The new building design for Kaleideum was unveiled today in Winston-Salem. The interactive museum of arts and sciences will take up a large and very visible footprint downtown.
Kaleideum formed four years ago with the merger of the aging SciWorks museum far north of downtown, and The Children's Museum, built in 2004, just south of downtown near Old Salem. With rising maintenance costs and lack of space to expand, the expectation was to eventually create a new, centrally located Kaleideum easily accessed by public transportation users. The result is a colorful, contemporary, five-story, 72,000 square foot museum in the heart of the city.
Executive Director Elizabeth Dampier says it will feature a large rooftop playground space with spectacular views.
"You know this building, as we thought about the building, really is a visual manifestation of the values and identity of Kaleideum as a place where individuals of all ages can challenge themselves, push boundaries, ask questions and engage with their surroundings," says Dampier.
The public-private partnership with Forsyth County and the city amounts to approximately $33 million.
Gensler, a design firm based in Raleigh, and Stitch Design Shop, based in Winston-Salem, are the architects involved with the project.
Gensler Managing Director Chad Parker says both firms have roots in the Triad.
“As a Winston-Salem native and a parent of young children, it is both a privilege and a responsibility to live the mission of Kaleideum and create a place within the community that shapes the next generation,” he says.
The proposed Kaleideum reopen date is early 2023.