Brooklyn Children's Museum Expanding to DUMBO at 1 John St. In October

DUMBO, BROOKLYN — A new residential development located in DUMBO's Brooklyn Bridge Park will soon be home to the expanded Brooklyn Children's Museum (BCM), its first new outpost in the museum's 100 year history.

The new BCM location opening Oct. 15, is named Spark and will occupy 1,850-square feet of space that Alloy Development donated in its new residential building located at 1 John St. on the DUMBO waterfront.

Serving over 250,000 people annually with exhibits rooted in play and physical experiences, the original BCM opened in Crown Heights in 1899, and is touted as "the world’s first museum designed expressly for children."

"Forever committed to serving the families of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Children’s Museum will be able to reach tens of thousands of more children and caregivers. Partnerships like ours with Brooklyn Bridge Park exemplify the ways community groups can combine their strengths to further the missions of both organizations, to the benefit of both constituencies,” Stephanie Wilchfort, president & CEO of Brooklyn Children’s Museum, said in a statement sent to Patch.

"Brooklyn Bridge Park is a welcoming place for everyone, and we’re excited to provide another amenity for children and families – both indoors and out,” said Regina Myer, president of Brooklyn Bridge Park. “We’re proud that some of Brooklyn’s most venerable cultural institutions now call the Park home and look forward to welcoming visitors from across the borough and the city to Spark.”

Spark will offer drop-in, open-play sessions on the following schedule:

• Tuesdays: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; $15 per child and adults are free.
• Wednesdays: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; $15 per child and adults are free.
• Thursdays: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; free
• Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; $15 per child and adults are free.

Spark will also feature pre-registered classes in the mornings for children and their caregivers. Fall classes include music and movement with Lavender Blues, Animal Adventures and Little Artists. Semester-long sessions will cost $300.

Visit the Spark website for more information and to sign-up for classes.

Images courtesy of Pavel Bendov.