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 twelve.
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 House-Japan, 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 Founding Member 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 2005 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.
From day one, outreach programs were made available at the museum and in the classroom for grades K-6. That initiative continues today and covers such topics as electricity, insects, bubbles, LEGO robotics, visual arts, and recycling. In addition, public programming has been integral to the educational services we offer to all of our guests, including Wacky Science, Little Explorers, Art Time and more!
DEIABJ – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, Belonging, and Justice Statement
kidscommons is a small children’s museum nestled in the architectural gem of Columbus, Indiana. kidscommons is a fun, safe, and inviting place that nurtures exploration, collaboration, and creativity within all children and their caregivers. It is a place to learn about our community and our world. kidscommons endeavors to be a vibrant learning hub that enriches the life of every child through engaging and collaborative play with their caregivers. As such, the museum acknowledges the inherent need for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging at the center of all its programming.
For example, kidscommons recognizes the cost of general admission could be a barrier for individuals from a low socioeconomic status. To eliminate this barrier, kidscommons has partnered with Museums for All, a program under the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), to mitigate this cost for SNAP/EBT eligible guests by reducing the entrance cost. Each of the museum’s three levels is wheelchair accessible through ramps or an elevator, and even the rock wall is accessible. Additionally, kidscommons has partnered with local Bartholomew County organizations to provide educational programming opportunities for local children that are accessible in nature. These programs include but are not limited to, booths for local festivals such as the Ethnic Expo (where kidscommons provides free programming to Columbus’ diverse community) and an Architecture program for the local school corporation BCSC, where every third grader receives transportation and programming at a reduced rate at kidscommons.
