A child happily chatters as she “grooms” a toy dog, while another skips through the hallway with handcuffs pretending to be a law enforcement officer in search of a “suspect.” In this little neighborhood are a grocery store, medical offices, a school, a garden, a fashion boutique and more, all designed to let small hands explore and young minds expand. This is the Children’s Museum of Aroostook County , the only installation of its kind in northern Maine.
With a $10,000 grant, a lot of elbow grease and a supportive community, a handful of volunteers created what they hope will grow into the region’s counterpart to the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor. Their goals: to nurture kids’ imaginations and give families a destination that doesn’t require traveling south to enjoy. “It seems like every thriving community around the country has a children’s museum or a learning center like this, and for residents of Aroostook County it involves going 200 or 300 miles away to Bangor,” board member Elise Browning said.
“That’s why we really felt there was a need to do this here.” Inspiration also came from North Charleston, South Carolina . Browning was there years ago when the community had a high crime rate and rundown houses.
On a recent trip back, the positive changes were astounding: improved housing, a large playground, wholesome family activities. When that happened, families came, she said. She knew Aroostook County needed a children’s attraction that .
