Our Story
The Children’s Museum Development Group is a 501c3 entity formed with the sole purpose of bringing a children’s museum to Nashville. We recognized a substantial unmet need for an engaging, entertaining and developmentally sound experience for children ages 1-10—regardless of means, celebrating differences in learning abilities and styles.
The steering committee contracted with Boston-based ConsultEcon, Inc and Haizlip Studios (Children’s Museum Architects, Planners, Memphis, TN) to evaluate the potential of the Nashville market to support an early-childhood Children’s Museum. It was a resounding yes! We have engaged with civic and business leaders to bring a children's museum to Nashville.
Our Vision
We are creating a world-class children's museum in Nashville dedicated to providing a vibrant and interactive space where children, families, and caregivers can play, learn, and grow together.
The museum primarily engages children ages 1-10, exploring a wide array of themes including performing arts, media, healthcare, transportation, logistics, international culture, agriculture, public safety, business, the environment, and civic life.
Our Mission
To inspire a love of learning through the power of play by creating a child-centered environment that sparks creativity, curiosity, and imagination. We aim to expand educational opportunities for children in every neighborhood within the Nashville community, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all.
Why a Children’s Museum?
Children’s museums are cultural institutions that help develop foundational skills. Children will discover the world around them through exploration, experience, curiosity, and creativity. Research shows that open-ended educational experiences are critical to a child’s development. Children’s museums offer child-centered learning that improves the trajectories of all children while preparing them to understand and manage their world.
MCCM will address community needs:
Provide parents with the support they need in their role as the first teachers of their children.
Serve a multi-cultural, multi-lingual population.
Provide learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction.
Reduce the effects of poverty on learning.