Project strengthens Topeka’s tourism, education, and child care infrastructure
TOPEKA, Kan. — November 13, 2025 — The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center celebrated a major milestone with the ribbon cutting of its $11.6 million expansion, a transformational project that more than doubles the size of the museum and represents the largest investment in the nonprofit’s history. The enhanced facility positions Topeka as a growing regional destination for family learning, STEAM education, and tourism.
The expansion adds an artfully designed addition to the north side of the existing building, increasing the museum’s footprint from 15,000 square feet to more than 30,000 square feet. New features include three expansive gallery spaces, three learning lab classrooms, a dedicated makerspace, a café offering onsite meals, an exhibit construction workshop, and flexible learning and play environments designed for growing visitor demand.
“We planned each detail of this building to spark excitement and delight,” said Dené Mosier, President and CEO of the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center. “Every element — from exhibits to murals — was chosen to reflect our community’s beauty and the magic of childhood. Today is an extraordinary milestone, but it is only the beginning of what we hope to achieve.”
New Galleries and Experiences Designed for STEAM Learning
The centerpiece of the expansion is the two-story Sunflower Climber, the tallest indoor climbable sunflower in the world. The space features interactive Kansas-themed exhibits and murals by local artists Sarah O’Keefe, Queren King Orozco, and students from Shawnee Heights Elementary School.
Hall of Bright Ideas
Celebrating creativity and innovation, this gallery highlights notable Kansans — past and present — with hands-on installations including a hand-cranked generator, illumination station, and children’s performance stage to inspire future leaders and inventors.
Traveling Exhibit Gallery
A new 3,000-square-foot gallery enables the museum to host major traveling exhibits from across the United States. The first exhibit to debut in the new space, Very Eric Carle: A Very Hungry, Quiet, Lonely, Clumsy, Busy Exhibit, opened November 7, 2025, and will run through January 25, 2026.
Expanded Child Care, Learning Labs, and Makerspace
Three new learning lab classrooms will support STEAM-based child care for school-age children, helping fill critical care gaps on days when school is not in session. The classrooms connect to a teaching kitchen and an accessible, intergenerational garden.
A new makerspace encourages older children to explore engineering, design, and problem-solving skills through collaborative, hands-on experiences — part of the museum’s long-term strategy to “age up” its offerings for youth.
Economic and Community Impact
The expansion responds to several consecutive years of record-breaking attendance. In 2023, 38% of all visitors—more than 45,900 individuals—traveled from outside Shawnee County, underscoring the museum’s role as a regional tourism driver. The larger facility is projected to increase annual visitation by at least 25%.
The project was funded through private donations, corporate giving, grants, Gage Park Improvement Authority sales tax revenue, and operating reserves. Community involvement played a key role, with public meetings, community listening sessions, and online feedback shaping the final design.
With over one million visitors from all 50 states and 23 countries since opening in 2011, the museum continues to prioritize accessibility — more than one in three admissions in 2024 were free or subsidized.
“This expansion allows us to serve families in new and meaningful ways while supporting tourism and economic vitality in Topeka,” Mosier added.
