Our community has the opportunity to create a new hands-on children’s museum that will inspire the next generation of inventors, artists, and scientists and provide memorable days for thousands of families.
Imagine Habitot as a spacious museum full of natural light and fresh air with new exhibits and spaces for older children, an expanded art studio, and an outdoor environment for play and learning. That’s just the beginning.
We’re excited to be working with you to plan a new children’s museum for the East Bay!
Habitot has been ready to grow for all twenty-six years of its history. Its space in downtown Berkeley was only 7,000sf and was always crowded. Before the pandemic, Habitot’s staff and Board of Directors were working toward opening a new brick-and-mortar museum. With the help of a professional museum design firm, we developed a preliminary museum plan with exhibit concepts and sketches.
Several hundred thousand dollars has been raised towards new museum, but a larger fundraising effort is needed to build out a new space and create exhibits to fulfill the dream of a “New Place to Grow.”
During the pandemic, we’ve had dozens of conversations with real estate brokers, city officials, government agencies, and potential collaborators toward securing a new site for Habitot. With your help, we’ll succeed in finding our forever home and reopening Habitot in the next 2-5 years.
You, the community of people who love Habitot, are wonderful, caring adults who encourage open-ended play, support social learning with intention, and devote yourselves to equity and belonging for the most welcoming community possible. You make Habitot an amazing place! Together, we can open a museum where families will once again gather year round to learn through play.
Learn how you can Get Involved
Learn about Habitot’s New Place to Grow Campaign
