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Austin Children's Museum

Mission Our mission is to inspire young children and the adults in their lives to experience the joy of learning through the power of constructive play. History The Austin Children’s Museum, founded in 1983 by a grass-roots coalition of parents and educators, originally opened as a “Museum without walls” with exhibits and programs hosted in schools, parks, recreation centers, libraries, and malls. Walls were built in 1987 when the Museum opened its doors with 5,000 square feet on West 5th Street. A successful $4.8 million expansion campaign was launched in 1997 that led to the creation of the new downtown location at the Dell Discovery Center. The expansion was funded through $1 million in lead gifts, 81 donors of $10,000 dollars or more, and a 10-year rent-free lease on the building. More than 800,000 visitors have enjoyed exhibits and programs since the Museum doors opened at its current home. How is the Museum funded? The Austin Children's Museum is funded through a combination of philanthropic gifts, earned income, and in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts. As a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization, gifts are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. For information on how you can make a tax deductible gift to the Austin Children's Museum, please contact the Museum's Resource Development Office at 512-472-2499 x212 or go to: www.austinkids.org/help/clubhouse.htm.

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