Children's Museum of Stockton
Introduction
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The Children's Museum of Stockton opened in 1994. The museum's mission is to provide hands-on exploration and learning opportunities to inspire lifelong curiosity, creativity, and innovation for children of all abilities and backgrounds. The Museum developed KIDSWORLD as a permanent exhibit, including a bank, hospital, grocery store, recycling center, art center, and a post office where children engage in a hands-on exploration of a functioning miniature city. The newest exhibit is Destination Space. Admission is $7 per person for ages one and above. Special occasion rentals also provide income. The museum sponsors special events and some free admission days.
Images
Backstory and Context
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Inspiration for the Children's Museum of Stockton came as a result of the tragic 1989 Cleveland School shootings in Stockton. While at play in the playground, 5 children were killed and 30 others were wounded — including a teacher — by a gunman firing an assault weapon. The injured second-grade teacher, Janet Geng, was the Founding Director of the Museum in 1994; she passed away in 2005. The school's principal, Patricia Busher, was on the museum's board of directors.
KIDSWORLD, a permanent exhibit which occupies three-fourths of the 22,000 square foot structure, is a child’s version of a miniature city. Over 30 mini exhibits including a bank, hospital, grocery store, recycling center, art center, and a post office engage children in a hands-on exploration of a functioning city. A new exhibit, Destination Space, mentions astronaut Jose Hernandez, who grew up in Stockton and who opened the exhibit to the public in August 2021. Hernandez's flight suit is on display, as well as simulations of Space Shuttle experiments and cutouts where visitors can be photographed as an astronaut.
The museum is a non-profit and relies on donations to supplement income from admission fees and event rentals. Admission tickets (as of 2024) are $7 for those age one and up; those under age one receive free admission. The current Executive Director is Edward Figueroa.
Sources
Children's Museum of Stockton. Home, Children's Museum of Stockton. January 1st, 2024. Accessed June 17th, 2024. https://childrensmuseumstockton.org/.
Oto, Clifford. Jose Hernandez opens Children's Museum of Stockton new Destination Space exhibit, Recordnet: Local. August 9th, 2021. Accessed June 17th, 2024. https://www.recordnet.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2021/08/09/jose-hernandez-opens-childrens-museums-destination-space-exhibit/5538872001/.
Siders, David. Children's Museum founder (Janet Geng) dies at 53, Recordnet: News. March 1st, 2005. Accessed June 17th, 2024. https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/2005/03/02/children-s-museum-founder-janet/50675383007/.
Visit Stockton. Children's Museum of Stockton, Visit Stockton. January 1st, 2024. Accessed June 17th, 2024. https://www.visitstockton.org/directory/childrens-museum-of-stockton/.