Children’s Museum Takes Over Former Bank Building

ST. CLOUD -- Three months after we learned the Liberty Bank building in downtown St. Cloud was going to become a children's museum, that organization has now taken possession of that building.

Great River Children's Museum board member Glen Palm says they got the keys last week.

He says there has been a lot of buzz in the community about the project since it became public back in September, however, he cautions it will take some time before it becomes a reality.

Probably two to three years for the whole building to be open, but we hope to do that in phases.  And, we hope that this winter/spring we'll be able to invite people into the building and do some play and learn labs with parents and kids together, and do some walking through the building and have some community engagement.

Palm says they've started working with a museum consultant to help them develop a plan for the building.

The Great River Children's Museum will also need to raise between $7 million and $10 million. The building donation is part of that, which is worth about $1 1/2 million, so Palm says they're off to a good start.