The Greensboro Children's Museum's mission is to engage all children and families in hands-on, fun learning experiences which contribute to their growth and development through play, creation, outdoor exploration and STEM experiences.
Today, more than 400 children’s museums throughout the United States break the rules of traditional institutions by encouraging visitors to touch, talk, have fun and learn. In a children’s museum, the audience is most important, not the objects. The exhibits, however, are catalysts for questions, exploration and discovery and the entire experience is a playground for the mind.
Designed to inspire hands-on learning through play, the Greensboro Children’s Museum (GCM) offers a fun, energetic and safe environment for children of all ages. Located in downtown Greensboro, children, their families and teachers can interact with more than 20 exhibits including the 30-foot-tall Neptune XXL Climbers and half-acre learning garden, which are each designed to stimulate children’s imaginations and provide educational play experiences.
our history
Founder Jerry Hyman
The Greensboro Children’s Museum began with one man’s dream of bringing a children’s museum to Greensboro. Jerry Hyman was inspired by traveling to children’s museums around the country, and he began to share his vision with community leaders. Cynthia Doyle, a local legend in the area of civic duty and volunteerism, who in turn contacted a group of alumni from the Leadership Greensboro Program. This group served as the Steering Committee, then launched a Capital Campaign led by Doyle. Three years later, on May 15, 1999, the Greensboro Children’s Museum opened its doors at 220 N. Church Street.
Community leader Cynthia Doyle and family
In September 2009, Food Activist and Chef Alice Waters came to Greensboro to open The Edible Schoolyard at the Greensboro Children’s Museum, hands-on, half-acre organic teaching garden and kitchen classroom. Since its grand opening in May 2010, The Edible Schoolyard has been a destination for children, families and teachers to learn about growing, cooking, and sharing fresh, delicious food. With an ecosystem of plants and animals, the garden features vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers, trees and shrubs, as well as chickens, worms and insects. A special thank you to The Edible Schoolyard donors for their generous contributions.
In 2015, GCM launched the “Reaching Greater Heights” expansion project and capital campaign with the objective of opening multiple signature features to strengthen GCM’s mission. Phase 1 was completed in summer 2017 with the addition of the Outdoor Play Plaza and phase 2, an indoor, interactive water exhibit, was completed in fall 2018. Construction on phase 3, a technology media exhibit, will begin in 2019.
In honor of Cynthia E. Doyle, creative visionary, volunteer extraordinaire, community activist and dedicated leader in the city’s efforts to build promising futures for our families and their children.
The Greensboro Children’s Museum is a testament to the unfailing generosity & the community spirit of Joseph McKinley Bryan, Sr. He has enlivened the lives of our children and we are forever grateful!