Museum secures new space inside the Apache Mall

Rochester’s children’s museum announced plans Monday to move into a new location inside the Apache Mall. As part of the transition, the museum will also take on a new name and an expanded mission.

Spark — as the museum will now be called — will boast more space along with a variety of new exhibits focused on cultural exchange, health and well-being, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math).

Beth Sherden, the museum’s director, said Spark will operate as a separate entity from the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul, which it had been linked to since it first opened in the River Center Plaza back in 2012.

“The partnership with Minnesota Children’s Museum provided a great opportunity to bring a children’s museum to the Rochester community,” she said. “We have thrived for the past seven years and now it’s time to create our own organization, one fully grounded in the needs of our community.”

Monday’s announcement — which will be formalized at a Noon Year’s Eve event Tuesday — follows years of research and planning on the part of the museum, which has long wanted to expand its offering for families.

While the museum has traditionally served younger children, Spark aims to provide an experience that will appeal to a variety of age groups, Sherden said. New exhibits will include an immersive climbing wall, a water play feature, and a world bazaar reflective of Rochester’s diverse community.

The museum will also continue to work with local partners to rotate in new attractions. Already, it has its eyes on creating a Maker Space that would provide more room for hands-on learning opportunities.

“Children’s museums are traditionally thought of as being just for younger kids,” said Sherden. “Our goal is to cater to young learners of all ages.”

Sherden said the mall site was chosen because of its central location, ample parking, and access to public transportation. With approximately 7,000 square feet of exhibit space, the mall site — to be located down the hall south of JCPenny — is also double the size of its current location.

The move is expected to be complete by next summer (the current location will remain open until Feb. 16). To date, the museum reports having raised 70 percent of the $2.6 million it needs to complete the transition.

More information on Spark can be found here.

Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.