Sandcastles Children’s Museum will remain closed this summer.

Sandcastles Children’s Museum will remain closed this summer.

Dear Editor,

Sandcastles Children’s Museum was founded on one basic principle: our love for children.  We have let this principle guide us as we have built a beautiful, interactive, educational environment for kids to grow and learn. And for the last 13 years, our community has been our partner and biggest supporter. It is also the principle we fall back on when challenged to make difficult decisions regarding the COVID crisis and what it means for our museum. Our love and concern for children remains our number one priority, and, therefore, we have made the decision to remain closed this summer.

The Board of Directors have not entered into this decision lightly. We have considered many different options and scenarios that we might employ, but the nature of our museum focuses on hands-on learning, social interaction, free unstructured play, and the restrictions that we would need to impose would completely change the entire dynamic of the museum. Even with major changes in how we run the museum, we still could not guarantee the safety of the children that play here, and that is a risk we are not willing to take.

Until the time that we can re-open safely, we will continue to support families with online programming and the sharing of resources to keep kids engaged. One of the new exhibits we planned to launch this spring is our Water Safety Project. The museum has built a beautiful new Water Safety exhibit, and we look forward to the time when kids can explore and engage with all it has to offer. Until that time, we will be launching our Water Safety Project virtually. By sharing videos and important educational information regarding dangerous currents and the importance of wearing a life jacket, we hope to still make an impact on preventing drownings this summer. Please help us get the word out by sharing our Water Safety information with others.  Important Water Safety messaging will be posted on our Facebook page as well our website and YouTube Channel.   www.sandcastleschildrensmuseum.com

It will be a tough year for Sandcastles Children’s Museum without the income from our busiest summer months. If you would like to help with the most basic of our operating costs, your contributions would be very much appreciated. We are a non-profit and all donations are tax deductible. Donations can be made on our website through PayPal, through our Capital Campaign fund at the Community Foundation of Mason County, or by mailing checks directly to Sandcastles P.O. Box 595, Ludington, MI 49431.

Please know that the Board of Directors and Staff of Sandcastles Children’s Museum are eagerly anticipating the day we can safely re-open. When we do, the laughter and joy of children playing will fill the museum as we watch the children we love so much Create, Discover, and Explore.

Sincerely,

Kristin Korendyke

Executive Director

Sandcastles Children’s Museum