Olympia's Hands-On Children's Museum seeks to double its exhibit space

Olympia’s Hands-on Children’s Museum (HOCM) announced a $35 million expansion plan that would nearly double the museum's space to accommodate its rapidly growing visitor base.  

The existing museum occupies about 28,000 square feet. The proposed expansion would add 30,000 and 35,000 square feet of new space. Plans include a sky bridge connecting the current building to the new addition at the second-floor level.  

HOCM Executive Director Patty Belmonte presented the museum's plans at the Olympia City Council meeting on July 17.  She noted that the museum has approximately 25,000 square feet of outdoor space. They plan to add another 16,000 square feet of outdoor exhibits and an approximately 10,000-square-foot new arrival plaza.  

The museum commissioned a feasibility study to assess the expansion costs. Belmonte stated that the process led to the decision to adopt a campus approach for the expansion, aiming to maximize indoor and outdoor spaces.  

She observed that the museum faces significant parking challenges. For several years, it has been leasing parking spaces from the Port of Olympia across the street, behind the museum. On special event days, like the Fire Rescue Spectacular, it also leases additional parking nearby. 

To accommodate its 71 staff members, the museum leases parking spaces from a nearby church on East Bay. These arrangements demonstrated the need for more parking as part of the expansion plans to serve visitors and staff better. 

The expansion would also house several features, including: 

• A culinary school for children, building on the museum's popular cooking programs 

• A flexible event space and traveling exhibit gallery capable of hosting 250-300 people 

• Additional preschool classrooms and daycare classrooms 

• New entry plaza 

"We're serving 315,000 visitors annually in a space designed for far fewer," Belmonte explained. "This expansion will allow us to better serve our community and attract more out-of-town visitors." 

The project would receive funding from multiple sources, including $23 million from Public Facilities District funds, state and federal grants, and private donations. The museum is working with city officials to explore financing options, potentially involving city-backed bonds. 

City Manager Jay Burney said he does not oppose the museum's expansion plan and would like to continue discussions and explore the financing options. He emphasized, however, the need for a detailed financial analysis and risk assessment before making any commitments. 

The city manager said Olympia would need to carry the debt for the project, as the museum cannot secure loans independently due to the public ownership of the assets. "The most feasible for the museum is that the city would carry the debt. 

"The idea is that we would bond for the entire 35 million of the project. PFD, our early estimates around $23 million, and the expansion goes out to 2043. We think there will be about $23 million in PFD revenue that will come in over that time. That $23 million will pay a portion of the debt service," Burney explained.  

While Burney acknowledged the museum's strong track record in fundraising, he noted that the city would ultimately be responsible for the debt if the museum fell short. 

Burney informed the council that a formal request for city backing of the museum expansion project will be presented at a future meeting. The council would receive a comprehensive financial breakdown, including Belmonte's projections and all relevant figures.  

If approved, construction could begin as early as 2025, with a targeted opening in 2027, Bellmont stated.