Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview now open to the public again
Kohl Children's Museum is again open to the public with a new series of weekly programs designed to safely provide the museum's brand of exploration and education. The new Kohl Kids Live programming will offer guests five personalized sessions of interactive programs led by museum educators, in small groups of no more than 10 at a time.
Visitors will enjoy story time, a science demonstration, theater activities, physical fitness games, and an art studio project during their 90-minute visit, all linked to a weekly theme, including summer fun, insects and music. Weather permitting, all sessions will be held in the museum's 2-acre outdoor Habitat Park exhibit.
"We heard our members clearly, and we all agree safety is our No. 1 priority," said President and CEO Mike Delfini. "We have instituted limited capacity to allow ample social distancing, and allocated additional resources to exceed CDC and Illinois Public Health guidelines for deep cleaning and sanitizing the entire museum. We have worked hard to re-engineer our exhibits for an outdoor experience, while preserving the engaging and fun family learning experience that is our hallmark."
Registration is required for these sessions due to limited space - less than 10% of the museum's capacity. The cost is $8 for members, $14 for others. Members may reserve tickets 14 days in advance; tickets for everyone else go on sale 7 days in advance. Visit kcmgc.org for tickets and information.
"We take pride in creating high-quality, interactive educational experiences through play," said Stephanie Bynum, vice president of programs, who oversaw development of the new offerings. "When the State of Illinois Re-Opening Phase 4 guidelines were released restricting interactive exhibits, we saw the opportunity to re-imagine our experiential learning environments to reduce common-touch elements and comply with guidelines in an innovative way."
It just took finding a new way to play.
"As a result, we bring programs to life through more verbal engagement and very small group interaction, almost like providing individual field trips to our guests," Bynum added.
Kohl Kids Live programming is currently scheduled to run Tuesday through Sunday with sessions starting every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to noon.
About Kohl Children's Museum
In recognition for its outstanding exhibits and impact on Chicagoland families, Kohl Children's Museum was rated No. 4 in the nation in USA Today's 10 Best Children's Museums in North America competition. The Museum's mission is to encourage young children ages birth to 8 to become effective learners through play. Its 17 exhibits and all interactive educational programs are grounded in early childhood research, and designed to nurture holistic child development, including cognitive, social, emotional, creative and physical skills. Kohl Children's Museum, 2100 Patriot Blvd., Glenview, can be easily reached by public transportation, including Pace bus and Metra trains. For details, visit the museum's website at kcmgc.org or call (847) 832-6600.