Oneida County Commits $500,000 to Fund Exhibit at Utica Children’s Museum

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that Oneida County has awarded $500,000 in funding to the Utica Children’s Museum to construct a climber exhibit in its new, soon-to-be-completed facility.

“The Climber exhibit will be the signature feature of the new Children’s Museum Rotunda,” Picente said. “It’s the first thing visitors will see when they enter, creating a wall of fun adjacent to the main staircase, and it will also be seen from the outside, signaling to passersby the spirit of adventure that awaits inside. Oneida County is proud to provide this attraction at what will become a premiere destination for local families, schools and tourists alike.”

The 30-foot-long and 16-foot-high county-funded Climber will greet visitors in the glass-encased Rotunda of the new Utica Children’s Museum. It is being designed to provide children with a variety of physical challenges and safe risk-taking opportunities, such as navigating up and down a series of ramps, platforms and curves and climbing up and reaching two lookout “nests” at the top of the Climber high above the floor.

The Climber will assist in developing gross motor skills in children and build a sense of understanding and confidence in their physical capabilities. It will also help children practice sharing physical spaces and communicating with others, all through the medium of play and safe risk-taking.

“We are so thrilled and grateful to receive this funding from Oneida County,” said Meghan Fraser McGrogan, Interim Director of the Utica Children’s Museum. “This demonstrates the county’s commitment as a true partner as we work to build our all-new Utica Children's Museum. We look forward to continuing to work together to make Oneida County a great place for families!”

The Utica Children’s Museum closed its former location on Main Street in Utica in 2020. Its new facility will be located at the corner of Holland Avenue and the Memorial Parkway in Utica. Gallery and exhibit design and fabrication are currently in progress with installation set to begin later in 2024. The new museum is expected to be open later this year.

The new museum’s exhibits will be reflective of the region, from STEAM experiences and emphasis on the trades, to celebrating its four seasons and showcasing the rich cultures that make up the area.

The money for the exhibit was allocated from Oneida County’s American Rescue Plan Act funding.

For more informaiton on the Utica Children’s Museum’s new facility, please visit: https://www.uticachildrensmuseum.org/.