Pensacola Children’s Museum reopens with new exhibits funded by IMPACT 100

On Dec. 19, the Pensacola Children's Museum will reopen to the public with a new exhibit entitled "Our Town: A Space for All," featuring various historic businesses and sites inspired by Pensacola landmarks. The museum is also debuting a new, publicly accessible sensory space, entitled "Calming Seas Sensory Space," which is the first of its kind in Northwest Florida. Both the exhibit and sensory space were funded through IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area with a $100,670 grant.

"We are grateful for the support of IMPACT 100," said Rob Overton, executive director for University of West Florida Historic Trust. "Their gift allows us to preserve Pensacola's rich history by placing it directly in the hands of our children."

In the Our Town exhibit, which is on the museum's first floor, young guests can explore a reimagined town center that includes the Silas Stearns Fishing Smack, Pensacola Dairy Bar Milk Bottle Diner, My Town Mural, Garden Street Toddler Spot, Frisco Train Station, Pride of Pensacola Tiny Tot Train, Germania Hose Company Fire Station and Theo's Construction House.

On the second floor, the Calming Seas Sensory Space will serve as a quiet space for guests to center themselves amongst the activity and bustle of the Children's Museum. This peaceful space will include a tactile octopus mural, mesmerizing bubble tube and sensory toys to create a calm space for children to regulate. To better meet the needs of visitors with sensory processing differences, part of the grant was also allocated to train museum staff to provide a therapeutic and enriching environment for relaxation, stimulation and improved sensory experiences for guests. This training included staff sensory certifications and the creation of interactive sensory bags throughout the museum complex.

"I've loved watching these ideas jump off the page and turn into real spaces kids can climb into, touch and explore," said Wendi Davis, guest experience manager for University of West Florida Historic Trust. "Each little stop in Our Town is full of exciting adventures, but it's also rooted in the stories that shaped Pensacola. Children learn best through play, so creating a place where curiosity, imagination and our community's history can grow side by side has been such a joy."

The closure also gave the museum the opportunity to refresh the Land and Sea and theKid's Clinic exhibits. These updates include adding Legos to the Land and Sea exhibit for young guests to enjoy.

The Pensacola Children's Museum is part of the UWF Historic Trust properties and sites. Located at 115 East Zaragoza Street in Downtown Pensacola, the Pensacola Children's Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.

For more information about the UWF Historic Trust, visit historicpensacola.org.