Imagination Place River-Themed Expansion

The Gadsden Cultural Arts Foundation, Inc. is excited to embark on a bold new plan to nearly double the size of Imagination Place Children’s Museum at the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts in downtown Gadsden.

Thanks to a gift from the estate of longtime board member and arts supporter Elisabeth Hardin, the Foundation is set to begin construction within the next few weeks on a second floor above the current children’s museum’s ground floor and mezzanine. The new second floor, formerly occupied by the ballet studios of the Downtown Dance Conservatory before their move into the main building, will include a variety of hands-on interactive components, chiefly themed around the Coosa River that traverses through Gadsden.

Foundation Executive Director Tom Banks describes the project as a “game-changer.” He noted, “This project will forever enhance the experience of the families who visit the children’s museum. Elisabeth Hardin’s incredibly generous gift will be used to expand and improve Imagination Place in ways that were only dreams before. We can’t wait to share this with the community.”

The highlight of what is being called the “River Room” will be a large interactive water table, designed around the Coosa’s contemporary uses for hydroelectric power, sportfishing, and watersports. Children will be able to direct and alter the flow of the water as they learn about currents. Small boats and a fishing activity will also be included. The water table will be surrounded by actual full-size vessels that children can climb aboard, strap on a personal floatation device, and pretend they are cruising on the Coosa.

To reference the river’s past, a half-scale replica of the “City of Gadsden” paddle wheeler steamboat that once travelled the local waters transporting cotton and goods will be included. Visitors will be able to ascend to the pilot house and steer the big wheel while text panels explain the river’s historic role in commerce that led to the development of Gadsden.

The Foundation is partnering with Coosa Riverkeeper who will be providing content for text panels and video monitors about aquatic life that only exists in the Coosa River. They will also help plan interactive stations to teach children about conservation, water safety, and how important it is to protect the local drinking water source.

A new climbing structure will replace the existing treehouse and climber on the ground floor to connect the ground, mezzanine, and new second floor with an exciting climbing experience accommodating both children and adults. In addition to the climber linking all three levels, a new elevator will be installed to make the children’s museum fully accessible to those with mobility needs, families with strollers, or visitors who just want to see how an elevator works with the see-through experience of the glass elevator, hoistway, and machine room. The elevator will be an exhibit in and of itself and the glass panels will flood all three levels with natural light from new windows being installed with views of the Hardin Center’s courtyard.

Let it Snow, the perennial favorite of the winter season, will be relocated to the new space in its own room that will be converted into a giant indoor beach sandbox when it’s not snow season. It will feature better access and a plethora of sand toys for families to enjoy. Adjacent to the snow and sand room will be a floor-to-ceiling air maze, composed of air tubes through which visitors can direct the flow of scarves and balls that will then descend back to the floor.

The River Room will greatly increase Imagination Place’s capacity, both in the number of children that can be accommodated at once and in their age range. Currently, the exhibits are geared towards toddlers through third graders. With the new elements, the space will also be appropriate for children through fifth grade.

The project begins this October and the Foundation’s goal is to open the new space in March 2027. Closures of Imagination Place due to construction will be kept to a minimum, but there will be days throughout the process that will necessitate closing sections of the museum. When planning a visit, patrons are encouraged to check the website at culturalarts.org, social media, or call (256) 543-ARTS to inquire if any closings are in place.

Tom Banks stressed that even with this generous estate gift, they still need the operational support that comes from corporations, foundations, and individual donors. “This gift has been designated specifically for this expansion project and for future investments, so the support we receive from the City of Gadsden, the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and all of our generous donors remains as important as ever to keep all of our programs available to the community.”

The Gadsden Cultural Arts Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, founded in 1984. The Hardin Center for Cultural Arts and Imagination Place opened to the public in 1990. The Foundation’s mission is to serve as a hub of community arts and to enrich lives, support artistic and cultural progress, affirm individual value and dignity, and to promote a sense of well-being for all people. In addition to the children’s museum, the Foundation operates the Gadsden Community School for the Arts, Etowah Youth Orchestras, Downtown Dance Conservatory, Gadsden Symphony Orchestra, Gadsden Youth Chorus, the Coosa Valley Model Railroad, art exhibitions, and live audience events.