The Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert (CDMoD) is officially reopening their doors March 25, 2024.
"We are thrilled to announce our official reopening date for the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert," the organization reported in an Aug. 15 Facebook post. "Come discover our reIMAGINATION starting March 25."
CDMoD will be reopening their facility in a "reimagined way" thanks to community support, according to its website. The museum will host new experiences and programming after reworking designs with their original exhibitry company.
They split up their redesign process into five phases, which will see to the overhaul of all three buildings, and include building expansion, new construction and a new exterior plan, the website reported. In Phase One, CDMoD is undergoing a transformation of Building One to craft a fresh and captivating area for children aged 0 to 8 years, with imaginative, creative and engaging elements, encompassing more than 40 novel exhibits.
Upon reopening in March, members of the community will be able to experience Phase One. A budget of $3 million has been allocated for this initial phase, with a reliance on community support to achieve the goal, according to the website.
CDMoD CEO Cindy Burreson explained to KESQ that 85% of the museum's funding was raised from admissions and special events before the pandemic. The museum has been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
These days, fundraising has been difficult as CDMoD works to rebuild their donor base, according to KESQ. However, fundraising efforts and a loan from First Bank has enabled CDMoD to initiate Phase One. Donations can be made to the museum through its website.