There are more than 400 children's museums, the majority in the US, and they are the fastest growing type of museum worldwide.
The oldest is the Brooklyn Children's Museum in New York, which opened in 1899. Before Imaginosity, the interactive discovery centre, W5, in Belfast's Odyssey Centre was the closest centre of its kind to the Republic.
Imaginosity is a member of the American Children's Museum's Association and subscribes to the hands-on, minds-on approach to learning of children's museums around the world. Imaginosity director Orla Kennedy was first inspired to set up a children's museum in Ireland following visits to the famous Boston Children's Museum with her son when she lived in the US.
On her return to Ireland in 1996, Kennedy became involved in the Irish Children's Museum project, leaving in 2004. Meanwhile, she was approached by Peter Sheridan to become involved is what was initially a community space in the emerging Beacon Quarter in Sandyford.
"I liked the get-up-and-go of Landmark Developments [Tony Fitzpatrick, Pat Fitzpatrick and Paddy Shovlin] who own the building," she says.
Originally 6,000sq ft, the building was redesigned and extended to 16,000sq ft, including mezzanine and roof areas. Its eco-credentials include solar panelling and wind turbines, which are explained to the children who visit.
Paying a peppercorn rent to Landmark, Imaginosity operates as a charity. Fundraising initiatives to pay for equipment and maintenance costs of €5 million have just begun.
Meanwhile, in 2006, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment approved funding of €4.5 million from 2007 to 2010 (€376,000 was paid out in 2007) for the Irish Children's Museum project. Called Exploration Station, the centre will be a purpose-built interactive learning centre with an emphasis on science and technology in the new OPW Heuston Gate development in Kilmainham, Dublin. Exploration Station is expected to open in 2010. A London Children's Museum is also due to open in 2011.
