Kidzu museum takes STEAM dream to next level with The Makery at Boxyard RTP
Playful adults and parents looking for a place to entertain their teens and tweens while enjoying a night out can explore a new spot for arts and science this weekend in Research Triangle Park.
Jamie DeMent Holcomb, chief executive officer of Kidzu Children’s Museum, and others will cut the ribbon Friday at The Makery, a STEAM-focused space at Boxyard RTP. The party starts at 11 a.m., followed by live music and all-day activities
DeMent Holcomb also will officially launch a rebranding for Kidzu, a Chapel Hill nonprofit that opened its first museum in 2006 on Franklin Street and moved in 2013 to the town’s University Place mall.
Last year, Kidzu bought land south of Chapel Hill and kicked off a building campaign for the future N.C. Children’s Museum — a 70,000-square-foot facility with a 200-seat outdoor pavilion on 45 acres.
On Friday, Kidzu will officially adopt the “N.C. Children’s Museum” name, reflecting its desire to become a statewide destination for families, educators and researchers seeking new approaches to learning, DeMent Holcomb told The News & Observer this week.
While fundraising continues for that campus, The Makery is becoming the first of several satellite locations, she said.
“As we are growing our footprint and becoming the N.C. Children’s Museum and building a new campus, we have always been thinking about how are we going to be getting our message across the state about what we are doing,” DeMent Holcomb said.
Smaller footprints in other areas was “an obvious first step,” she added, “and Boxyard is such a great and vibrant location, it kind of lends itself to the maker mentality.”
Flood puts focus on RTP makerspace
The Makery is not as large as the 2,400-square-foot Franklin Street storefront, or the 8,500-square-foot museum at University Place, but it will be a nice place to land after a water main break flooded the museum last summer, DeMent Holcomb said.
Kidzu found a place in September for The Nest, its programs for babies and preschoolers, at nearby Binkley Baptist Church, but the programs for older children and teens lacked their own space.
That made talks already in progress with the Research Triangle Foundation and Boxyard RTP more urgent, she said.
The roughly 1,800-square-foot Makery “will be dedicated to maker education, innovation, design-thinking and science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) learning,” a news release said. Each day will spotlight specific projects, and there also will be space for independent arts and crafts, including woodworking and textiles, plus digital microscopes, 3-D printing and robotics.
Mobile furniture creates a flexible space that can also accommodate parties and groups, DeMent Holcomb said, and future programs could last later into the evening to attract more adults.
“Makerspaces are very, very popular for adult creatives,” DeMent Holcomb said, noting one person might work on a quilting project, while another who loves gaming might create their own game pieces with a 3-D printer.
“There are all kinds of opportunities for people of all ages to come in and take their making to the next level,” she said.
What you need to know
▪ Friday’s open house is from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at Boxyard RTP, 900 Park Offices Drive in Durham. Features maker spaces and live music from Meadowlark Music, DJ Shajhzad and Sondeer.
▪ The Makery’s hours will be 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
▪ Pre-registration is required for Open Maker sessions. An adult must accompany children under age 14, but older teens just need their parent or legal guardian to sign a waiver.
▪ Admission prices are $10 and up, based on the type of project and materials needed. Find information and buy tickets online at kidzuchildrensmuseum.org/the-makery-plan-your-visit.
▪ Learn more about the N.C. Children’s Museum campus at kidzuchildrensmuseum.org/kidzus-expansion.
