Capital Campaign

“Before KidZone, in winter we would go to Lucky’s (grocery store) with our kids in strollers and walk the aisles chatting.”

– Museum founder

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the KidZone Museum’s campaign for a new museum and science center at Truckee River Regional Park. Our planned 10,500-square-foot facility and 9,000-square-foot outdoor nature play area will allow us to expand programs, enhance financial sustainability, and serve children beyond preschool age.

Since 1993, we’ve grown from 5,000 to over 30,000 annual visits, highlighting the community’s need for a place to play, discover, and connect. Our current structure is deteriorating and cannot accommodate everyone, which limits visits for low-income families and affects our mission. An expanded museum in Truckee is essential to support families and bridge educational gaps, especially for English language learners. 

With your support, we can create an environment for the next generation where children are excited to learn and play.

Warm regards,

Carol Meagher
Executive Director 

The new museum will offer interactive spaces like the Play Floor, where kids can enjoy imaginative play, and the STEAM center, where children can explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math. They can experiment and discover that mistakes can be fun and lead to learning and confidence. The Great Outdoors will help children develop a love for nature through hands-on learning. These experiences build resilience and help kids cope with life’s challenges.

For underserved children who will benefit the most from the museum’s offerings, we provide unlimited scholarships and use grassroots methods to inform parents about our programs. This ensures every child, especially the 40 percent in our region who face poverty, language barriers, or disabilities, can benefit from our resources.

“ In Truckee-Tahoe schools, 40 percent of children live at the poverty level, and nearly 70 percent of English language learners are below proficiency in math and reading. ”

Source: Ed-Data, https://www.ed-data.org/district/Placer/Tahoe–Truckee-Unified

“ Early brain development (in formative years) is crucial; without proper nurturing, children face long-term cognitive, emotional, and social challenges. ”

– American Academy of Pediatrics