KOHL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF GREATER CHICAGO INC

SITUATED ON NEARLY NINE ACRES OF LAND, INCLUDING TWO ACRES OF BOUNDED OUTDOOR SPACE, THE MUSEUM FEATURES 17 INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS DESIGNED WITH EXPERT KNOWLEDGE OF HOW CHILDREN LEARN THROUGH SELF-DIRECTED PLAY. WITHIN THIS SETTING, THE MUSEUM ORGANIZES ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ANDPROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN AGES BIRTH TO EIGHT.SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE MUSEUM HAS EMERGED AS A LEADER IN THE CREATION OF ENGAGING EXHIBITS AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT NURTURE A LOVE OF LEARNING IN YOUNG CHILDREN. FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, IT HAS ELEVATED THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY AS A CRITICAL LEARNING TOOL, AIDED PARENTS IN THEIR IMPORTANT ROLE AS A CHILD'S FIRST - AND MOST IMPORTANT - TEACHER, AND PROVIDED TOOLS TO TEACHERS THAT AUGMENT THE FORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.BECAUSE THERE ARE CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS WHOSE ECONOMIC OR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES PREVENT THEM FROM VISITING, THE MUSEUM REMOVES AS MANY BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN FROM A FULL MUSEUM EXPERIENCE. FROM PROGRAMS SUCH AS EARLY CHILDHOODCONNECTIONS, WHICH BRINGS PROVEN TEACHING STRATEGIES TO CLASSROOMS SERVING CHILDREN IN NEED, TO PLAY FOR ALL, WHICH OFFERS PRIVATE TIME IN THE MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND THEIR FAMILIES, THE MUSEUM HAS A DECADES-LONG HISTORY OF EXTENDING ITS MISSION TO REACH THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT EVERY CHILD AND FAMILY HAS ACCESS TO A HIGH-QUALITY CHILDREN'S MUSEUM EXPERIENCE, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BETTER SERVE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS BY BRINGING OUR EXHIBITS AND EDUCATION TEAM TO THEM DIRECTLY. POP-UPMUSEUM PROGRAMS LIKE OUR PILOT IN WAUKEGAN WILL ALLOW US TO CONNECT WITH MORE FAMILIES AND INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.