Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota
{{Short description|Museum in Mankato, Minnesota, US}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota
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| logo = Cmsm logo.png
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| logo_alt = Logo of the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota
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| coordinates = {{coord|44.1619|-94.0134|type:landmark_region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
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| established = {{Start date|2015|05|01|df=y}}
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| location = Mankato, MN
| type = Children's Museum
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| chairperson = Kim Kleven
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| parking = On-Site
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| website = https://www.cmsouthernmn.org/
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}}Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota (CMSM) is a children's museum located in Mankato, Minnesota. It features regularly scheduled art and science activities.{{cite web |title=Indoor Enthusiast |url=https://www.visitgreatermankato.com/mankato/explore/recreation/indoor-enthusiast/ |website=Visit Greater Mankato |accessdate=27 March 2020 |ref=1}}
Indoor exhibits include an interactive quarry, a tree made of tree forts, and a vertical wind-tunnel. The museum offers seasonal farm exhibits outdoors during the warmer months.{{cite web |title=Your Kids Will Love These Epic Minnesota Playgrounds |url=https://www.exploreminnesota.com/article/your-kids-will-love-these-epic-minnesota-playgrounds |website=Explore Minnesota |accessdate=27 March 2020 |ref=2}}{{cite web |title=Exhibits |url=https://www.cmsouthernmn.org/exhibits/ |website=Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota |accessdate=27 March 2020 |ref=3}}
History
A group of educators began efforts to open a children's museum in 2009. In the summer of 2014, flood waters damaged the museum's planned exhibits.{{Cite news|last1=Wahlstrom|first1=Karen|url=https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/08/09/finding-minnesota-childrens-museum-of-southern-minnesota/|title=Finding Minnesota: Children's Museum Of Southern Minnesota|date=August 9, 2015|work=WCCO-TV|access-date=March 31, 2020|last2=Binkley|first2=Mike}} After rebuilding the exhibits, CMSM opened on the 1st of May, 2015.{{Cite news|last=Gotlieb|first=Nate|url=https://www.mankatofreepress.com/news/local_news/children-s-museum-of-southern-minnesota-officially-opens/article_71d1a9be-f023-11e4-a135-b7ef9bc2662e.html|title=Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota officially opens|date=May 1, 2015|work=Mankato Free Press|access-date=March 26, 2020}}
Location
The chosen site of the museum required extensive cleanup in partnership with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. With funding from a grant, over 2,500 tons of polluted soil and waste were removed. The existing building was made safe for renovation and use.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/cleanup-stories/children%E2%80%99s-museum-southern-minnesota|title=Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota|last=|first=|date=|website=Minnesota Pollution Control Agency|series=Cleanup Success Stories|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526092530/https://www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/cleanup-stories/children%E2%80%99s-museum-southern-minnesota |archive-date=2021-05-26 |access-date=March 31, 2020}}
References
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External links
- [https://www.cmsouthernmn.org/ Official site]