The new Akron Children’s Museum is moving forward with plans to open this fall.
Organizers recently launched an online, matching fundraising campaign and construction workers are busy building out the space.
“Everything should be on track for the fall,” museum spokeswoman Katie Smith said.
The museum started a fundraising effort on Crowdrise.com, with an initial goal of raising $30,000. The response was so great that it hit that amount in two weeks.
The museum upped the goal to $45,000 and, as of Wednesday morning, had raised more than $39,000.
The campaign was buoyed by a $10,000 matching pledge from the Akron-based Maynard Family Foundation.
Phil Maynard said he recalled the joy of visiting a children’s museum in Boston when he was younger.
“To have one here locally will be incredible and will be a tremendous asset to our city,” he said.
The Akron Children’s Museum, designed for children up to age 12, will be located in city-owned space on the ground floor of the O’Neil’s parking deck at Lock 3 downtown.
The museum is the brainchild of parents Ryan and Betsy Hartschuh who decided to bring a children’s museum to Akron.
According to the museum’s website, planned exhibits include DerbyTown (an experience modeled after the Soap Box Derby race), a STEM/Maker Studio, Farm-to-Table Experience and “Lighter Than Air” exhibits featuring wind tubes and air tunnels. Plans also include an arts and crafts area and a KIDJAM! sound studio in partnership with WAPS (91.3-FM) and KIDJAM! Radio.
Find more details about the museum at www.akronkids.org.
For more details about the fundraising campaign, go to www.crowdrise.com/ACM-MonsterMatch.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ.