City is seeking public input for children’s museum

In the 2012 quality of life bonds voters approved nearly $20 million for a children’s museum.

The city is now asking people for their ideas and what they’d like to see.

In 2013 El Pasoans saw the demolition of the Insights Science Museum but a year before that voters already had decided they wanted to set some money aside for a children’s museum.

“This is going to be sort of a hybrid, fully interactive children’s and science museum,” said Stephanie Otero.

Otero hosted the city’s forum that was looking for suggestions from El Pasoans. She tells ABC-7 the children’s museum won’t be exactly like the insights science museum.

“We will have exhibits that are not science themed per say, where Insights and Lynxs museums were just fully science,” Otero said.

The forum seeking input was one of several the city has held.

“We had a series of seventeen meetings in over three days and we had over three hundred people we heard from,” Otero said.

Visitors saw pictures from the company Gyroscope. The Oakland, California business has master planned many museums.

In the video you can see pictures of work they recently completed in Austin. People at the forum got to see the pictures and provided input on what they’d like to see in El Paso.

“They shared what exhibits they love, they want the kids to be mobile and have open-ended options and they can play and learn at the same time,” Otero said.

Visitor Scott Murray told ABC-7 a children’s museum is much needed in El Paso.

“You can go to the movies, you can go to the mall but to go to someplace to experience art and science and unusual events, that I think is going to really enrich children,” Murray said.

The proposed site will be on Main Street behind the art museum across from the convention center.

The city will be holding another public input forum Wednesday, Apr.12 at the Sergio Troncoso Branch on 9321 Alameda Street from 5:30-6:30 p.m.