Children’s Museum at Saratoga to Move

A family favorite in Saratoga is for sale, but don’t worry, it’s not closing, it’s moving to a better location in Saratoga.

The Children’s Museum at Saratoga is planning to relocate from Downtown Saratoga (69 Caroline St) to their new location at the Lincoln Baths building in Saratoga Spa State Park.

According to the Saratogian, the new space is twice the size of the museum’s current space and their hope is that the change will make the museum more accessible for children in other areas of the Capital Region. Sarah Smith, who became the executive director in November 2019, mentioned that one of their main goals is to be able to serve the Capital Region as a whole.

The park is also home to the National Museum of Dance, the Saratoga Automobile Museum, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “The connection to the other cultural institutions is awesome,” Smith said, mentioning the park’s Creekside Classroom Environmental Education Center too.

Plans were in motion when the pandemic hit but the 15-month closure allowed the staff more time to focus on planning out the future. During the pandemic, they were delivering hands-on science kits to kids in Troy through the Boys & Girls Clubs as well as partnering with the YMCA. “We’re trying to reach the Troy area, and Albany, and a little bit outside,” Smith said. “We also try to reach above us up into Warren County, just to make sure that we’re reaching those kids who can’t necessarily get here.”

The museum will still be offering a discounted admission rate of $1 per person for families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Another change they intend to make is the age range. Currently, they focus on children ages eight and younger but will expand to reaching kids ages nine to twelve too. The move is expected to begin in the fall but hope to somehow stay open during the transition.