Moms want Jefferson County to have its own kids museum

A group of local moms wants Jefferson County to have its own children’s museum and is conducting a survey to get the effort started.

“Response has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Golden resident Katherine Broome, a former prosecuting attorney for Adams County who has put her practice on hold to raise her 18-month-old son. In her effort to bring a children’s museum closer to where she plans to raise her family, Broome said she is joined by her mother, who has a background in education, and two other Jeffco toddler mothers, one of whom is a teacher in Broomfield.

They have hired an independent research firm to help conduct the survey, which asks questions about the need for a museum, the subjects parents think their kids would like, cost and transportation. It has been shared through social media, by the City of Golden on its website and at jeffersoncountychildrensmuseum.wordpress.com.

The website outlines a vision for a museum for kids up to 8 years old that is a hands-on miniature city.

Brooms said that after a bit of research, she visited a museum in Orange County, Calif., called Pretend City Children’s Museum that matched what she envisioned, a place where children “can kind of see how the world is interconnected.”

Broome acknowledged the handful of museums in the area already offering children’s programming, but she says there is a need.

“The thing about other places is they’re so specific,” she said.

The effort for a Jefferson County children’s museum is in its very early “homework” stages and Broome said the goal is to ensure community support is there before moving too far ahead.

That means specifics such as location and funding sources are still a few steps away, but Broome said her group is building a board and will start hosting focus groups soon. She also plans to attend the Association of Children’s Museums conference in Indianapolis in May.

Josie Klemaier: 303-954-2465, jklemaier@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JosieKlemaier

Jefferson county children’s museum needs assessment

The deadline for the survey is March 20. Find more information and a link to the survey at jeffersoncountychildrensmuseum.wordpress.com.