Touring the Hands On Children's Museum 

Rachel Benton

Now and then, it is fun to share a fact about me that readers may not know. Here is one that ties into today’s column: 

I spent the majority of my childhood in the splendid town of Fort Collins, CO. FOCO, as locals called it, certainly had its charms, but it was never quite as magical as our Olympia. 

For instance, the closest thing my sister, Faith, and I had to what Olympia's Hands On Children’s Museum offers was a little place called Timeless Creations. Artists could sell their work there and enjoy the use of the art studio and MakeSpace. My mom worked there, fostering our love of creativity along the way.

The two places are very different from one another, but share similarities in their MakeSpace offerings. Timeless Creations only scratched the surface of the incredible number of opportunities the children's museum offers.

We moved here when I was in sixth grade, and between then and adulthood, I only visited the museum twice. Unfortunately, I never went with the right people — you know, those kindred spirits who naturally know how to join you in a world of imagination.  

This is what personally led me to reach out to the children's museum to request a tour. I remain abundantly grateful to Marketing & Strategic Communications Senior Manager Beth Garson, Assistant Director of Visitor Engagement Amanda Wilkening, as well as Preschool Assistant Director Meaghan Anderson, for their time in making this happen.   

The tour exceeded my expectations, not just in the amazing offerings and innovations that had developed since my last visit moe than a decade ago, but in all the micro and macro details that make it a community centerpiece. 

A book would cover all the heartfelt, intentional and community-led partnerships more thoroughly than I can here. Please do take the time to read more about the museum on its website.  

For now, I hope you enjoy getting to know the museum through my personal, whimsical, enthusiastic and delightfully childlike lens. 

Touring  

Taking a tour of the museum was like exploring Washington state through a child’s eyes. In many ways, the museum feels like a love letter to our state, celebrating the diverse natural life, landscapes and cultural heritage that makes Washington such a wonderful place to visit and such an awe-inspiring place to call home. 

Both imaginative and educational, the museum offers every child who walks through its doors the opportunity to discover the meaning and beauty found in the big and little experiences of life here. Children can step into all kinds of roles, from shopping at the Farmers Market and tending to a garden to captaining their own ship and making scientific breakthroughs. Through play, the museum gives them a chance to experience their dreams, hands-on.  

I cannot emphasize this enough: each space is a stunning work of art — bright, cheerful and inviting. It took all my willpower not to ditch the tour and play with all the different toys and museum features myself! 

Stepping back into my sentimental, civically-minded “adult shoes,” I found myself in awe of all the big and little ways our community has poured into this museum. If I were to name every organization that has contributed, whether financially or through donated exhibit items, this column would start to look like an old phone book! Hearing about the generosity of each community partner filled my heart with hope and joy, and reminded me of the old cultural proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” 

The children's museum is not a solo organization; it is a community. It is a wonderful example of what can happen when people selflessly come together to create something meaningful and sustainable, while keeping what matters most at the heart of it all: equal accessibility and opportunity for every child. This is achieved through their free and reduced admission programs. In this way, the children's museum is a radiant embodiment of democracy's potential.  

Alongside the museum exhibits, it has an arts studio and maker space, offers camps and after-school activities, operates its own preschool, and hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

During my tour, I had the opportunity to step into each of these spaces. Their charm and intentionality make them wonderful places to bring — and ultimately raise — a child. Again, I invite you to explore all that children's museum has to offer.

Just as I suggested earlier, it takes a village to keep places like this alive, thriving and accessible to everyone. If you have the means, I encourage you to consider donating to the children's museum — not only to help sustain the museum as it is today, but also to support the expansion of its offerings and its mission to be a home away from home for as many local families as possible. 

Rachel is a writer, arts advocate, performing arts enthusiast, and passionate about our beloved Thurston County. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in History and Political Science and minor in Music. You can enjoy more of Rachel's writings by visiting her website. All inquiries for Rachel can be submitted here.