Lexington Children’s Museum looks to move for the first time since founding
The Lexington Children’s Museum is looking for a new building.
Executive Director Colby Ernest said there are no concrete plans for when or where the museum will move, but programming has outgrown the museum’s current footprint, and it needs more space.
The museum has been on Short Street since its founding in 1990. Over the past five years, it has seen more than a 25% increase in yearly patrons, Ernest said. It welcomed 48,000 visitors last fiscal year, marking its most in more than a decade.
“We know that the demand is there for our organization to really look toward providing a world-class children’s museum for our community,” Ernest said in an interview with the Herald-Leader. “We are envisioning a new home for our museum, one that better reflects the imagination and the diversity of our community.”
The Lexington Children’s Museum provides immersive learning programs that encourage lifelong learning and discovery, according to its website.
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton set aside $2 million to be disbursed over the next four years, starting with $400,000 this year, to help the museum continue programming and establish a new building. She announced the donation at her budget address in April.
The museum, previously called the Explorium of Lexington, started as a public-private partnership and has received financial support from the city for decades. The city stopped giving funding to the museum in 2019 because of poor patron experience, Ernest said.
Ernest, who took over as director in Oct. 2021, said the museum has seen success in the past few years, which has helped improve its reputation, expand access to programming and re-secure city funding.
“I know how powerful play can be in shaping young minds. The children’s museum has been around for 35 years, and it’s always been a space where creativity and learning come to life,” Ernest said.
“It’s really been inspiring to see the growth that we’ve had over the past three years, from our programs and their expansion to our staff and its expansion, and really just the impact that we’ve been able to make, not just across the Lexington community, but across the state.”
Lexington Children’s Museum started a partnership with Museums for All in 2024, helping families on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits gain free or reduced admission to museums across the country.
Through that program, the museum raised over $35,000 to fund entry for over 5,000 patrons.
This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 1:26 PM.