Government of Canada supports the London Children’s Museum
News release
LONDON, Ontario, August 17, 2023
The Government of Canada is committed to helping cultural spaces thrive, as they are pillars in our communities, tell our stories and allow people of all ages to discover and enjoy our rich heritage.
Today, Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament (London North Centre), announced $2 million in funding for the London Children’s Museum, on behalf of the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage. The investment will support the creation of a new space at the London Children’s Museum for interactive exhibits, expanded hands-on programming and greater access to more than 7,000 artifacts. This will allow children to explore history and heritage, investigate science and celebrate art and culture in new ways.
The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund program investment will be made over two years, including $780,000 in 2023-24 and $1.22 million in 2024-25.
This funding will support the museum’s renovation of the former Kellogg Factory, specifically with the prototyping, fabrication and shipping of components for six of the nine exhibits, as well as their installation.
This investment will allow for new space to be created that will provide more experiences for more children and families. It also increases the accessibility of the museum, ensuring that it meets the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
Quotes
“Children’s museums are wonderful institutions in Canada, where children and their families can gather to learn about culture, history and art. Our government is proud to support spaces where Canadians of all ages can enjoy the arts and our heritage in their community, while also allowing for the presentation and preservation of our culture.”
—The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage
“Thanks to this funding, children will benefit from the knowledge and the rich resources available through the museum’s collections and activities. I am thrilled that our government recognizes the importance of culture and arts in our growing community and is supporting this children’s museum.”
—Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament (London North Centre)
“Funding from the Government of Canada will help make children’s dreams for a new London Children’s Museum a reality. As an innovative and collaborative educational facility, our new home at 100 Kellogg will provide families from London and beyond with meaningful access to the arts, culture, and history for many years to come. We are incredibly grateful for this support and excited to welcome the community into our new home.”
—Kate Ledgley, Executive Director, London Children's Museum
Quick facts
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The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation. The Fund supports renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment and feasibility studies related to cultural spaces.
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In 2020-2021, the London Children’s Museum received $376,738 in funding through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund for the architectural and exhibit design phase for this new museum project.
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Each year, the London Children’s Museum connects with 5,300 people through outreach programs and 11,700 students in their classrooms and at the museum. The museum currently attracts about 95,000 visitors every year and expects this to increase to 145,000 people once the revitalization is complete.
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The London Children’s Museum was the first children’s museum built in Canada. It is one of 10 children’s museums in Canada.
Associated links
Contacts
For more information (media only), please contact:
Laura Scaffidi
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
laura.scaffidi@pch.gc.ca
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca
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