Great River Children’s Museum Grand Opening
June 30, 2025
This month, Split Rock Studios celebrated the grand opening of the Great River Children’s Museum and the completion of 10,000 square feet of new exhibits! The exhibits at Great River invite children and their caregivers to learn through play as they celebrate the landscapes and communities of Central Minnesota.
Headwaters
At the immersive Mississippi Headwaters space, families “canoe,” fish, and gather around a glowing campfire. As the room cycles through day and night, northern lights and western and Ojibwe constellations light up the sky overhead in a magical animation produced by Native Skywatchers Design Studio, an Indigenous astronomer and artist.
Climber to the Clouds
Kids excited to get moving can scramble up three stories of a cloud-themed climber and learn about the weather along the way. Interactives in this space invite visitors to discover how thunder is made, channel the power of wind, and race kites across the sky!
Community Connections
In a kid-sized town, visitors can role-play in a space that celebrates the diversity of Central Minnesota communities. Put on a performance at a theater, ship a package worldwide from the post office, shop for fresh produce at the farmer’s market, and dine at the global café serving food from the many immigrant communities that call St. Cloud home.
Everyday Engineering & Tinker Workspace
Sensory seekers can try construction and discover engineering concepts as they launch scarves through wind tunnels, craft one-of-a-kind creations in a maker space, interact with the pulley station and magnetic gear wall, and explore the construction zone!
Great Big River
The museum’s namesake comes alive at a thrilling 35-foot water table that evokes the mighty Mississippi itself. In the Great Big River room, kids learn about the Mississippi River and the power of water, discovering how it affects our lives and our role in caring for it.
The exhibits, designed in collaboration with Haizlip Studios, ensure that multigenerational groups can find something for everyone. Young families can play in a toddler-specific area or in “nooks” throughout the exhibit spaces, close to older siblings. “Caregiver graphics” invite adults to join in by highlighting how nearby play supports children’s learning and development! Connection is truly at the heart of the exhibits: to the landscape, to the community, and with each other.
Want to visit in person?
The Great River Children’s Museum is open Tuesday-Sunday, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, with extended hours until 7:00 pm on Thursdays. It is located at 110 8th Avenue South, St. Cloud, MN 56301.
