ICAN (Integrated Community Alternatives Network) announces plans to relocate the Utica Children’s Museum from Bagg’s Square to a more centralized, state-of-the-art family center on the Parkway.
Formerly Kids Oneida, ICAN’s not-for-profit scope offers family resources for every step of life, from prenatal to endof-life care. Similarities between populations and communities served led ICAN and the Utica Children’s Museum to enter into a managed service contract in 2017, advancing the natural partnership. As recipients of a 2018 Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) Award, ICAN and the Utica Children’s Museum move forward with the vision of cultivating every child’s curiosity and creativity through a new, interactive learning environment that is family-focused and engaging for all ages.
Founded in 1963, the Utica Children’s Museum stands as one of the oldest children’s museums across the country. As local residents note, the museum offers a space “for children to explore and truly lets kids be kids while using their own creative minds.” This evolution of the Utica Children’s Museum will reinvent the hands-on-learning experience with exhibits that ignite creativity and boost social engagement while strengthening family bonds. The museum’s relocation will allow for the transformation from an antiquated museum space to a modernized childhood learning center that champions the goals of sustainable community growth and individual/familial empowerment for generations to come.
ICAN looks forward to working with nationally renowned museum and architect teams to reinvent a family discovery space that nurtures childhood growth, creativity, and inspiration in the heart of Utica.
Staying true to local roots, Steve Bulger, executive director of ICAN, ensures due diligence was executed in the plans for both the relocation of the Utica Children’s Museum and the preservation of the historic John C. Hieber Building that the Children’s Museum departs. Both are set to be local gems, bolstering the area’s current success and future advancement.