When the Children’s Museum of St. Tammany reopens in its new Mandeville home later this summer, young visitors will enjoy the same familiar exhibits and activities that drew them and their families to its Koop Drive location for years. But now it will all be in a larger space that boasts something the original site lacked: a dedicated party room and proximity to family-friendly businesses.
The move, made necessary when the parish decided to end its lease with the nonprofit, turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it has given the museum room to grow, executive director Christy Myers said.
The museum will officially take occupancy of the 4,000-square-foot space in Pelican Plaza, at 813 Florida Ave. in mid-July and hopes to reopen by mid-August, Myers said.
When Parish President Mike Cooper’s office announced in March that it was terminating the lease on June 30, the museum’s most pressing issue was finding a location for its summer camps, which run from May through early August. The weeklong camps are currently underway at Marigny Elementary School in Mandeville, Myers said.
At the same time, the search for a permanent home began in earnest, with staff, board members, advisory board members and others tracking down leads “from Madisonville to Covington to Mandeville,” Myers said.
Museum officials wanted to stay in Mandeville, Myers said, in part because the museum has a partnership agreement with the city and hopes to have some activities at Mandeville’s Tammany Trace trailhead.
The new location on Florida Avenue fit the museum’s needs, and with the lighted parking lot could allow for some evening events, Myers said.
The museum has a two-year lease with property owner Joey Champagne, with an option to renew for a third year. It’s also close to what Myers described as two prime kid-oriented locations: Kids and Family Arena, an indoor bounce house, and the Triple Nickel Grill.
While the new location doesn’t have the natural outdoor space afforded at the parish-owned building near the Kids Konnection playground on Koop Drive, Myers cited its partnership with Pelican Park, where the museum will hold its back-to-school bash on July 27.
The museum closed down the Koop Drive location at the end of May and recently finished moving the exhibits to its new quarters, an effort that required removing some glass panels to bring in a huge globe.
As for the old location, Cooper said in a prepared statement that a new tenant is on the horizon but didn’t say who that would be.
“We are actively negotiating with our next tenant, which will provide a great service for children and their families in St. Tammany,” Cooper said. “We are so excited about his potential partnerships and will announce when it is appropriate.”