The Museum Beyond the Walls

At the Grand Forks Children’s Museum, community isn’t something that happens inside four walls. It’s something we build together… out in parks, libraries, coffee shops, and anywhere families gather to learn, play, and connect. Even when school doors close for the summer, learning doesn’t slow down. Kids keep exploring, creating, and asking big questions, and we’re right there with them. While our future home is still taking shape, the museum is already alive and moving throughout the region, meeting kids and families right where they are.

Over the past few weeks, that movement has been unmistakable.

We kicked off summer with the joyful chaos of Messy Art Day at the Grand Forks Public Library, where laughter carried the day, paint flew freely, and Executive Director Katie Mayer became a walking canvas. For every $100 donated, she took a squirt of water or paint in stride, turning generosity into a spectacle of pure fun. Kids loved it. Adults loved it. And the museum’s mission to spark curiosity and connection was impossible to miss. Not long after, we brought that same creative energy to Artfest in University Park, where art spilled across the grass and kids dove into hands‑on projects that reminded all of us why creativity, and access to it, matters.

Every Wednesday afternoon in June, families gather for our STEAM Lab at Ember Coffeehouse, a cozy, come-as-you-are space where science and creativity meet over coffee, hot chocolate and curiosity. These weekly labs have become a rhythm in the community…a place where kids can tinker, build, experiment, and discover alongside museum educators who know how to turn simple materials into big ideas.

The good news? We are just getting started.

The next few months are packed with opportunities for families to learn and play with us. Muffins with Moms will bring stories, crafts, and connection to families who want a gentle, joyful start to their day. We’ll be at the LiveGrand Health & Wellness Expo, helping kids explore how their bodies move, grow, and stay strong. We’re partnering with the library again for NASA Day, where space-loving kids can imagine themselves as future explorers. On July 4th, you’ll find us at Sertoma Park, celebrating alongside the community that continues to cheer us on.

Every event, big or small, carries the same heartbeat: this museum belongs to the people of Grand Forks. It’s being built by families, educators, donors, volunteers, and neighbors who believe in raising curious, confident kids. Until the doors officially open, we’ll keep showing up in the places where families already gather, creating moments of wonder and connection one pop-up event at a time.

Why? Because the Grand Forks Children’s Museum isn’t just a building. It’s a community in motion, and that community is growing stronger every day.

Katie Mayer, Executive Director, Grand Forks Children's Museum