KidsQuest Children's Museum is a hands-on, interactive

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 feat ...

that encourages learning through play with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). Exhibits and programs are geared towards children 0-10 and their families. KidsQuest offers over 650 programs throughout the year including early learning classes, summer camps, drop-off and whole-family science workshops, free art programs and many special events including concerts and holiday programs. KidsQuest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in

Bellevue, Washington Bellevue ( ) is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, located across Lake Washington from Seattle. It is the third-largest city in the Seattle metropolitan area and has variously been characterized as a s ...

. Exhibits and classes are intended to encourage

cognitive Cognition refers to "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses". It encompasses all aspects of intellectual functions and processes such as: perception, attention, thought, ...

, physical and emotional development through play.

History

KidsQuest Children's Museum was conceived in 1997 in response to a survey in Eastside Parents Magazine identifying a children's museum as the "most needed facility or service" for the communities east of

Lake Washington Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest natural lake in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It borders the cities of Seattle on the west, ...

.KidsQuest History
/ref> The museum opened on December 11, 2005, in the Marketplace @

Factoria Factoria is a mixed-use suburban neighborhood in south Bellevue, Washington and is one of the city's significant commercial districts. Originally timberland from the 1890s to 1920s and later envisioned as an industrial center, Factoria has since ...

in Bellevue and was designed to accommodate 60,000 visitors per year. As of 2014, the museum averages over 155,000 visitors per year, and has had over a million visitors since opening. In January 2017, KidsQuest moved to a new location in Downtown Bellevue, at the former site of the

Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art The Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art was an art museum in Bellevue, Washington, USA. It featured a permanent collection of over 1,200 dolls. The museum was founded in 1992 and won a number of awards for its collection, including the Jumeau Trophy ...

References

External links

Official website
* * * Museums in King County, Washington Children's museums in Washington (state) Buildings and structures in Bellevue, Washington {{Washington-museum-stub