The Children's Museum of Tacoma was established in 1985 by parents, teachers, and community leaders dedicated to creating unique resources for families in Tacoma and the South Puget Sound Region. The Museum opened in 1986 as a non-profit organization and remained in its original downtown Tacoma location for 10 years, rotating single theme exhibits every 18-months.

Due to excellence in education, programming, and hands-on exhibits, the Museum earned a reputation as a cornerstone for early learning. As a result, the Museum's physical location and size could no longer accommodate the community's demand for its services. In 1996, the Museum's Board of Directors voted to relocate to the Theater District's historic Kress Building, here the Museum featured both single and multiple-theme exhibits and an array of complementary programming in its 3,800 square foot, storefront location.

The move to a new, larger space - combined with the support of early learning programs and Museum access - fulfills objectives of the Museum's five-year Strategic Plan. It's just one of the priorities that allows us to increase capacity, audience, and access; promote fun, learning, and the wonder of childhood; and demonstrate innovation, playfulness, and excellence.