The construction of a pavilion-style outdoor classroom at the Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon is expected to be finished by summer’s end.

The new classroom will provide space for events, outdoors-inspired classroom instruction and enhanced educational programs for students and museum members.

Work by Terrain Landscape Architecture, KSW Architects and Vitus Construction crews began in early spring near the corner of West Main Street and Oakdale Avenue, between the existing children’s museum — housed in the historic 1951 Carnegie building — and outdoor play areas.

Sunny Spicer, the children’s museum executive director, said the added area will expand early learning opportunities for families.

Funded by a grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the project will include the outdoor classroom, educational gardens, gathering spaces and interactive play areas, as well as restrooms, a kitchenette, storage and patio seating.

“Because we know that not all children learn the same way, this will allow us to offer an outdoor, nature-based program to families,” Spicer said.

“There will be a half-day preschool and educational programs available for all ages. The space will also be available for community/family events.”

Founded by a board of directors in 1998, the children’s museum — formerly known as Kid Time Children’s Museum — began as a mobile museum in 2002.

By 2004, the museum had increased its community outreach efforts with mobile exhibits prior to opening its first brick-and-mortar location on a limited schedule in 2005 at the former Medford Moose Lodge.

In 2010, the museum opened in downtown Medford, in the historic JCPenney building on North Central Avenue, and added the Learning Loft Preschool in 2013.

Kid Time left its location inside the Southern Oregon Historical Society building on North Central during the pandemic and hosted a grand opening inside the Carnegie building in July 2022.

Once in the new digs, Kid Time was rebranded as the Oregon Center for Creative Learning, which includes the Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon, the Ivy School and the Roots Community Education.

Spicer said the museum has an ongoing fundraising effort to support educational programs for families — for both museum memberships and preschool tuition. For every spot available in the nonprofit’s preschool programming, three families remain on a waitlist, she said.

The nonprofit currently offers 11 preschool classrooms in eight locations serving 260 students.

The museum serves 125,000 visitors annually.

“Every opportunity we have to increase capacity, affordability and access to educational opportunities will help families seeking these important resources at such a critical time. … In Southern Oregon, 77% of children aged 0-5 do not have access to quality early learning,” Spicer said.

“This is why we work to provide effective educational programs and scholarships for families — to be sure everyone can have access. This new space will allow us to reach more families in new ways.”