Jack Rouse Associates to Provide Final Design For New Childrens Museum in Sioux City

Jan 16, 2014 Joe Kleiman Museums, News 0

Sioux City, Iowa, USA – The Children’s Museum of Siouxland has selected JRA (Jack Rouse Associates) to provide final concept, schematic and detail design for its 8,000 square feet of exhibit space. Completion of the $6,000,000 museum is scheduled for summer 2015. The museum has projected 50,000 visitors in its first year of operation, creating a $2 million economic impact for downtown Sioux City. JRA, in collaboration with educational consultant, Mary Sinker, previously completed master planning and preliminary concept development for the museum.

Children’s Museum of Siouxland is envisioned as a family-oriented, hands-on children’s museum with an emphasis on providing educational value while fostering a child’s creativity and imagination. Targeting children ages 6 months-10 years, the museum is committed to reaching out to all children and ensuring a safe and stimulating environment. Exhibits will meet State of Iowa educational guidelines and will focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) learning principles, while also integrating social science, language and the visual arts. Children’s Museum of Siouxland will also aim to help develop attributes in children such as problem solving, self-confidence, discovery and exploration.

The Iowa museum will be deeply rooted in the history, geography and heritage of the Sioux City region, and children will be able to learn about its people and places in interactive and unexpected ways. Visitors will be able to explore the cultural diversity of “Siouxland” via a touch-activated globe in the “Me and You” area, discover how six simple machines move bricks in the “Building” area, role play in a café and market in the “Commerce and Trade” area and investigate the interconnected elements of a farm in the “Agriculture” area. Other exhibits will explore the physical properties of wind, water and the regional terrain. Even the smallest visitors will be able to enjoy a colorful “Infant-Toddler” area. The museum also considers adult involvement in children’s learning, and elements of intrinsic interest to adults will be included in every environment. By engaging school aged children as well adults, infants and toddlers, Children’s Museum of Siouxland will create a stimulating yet fun educational environment that is enriching for everyone.

“JRA has been part of the Children’s Museum’s dream for almost 5 years, so we are thrilled to announce our partnership,” said Kari Kellen, Executive Director of Children’s Museum of Siouxland. “We are also excited to finalize the designs for the exhibits, which will make the museum a reality. JRA’s commitment to our project over the years is reflected by their energetic team. Their depth of talent and passion for early childhood education originally drew us to them, and we are looking forward to getting the project underway.”

“We’ve enjoyed a long relationship with Children’s Museum of Siouxland and couldn’t be happier to continue this design process,” said Mike Meyer, JRA Senior Project Designer. “Together with Kari’s team, we look forward to creating a beautiful, safe and engaging museum and to providing a vibrant educational attraction for the Sioux City community.”