West Hartford's Children's Museum Seeks Temporary Site

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The beloved children's museum in town may soon have a temporary, new site at a local synagogue as it looks to move to a permanent location.

The Children's Museum Inc. has filed an application with the West Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission to temporarily relocate from its current site to the Emanuel Synagogue on 160 Mohegan Drive.

For several decades, the iconic museum and its trademark "Conny" the whale feature has been at 950 Trout Brook Drive on property owned by the private Kingsford Oxford School.

But in recent years, the school notified the museum of its intention to sell the 3.4-acre parcel, doing so last January to a developer looking to convert the location into luxury apartments.

As a result, the museum has until September to leave the current site regardless of the status of a new, permanent location, according to Michael Werle, the museum's executive director.

On June 24, the museum submitted an application to the town to temporarily relocate to the synagogue.

The plan is to convert approximately 7,613 square feet of unused space on the first floor there to serve as temporary museum and office space for museum staff.

Werle said Wednesday morning the museum is still working on a permanent location and nothing has been finalized yet.

He said the developer had yet to close on the current museum property.

The PZC's agenda calls for the formal acceptance of the application at the July 6 meeting tonight, with a likely public hearing to be scheduled next month.

Werle said not a lot is expected to happen tonight other than scheduling the hearing, which is tentatively slated for Aug. 8.

He said he is confident the museum will comply with the September deadline and, at least, be in the temporary location.

As for the permanent location, Werle said there wasn't much to disclose.

Two years ago, prior to the pandemic, the museum was negotiating with the University of Hartford to locate on that campus.

But Werle said Wednesday morning the planning for a permanent location continues, with a temporary site necessary to bridge the time period between the current site and a new one.

One issue that must be addressed is what to do with the iconic whale statue "Conny," which is the trademark symbol of the children's museum.

Earlier, when plans called for the relocation a couple years ago, museum officials vowed Conny would go wherever the museum goes.

But now there are reports Conny may have to move across the street to a location near a hiking trail, separate from the museum.

For the July 6 West Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission agenda, click on this link.

For the application by the museum for the temporary site, click on this link.

For more information about The Children's Museum, Inc., click on this link.