Mission & History

Mission Statement

A fun, safe, and inviting place, kidscommons nurtures exploration, collaboration, and creativity within all children and their caregivers. It is a place to learn about our community and our world.

History

The Little Museum That Could
When kidscommons Children’s Museum opened in downtown Columbus, Indiana on October 1, 2005, visitors discovered exciting exhibits in a space five times larger than the original facility housed in The Commons Centre. Facilitated by local architect Louis Joyner and assisted by Quatrefoil Exhibit Designers from Maryland and professionals from the Cincinnati Children’s Museum, kidscommons has been designed to serve children from infants through age fourteen.

Located at 309 Washington Street, in a building once occupied by the J.C. Penney Department Store, kidscommons offers many opportunities for fun and learning and features three floors of interactive exhibits. All exhibits are accessible by way of ramps and an elevator.

Our vibrant, safe setting is full of hands-on learning and fun. Spend time in the Childhood Garden, enjoy our state-of-the-art computer lab in the Power Outlet, scamper up our 17-foot-tall climbing wall, or hang out in the bubble room, a favorite exhibit from our early days in the pilot museum. Don’t miss museum favorites ExploraHouse, home of our world famous giant toilet, and Kids on the Move, our healthy lifestyles exhibit.

The history of kidscommons goes back more than a decade when, under the leadership of Founder Lynne Maguire, a group of interested citizens met to discuss the feasibility of starting a children’s museum in Columbus. The opening of the new facility in 2006 marked the culmination of much planning and work which also included the operation of a smaller pilot museum that opened in The Commons Centre in 1998.

Although kidscommons never aspired to be as large as its older sibling up the road in Indianapolis, the museum’s founders were determined to put a distinctive Columbus stamp on the pilot museum. In addition, science outreach programs were made available at the museum and in the classroom for grades K-6. That initiative continues and covers such topics as the human body, electricity, bubbles, volcanoes, recycling, and earthquakes.

Major funding for kidscommons has been received locally from foundations such as Heritage Fund – the Community Foundation of Bartholomew County, and nationally from the National Endowment for the Humanities, whose support was designated to create spaces and staff specifically dedicated to humanities education. In addition to the grants, generous in-kind and monetary donations came from numerous individuals and groups.

Cheryl Buffo, former kidscommons executive director has said, “kidscommons is a celebration and exploration of culture and diversity and a place for lifelong learning. The museum’s staff looks forward to it being a destination for families not only from Columbus but far beyond.”