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‘Spark’ to it! Children’s Museum opens outpost at Brooklyn Bridge Park

‘Spark’ to it! Children’s Museum opens outpost at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Photo by Jolene Siana

The kids are all light!

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum opened the doors to its “Spark” annex in Dumbo at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Saturday — marking the Crown Heights kiddie corner’s first expansion in its 117-year history. And one mom said the new indoor play and learning space was the perfect place for her little one to unleash her inner artist.

“I really liked the space,” said Fort Greene resident Alyssa Heumann, who brought her 14-month-old daughter Elena to the new space. “It was my daughter’s first opportunity to do some art so she did a little painting with the stampers.”

The annex is located in luxury condo One John Street — which is helping fund maintenance and upkeep in the privately-run park — and boasts areas where squirts six-months to six-years-old can play with blocks, whip up arts and crafts, and hang out on a plush floor, which Elena found made for the perfect crawling space, said her mom.

“She really enjoyed the soft area on the floor, she liked walking around and seeing what everyone was doing there.” said Heumann.

Along with its $15 drop-in play sessions, the annex will also offer art and music classes. The block lab will move into lush Brooklyn Bridge Park when the weather permits.

And park honchos are beaming about the latest addition to the green space‚ which joins the likes of performance space St. Anne’s Warehouse and high-end mall and office complex Empire Stores — touting it as yet another reason for families across the city to head to the waterfront yard.

“We’re excited to provide another amenity for children and families – both indoors and out,” said park spokeswoman Belinda Cape. “We’re proud that some of Brooklyn’s most venerable cultural institutions now call the Park home and look forward to welcoming visitors from across the borough and the city to Spark.”

Spark by Brooklyn Children’s Museum [1 John St. at Pearl Street in Dumbo, (718) 735–4400, www.brooklynkids.org/spark-visit]. Open Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 1–5 pm; Wednesday 1–3 pm; Thursday 1–6 pm; closed Monday. $15 for hour-long play session; Free for Brooklyn Children’s Museum Passport members.

Reach reporter Lauren Gill at lgill@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260–2511. Follow her on Twitter @laurenk_gill