Sarasota Children's Museum signs 19K-square-foot lease

An emerging museum that has been gaining momentum has found its future home in Sarasota. The Sarasota Children’s Museum has signed a 19,000-square-foot lease at Wilkinson Elementary School. In a Monday morning social media post, museum officials say the deal is contingent upon approval by the Sarasota County Board, and they hope to have the keys in hand by July 1.

Volunteers have been working for more than two years to come up with a place for families in the Sarasota area that would be interactive and educational. The organization, launched by working moms and other women, registered as a nonprofit in November 2023.

“The nearest children's museums are 50 to 60 miles away. Not anymore,” the Sarasota Children’s Museum says in the Facebook post. 

When it opens, the Sarasota Children’s Museum will provide immersive learning experiences for families at the campus on Wilkinson Road. There, the school operates at 50% capacity, according to sister publication YourObserver.com, which reported last fall that Wilkinson Elementary had been considered for closure but was later moved onto a list of schools that would be transformed into K-8 campuses in the coming years. The goal for Wilkinson was to operate at 78% capacity in the 2028–2029 academic year, YourObserver.com reported.

It was not immediately available when the children's museum may open. However, the plan when it does is to create regional appeal.

“This museum will serve children and families across Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto and Charlotte counties — because access to extraordinary learning experiences should never depend on your zip code,” the organization says. 

Signing a lease is the latest success for the group, which in February received a $250,000 grant from the Barancik Foundation so it could transition from all-volunteer to an executive director-led organization.