From the outside it doesn’t look like much more than an old building but behind those walls is a world of science and imagination.
In the depths of Lincoln Park, nestled in a brick building at the end of S 29th Ave. W is the Duluth Children’s Museum.
It all started with an idea based off of a Brooklyn children’s museum that Mabel Wing, a teacher and traveller of St. Cloud, Minnesota, visited on one of her many journeys says Vice President of Operations, Programs, and Collections, Rich Jaworski.
In 1930 Wing went to the school board for support and they gave her a room in the Salter School Building.
At first the collection was just an assortment of Wing’s souvenirs from her travels across the world. It later grew as many donated more and more artifacts to the museum.
“Over eighty-five years people have just given us things, knowing preservation is part of our work,” said CEO Cameron Bloom Kruger.
A few years later the museum was moved to the Chisholm house on 1832 East Second Street, in 1936, when Mrs. Chisholm went to the Board of Education and offered her house to become the museum. It was named the A. M. Chisholm Museum.
It did not move to its location today, until 2012 after its location at The Depot in the ‘70s.
The museum has come to house thousands of objects representing numerous cultures from all over the world.
It is also the fifth oldest museum in the nation say museum officials.
The museum is now also a form of informal education, teaching kids to use their imagination as well as providing fun learning events.
There are three programs a day ranging from reading to deconstructive activities, where kids take apart everyday objects, like toasters, to see what is inside and can then make art projects out of the pieces.
With all of the history of the museum, it has come to be more than just a collection of objects; it has grown to a space of learning and creativity.
“Let’s give the components to the kids and let them use their imagination,” said Kruger.
Kruger hopes for the museum to be a place where families can come together and have a fun place to learn.