By Karen Haave
Frankfort’s beloved KidsWork Children’s Museum is moving to New Lenox, and local residents have mixed feelings about it.
That’s not surprising. The innovative learn-through-play facility long has been a point of pride for the village and a popular destination for families throughout Will County.
Many residents are thrilled the new location will offer more space and financial stability and understand the logic. But they also regret the museum is leaving town.
The most prevalent question they are asking is how the village could let it go.
“The Village of Frankfort recently was made aware of the Kidswork Children’s Museum announcing a potential move to New Lenox,” Mayor Keith Ogle said.
“The Village of Frankfort had planned to have the Children’s Museum come to our next committee meeting, as they had requested, to make a presentation about their future. We were not made aware they would be making any final decision prior to this meeting.
“I spoke with Ms. Belinda Basso, museum board president this morning, and she has agreed to attend the April 12 Committee of the Whole meeting as previously planned and make their presentation before the Frankfort Village Board and answer questions.
“The village has been a long-time supporter of the museum, providing financial support since its inception. It is important for residents to understand the financial impact taking over the museum would have on the village’s budget, as has been suggested by the museum leadership.
“We hope to have more information in the near future about this important matter.”
Basso confirmed she will be there, but cautioned against getting their hopes up.
“Yes,” she said, “I will be at the April 12 meeting.”
She added, however, “While the agreement with New Lenox is not yet officially signed, we have a verbal agreement in place that both New Lenox and the museum intend on honoring. As we are in the process of finalizing, the execution of the agreement is only days away, regardless.”
Basso also said the move is “a wonderful opportunity for the museum and the greater Lincoln-Way area. We are more than excited to expand the museum to nearly double, with an additional outdoor space to serve families and the community. The focus of the museum will be the same, which is largely S.T.E.A.M. but, with new exhibits, we will really be able to add that ‘wow’ factor families are looking for when engaging their children in hands-on, interactive playing to learn.”
In a statement explaining the move, Basso said, “I am so excited to announce a new chapter for our beloved KidsWork Children’s Museum! We are expanding into a brand new, much larger space, with many of the same exhibits you know and love, but also adding many new exhibits your family is sure to enjoy. As I am sure you have heard, we are relocating, but don’t despair. We are staying in the Lincoln-Way area, just a few miles down the road in New Lenox. We are still here for you!
“As a Frankfort resident, I really wanted to keep the museum in Frankfort,” Basso continued.
”The KWCM board has spent several years trying to align ourselves with Frankfort, either through the village, Frankfort Park District, or Frankfort Square Park District, partnering with the museum. Unfortunately, the opportunity to partner with the museum was declined. Until recently, our sole goal was to put the museum in the best position for long-term success by ensuring business continuity for ongoing management of the museum. Our board is amazing and completely volunteer. The museum has successfully grown to a size that a volunteer-only board is no longer the right fit. We are financially sound and in an excellent position for a municipality to partner with us, as we are self-sustaining. I am immensely proud of how tenacious and ingenious our board and staff guided the museum through the pandemic to emerge stronger than ever. Now is the time for us to take the next step in our evolution.
“Wearing my Frankfort resident hat, I was reticent to move the museum. However, wearing my KWCM Board President hat, the board and I have to do what’s best for the museum.
“Therefore, when we were presented with an amazing offer to partner with New Lenox, it was clear we had to take the offer seriously. We took great care and due diligence in our decision. We communicated with the village and the park districts. In the end, moving to a space that is nearly double our current size, with an additional outdoor space, under the umbrella of the Village of New Lenox was too good to pass up.
“We will still serve the same Lincoln-Way area that we do today,” she said.
“We will remain a member of the Chicago CLIMB Network. We hope you are excited about the new space that will offer more hands-on, interactive learning experiences to your family and your community. I look forward to engaging you in learning through play in our new space in the spring of 2024!”
Mayor Tim Baldermann was delighted with the acquisition.
“We are very excited to be able to help the museum expand in a brand new building,” he said.
“The (village) board members all are supportive of this new project. We anticipate the total cost for the land, building, and exhibits to be approximately $4 million. The new museum will be near the entrance of the Village Commons. This will be a great amenity for all of Will County and beyond.”
The interactive play museum was founded in 2007, with seed money from the Village of Frankfort. Operating on a shoe-string budget in it’s early years, it has grown in popularity and draws more than 40,000 visitors annually to its Trolley Barn location in the village’s Downtown Historic Business District.
The museum’s current executive director and staff have been extended an offer to continue in the new site. They would become New Lenox village employees, and the current board of directors will become an Advisory Committee.
Groundbreaking ceremonies are anticipated in June 2023.