I saw in the Fresno Bee that First 5 of Fresno County (an agency funded by tobacco taxes) has $50,000 in seed money for a children’s museum. Of course, a local consultant has been hired to research this. Now this isn’t necessarily the beginning of the First 5 money so it needs to self sustain. 

Umm, has anyone heard of the Discovery Center? Do we remember when what happens when our museum eyes are bigger than our stomachs in Fresno? Why don’t we have the local consultant research how to use the $50,000 in the best way with in our 1 existing children’s museum? Granted, I haven’t been out there in years but it has survived in some state since I was a kid.

Granted, maybe some of that money might go to restructuring and improving what is already there. But the idea of trying to build something from the ground up? $50,000 won’t get you far and as far as community financial support? Aquarium anyone? And let us not forget what happened the last time we used the “if you build it, they will come philosophy”. Has the City of Fresno found anyone to rent the Met building yet?

I saw over at the Beehive that someone said that one of the reasons to not use this money to strengthen the Discovery Center was that not all kids are interested in Natural Science. I understand that point, I love the Tech Museum in San Jose. But then I read this in the original article.

Rogers and the handful of residents behind the proposal envision a large indoor learning center with interactive children’s exhibits on science, art and local culture. Agriculture and water would be central themes.

So, isn’t that the Discovery Center? I just don’t want to see Fresno City or Fresno County start wasting money down the rabbit hole of a new high tech facility. The way to do that is to wait for the money to exist before building begins.

So my vote? Spend the money on fixing the old! Invest that into the Discovery Center.