Rutland's Wonderfeet Children’s Museum celebrated its grand opening this weekend – the culmination of five years of effort by volunteers and local businesses.
But to 21-month-old Elliyah Daniel, it was simply a fun place to spend a rainy morning.
While Daniel was pouring her father make-believe tea at the child-sized diner, 18-month-old Isla Labate and 3-year-old Jackson Fellows were busy measuring, mixing and throwing dried beans.
Sharon Henrichon of Rutland says Wonderfeet is one of her grandson Jackson’s favorite places. "He's absolutely in love with this place. There's a wall over here with balls and he loves the farmers market and the play table and the kids. There's just nothing not to like here, she adds smiling."
Myra Peffer is Wonderfeet's executive director. "It's a good picture of the community saying, 'You know, we would really like to have this,' and the community answering, 'OK, lets make it happen,'" she says.
Back in 2010, area residents identified a children's museum as something they wanted in their community at a local Creative Economy forum.
Having run education programs at several large public zoos and a Columbus, Ohio science center, Peffer got involved as a volunteer.
She says they started in an empty storefront, offering activities for young kids on Friday evenings during Rutland's summer block party series.
"It's a good picture of the community saying, 'You know, we would really like to have this,' and the community answering, 'OK, lets make it happen.'" - Myra Peffer, Wonderfeet executive director
The community loved it, says Peffer, but wanted more. Since then, they've expanded twice and last October Peffer was hired as the museum’s full-time, paid director. "We made a budget for the year and we said we'll bring in 4,700 people, but we're already over 3,000 in just two months," she says smiling.
While they held a celebratory ribbon cutting this weekend, Peffer says their new 2,400-square-foot space has actually been open since February. "We said, we'll bring in 100 memberships this year, and we're already at 133. So it's way beyond I think what any of us thought it would be."
She says they have a wide variety of ticket prices and annual membership rates so just about anyone can come and enjoy the museum.
Hosting special events like birthday parties and a growing number of grant-funded collaborative projects, with the local Boys and Girls Club, area schools and Rutland Regional Medical Center, will help them remain sustainable, adds Peffer.
While many local businesses have helped get the museum off the ground, she says now the museum can do its part to return the favor.
"We've been working with GE for several years," says Peffer. "And they've told us that this kind of thing helps when we're trying to recruit people to come and work here."
At Fogs and Lilly Pads, a children’s store just a few doors down from Wonderfeet, sales clerk Patty Starer says the museum has been fabulous. "There have been a lot of people who would just walk by and they go, 'Oh gosh, I did not know there was a toy store in downtown Rutland.' So I think bringing the kids and parents down here, they're going to realize there's a lot more shopping that's available for the public."
Myra Peffer says in addition to financial support, the community has also provided an unbelievable level of expertise from painters and builders, to artists.
She points to the whimsical round diner – a centerpiece of the museum, designed by former Disney artist Yoshi Akiyama of Manchester. "Well, it takes it to a whole different level," she says. "You have an artistic designer who designed Disney Tokyo, you know. The diner is awesome. It's a place where kids can role-play. I think it looks like something from the Jetsons. It's all pink and it has silvery things on the top. So it looks like things from another time period," laughs Peffer.
Peffer says Akiyama has also sketched out designs for a train and a town hall exhibit they plan to build.
Heritage Family is funding a miniature credit union for the museum, and Peffer says they've also got several murals they plan to install.
"It’s exciting," she says walking through the new space, "the possibilities are endless."
