We've been huge fans of the Children's Museum of the Arts (CMA) for years. It's even on our list of 100 Things to Do in NYC with Kids Before They Grow Up. The Soho mainstay wasn't just a great spot to play indoors when the weather was bad; it was a place where kids could get seriously creative and express themselves as artists way beyond the usual dinky arts and crafts.
After more than a decade crammed into an always busy two-level loft on Lafayette Street, the museum clearly needed to grow up. So this Saturday, CMA opens its swanky new space on Charlton Street in Hudson Square. At 10,000 square feet, it's three times bigger than the now-closed Soho location, and features state-of-the-art equipment, a huge gallery for exhibitions, lots of studio space, a separate section just for preschoolers, and expanded programming and classes.
We were thrilled to get a private tour of the brand-new CMA earlier this week. (I was literally grinning ear to ear the entire time thinking about how much my very artsy six-year-old will love the new space.) Here's a bit of what you'll find at the new and improved CMA, and details on this opening weekend's festivities, including a free block party this Saturday, October 1.