Garza and an Innovator's Workshop where children will be able to create and experiment with science and technology.
For more information, visit https://thinkeryaustin.org or www.austinkids.org.