Kaleideum, the merger of two organizations, The Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem and Sci-Works, received funding support from Forsyth County to design and build a new museum in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem in 2017. Kaleideum has had an enormous positive influence on the local community, and the new facility amplifies both its reach and impact.

The goal was to design a new facility that aligned with the organization’s mission to inspire wonder, curiosity, and lifelong learning in visitors through interactive play and discovery. The museum provides an inclusive, engaging, and inspiring space for children and grownups alike and is a welcoming hub for the community. It embodies the mission of the organization through its spatial organization, exhibit offerings, indoor/outdoor spaces, accessible location, and exterior skin.

The building concept for the new five-story, 73,600-square-foot museum is grounded in the idea of experiencing spaces from diverse perspectives, incorporating interactive elements at the building envelope, and harnessing the natural environment as an opportunity to educate visitors about the interconnectedness of humanity.

The museum offers a range of exhibit types and sizes, classrooms, and multipurpose spaces. Highlights include a STEM theater that features a 40’ diameter dome screen, as well as a multi-level rooftop exhibit experience that provides opportunities for learning and play and offers one-of-a-kind views of the Winston-Salem skyline. The rooftop also features an adventure playground, woven climber, and covered event space.

Located at the corner of West Third Street and Town Run Lane, the building is flanked by two public spaces, Merschel Park and Liberty Plaza, inking the cultural district to the north and the historic and civic district to the south. The building responds to the surrounding context to support an improved downtown experience, enhance connectivity, and provide additional amenities and public spaces for leisure, rest, and play. The lobby, grab-and-go café, and exhibits are situated along Third Street to activate the pedestrian experience, providing an amenity to Kaleideum’s visitors and downtown Winston-Salem residents and workers. Outdoor rooftop areas feature an adventure playground, woven climber, and revenue-generating covered event space offering one-of-a-kind views of the Winston-Salem skyline.

In addition to the museum building, the project includes the redevelopment of Liberty Plaza, a half-acre public park with substantial accessibility improvements, gracious gathering spaces, public seating and diverse plantings that will serve the community and the museum.

Design: Gensler
General Contractor: Blum Construction
Photography: Keith Isaacs