July 23, 2012

The Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota has announced a plan to put a new building in downtown Mankato that will become a New Gateway to downtown.   

The $4 million building project already has $1.7 promised from major donors.  The facility would add fresh vitality to the Old Town area of downtown, and would boost local employment earnings by an additional $220,000 per year. 

Executive Director Peter Olson has asked the city to be a partner of the Children's Museum by contributing $250,000 to buy a parcel of land known as the "Ember's lot," located next to the Blue Earth County Library.

The Mankato City Council seemed impressed with the project and presentation, but was not unified in initial discussion about the request for money. 


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