The Beaumont Children's Museum is a
children's museum
Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs to stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children's museums fea ...
temporarily located in the
Beaumont Civic Center
The Beaumont Civic Center, in downtown Beaumont, Texas, is a 6,500-seat arena where concerts, conventions, trade shows and exhibitions are held. Banquet maximum capacity is 2,000. It has of ground-level exhibit space and space on the second l ...
in
Beaumont, Texas.
The museum is part of a concentration of several museums in the
downtown Beaumont
Downtown Beaumont is the central business district of Beaumont, Texas. It is where the city's highrise buildings are located, as well as being the center of government and business for the region. Downtown Beaumont is currently experiencing a rena ...
area. It is located across the street from the
Tyrrell Historical Library,
Art Museum of Southeast Texas
The Art Museum of Southeast Texas (AMSET) is an art museum in Beaumont, Texas, United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States ...
and the
Texas Energy Museum. The
Edison Museum
The Edison Museum, a science and history museum about the life and inventions of Thomas Edison, is located in Beaumont, Texas at 350 Pine St. on the grounds of Edison Plaza.
Building
The museum building was formerly the Gulf States Utilities Tr ...
and
Fire Museum of Texas
The Fire Museum of Texas is located in a former fire station, the former Central Fire Station, in Beaumont, Texas, built in 1927. The building is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, and is an example of the Renaissance Revival. The building hou ...
are within a few blocks.
History
The museum started in 2008 as a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...
.
The museum opened for exhibits in 2010 as a "museum without walls".
In 2012, a lease was acquired for a site at the corner of Neches and Crockett streets in downtown Beaumont. The building was later condemned and removed. Following condemnation and subsequent removal of the building, the museum continued operations as a "museum without walls". It moved to its current temporary home, the Beaumont Civic Center in 2014 opening for exhibits in the summer of 2015.
The main entrance to the museum is located on the north side of the civic center.
Features
Permanent exhibits
Permanent exhibits include:
* STUFFEE, a seven-foot ambassador of health.
*
Lego Stations designed to teach children
STEM skills
** Simple and mechanized machines
** Stability Station
** Drop Build
** Sky Spot
* Toddler Spot
* Our Town Exhibit
** Grocery Store
** Bank
** Medical Clinic
Activities
In addition to exhibits, the museum sponsors several activities throughout the year as well as summer camps. For example, 2015 events include:
* Dia de los Muertos - Trick or treat coupled with art and culture
* Halloween Week
* Camps throughout the summer offering field trips as well as activities at the museum
* Touch a Truck - offering children an opportunity to touch and explore their favorite truck
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beaumont Children's Museum
Children's museums in Texas
Museums in Beaumont, Texas
Museums established in 2008