Wausau Children’s Museum began as a “museum without walls” in the summer of 2015 with free, weekly events that invited children, families, and the community to learn together through creative, interactive play. Partnering with Wausau Events, we held our activities on the 400 block during MarketPlace Thursdays, the Summer Kickoff, the Balloon Rally, and many other locations. These events feature active play, music, art, hands-on science, engineering, technology, and sensory play and are now known as ‘WCM Summer of Outdoor Fun! Community Events.
November 2015, we opened our first 6000 square foot indoor location in the Wausau Center Mall. In September of 2016, we moved to a larger 8000 square foot space at the opposite end of the mall. Continuing to partner with community organizations and the Wausau School District, we developed programming for art, science, literacy, and nutrition. We created the Wisconsin Children’s Farm, the Tinker Lab, and dedicated a space for music, sensory play, active play, and hosting birthday parties. We also began annual signature events, such as ‘Noon Years Celebration’ and the ‘Mother-Son Dance’ and we welcome 20,000 visitors each year.
Now, the pandemic and the closing of the Wausau Center propelled our determined and dedicated team forward to plan our next location: a 16,000 square foot space in the Cedar Creek Mall to create a destination Children’s Museum for the children and families of our greater community.
