The Children’s Museum of Central Oregon — which until now has only offered pop-up events — could be getting its own brick-and-mortar location.

The group, which has been developing the museum concept for several years, recently announced it has settled on a property on Bend’s north side, east of the Cascade Village Shopping Center.

The Children’s Museum of Central Oregon, a non-profit, is planning to build on approximately 2.5 acres of land, according to its director Kenady Wilson. The remaining portion of the 11-acre parcel would be filled in with other family-friendly facilities, including a swim school.

“We are super excited, the location is ideal for us with easy access for people coming from Redmond, Prineville, Sisters and Bend. We are not tucked deep within the city of Bend, we’ll be accessible for other folks in the region,” said Wilson.

The museum — planned to be housed in a 25,000-square-foot building with indoor and outdoor exhibits — will be science-focused with lots of hands-on learning tools.

Organizers say it’s needed because Central Oregon is one of the last regions of the state without a dedicated children’s museum. Working Wonders Children’s Museum operated in Bend’s Old Mill District from 2004-2009, but closed due to poor economic conditions at the time.

Fundraising

Fundraising is just starting in earnest — $25 million is needed for the entire project. If all goes well, organizers say the museum could open between 2028 and 2030.

“Community interest and the need for a space like this is extremely high in Central Oregon. We are confident that the community and the state are going to step up to make this happen,” said Wilson.

Wilson says the organizers have been talking to potential donors and state legislators about ways to fund the museum. Funding will dictate how soon the organizers can submit for permits for the building, she said.

Funding may be a combination of small donations from the community combined with a few very large donations, said Wilson.

“Historically, most children’s museums have one or two donors that cover 50 percent of the cost. But the cost to build and the exhibits and everything has changed so dramatically in recent years that we are looking at a $25 million campaign where historically it would have been 8 to 10 (million),” said Wilson. “So the fundraising landscape is different than it has been in the past. So that angel investor may exist but we are not banking on having someone like that in the region be able to contribute at that level.”

Central access

The 11-acre property where the museum is planned is near the crossroads of U.S. highways 97 and 20. Wilson says the location offers easy access for visitors from Sisters, Redmond and other locations in Central Oregon.

“We will be the anchor and then there is going to be four other businesses and a food truck lot that is family focused,” said Wilson. “It’s going to be a great little area up there.”

Ariel Mendez, a Bend city councilor and advocate for making Bend a more bike- and pedestrian-friendly city, said he is supportive.

“I love the project, love its goals, and I’m glad it’s happening,” said Mendez. “Nestled between two freeways isn’t ideal for promoting the benefits of less driving, but I’ll work to support the project’s goals any way I can.”

Lengthy location search

The decision to build the museum on Bend’s north side ends a multi-year search for a permanent location. The organization became a non-profit in 2015. Initially, it held summer camps and pop-up events. Post-pandemic it has been focused on finding a permanent space.

Organizers considered other locations during the search process, including co-locating with the new Deschutes County Central Library at Steven’s Ranch in east Bend. The footprint of that location was too small, Wilson said.

Museum backers also spoke with the Old Mill District, Central Oregon Community College and Bend Park & Recreation District about finding space within their properties. Those conversations did not produce a possible location for the museum.

The location near Cascade Village Shopping Center was deemed optimal for various reasons, including its size and access to existing roads and infrastructure. Wilson said the current property owners were also amendable to plans proposed by the museum backers.

“It’s going to be a really incredible addition to the town,” said Matt Thomas, the property owner. Thomas is a Madras High graduate and owner of the Subaru dealership in Bend. He said the expectation is that the museum organizers will purchase the land, rather than leasing it.

Several companies are already involved in the museum’s development. San Luis Obispo-based Ten Over Studio will design the museum and Bend-based Empire Building & Construction will build it. Oakland-based Gyroscope Inc. will supply many of its indoor and outdoor exhibits.

Hands-on experience

Chris Piper, an advisor to the museum board, said the exhibits will be tactile and offer opportunities for visitors to “roll up their sleeves.” This region’s climate, geology and natural resources will feature prominently in the exhibits.

“Wildfire resiliency, down the importance of riparian zones, streams, water and conservation. The environmental sciences,” said Piper of the exhibit topics.

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler said due to the scarcity of land in Bend, it’s a positive step that the organizers managed to lock down a location with enough size to serve the museum’s needs. She anticipates it being a place to inspire and educate young Central Oregonians while also being a destination for visitors.

“My kiddo and I went to their presentation where they showed the (museum) renderings,” said Kebler. “My kid was like, when can we go there? Let’s go! So I think families and kids in Bend will benefit and it will also be an attraction for folks outside of Bend too.”

As excitement for the project builds among its organizers and the wider community, Wilson cautions that the museum is still very much in its early stages.

“We still have a long way to go,” said Wilson. “We have made tremendous progress over the last year. We have the location. We have the vision. But it is definitely not a done deal and there is still a lot left to happen before we get the doors open.”