Children's Museum in downtown Tucson to expand

Calling it “the biggest moment in the museum’s history” the Children’s Museum is planning to expand its campus in downtown Tucson.

Having outgrown its space at 200 S. Sixth Ave., where the museum has operated since 1996, the museum has started to turn people away, Hilary Van Alsburg, the executive director, told members of the Rio Nuevo board.

She said the museum was looking for an opportunity to expand “without having to leave downtown.”

The museum plans to buy the Udall Foundation building across the street, at 130 S. Scott Ave., and move administrative offices there.

The freed up space at the existing museum would be renovated into a gift shop and a cafe, in partnership with El Charro.

In addition, the north side of the site would be turned into a science garden.

The museum has about 155,000 visitors a year and with the expansion expects that to increase to around 255,000 a year, Van Alsburg said.

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Rio Nuevo voted unanimously to advance $230,000 to the museum to close on the $3 million sale of the building on Scott Avenue and an additional $187,250 paid out over the life of the construction.

The board also voted unanimously to provide Zemam’s Restaurant with $299,385.12 for its expansion along the Sunshine Mile on Broadway.

The project, on Treat Avenue and Broadway, will be three freestanding buildings — the existing restaurant, an International Sports Lounge and Sidamo Coffee, in partnership with Savaya Coffee. All three will share a communal backyard and patio.

Construction is expected to start in April with an opening in the fall.