Mid-Hudson Children's Museum announces new direction and name



The museum will now be serving children ages through 12 years old

Local children's museum gets new name


Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum (MHCM), the ideal destination for children and families with exhibits that focus on early literacy, art, early STEM, health and the local community, today unveiled an extensive rebranding effort.

At the heart of this rebranding is a change of the organization's name to Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum (MHDM), which reflects a broadened effort to serve children during their early stages of development and learning.        

An anchor of the Hudson Valley for 33 years, the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum, in the wake of COVID, is launching a new era, under new leadership, by expanding its audience and programming while repositioning itself as a critical link between formal and informal education, with an emphasis on STEM.

The Museum's bold vision for the future includes a dynamic strategy implemented by a new executive director—Jeffrey Sasson. This strategy centers on a reimagined, expanded relationship with regional school districts that revolves around the Museum as a catalyst for strengthening the bond between its informal educational environment and the more formal learning that takes place in area schools on a daily basis.

“It’s a major milestone for the Museum to become synonymous with educating our youth in the Hudson Valley and to empower them to become the best versions of themselves,” says Sasson. “This new brand and evolving positioning perfectly illustrates our growing ambition to serve the children and their parents with the best possible experience and education.”

Now, as a result of a strategic assessment and visioning process, MHDM has extended the age range of the children it serves. With the addition of its new science exhibition, Science Revealed!, combined with richer and more relevant STEM programming, MHDM aims to elevate a child’s ability and appreciation for learning through age 12.

READ MORE: Easy rainy day STEM activity for little ones

During a private event at the Museum on Thursday, Sept. 22, Executive Director Jeffrey Sasson, members of the Board of Trustees, Poughkeepsie City School District Superintendent Dr. Eric Rosser, and Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison will discuss the impact of the changes shaping MHDM’s future. They will be joined by school superintendents and principals from throughout the region, as well as community leaders from the business, tourism and philanthropic sectors.

The Museum’s second floor has been transformed into a vibrant and fully interactive exhibit gallery called Science Revealed! - a dynamic science gallery that creates meaningful and memorable engagement for families with children up to age 12. The exhibition consists of 17 custom-made, hands-on science exhibits that invite visitors into full-body physical exploration of motion, air, forces, fluids, and magnetism.

A meaningful grant has been awarded for the Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market, making it a key growth initiative for the Museum. Future plans include the pavilion being an enclosed year-round facility that will also house a commercial kitchen for cooking demonstrations and lessons on how to prepare healthy and creative nutritious dishes, as well as hosting workshops on experimenting with food for children, families, and adults. Plans also include having the Market operate multiple days of the week with approximately twenty vendors.

About the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum:

The Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum is the ideal destination for families with children ages 0-12. With exhibits that focus on early literacy, art, STEM, and the local community, the Museum provides an educationally-rich environment through which children have the opportunity to develop foundational skills, engage in purposeful play, and develop interpersonal connections. The Museum is located in the heart of Poughkeepsie’s historic Hudson River waterfront, near Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park and Waryas Park, just steps away from the Poughkeepsie Metro-North and Amtrak train stations. Visit mhcm.org or call (845) 471-0589 for hours, admission, membership, and more information.



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