Relevant

The Pikes Peak Children’s Museum (“PPCM”) is a to-be-built, stand-alone, hands-on experiential facility to be located in downtown Colorado Springs by December 31, 2015.  PPCM will focus exhibits and programming on children ages birth through ten years.

MISSION STATEMENT: To develop and operate an innovative children’s museum to serve the Pikes Peak region.  

VISION: A dynamic place for discovery and imagination, sparking a passion for life-long learning.

The express objectives of PPCM are to provide:


• A dynamic hands-on, engaging and fun educational experience focused on the age group 0-10.
• A place for this demographic to encounter boundless opportunities for discovery and imagination, sparking a passion for life-long learning.
• A compelling environment to nurture wonder and creativity, encouraging children’s innate desire to explore the world around them.
• An indispensable resource for children, families, the community at large and elementary-level educators as a mutually beneficial connecting point.

CHILDREN’S MUSEUMS

Children’s Museums (“CM’s”) have evolved over the last three decades.  They have become a well-known “product” to consumers, are one of the fastest growing cultural institutions in the U.S., and contribute significantly to local economies.  

TO-BE BUILT PPCM FACILITY

The rich history and unique character of our region will define the thematic concept of PPCM as a whole.  Further, PPCM will be:

• A distinctive building of 40,000 square feet or more, with at least 25,000 square feet of exhibit space to accommodate at least 250,000 visitors per year, 50% to 60% of whom will be children under the age of 10.  

• Welcoming, inclusive and made accessible to all children and caregivers regardless of finances, transportation, physical or other special needs or limitations.  It is anticipated at least 10% to 25% of total admissions will be free admissions, based on income level.  To ensure the entire community is given access, PPCM is also committed to locating well within easy reach of public transportation.

• PPCM Value to Children
• An enriching kinesthetic component that significantly supplements the auditory and visual learning that takes place in the school environment.
• One multi-faceted location where children can question and investigate many different disciplines on their own at once: science, art, math, music, history, literacy, technology, the outdoors, and natural resources.
• A space providing the freedom to “intellectually misbehave.”
• While they think they’re just having fun, children are actually learning many important life-long skills and concepts.
• Our museum will be intentional about fostering multi-generational interaction by specifically grandparents for both attendance and membership, and by involving numerous seasoned volunteers from the community to serve as docents, demonstrators and hosts.
• A large gap is filled as a children’s museum is able to better serve a much underserved demographic in our community, children under the age of 10.
• A place where children gain confidence without pressure to perform, helping them learn to trust their instincts, and that there may not always be just one “right way.”
• While all children are different, they all go through childhood.  As the conservators of our community, and to pass good stewardship on from one generation to the next, we owe it to the children of our community to contribute as much as we are able to help make their childhoods rich, positive and inspiring.

PPCM Value to Parents

• An affordable, accessible and irreplaceable resource to aid in the development, education and nurturing of their children’s education and intellectual stimulation.
• A “safe haven” for parents to let their children explore, play, and get lost in imagination and wonder.
• A place where parents can be equally engaged and entertained, as opposed to sitting on the sidelines at a mall or fast food play area with nothing to do.

PPCM Value to Community

• A new “Crown Jewel” for the community to partake in and of which to be proud.
• A major addition to help revitalize and sustain the local economy.
• A new tourism draw, adding to the attractions that already draw upwards of 6 million visitors per year.
• Increased tourism visitation and revenue generation to benefit the community coffers.
• A new draw for retirees with young grandchildren.
• Commitment to a “Green Building,” both reducing long-term costs and environmental impact.
• In developing Programming, we will work together with all the local School Districts to help supplement their educational goals and objectives.
• Reaching out to the underserved in our community, advocating for improved and increased programming to meet educational needs.  
• “Research proves a link between high quality early care and education and achieving social and economic goals – increased productivity, a competitive workforce, better health, and reduced crime and poverty…”  ~Diane Price, President & CEO  - Early Connections Learning Centers 
• For military families, Children’s Museums can be places to interact and engage very quickly with the local community.
• Creation of 60 or more new jobs directly, and even more new jobs indirectly as other redevelopment is triggered by the newly built PPCM.
• In recent years Colorado Springs has been challenged to attract and retain a young adult demographic (25-44 age group).  PPCM would be a significant asset for luring and retaining younger workers who have, or will soon have, young families.
• Tiny seeds of entrepreneurship often get planted at very young ages.  PPCM can nurture entrepreneurialism even at ages as young as 2 to 10.  Exhibits that encourage investigation and exploration of businesses (like a hotel and/or restaurant) can spark a budding entrepreneur.  PPCM can host city-wide events like “Lemonade Day” which is coordinated by a national non-profit organization specifically focused on teaching young children, at a level they can comprehend, how to plan, build, own and operate a profitable Lemonade Stand.  
• The more we pour into our youth, the more likely they are to pour back into our community later on. 

PPCM Value to Donor

• Enables achievement of personal or organizational goals for philanthropic participation within the community.
• Uncovers ripe opportunities to better serve the underserved in our area.
• Provides a chance to benefit not only this generation, but many generations to come.
• It’s just plain rewarding and fun to be a part of something as big as this and forever be remembered in its historical legacy.