Century-old church transformed into Magic Castle, New York Children’s Museum will have a new home_1

The Children’s Museum in Manhattan is embarking on an exciting transformation as it prepares to move to a historic, 80,000-square-foot abandoned church on Central Park West. This new venue will be reimagined into a seven-story “magical castle,” specifically designed for children, embodying the creativity and wonder that define childhood.

According to a report from Time Out, the new museum will reside at 361 Central Park West, a site that formerly belonged to the First Church of Christ for over a century. With plans to open in 2028, the museum will feature a performance venue, a teaching kitchen, a café, flexible activity rooms, a rooftop terrace, and much more.

In a recent highlight by The New York Times, Laurie M. Tisch, the founding chair of the museum’s board, announced a substantial donation of $50 million to support this endeavor. Tisch expressed particular excitement about a unique initiative that will allow inmates at Rikers Island to engage with their children at the museum. The new location promises to double the museum’s capacity, offering a broader range of activities for various age groups and extending its services to children up to age ten.

Time Out emphasized that the transformation of an abandoned church into a vast playground for children is an exhilarating prospect, even for those without kids.

Currently, the Children’s Museum operates at 212 West 83rd Street, welcoming visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM. For more information, you can visit their website at https://cmom.org.