Donors Help Us Grow! Sunflower Breakfast Highlights

On March 27, we gathered for a joyful morning of play, learning, and connection inside the museum with sponsors and donors. More than 50 guests joined us to explore, connect with staff, enjoy an electricity science show, and, of course, share coffee, breakfast, and a few cookies along the way. Whether you were able to join us in person or were cheering us on from afar, you helped make this moment possible. We’re excited to share a few highlights and photos from the morning below. Thank you for being part of this work!

Donor Impact in 2025

Thanks to your support, 2025 marked a transformational year for the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center. A $11.6 million Building Discovery expansion more than doubled the size of the museum, growing from 15,000 to more than 30,000 square feet.

This expansion introduced:

The World’s Tallest Climbable Sunflower
Three immersive gallery spaces
Learning lab classrooms and a maker space
A café and exhibit workshop
Flexible spaces designed to welcome more families than ever before

You also helped reimagine beloved parts of the original museum, including:

Top City Build and Kansas Water
The Nest, an infant, lactation, and special care room
The Cocoon, a sensory-friendly space
A remodeled family restroom with a universal changing table, supporting caregivers of older children and adults

In addition, the museum welcomed two nationally traveling exhibits:

Museum Access Impact in 2025

Because of you, access to play continued to grow, even during a year of major construction. In 2025, more than 1 in 3 visitors received free or reduced admission through access programs.

Play Free supports children with incarcerated parents by creating meaningful, child-centered connection opportunities. In 2025, the program:

Hosted 8 full-day, on-site visitation sessions at the museum
Led 16 off-site sessions for children with incarcerated fathers and grandfathers across Kansas
Opened three child-centered visiting spaces inside Kansas prisons
Created eight original lullabies recorded by incarcerated mothers for their children through the Lullaby Project
Altogether, Play Free served 1,042 participants in 2025, with national expansion planned for 2026.

Museums for All ensures any Kansas family with EBT or WIC benefits can visit at a reduced cost.

Admissions grew from 4,275 in 2024 to 7,295 in 2025
That’s an increase of more than 70% in just one year
This growth reflects both rising need and your commitment to ensuring every child has access to high-quality, play-based learning experiences.