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Date: 10/5/2022
WESTFIELD — It’s been 25 years since a little group of volunteers started a little museum for little people.
A quarter-century of growth has seen a larger location and an expanded mission for the Amelia Park Children’s Museum in Westfield, one of fewer than a dozen children’s museums in Massachusetts.
It might never have become a reality if it weren’t for a dedicated group of volunteers who opened what was then the Discover Westfield Children’s Museum at 99 Elm St. in 1997. As the museum prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary, four of the founders — Gina Broderick, Diane Chambers, Mary McMahon and Eileen Sullivan — shared with Reminder Publishing their thoughts about how it all began.
Sullivan said many parents saw a need for a museum with hands-on exhibits after realizing they had to leave Westfield with their families to visit children’s museums. Chambers recalled a visit to the Children’s Museum at Holyoke with three kids under the age of 3.
“They had a blast and for the first time in years I wasn’t stressed out — I didn’t have to say ‘Don’t’ and ‘No.’ That’s when I decided we needed one in Westfield.”
Broderick said they took notes and spoke with directors at children’s museums across the country during field trips — “Often these visits were with our children along for the ride and discovery.”
McMahon said they were inspired by the Cape Cod Children’s Museum, which had been founded by a small group of parents.
“Knowing there was a large population of children in our city, it seemed foolish for families to have to leave for other towns,” McMahon said.
Starting with a blank slate, they “pounded the pavement” to tell their story for three years before the museum opened.
“We kept our vision and our heads up despite those who said the museum would never come to fruition,” added McMahon. “Our museum wouldn’t be where it is today without the generous pledge and financial backing from Albert Ferst, Westfield’s finest philanthropist.”
Chambers said the museum, which moved to a brand-new and larger building in Amelia Park in 2008 and became Amelia Park Children’s Museum, “is a wonderful testament” to the community: “Many hours of hard work by dedicated volunteers, board members, and employees helped to make the museum what it is today.”
“It’s hard to believe that more than 25 years ago we started our journey with traveling exhibits and a ‘wagon train’ of children, not knowing where the road would lead us in reaching our destination,” added Chambers, who now works for the museum as its finance and development manager.
Amelia Park Children’s Museum serves 20,000 visitors each year at 29 S. Broad St., providing children with numerous exhibits, activities and field trips.
“Offering high-quality educational experiences for children and caregivers in a fun and welcoming environment is what we do — and we have no intention of changing that formula,” said Ray Radigan, the museum’s executive director.
He said exhibits and programs offered at Amelia Park are different from those at other children’s museums.
“We encourage all our visitors to visit many children’s museums,” he said. “They’ll find that each one is special for different reasons.”
As part of its 25th anniversary celebration, the museum hosted an “Un-Birthday Party” for children and families this summer. The “Alice in Wonderland”-themed event was organized in partnership with Westfield on Weekends.
A more formal celebration was originally slated for October but recently rescheduled to 7-10 p.m. on Nov. 18. The “25th Anniversary Evening at the Museum” will feature wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and dessert. Proceeds from this ticketed, adults-only gala will directly benefit the museum to provide more hands-on learning for children.
Additionally, the museum has installed a permanent exhibit to tell its own story, with photos and artifacts from its past 25 years. But as much as the 25th anniversary is a time to look back, Radigan said the museum’s focus is always on the future.
“I’m always looking for ways to improve the museum — new exhibits, new partnerships, new programs, new ways to operate,” he said. “We have plans for growing our exhibits, programs and offerings throughout the region.”
The challenge, Radigan added, is growing Amelia Park Children’s Museum’s network of support. It’s critical to expand its regional presence and develop the same level of support it enjoys from the local community.
He said the museum’s board of directors is instrumental in developing community connections.
“We’re fortunate to have a dozen community volunteers who truly believe in the mission and are there to help it succeed and grow,” added Radigan.
“Going forward, our focus will be to increase awareness and access — both in Westfield and beyond. We’re working to break down barriers to access.”
For example, Radigan created “$2 Thursday” afternoon pricing — cutting 75 percent off the regular $8 admission — to make the museum more available to all children.
Another idea is to create a mobile version of children’s museum field trip experience by having an educator travel to schools.
“Transportation is a barrier for many schools. This removes that impediment completely,” said Radigan.
The newest exhibit at Amelia Park Children’s Museum — and its largest upgrade in the past five years — is a library that opened in April. Shelves are filled with new books donated by Lisa Libraries, named in honor of children’s book editor Lisa Nova.
Next year, the museum’s aging bank exhibit will be replaced with “The Piggy Bank,” a new financial literacy center. It will introduce children to the foundational concepts of value, earning and financial decision making. Also in the works: a new and improved toddler area and an immersive music creation exhibit.
“Stay tuned, there’s always more to come,” said Ratigan, who joined the museum in 2018 as its assistant director before becoming executive director in 2019. Prior to that, he was the director of exhibits at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia.
Radigan is responsible for fulfilling the museum’s mission of inspiring, educating and enriching the next generation of young learners. The most fulfilling part of his job is when he hears that the Amelia Park Children’s Museum has made a real impact.
“Sometimes it comes from a foundation awarding us a $35,000 grant because they believe in our approach to learning. Other times, it comes from seeing a child use an exhibit we put countless hours into planning, developing and building,” he explained.
Radigan said it’s very rewarding to realize that working at the museum makes a difference.
“We hear it in the laughter and we see it in the expressions of discovery— neither of which are reserved for just children.”
For more information on the 25th Anniversary Evening at the Museum, or to buy tickets at $55 per person, visit ameliaparkmuseum.org/25th-anniversary. For information about sponsorship or donating an item for the silent auction, email fun@ameliaparkmuseum.org or call 572-4014.
The museum features hands-on learning exhibits geared to children ages 1-7, and is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays. It is also available to host field trips and birthday parties. For more information, visit ameliaparkmuseum.org or call 572-4014.