The Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Crown Heights marked the groundbreaking of its $15 million garden renovation project alongside city officials on Aug. 13.
The project, funded by the Mayor’s Office, City Council and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, is being carried out in partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCC) and the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC).
In addition to creating a 20,000-square-foot outdoor space, the renovation addresses critical infrastructure needs, including the reconstruction of the retaining wall along the museum’s south and east perimeters bordering Brower Park. The existing retaining wall system, dating back to the 1970s, was in dire need of replacement.
The new outdoor space will be fully ADA-accessible and will feature dedicated areas for programs and exhibits, large gathering and activity spaces, garden resting areas with seating, interactive activity installations, planted, stabilized slopes, climbing paths, group meeting spots, a wash station, and an overlooking terrace. The project, slated for completion by winter 2025, will serve as a green oasis for New Yorkers, featuring 20 different plant species, 41 trees, and more than 800 shrubs. It will also include landscape irrigation, drainage, stormwater management, and outdoor lighting for evening events and security.
BCM, which opened in 1899 as the world’s first children’s museum, continues its tradition of sparking curiosity and fostering a lifelong passion for discovery with this renovation — the first phase of the museum’s Earth Science Garden project. The Earth Science Garden is designed to engage visitors in an immersive exploration of geology, soil science, ecology, hydrology, and meteorology through interactive activities.
Atiba T. Edwards, president and CEO of BCM, described the ceremony as a celebration of a “very transformative experience for the borough.” He highlighted the institution as a “one-stop shop” offering a wide range of activities, including STEM projects like Nature’s Engineers, art and music programs, cultural arts celebrations, and various exhibits.
“Now we’re going to complement that with a garden that’s going to round out the experience,” Edwards said. “We like to create this environment where [you] spend your day with us at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, and we really think about what we can do and how we can serve our constituents in many different ways.”
Assembly Member Stefani Zinerman emphasized that the Earth Science Garden project would “usher in the next generation of environmental stewards.”
“And that is critical at this time when we are looking at all the impacts of climate change. And our children need to understand that cycle of life and how important it is to our existence,” she said.
NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo, whose first job was at BCM, told the crowd that Mayor Eric Adams is committed to spreading financial resources throughout New York City.
“We’re doing away with the outer borough concept,” Cumbo explained. “We are one New York City, and we are proud to be one New York City and making sure that those communities that have been underserved for so long feel the resources of New York in every square inch of this incredible city.”
DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley praised the “amazing” team of 1,300 DDC staffers who “build cool stuff throughout the city.”
“And what is cooler than what we’re breaking ground on today? [I’m] super, super excited about transforming this space,” Foley said. “Just think of what this will then spark [like] our future engineers.”
The garden renovation has been made possible through a collaborative effort with partners, including Gans and Company, Nancy Owens Studio, and the Children’s Museum of Denver. Anchor support for the project is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council, former Council Member Robert Cornegy, the Regional Economic Development Council of the State of New York, former New York State Assembly Member Diana Richardson, and Assembly Member Zinerman.
