MIAMI – After more than a year, the Miami Children’s Museum is once again opening its doors to South Florida and its families.
In order to celebrate the grand reopening, the Miami Children’s Museum will be hosting festivities on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2 in honor of the community’s healthcare heroes, first responders, and their loyal Miami Children’s Museum members. The event is sponsored by Bilzin Sumberg.
“We are so excited to have our wonderful exhibits open to the public again,” says Deborah Spiegelman, CEO and Executive Director of the museum. “We are so looking forward to safely providing a quality museum experience to the South Florida children and families.”
According to the museum, a special salute to healthcare heroes and museum members will take place at the grand opening on Saturday and Sunday, where they will honor their courageous work by offering free admission to all healthcare heroes.
Along with museum members, healthcare professionals who wish to attend need to register in advance to reserve their session for themselves and up to three family members. Healthcare/first responder employee IDs must be presented when they arrive at the Museum. Then, they can partake in exhibit exploration and enjoy educational programming that celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Now that the Miami Children’s Museum is reopening, families will be able to experience all the interactive joys of the facility’s many permanent exhibits and outdoor play areas. Slide down the majestic Sandcastle, shop in the Publix Supermarket, test yourself in the Baptist Health and Wellness Center, play a tune on the Big Piano (like the one in the movie “Big,”) or play the scales on our musical staircase (considered the longest in the world), then take a cruise on the only indoor Carnival cruise ship and so much more. Construction is also underway for a new outdoor interactive area and a new covered entrance to the facility.
“Though we knew temporarily closing the Museum was necessary, we didn’t let it stop us from fulfilling our mission to provide our community with quality programming that stimulates and educates as well as entertains,” states Spiegleman. “We had the vision to create and implement many new alternative outlets to Play, Learn, Imagine and Create.”
The museum knew that due to the interactive aspect of the facility they had no choice but to temporarily suspend its operation in the beginning of 2020.
However, during the pandemic, they continued their mission.
The museum first created an online presence with their Museum at Home Program with many activities for children and families quarantined in their homes. And they expanded it to multiple platforms on social media. The Museum’s online programming served families virtually, creating more than 450 programs which remain available on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and miamichildrensmuseum.org. The Museum will continue its online presence brining programming to children around the world.
Tickets for the general public are available now for timed play sessions beginning Saturday, May 8 and will continue every Saturday and Sunday into the beginning of summer. The Museum will offer three two-hour play sessions each Saturday and Sunday with limited capacity for each session. Before each play session, team members will thoroughly clean exhibits, disinfect props, and launder costumes. Saturday and Sunday play sessions will run from 10 a.m. -12 p.m., 1 p.m. – 3 p.m., and 4 p.m – 6 p.m. The Museum will also offer exclusive Members Only Play Sessions on Mondays from 10 AM to 12 Noon.
Tickets must be purchased in advance through the Museum’s website, miamichildrensmuseum.org.