Olympia's Finance Committee approved a $20 million bond sale to support the Hands On Children's Museum's expansion plan. The plan aims to address overcrowding and boost educational programs at the museum.
At its Monday, May 19, meeting, committee members also endorsed a funding strategy that will support the $30.5 million project, which includes $20.5 million in public funds and $10 million in private fundraising led by the museum.
In 2003, Olympia established a Public Facilities District (PFD) that collects .033% of state sales tax to fund community facilities. Originally set to expire in 2028, the PFD was extended to 2043 in 2017, and then recently proposed to run until 2058.
City Manager Jay Burney said the extended timeline enables a 30-year bond repayment for the museum's expansion.
The PFD initially supported two major regional facilities: the Hands On Children's Museum (HOCM) and the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.
According to Patty Belmonte, HOCM executive director, one of the key drivers of the expansion project is the amount of the people the museum serves – 315,000 visitors in the past year. Of those people, 130,000 participated through one of the 30 access programs, allowing them to visit at free or reduced admission.
"We have done a lot of homework on this expansion," Belmonte said. "When we looked back at our history, we saw that in 1996, when the museum was located in the Old School Pizzeria space downtown, we served about 15,000 visitors a year. Except for the COVID years, we have grown consistently throughout our history."
Access remains a core mission, as Belmonte noted the largest access program allows families with Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) or Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) cards to enter the museum for $3. She said in 2023, this program cost the museum more than $500,000.
Belmonte said the museum has implemented several strategies to manage crowding, including extending hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, spreading events over multiple days, and promoting more after-hours rentals.
But even with the changes, post-pandemic crowd tolerance remains low.
"We have done what we can with the space we have, but it is time to grow,” Belmonte said.
The proposed expansion is projected to increase annual visitation by approximately 60,000 visitors.
She added the expansion would allow them to restore a traveling exhibit gallery that was cut from the original design.
A feasibility study with local architects and builders recommended a 70,000-square-foot expansion to meet current and future demand. But Belmonte said it was "too ambitious." Instead, the museum is planning a phased approach.
The project will double exhibit space from 12,000 to 24,000 square feet and add features like a dedicated Early Learning Center, a culinary kitchen and lab, a traveling exhibit gallery and expanded parking.
Belmonte added the museum determined it would be more cost-effective to build a separate facility, connected by a sky bridge. The concept also includes up to an acre of new outdoor learning space. If funding allows, she added that they plan to build a "tween lab" to begin serving middle school-aged children.
The museum has secured $1.5 million in state appropriations and $1.6 million through the state's Building for the Arts grant. Its board of directors has raised more than $700,000 toward a $1 million goal, with additional support expected from foundation grants and community gifts.
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JW
Since the city forks over all of this money for the HOCM does the city get a share of the income generated by the museum?
Tuesday, May 20 Report this
BobJacobs
I'm wondering whether all the government funding is from the Public Facilities District, or if some city or county money is included.
Bob Jacobs
Tuesday, May 20 Report this
JnNwmn
The added costs for environmental cleanup that the City will have to do on ex-Port Property is not mentioned yet. The mitigators will claim the site will be safe by covering the carcinogens with dirt. But then the contractors dig the site up for construction and plumbing.
Wednesday, May 21 Report this
Callie
To my surprise, when I took a neighbor kid to the museum for the day, I ran into a woman from Seattle area who drove down with her kid because of the high quality experience!
The adult evenings are my favorite, cause then I get to play with various gizmos without any kids needing a turn.
Wednesday, May 21 Report this
Virge13
I can’t go to the HOCM. I’m an adult with adult children and I’m not allowed in if I don’t have a child with me. What percentage of Lacey, Tumwater and Olympia citizens are not allowed in the museum because we don’t have children? HOCM has bothered me since their move to the current place, public funds were used but a large percentage of the public is not allowed in.
Wednesday, May 21 Report this
Boatyarddog
@JnNwmn, The Port and DOE will do their "best" by diggin some dirt and exclaming they found some shovels full of polluted material... covering with a plastic tarp as a :CAP then burying the whole mess nack up. Just like WESTMAN Mills..
PUNK ASS ! IN my opinion It Criminal to leave that for the next gens+.
Thursday, May 22 Report this
Somney
JW - The city gets a share of the income generated by all museums or attractions when people come to the city and spend money. For example the comment by Callie "I ran into a woman from Seattle area who drove down with her kid because of the high quality experience". When the city has cultural attractions it generates other visits to the city and people might stay around buy lunch, might go to the farmers market, stop and spend money at another small business.
Tuesday, May 27 Report this