Senator Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) presented legislation on Monday to fund the Minnesota Children’s Museum. The appropriation will allow the museum to continue enriching lives of children through play. The museum nurtures the real-world skills children need to become the next generation of parents, workers, and leaders.

“The importance of playful learning and its impact on our children’s brain development cannot be overemphasized,” said Senator Johnson. “The Minnesota Children’s Museum uses the latest research on play to give children a safe, hands-on environment to discover new experiences that attempt to foster a passion for learning. This is an investment in our future.”

The bill provides the museum with funding for both fiscal year 2020, and fiscal year 2021. The money will be directed to be used at the Minnesota Children’s Museums in St. Paul and Rochester for free and reduced admission for children, family access, and programming to improve children’s executive functions.

The Minnesota Children’s Museum serves more than 550,000 visitors each year at the locations in St. Paul and Rochester. With more than ten interactive exhibits and programs, the museum provides open-ended, self-directed experiences that give kids space and freedom to explore their interests, solve problems and build life skills like confidence, critical and creative thinking, communication and more.