The Great River Children’s Museum (GRCM) is Minnesota’s 2nd largest children’s museum in the state.  This ambitious project repurposed the former Liberty Bank building located in downtown St. Cloud, MN.  Including new additions to the east, and to the west, this 34,000 sf Museum features unique interactive exhibits including a three-story Climber to the Clouds, Community Connections, Great Explorations, Great Big River, Everyday Engineering, Headwaters, Tinker Workshop and a temporary gallery for traveling exhibits.  A large rooftop area was transformed into an outdoor patio space to be used for a variety of exhibits, teachings, gatherings and other multi-functional uses. Additional features include a museum store, program room, community room and other supporting features with accommodations for birthdays, workshops, corporate events and a variety of other uses.  The variety of exhibits and supporting features offer kids of all ages the opportunity to play and learn in a fun, interactive, and welcoming environment. 

The building has a unique history including home to a chick hatchery, car dealership, market, and most recently, Liberty Bank’s downtown location.  The project received the St. Cloud Heritage Preservation Award to recognize the impact the project has had in sparking new life into downtown and the repurposing of three aging buildings.  A variety of building construction was uncovered as years of remodeling and updates were peeled back to expose the original building structure.  Extensive upgrades including new structural framing, electrical service and HVAC systems were necessary to accommodate the new building uses and to comply with current building codes.

GLTArchitects worked closely with exhibit designers, Split Rock Studios and Haizlip Studio to incorporate each unique exhibit into the building design. 

All new mechanical and electrical systems are also provided to meet code requirements and the specialty needs of the museum exhibits.

GRCM - “Our mission is to shine a bright light on the power of play to spark children’s learning, strengthen families, and build community connections. Our dynamic, interactive environments are a gateway to the world and its people for children and families of all backgrounds."