After nearly 13 years of planning, fundraising and construction, the Knock Knock Children’s Museum is nearly complete, and museum officials hope to open some time this summer.
But at a speech today to the Baton Rouge Rotary Club, the museum’s executive director Peter Olson, said he’s still not ready to announce a firm opening date.
“We’ll do everything we can to open before school begins,” said Olson, who came to Baton Rouge from his native Minnesota, where he led the award-winning Children’s Museum of Southern MInnesota. “There are just a couple of other big things we have to figure out.”
Among those big things is the installation of some of the major exhibits, setting up a database for ticket sales, and staffing up. The building was recently granted temporary occupancy permits.
“It just takes time,” Olson said.
When the museum does open on its six-acre site atop a hill in BREC’s Brooks-City Park, it will be one of the largest children’s museums in the country, with 18 cutting-edge exhibits that are called learning zones. Those learning zones include a story tree, art garden, maker’s shop, supermarket, garage and playhouse, among others. Each has a unique, Louisiana name and theme.
“When you come into the Knock Knock Children’s Museum, you’re going to know you’re in Baton Rouge and Louisiana,” he said.
So far, the museum’s founders and organizers have raised more than $13 million from the community. They still need to raise at least $1 million more to finish the buildout of the building’s third floor office space, which will not be complete when the museum opens.
Olson estimates it will cost between $900,000 and $1 million annually to operate the museum. On average, children’s museums around the country derive 60% of their revenues from earned income—ticket sales—and 40% from donations.
“So we’re still trying to raise money to complete the building and to help fund operations,” he said.
Olson hopes to announce a firm opening date later this month, at which time the museum will also announce its pricing schedule.
—Stephanie Riegel
