Children's Museum of Memphis

The Children's Museum of Memphis (CMOM) is located in Midtown Memphis at 2525 Central Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Children's Museum of Memphis
Established1990 (1990)
Location2525 Central Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee
Coordinates35.12538°N 89.97596°W / 35.12538; -89.97596
TypeChildren's museum
Websitewww.cmom.com

CMOM’s mission is to create memorable learning experiences through the joy of play in hands-on exhibits and programs. The museum offers interactive exhibits and programs for children and their families. The museum houses over 20 hands-on exhibits.

The museum is open seven days a week from 9 am to 5 pm. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.[1]

History

The Children's Museum of Memphis is located in the former National Guard Armory that was built from 1941-1942. The Children’s Museum of Memphis Founders are Polly Glotzbach, Harriet McFadden, Mars Widdicombe, and Harry J. Phillips, Sr.

In 2013, the museum opened an exhibit called H2Oh! Splash, a splash pad with a garden theme that was funded, in part, through a gift from the Katherine and John Dobbs family foundation.[2]

In 2017, the museum faced strong opposition when a group of former employees, known collectively as 21 Voices, accused the museum’s leadership of racial and gender discrimination, misuse of funds, sexual misconduct and overt nepotism. The group's work sparked an internal investigation leading to the departure of then CEO, Richard Hackett, along with several members of his family. In late 2018, a local newspaper, The Memphis Flyer, published a cover story on the investigation and the accusations of 21 Voices.[3] Although the museum declined to comment on these matters, due to a non-disclosure agreement, the 990 tax returns filed by the museum from the years 2013 through 2016 appear to support some of the allegations of misconduct made by the former employees. In less than a year after The Memphis Flyer’s report was published, much of the museum’s leadership had either been replaced or reassigned.


Timeline
  • 1985 Children’s Museum Planning Group formed.
  • 1987 The Children's Museum of Memphis incorporated as a private, non-profit educational corporation.
  • 1988 The museum signed a lease with the City of Memphis for the National Guard Armory complex.
  • 1990 After raising $3 million for construction, opened to the public on June 16.
  • 1991 Celebrated first birthday in June with a first-year attendance of over 200,000 visitors.
  • 1993 Celebrated third birthday with cumulative attendance of over 500,000 visitors.
  • 1995 Celebrated fifth birthday with cumulative attendance of over 750,000 visitors.
  • 1997 Celebrated seventh birthday with cumulative attendance of over one million visitors.
  • 1999 Began a $6 million capital campaign to expand the museum by 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2) with four new exhibit galleries.
  • 2001 Finished the $6 million capital campaign (raised $7.2 million) to expand the museum. Ground-breaking ceremony and construction began on March 23.
  • 2002 Museum expansion completed and opened on August 3. Welcomed the museum’s 1,500,000th visitor.
  • 2005 Welcomed the museum’s 2,000,000th visitor.
  • 2008 Welcomed the museum’s 2,500,000th visitor.[4]
  • 2009 Hootin' Andy's Safety Train Brain Station opens. Arlo Guthrie, country singer, is the voice of Andy.
  • 2012 Museum's campus was named the Katherine and John Dobbs Family Center.
  • 2015 The Museum leased the Memphis Grand Carousel from the City of Memphis and send it off for restoration
  • 2016 The Museum built the Memphis Grand Carousel Pavilion and Ballroom to house the carousel once it returns from restoration
  • 2017 The Memphis Grand Carousel was shipped back to Memphis where it was installed in the new facility. It is open to the public for daily rides.

See also

References
  1. "Children's Museum of Memphis". The Children's Museum of Memphis. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  2. Bill Dries (2013). "Next Wave". Memphis Daily News. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
  3. Sells, Toby. "21 Voices: Forcing Change at CMOM". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
  4. "Children's Museum of Memphis: History". The Children's Museum of Memphis. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
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