While the Modesto Children’s Museum opened in September 2023, the story of “MoChiMu” actually began years before its opening.

Three founding families — Dr. Jake and Katie Barber, Ryan and Jenavieve Brady, and Ryan and Chelsea Foy — came together in 2019 to establish the nonprofit and plan for the organization they dreamed of building for their community and its families. Since the Modesto Children’s Museum’s inception as a nonprofit, the families of the Central Valley and beyond have always been at the forefront.

The founding board of directors gathered community feedback, gained critical partners from across the country, and garnered grassroots support to make this dream a world-class reality. Through these efforts, the team behind the Modesto Children’s Museum was able to bring to life ten unique, hands-on exhibits to be enjoyed for generations to come. 

Beyond exhibitry, they were also able to create space for a one-of-a-kind, educational game and toy shop, the MoChiMu Mercantile, to welcome families for a shopping experience unlike any other. The Modesto Children’s Museum was built by the community and for the community as a space that can evolve to meet the needs of the children and families of the Central Valley for years to come.

The Modesto Children’s Museum opened on Sept. 28, 2023, and welcomed over 95,000 children and families in its first year. Within that year, the museum invited the community to experience the adventure of a children’s museum: guests could splash in the Water Lab, climb the two-story Adventure Climber, create in the MSR Maker Lab, and spend time together learning through play.

The nonprofit continues to live out its commitment to the community by creating new and unique experiences for guests of all ages. MoChiMu hosts Field Trips, day- and week-long Camp MoChiMu sessions, family workshops, birthday parties, “MoChiMu After Dark” adult nights, and more. All with the hope that adults and children alike think critically, play creatively, and develop a love for lifelong learning.

Additionally, under its mission to “enrich the lives of all children…” the Modesto Children’s Museum works to make world-class educational experiences accessible through free programming, mentoring teenage volunteers, participating in Museums For All, and hosting community events like its annual summer bike cruise, The MoChiMu Bike N’ Trike.

All of these events and programs are created for the community in the Central Valley and made possible through the generosity of the museum’s supporters — past, present, and future. To learn more about the Modesto Children’s Museum and how you can visit and support it, visit www.modestochildrensmuseum.org.