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. The Edible Schoolyard is a 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. Phase 3 of construction was completed in 2020, adding the technology exhibit, The Growing Place, to the Museum’s list of fun STEAM-based activities.
