New Discovery Place Kids museum is planned for Matthews
Matthews town commissioners voted to enter into an agreement with Discovery Place during a meeting Monday; new children's museum would be a big draw to families in southern Mecklenburg County
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Editor’s note: This story was updated at 10:30 p.m. Monday to reflect the outcome of Monday night’s vote by Matthews town commissioners.
Matthews town commissioners vote yes on an agreement to build a Discovery Place Kids children’s museum in the downtown area
Discovery Place currently operates a science museum in uptown Charlotte as well as children’s museums in Rockingham and Huntersville. The photo above is from the Huntersville Discovery Place Kids location, which would be similar to the proposed museum in Matthews. (Photo courtesy of Discovery Place)
by Lindsey Banks
Plans are in the works to build a new Discovery Place Kids children’s museum in Matthews, which would be a major destination for families with young children in southern Mecklenburg County.
On Monday night, Matthews commissioners voted to enter into a development and management agreement with Discovery Place that nails down some aspects of the plan, including a general timeline and what role the town will play in creating and operating the museum.
The museum would open around 2029 and would be around 18,000 to 24,000 square feet.
It’s unclear where the museum would be located, but the agreement commissioners voted unanimously in favor of Monday night states that it would be “in and around its [Matthews] downtown corridor.” In a memo to commissioners, Matthews Town Manager Becky Hawke said that “more information and opportunity for community engagement will be forthcoming in the next few months” regarding the location.
Hawke’s memo said the facility would be comparable to Discovery Place’s location in Huntersville, which sees about 200,000 visitors annually. Discovery Place also operates a children’s museum in Rockingham, about 70 miles southeast of uptown Charlotte.
Discovery Place Kids museums are colorful, interactive facilities geared at toddlers, preschoolers and elementary-aged children with lots of hands-on play exhibits, educational shows and spaces to move and climb. Admission to the Huntersville location is $14 per person for adults and kids on weekdays; $15 on weekends.
According to Hawke’s memo, the town of Matthews would construct the museum building, with an expected cost to the town of $4.6M to $5.8M before inflation. The project would be paid for with tourism fund revenue, the memo said. Discovery Place would upfit, maintain and operate the museum.
“While our children’s programs, playgrounds, and parks are popular, the town does not currently provide a museum space or other similar amenity dedicated solely to the education and enrichment of local children… In recognition of this need, Discovery Place Inc. (DPI) approached the town and expressed an interest in expanding their museum operations with a new Discovery Place Kids location in Matthews,” Hawke wrote in a memo to the town commissioners.
Discovery Place has proposed a 10-year agreement with Matthews, with an option for three five-year extensions, the memo said. The design process could begin as early as July.
In a statement to The Ledger before the vote on Monday, Discovery Place President and CEO Catherine Horne said: “Discovery Place looks forward to the Matthews Board of Commissioners vote on the Development and Management Agreement at tonight’s meeting. We are excited about the possibility of partnering with the Town of Matthews on this project and look forward to beginning a series of community conversations this spring.”
Lindsey Banks is a staff writer for The Ledger: lindsey@cltledger.com
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