Children’s Museum receives $250K grant for pollinator exhibit

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota has received a $250,000 grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation to support a major new exhibit focused on pollinators and conservation.

The exhibit, Pollinators at Play, will include an expanded Butterfly House, a hands-on Butterfly Nursery, an Outdoor Classroom, and more than 20,000 square feet of Native Prairie Gardens. The grant will help bring these features to life and provide new learning opportunities for children and families.

“We’re incredibly grateful for this partnership,” said Louise Dickmeyer, CEO of the Children’s Museum. “This exhibit allows children to connect with pollinators in a deeply engaging and meaningful way through play and exploration.”

The Butterfly House will allow visitors to interact with native butterflies up close, while the nursery will let children observe the full lifecycle of pollinators like Monarchs and Painted Ladies. The gardens will include host and nectar plants vital to supporting pollinators.

In addition to the exhibit, the museum will offer pollinator-themed programs, including summer camps, the Monarch Larvae Monitoring Project, and a special Monarch Tagging Event in September. The grant also supports staff development in conservation and early childhood nature education.

CenterPoint Energy Vice President Brad Steber said the foundation is proud to support projects that promote environmental education and community engagement. “We hope this exhibit inspires children and families to better understand the critical role pollinators play in our lives,” he said.

Pollinators at Play, powered by CenterPoint Energy Foundation, will officially open to the public on June 12 at 10 a.m.

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