Bucks County Children’s Museum in New Hope planning major expansion
The Bucks County Children’s Museum
in the Union Square section of New Hope is planning to take a much
larger space there, museum President and Executive Director Kelly
Krumenacker confirmed today.
“We have received generous support from the Bucks County Tourism
Grant Program in the amount of $15,000 for the expansion, and we have
also received generous support from local families and foundations,” she
said. “We hope to have the new space open by May 1, and we’ll stay open
at our current location until then,” added Krumenacker.
“The new space includes a much large multipurpose area for education
and parties,” she explained. “We want to serve the educational needs of
the community better, and the new multipurpose room will be twice the
size of the current one, offering programming from science and arts to
crafts and language,” Krumenacker said.
Other additions will include a water and wind power exhibit area, and
a canal exhibit that will illuminate the golden age of mule barge
commerce along the Delaware Canal, according to Krumenacker.
In terms of funding, “We’ve met about 80% of our financial goals, and
we welcome additional contributions by those wishing to help us grow
and serve the community,” she said.
While Krumenacker was able to confirm that the museum would remain in
the Union Square complex, she was reluctant to discuss the precise
location of the new facility.
But a quick look at the Union Square occupant roster shows Dan Kramli’s New Hope Fitness next
door moving to a new space adjacent to New Hope Karate at Logan Square
around April 1 — a seemingly astute move, given the synergy a karate
school might offer, along with free parking for members.
Another adjacent business, caterer Occasions, did not answer phone
calls and has the message “thanks for the years” on its website.
All of which might mean that the Children’s Museum is not moving far,
if at all — perhaps breaking through walls to expand from its core
space. Time will tell.
