Christmas has arrived early for the Explore & More Children's Museum. Fisher-Price has donated $500,000 for a hands-on workshop inside the new museum planned for Canalside. Explore & More Executive Director Barbara Leggett says the donation to the museum's capital campaign is "incredibly important."
"Fisher-Price has been our partner since day one and really our organizations have intersected in so many different ways. They are focused on our exact same mission, that play is essential to early childhood development," said Leggett.
Leggett says the gift, announced Tuesday morning, will support the "Tinkering Tank" workshop in the new museum.
"While all of our exhibits are about hands-on play, this is about hands-on creation and really allowing the children to create and design and build," she said.
Leggett says planning for the new facility at Canalside is continuing. She says the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation is seeking proposals from developers and a groundbreaking on the South Aud Block is on track for the spring.
Explore & More currently operates a popular children's museum in East Aurora. A grand opening for the Canalside site is planned for late 2016.