KidsWork Children's Museum Moving To New Lenox

NEW LENOX, IL — Frankfort's beloved KidsWork Children's Museum will soon have a new home, in a larger facility to accommodate its growing audience, Village officials said Thursday.

The interactive museum has been housed in Frankfort's Trolley Barn, 11 S. White St., since its opening in 2007. With attendance of nearly 40,000 per year, the museum is in need of more space beyond its current 6,500-square-foot home, New Lenox officials said. The Village of New Lenox will build it a 12,000-square-foot facility at the entrance to the New Lenox Commons, set alongside Rte. 30.

"Home to the successful Christmas in the Commons event, as well as the highly attended Triple Play Concert Series, the Commons is visited by thousands of people throughout the year from many counties and states," New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann said in a release. "The New Lenox Public Library will also be a neighbor to the new site. With a beautiful new building, as well as many new exhibits, the museum is sure to attract visitors from all over Will County and beyond."

Plans also include a 4,200-square-foot, outdoor interactive play and picnic area for families.

The new museum construction is expected to start in June 2023, with a Spring 2024 opening, and is projected to cost approximately $4 million.

The New Lenox Village Board of Trustees is expected to approve the project at its March 27 meeting.

The relocation of KidsWork Children's Museum will "continue to enhance the already stellar reputation New Lenox has as a desirable community to live, work, and play," Baldermann said in a release.