Capital Campaign

How You Can Play Your Part

You can help to set the Children’s Museum on a strong and sustainable path to best live out its mission to inspire learning through play. Charitable investments are needed to fully pay down the $15.15 million investment.

Thanks to public and private investments from generous supporters who have been contributing since 2019, $8 million has already been raised.

You Can Play Your Part, Too!

Join the Children’s Museum in helping children of all ages see touch learn and grow their way through important developmental milestones.

All gifts, large and small, will help reach the goal of raising an additional $8 million in the next five years.
Capital campaign gifts can be in the form of a one-time contribution or as a five-year pledge.

If you contact CMEC, we’ll work with you to help you make a personally meaningful gift that works well for you. Take a look at our recognition opportunities listed below; it’s our way of expressing our thanks to you for making all of this possible.

Campaign Brochure Give Now

How You Can Play Your Part

You can help to set the Children’s Museum on a strong and sustainable path to best live out its mission to inspire learning through play. Charitable investments are needed to fully pay down the $15.15 million investment. Thanks to public and private investments from generous supporters who have been contributing since 2019, $7.6 million has already been raised.

You can Play Your Part too, to join the Children’s Museum in helping children of all ages see touch learn and grow their way through important developmental mile- stones.

All gifts, large and small, will help reach the goal of raising an additional $7.55 mil- lion in the next five years. Capital campaign gifts can be in the form of a one-time contribution or as a five-year pledge. If you contact CMEC, we’ll work with you to help you make a personally meaningful gift that works well for you. Take a look at our recognition opportunities listed below; it’s our way of expressing our thanks to you for making all of this possible.

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If there ever was a time to be bolder, do better, and dream bigger... it is here and now! Why not BE BOLDER in our approach? Peace Tree Child Care and the Children’s Museum has come together to co-locate services under one roof. Children’s Museums across this country have been responding to unique community needs since the first one opened in 1899 in Brooklyn. Communities across this country are challenged with meeting demand for affordable, high quality child care. We feel our unique model will contribute to addressing the child care crisis and possibly inspire other communities to do the same.

When it comes to safety, accessibility, efficiency, and inclusion, why not seek to DO BETTER? We are added 6,134 square feet of exhibit and classroom space, along with other amenities including:

Designated family friendly parking adjacent to our building so parents can avoid crossing busy streets with young children,
An outdoor space that can be utilized year round.

Why not GROW BIGGER so we can include more people in the opportunity to learn through play? The Children’s Museum of Eau Claire serves more than 1,200 children through its Play for All membership program, making us the leader in serving low to moderate income children. All of these things mean that a children’s museum isn’t just nice, but absolutely necessary for a thriving community that values children and strengthening families.

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Campaign fundraising efforts

Funds Raised

$8 Million

Project Goal

$15.15 Million

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Community Impact

Since our new museum opened to the public in Jan' 2023, we have seen an explosive impact within the Eau Claire community with an estimated annual economic impact of $6.7 million. Below are some amazing results comparing 2023 to 2019 (our last full year at the old museum before COVID).

Total Visitors

2023 - 116,884
2019 - 60,864

Student Visitors

2023 - 6,726
2019 - 5,713

Total Memberships

2023 - 4,223
2019 - 1,832

Play for All Memberships

2023 - 1,399
2019 - 699

custom Gift Amount

Meet our CEO

Mike Lee

In April 2023, Mike joined the Children's Museum of Eau Claire (CMEC) as the Chief Learning Officer, became the Interim CEO in November 2023, and was named CEO by the CMEC Board in early March.

Mike is an Eau Claire area native who earned a Bachelor’s Degree in business administration from CVTC and UW-Stout, along with a Master’s and a Doctor of Education in Career and Technical Education.

His work history includes:

Peace Corps in Azerbaijan, as an International Student Advisor at UW-Stout
Community Outreach and Workforce Development Manager at Pablo Center
Center Director for Lee & Mary Markquart Center Boys & Girls Club.

If you haven't visited CMEC recently, Mike would be happy to provide an update on the museum and a personalized tour; he can be reached at mike@childrensmuseumec.com or (715) 832-5437.