Curious Kids’ Museum today announced the public launch of its capital campaign, Building Curiosity – Play a Part, Fund the Fun!, a $9.2 million initiative to establish a new location for the beloved children’s museum in downtown St. Joseph. The campaign will fund the purchase, renovation, and transformation of the former Heritage Museum and Cultural Center at 601 Main Street into a state-of-the-art, fully accessible children’s museum designed specifically to inspire learning through hands-on exploration.
The new location marks a pivotal next chapter for the organization, which has served more than two million visitors over its 36-year history. As a nonprofit educational resource for families, schools, and visitors across southwest Michigan, Curious Kids’ Museum has long provided engaging, child-directed play experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and community connection
Transforming Challenge Into Opportunity
Following a 2022 fire at the museum’s Lake Boulevard building, the board of directors seized the moment to re-examine the museum’s future and long-term sustainability. With demand at an all-time high—family visits routinely selling out on peak days—the organization identified building ownership and facility expansion as critical next steps to meet community needs and eliminate constraints on capacity.
“Turning that difficult moment into an opportunity for growth allowed us to envision a museum that truly supports how children learn—through open-ended play, movement, experimentation, and discovery,” said Lori Marciniak, Executive Director of Curious Kids’ Museum. “Our new home will allow us to better serve families, welcome more school groups, expand educational programming, and design exhibits that spark curiosity for generations to come.”
About the Campaign
The $9.2 million capital campaign covers the full scope of the Main Street project. To date, the museum has secured approximately $4.3 million, representing nearly 47% of the total. A generous matching grant from the Frederick S. Upton Foundation will double all donations until the museum raises the next $500,000, maximizing community impact.
What the Community Can Expect
Renovation and construction at the Main Street building is expected to begin in early 2026. After the Main St. location opens, Curious Kids’ Museum on Lake Boulevard will continue to operate as a field trip hub, outreach center, and after-school space. Curious Kids’ Discovery Zone at Silver Beach Center will continue normal operations.
The new Main St. location will expand hands-on learning opportunities through exhibits that encourage child-directed play, with no prescribed way to explore or “right answers”—allowing curiosity to guide the experience. The larger, purpose-built space will reduce congestion, remove the need for preregistration on busy days, enhance accessibility, and increase the museum’s capacity to serve local families, tourist visitors, and school groups year-round.
A Call to the Community
Curious Kids’ Museum is inviting community members, businesses, foundations, and regional partners to help “fund the fun” and support the next generation of play-based learning in southwest Michigan.
“Every gift—large or small—helps us build a space where children can imagine, explore, and learn through play,” Marciniak said. “This is a community project, and we are excited to create something extraordinary together.”
How to Give
Community members can support the capital campaign in several ways:
- Online: Visit the capital campaign webpage: https://fundraise.givesmart.com/e/ZzTDJg?vid=1nh0hf
- By Mail: Curious Kids’ Museum, 415 Lake Blvd., St. Joseph, MI 49085
- By Phone: Call 269-983-2543 to donate or discuss a pledge
All contributions are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Corporate matching gifts, appreciated stock donations, and Qualified Charitable Distributions are also accepted.
