A new art museum expansion and a proposed children’s museum could bring more educational and cultural opportunities to families in Winter Garden, as local leaders consider how to move both projects forward.
Across the street from where a new children’s museum could one day stand, Pastor Xerxes Snell of Church of Christ at Ninth Street sees more than new buildings. He sees an opportunity to revitalize an area of the community and give children a place to learn and explore.
“I think it will be a wonderful idea because this community needs some revitalization,” Snell said.
For more than 20 years, Snell has welcomed families in a small pocket of Winter Garden known to some as East Winter Garden. He said many children in the area could benefit from having a museum nearby.
“We have a lot of marginalized families in this community, kids that could benefit from this museum and what it has to offer,” Snell said.
The proposed I AM Children’s Museum, put forward by 8 Waves, is planned near downtown Winter Garden. The project would include indoor and outdoor exhibits, a trail connection and the restoration of a historic home.
The Orange County Board of County Commissioners recently accepted recommendations from the Tourist Development Tax Citizen Advisory Task Force that included the children’s museum project.
Sara Meyer, executive director of 8 Waves which is a nonprfit, said the goal is for the museum to serve not only as a tourist attraction, but also as a resource for local children and families.
“Whether it’s in after school, summer schools, day camps, I think accessibility really matters,” Meyer said.
Meyer said 8 Waves is also working on a program called “Prescription to Play,” which could allow families to be referred to the museum through local hospitals.
County staff have now been instructed to work with recommended Tourist Development Tax applicants and the Office of Management and Budget on potential next steps. The recommendations identify project costs, but county officials still have to determine how the projects could ultimately be funded and implemented.
Meanwhile, another museum project is moving through the city of Winter Garden’s approval process.
In 2021, the City of Winter Garden entered into a rental and operating agreement with the Winter Garden Art Association for its facility at 127 South Boyd Street.
A first amendment to that agreement in June 2024 extended the lease from 2031 to 2051, helping strengthen the Art Association’s pursuit of an Orange County Tourist Development Tax grant for a planned building expansion.
On Oct. 29, 2024, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners approved a $4 million grant for the Winter Garden Art Association to help fund the expansion and construction of an art museum.
But city officials say the existing lease does not specifically identify “museum” as an allowable use of the property.
The City Commission is now considering a second amendment to the rental and operating agreement that would add museum use to the lease language during Thursday nights meeting.
The recommended action is to authorize the city manager to execute the second amendment with the Winter Garden Art Association.
For Snell, the potential development of both museums represents more than an investment in tourism.
He said they could provide children in the community with a safe place to spend time after school while exposing them to new ideas and experiences.
“There are a lot of kids in this area, many times nowhere to go after school,” Snell said. “It would be great for them to have a place to go and learn.”
If both projects move forward, Winter Garden could see new cultural attractions designed not only to draw visitors, but to provide educational opportunities for the families who already call the community home.