Children’s Museum To Make Its Home In Bethesda’s Davis Library

Maker project at a recent Silver Spring workshop, via KID Museum

A partnership between Montgomery County and a local children’s museum will bring 7,500 square feet of interactive workshop space to Davis Library in Bethesda.

KID Museum, led by Bethesda resident Cara Lesser, will operate an interactive series of robotics projects, electronic experiements, digital media and other types of hands-on displays geared toward teaching kids science, technology and the arts.

“The idea is people will be able to move between the different materials and activities so they can really follow their imaginations as to what they make,” Lesser said. “It’s a really great space and it’s a very convenient location.”

The County Library system has been interested in “maker programming” and Lesser and the county have been working toward cementing the partnership for months. County Executive Isiah Leggett will announce the three-year agreement with KID Museum during a press event on Wednesday morning. Lesser hopes it’s a significant step toward establishing a permanent children’s museum in Montgomery County.

The announcement of the Davis Library partnership will happen on the same day as the first-ever White House Maker Faire. The KID Museum-Montgomery County project will be featured at the event as an example of a local public-private partnership to advance STEM learning and education.

Lesser said the Davis Library MakerSpace (6400 Democracy Blvd.) will officially open this fall. The activities are for mostly elementary and middle school-aged kids. The weekends will be primarily open to drop-ins while Lesser hopes a steady number of school field trips will fill the space for more structured programming during the week.

The idea is for kids to be able to move between the different materials and activities, using high and low tech tools to build robots, design video games, make wearable art or create items using textiles and everyday materials.

Eventually, Lesser hopes to have a robust program of high school volunteers.

Photo via KID Museum

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