Look How Far We’ve Come, Imagine How Far We Can Go…

There are moments in a community’s life when you can feel history shifting…quietly, steadily, and with a kind of hope that only comes from believing in something bigger than ourselves. That is exactly what has been happening with the Grand Forks Children’s Museum. Every gift, every conversation, every family that has stepped forward has brought us to an extraordinary milestone: we are now just $1.75 million away from reaching our $35 million capital campaign goal.

It’s hard not to feel humbled by that. So many generous donors have helped carry this vision forward, families, businesses, foundations, and neighbors who simply want to give children a place where curiosity is celebrated and imagination is safe to run wild. Their belief has built the foundation of what will become one of the most

meaningful spaces in our region.

But as close as we are, this moment is not an ending. It’s a beginning.

The $35 million capital campaign builds the museum itself…the walls, the spaces for exploration, the core exhibits, the places where children will take steps into science, art, engineering, math, storytelling, and discovery. It gets us to opening day. It brings the dream to life.

Yet the original vision for this project was always larger, more ambitious, more transformative. Rising construction costs required us to scale back pieces of that vision, but these pieces were never abandoned. They simply became the next chapters.

After the museum opens, we begin building outward, both literally and figuratively. First comes the destination park, a vibrant outdoor, year‑round playground that welcomes families into the four seasons of North Dakota. A place to gather, to play, to breathe fresh air, and to extend the museum experience beyond its walls.

Then we will work on building the outdoor educational spaces, transforming the landscape around the museum into a living classroom. Nature‑based exhibits, hands‑on installations, and seasonal experiences will invite children to explore science, art, and imagination under the open sky. These are the elements that make the museum campus a place families return to again and again.

And finally, we bring back the enhancements and features that were part of the original $42 million vision, the pieces that had to be set aside when construction costs rose. These elements complete the story we set out to tell, restoring the full scope of what this museum was always meant to be.

Alongside all of this, we continue building the museum’s endowment, the “forever fund” that ensures this place remains strong, innovative, and accessible for generations to come. It ensures that long after the ribbon is cut, the museum remains strong, innovative, and accessible. It is the promise that this museum will not just open, it will endure.

So yes, we are close to a major milestone. And yes, we will celebrate when we

reach our goal. But what makes this moment powerful is not the number. It’s the momentum. It’s the shared belief that our children deserve a place built with intention, imagination, and love. It’s the understanding that we are building more than a museum…we are building a legacy.

As we close the final gap on our Phase One building campaign, we invite our community to help carry this vision into its next chapter. Every gift moves us closer not just to opening day, but to the full destination our region has dreamed of, a place where families gather, where learning feels like play, and where the next generation discovers who they are and who they can become.

We’re almost there. And the most exciting part of the journey is still ahead.

Katie Mayer, Grand Forks Children's Museum Executive Director