Sugar Land's about to get even more kid friendly.
The capital campaign for the Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center in Sugar Land — a special project of the Children's Museum of Houston — has ended after reaching its $3.65 million fundraising goal.
The campaign, which began in April 2012, received donations from Fort Bend corporations, foundations and the community, all in support of the new children's center. With two final major gifts received from The George Foundation — which is dedicated to supporting organizations and programs that serve Fort Bend families — and Mercedes-Benz of Sugar Land, the project goal was successfully reached by the Dec. 31 deadline.
Now one step closer to opening as a year-round facility, the Children's Discovery Center — scheduled to debut in the summer of 2015 — will occupy a 10,000 square foot warehouse space that once belonged to the Imperial Sugar Company. Situated behind the historic sugar silos, the space will house five permanent exhibits, one temporary exhibit space and an outdoor area. Renderings for the new center identify several of the exhibits including a puzzle-oriented "Think Tank" area and a multi-cultural gallery.
The Children's Discovery Center — along with the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land which opened in 2009 — will provide much-needed educational and family-friendly opportunities for those living in the ever-changing area that so many young families already call home.
The center is located within the Imperial Sugar Land community, which has been plagued by problems and controversy since its proposal in 2007. In spite of many prior set backs, the community is growing rapidly and construction on a 6,500-seat performing arts venue there is slated to begin this summer.
Rendering of the Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center in Sugar Land.
