Plans have been announced for a significant expansion of the much-visited Children’s Museum of Phoenix, which is located at 215 N. 7th Street in a structure built in 1914.
Funding for the project is coming from a grant provided by the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment which will support what is expected to be a 27,000-square-foot addition.
The Lily Grant has a dollar value of $2.5 million and is the largest ever received by the museum.
Founded in 1998, the Children’s Museum moved into what was formerly the three-story Monroe School about a decade later after a $10.5 million purchase and upgrading of the structure.
After that opening, the museum emerged as one of the most popular destination attractions for residents and guests across the country. It was subsequently named as one of the top museums of its kind nationally by the publication Early Childhood Education, which specifically noted its interactive exhibits, and “music, art, math, science and yoga classes for children and families to participate in.”
Last year, the museum saw more than 401,000 guests.
Museum officials have said that the expansion project is expected to cost altogether around $6.4 million, with some $5.3 million as of last month raised for the effort.
If all goes as expected work on the expansion will begin later this year, with a rough completion date of the summer of 2026.
The former Monroe School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designed in the Classic Revival style by architect Norman Foote Marsh who was mostly known for his church and public facility work.
March 25, 2025
By Garry Boulard
Photo courtesy of Children’s Museum of Phoenix
