Indianapolis Children's Museum Location Indianapolis,Indiana Size 102,240 Square Feet Cost Please contact us for up-to-date figures Status Completed The Children’s Museum is widely recognized as the largest children’s museum in the world. Woollen, Molzan and Partners has designed numerous additions to the museum including its well-known entrance and atrium. WMP, initially, was engaged to evaluate the existing museum building. The structure’s architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical components were probed in depth, and an evaluation of their condition and needs was made. A long-range master plan for the existing and new facilities followed, in order to prepare the museum for visitations in excess of 1.5 million annually. Since that time WMP has designed numerous new elements. Phase I of the design consisted of a relocated and expanded restaurant and employee’s lounge, a new receiving dock and freight elevator, and general storage. The exterior focus of the addition was the Allen Clowes Garden Gallery--a theme-oriented outdoor space fronting on the addition, which gives children the opportunity to experience elements of the natural Indiana landscape. Phase II represented more extensive expansion and renovation of the original building. Now a large, four-story atrium greets museum visitors, is accessible to an expanded gift shop and restaurant, and provides orientation and a proper beginning for the many visitors. Accessible from the mezzanine display area overlooking the lobby is the Center for Exploration, a new exhibit space. Expanded storage and archival space also was a significant portion of this much needed expansion. The Garden Gallery at the entrance, built in Phase I, was expanded to the full width of the museum, beginning the visitor’s experience as they leave their cars. The new curved museum facade, as well as the expanded garden help to soften the rather harsh pre-existing building, achieving a comfortable yet dignified face for this institution. The north addition which served as the museum’s temporary entrance during the construction of the west lobby and gallery, was expanded to provide sorely needed support space. It also acts as a secondary entrance for visiting groups who now may enter the museum from a covered walkway linking a new bus drop-off area. A planetarium, designed by WMP also was added to the museum’s facilities. Immediately recognizable by its copper-clad, domed roof, the planetarium provides a very unique learning experience. Visitors can now travel through space and time by way of a Digistar computerized projection system. Contact Project Architect Lynn Molzan: lmolzan@woollenmolzan.com 1 2 3 4  Return To Category List