The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) will create a new branch intended to open in Central Park in 2028. The new location will be installed in a former church which overlooks the park at the intersection of Central Park West and 96th Street.
The 7,400 m² church located on the Upper West Side will be completely redeveloped by the architectural firm FXCollaborative. The exterior of the building (work of architects Carrère and Hastings, 1903), with its barrel vault and large arched windows, will be entirely preserved, while the interior will be divided into seven floors thanks to the introduction of floors. “We seek to maintain the architectural integrity and holistic character of this historic structure both inside and out” explains Sylvia Smith, senior associate at FXCollaborative, for Archdaily.com. A terrace will be built at the top of the building at the base of the church spire, indicates the architectural firm. The design of the exhibition rooms will be carried out by TGH, an amusement park and immersive venue design agency.
THE “magic castle”as Dava Schub, the president and director of the museum, calls it, will be designed as a gigantic immersive space for 0-10 year olds. The museum annex will be dedicated to games, creative activities and exhibitions on science and nature in an interactive mode. The lower level of the church will be occupied by immersive play areas. Science and nature exhibits will be on the second floor, and the third floor will open to a large space that will allow children to come together to paint, write and cook. Classes in art, science, music, writing and reading will be provided for children over 10 years old.
The new building project requires a budget of $300 million (€280 million). For the moment, the museum has announced that it has raised 200 million (€187 million), including 46 million dollars (€43 million) coming from the city of New York. CMOM recently received a donation of 50 million (€47 million) from Laurie M. Tisch, the founding president of the board of directors. Redevelopment work began in 2020 after the religious building was purchased in 2017 from real estate developers for the sum of 45 million euros, reports the New York Post.
The new location will double the CMOM’s reception area in order to respond to the growing number of visitors. The museum, which has become a very touristy place, has seen its visits increase with a total of around 350,000 visitors in 2023.
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, a local museum opened in 1973 on West 83rd Street, quickly grew by offering cultural and educational programs for children. CMOM is currently presenting “Superpowered Metropolis: Early Learning City,” an interactive exhibition that encourages children aged 0 to 6 to develop their skills in thinking and interacting with others through a series of games and immersive installations. Another exhibit, “Inside Art: Create Climb Collaborate,” allows children to interact with art installations.
In London, the Museum of Childhood, renamed Young V&A, has been a great success since 2022 thanks to a major renovation and museographic renewal “fun and colorful” at a cost of 15 million euros.