Designing Play with the Jackson Hole Children’s Museum

Written By Stephanie Wise

The GYDE team is driven by a commitment to community. One of our values is, Designing the communities we want to be a part of. We welcome opportunities to collaborate with nonprofit organizations in our community to create unique, inviting, and functional spaces. This month we are highlighting our work as the lead architect and design firm for the Jackson Hole Children’s Museum (JHCM). 

The Jackson Hole Children’s Museum is a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to ignite every kid’s potential through creativity, learning, and play.”  The JHCM has finally found its “Forever Home” at 105 Mercill Avenue, thanks to the Teton County Board of County Commissioners signing a 30-year lease for the 5200 square foot space. 

The Mercill location is the realization of a goal that started back in 2011 with founders KJ and Craig Morris. “JHCM is about creating spaces that combine play and learning for every child and every family in our community,” shared Ethan Lobdell, JHCM’s Executive Director. When presented with the opportunity to help design the space, the GYDE team wanted the design to be open, exciting, and invite curiosity and wonder for children and parents alike. The design incorporates bold colors and features a variety of spaces for learning and exploration.

The Forever Home project also embraces a value that both GYDE and the JHCM share, working with local businesses and local artists to build the space. The GYDE team is working with several local artists on the installations in the museum. 

Local Artists Collaborating on JHCM

This summer, the team gathered with the JHCM staff and Forever Home artists for a prototype day. The group was laying out scaled versions of their installations to start to see how they would flow in the space.

We are so excited to work with artists and the JHCM because they have worked tirelessly since 2011 to, “forge a vision for a spectacular space where creativity, curiosity, science, and play are sacred pillars of a rich childhood.” GYDE knows how design can help transform the lived experience of a space. To work with a nonprofit organization that also lives those values is truly special. 

If you would like to learn more about the JHCM, please visit www.jhchildrensmuseum.org. If you would like to support JHCM and other organizations during Old Bills where your donations are matched by the generous gifts of Mr. & Mrs. Old Bills and an amazing group of co-challengers, please visit www.oldbills.org/donate to donate now through Fri­day, Sep­tem­ber 12 at 5 PM.

Stephanie Wise
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Summer Program Recap