APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A city in Northeast Wisconsin is being recognized for its focus on accessibility to families facing financial burdens.
On Thursday, officials announced Appleton has earned the title of a “Museums for All Hub City.” The distinction is part of a national program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Association of Children’s Museums.
As a Museums for All member, facilities offer reduced admission costs for struggling families. The History Museum at the Castle recently joined the Building for Kids Children’s Museum and the Atlas Science Center as participating Appleton museums. When a city has three or more Museums for All institutions, it is named a Hub City.
“Appleton is proud to be home to excellent cultural and educational institutions, and this new designation for our community will help us to further promote and develop opportunities for our residents and visitors to learn and grow,” said Mayor Woodford.
He will make an official proclamation declaring Appleton as a Museums for All Hub City on Feb. 27, which is also Museum Advocacy Day.
As the newest Museums for All participant in the city, we are excited to make Appleton a Hub City,” said Matt Carpenter, executive director of the History Museum at the Castle. “National studies demonstrate 85% of US adults think museums have a role to play in building civil society, and we whole-heartedly agree. Our staff and Board of Directors are committed to increasing access to the History Museum, specifically access for children as we seek to build lifelong museum-going habits and equip our children to become agents of social cohesion rather than division.
For more than a decade, the Building for Kids has prioritized our Access Initiative, helping to ensure all families have access to safe, play-based learning opportunities,” said Oliver Zornow, President of the Building for Kids. “In 2023 alone, over 11,000 visitors utilized our Access scholarships to engage in intergenerational play. We are excited to have Appleton recognized in this way and see this as just one element of our community’s increasing emphasis on providing accessible cultural engagement opportunities for kids and families.
At Atlas Science Center, our Museums for All guests have told us that the program is making a difference in their accessibility to STEM,” said Carol Couillard, Executive Director of Atlas Science Center. “The program continues to grow in its impact; we saw double the number of Museums for All guests in 2023 compared to the previous year and our Museums for All members also make up 10% of our total membership visits. We are delighted to become a Museums for All Hub City and to participate in bringing more informal learning opportunities to Appleton.
If you’d like to learn more about the Museums for All program and Appleton’s participating museums, visit their websites using the links within this story.
Comments