Our Mission
The mission of Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta is to spark
imagination and inspire discovery and learning for all children through
the power of play.
Once Upon a Time...
Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta began as a grassroots effort by a group of parents and community volunteers who believed a children's museum would be good for their children -- and for Atlanta. Unlike traditional museums, children's museums are hands-on and focus on interactive methods of transferring information to children that make learning exciting — and unforgettable. At Imagine It! it is okay to touch our exhibits and interact with what children are seeing and experiencing.
The idea for a children's museum began in 1988 with a group of dedicated volunteers who wanted a special place for children and families in Atlanta. From the beginning, a physical location was foremost in its vision for the future. With the city's focus on the Centennial Olympic Games, it was determined it would be best to launch this new venture in the future.
Rather than view not having a facility as an obstacle, the volunteers saw an opportunity to create a Museum Without Walls. This cutting-edge approach allowed the Museum to collaborate with schools, community organizations, and traditional museums to bring interactive, fun experiences to kids throughout the Atlanta area. Exhibience, the hallmark of this outreach, was the best of what we knew about children learning from exhibits and interactive experiences. Programs were thematic, multi-disciplinary, and took place over a series of weeks.
When outreach programming was being developed, it was unlike anything else being offered in the Atlanta area, and word quickly spread. In the first few years, Museum Without Walls served approximately 2,000 children annually — participation grew over time to reach 30,000 children in its final year. By focusing on outreach, we were able to experiment with and refine programs that stimulated kids and encouraged creativity. Museum Without Walls became a pioneering model in the children's museum field.
After the Olympics, Atlanta was ready to get behind the building of a children's museum. In March 2003, Imagine It! The Children's Museum of Atlanta opened its doors on Centennial Olympic Park! We were among the first to take an important step towards the revitalization of downtown Atlanta.
Since opening in 2003, Imagine It! has:
- Welcomed over 1 million visitors!
- Sparked discovery and learning for children, parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers through the power of play
- Lead countless children from over 750 area schools and child development centers in creative, educational field trip programs
- Offered tens of thousands free admissions to those in need, and kept our Museum Without Walls roots alive through extensive outreach programs in underserved Atlanta neighborhoods
- Started “The Imaginators”, our troupe of professional actors who perform here daily
- Launched The Imagine It! Express, our very own bio-friendly bus, which brings children to Imagine It! for whom safe, affordable transportation is unavailable
- Presented three new exhibit experiences each year to keep the experience refreshed and new
Become a part of our ever-growing, ever-wonderful, ever-changing history. Please explore our website to see the magic we are bringing to the children and families of Atlanta.
Please visit Imagine It! Your children will benefit from learning the very best way that children everywhere learn: through play...smart play.
