EverWonder Children’s Museum, which lost its classroom and museum space at 31 Pecks Lane in August, has found a new and “much larger,” 7,500 square-foot home in the same industrial complex, Executive Director Tamara Tragakiss Barry said December 15.

The larger Pecks Lane location “had all the right ingredients, and we can stay in town,” which is the base for museum support, she said.

Board members hope to welcome children and families back for programs and activities by mid-February. They have a five-year lease arrangement with the Tier One property management. Tier One has offered EverWonder “very generous terms” on a five-year lease, according to Ms Barry. The payment structure will be graduated with future rent increases, “so we can build our capacity and income,” Ms Barry said. Eventually, she anticipates the ability to pay market rent. The arrangement is “very comfortable for us,” she said. “We feel comfortable we can afford the space.”

EverWonder members are not yet announcing the lease terms, Ms Barry said Monday.

“It’s a jump for us in terms of exhibits, classroom space and programs,” Ms Barry said.

With all their exhibits already in storage onsite, Ms Barry said, “It will be great to be in there and welcoming people back.” She looks forward to adding to the population the museum has already reached, and “finding a new audience of families and children who have not heard of use before.

“We are excited about new exhibits and building our own, and building classrooms for students and teachers to focus on science, math, technology, and interactive programs to inspire kids to learn about sciences.”

The museum’s previous location, called EverWonder Experience, welcomed an estimated 6,000 visitors in the 18 months it was open. Just less than half those guests were local, and others came from a wider area.

“It’s always been the goal of our board to build a regional museum,” said Ms Barry. “With this location we feel we can vastly increase our attendance capacity, and the number and quality of our exhibits.”

The challenge now is to raise funds and retrofit and renovate the space.

Once completed, board members envision 1,000 square feet of classroom space and the remainder devoted to exhibits and storage.

The museum board’s capital campaign needs to raise $345,000, with an initial $80,000 needed for the retrofit.

“That is our primary challenge,” said Ms Barry. “We can’t  open until a retrofit is done.”

February 15 is the board’s target date for reopening, which is dependant upon raising funds.

With a potential match in grant funds available from The Jeniam Foundation, a small family foundation based in Fairfield County, and $15,000 in board funds, proponents hope to raise the remainder to reach the $80,000 goal. They have a challenge grant for $25,000 (plus the $15,000 from the board), but to receive the match, they need to raise $40,000 more by January 31. With those funds in place, they can launch construction.

Part of their fundraising includes the help of a six-foot tall sculpture. The aluminum chartreuse-colored Dalmatian with polka dots named R. Hero, a donation the museum received in January from a California donor, was created by artists Karen and Tony Barone as part of their series installed at public sites across the country. The Dalmatian is meant to inspire and educate children about courage and bravery and what it means to be a first responder. Although R. Hero was once displayed at the prior EverWonder location, he has since been in storage.

Ms Barry wants to get the sculpture and a donation box “out and about,” and seeks local business locations to install the sculpture. EverWonder will be responsible for delivery and installation, she said.

“It’s bright green, beautiful and has spots,” she said, and provides “one component of our campaign to raise $80,000.”

, and with a local board of directors that also includes Superintendent of Schools Dr Joseph Erardi, Newtown “is our roots,” said Ms Barry. She is glad they found a way to remain in town, adding that with a larger space  “the hope is that as we grow we’ll increase our name recognition and attendance base, and in that way be able to sustain our museum for years to come.”Founded in 2011

To welcome R. Hero, learn more about the museum, or support its efforts, contact Ms Barry at 203-364-4009 or  tbarry@everwondermuseum.org. Learn more about the museum and its programming at www.EverWonderMuseum.org.