History

August, 1988  

Melvin and Jasmine Moran visit the Flint Michigan Children’s Museum

October, 1988  

Melvin’s surprise lunch; 15 invited and attended; Marci Donaho named president of board

Oct. 25, 1988

The five-member executive committee met in the offices of the Chamber of Commerce, temporarily established as headquarters for the museum. At that time, the JMCM was established as a non-profit, nonreligious, tax-exempt corporation.

Nov. 3, 1988

A 36-member volunteer governing board of directors was elected to set administrative policy for the museum. Twenty-two prominent leaders around the state were appointed to the museum’s Advisory Board.

Nov. 22, 1988

The museum received its Certificate of Incorporation signed by the Secretary of State of Oklahoma.

Dec. 3, 1988

The foundation accepted a logo designed by local illustrator Teri Hooten and adopted a formal statement of purpose for the museum.

Jan. 10, 1989

The board appointed Tommy Mills part-time executive director to oversee the daily business of the museum.

February, 1989

A 20,000 square-foot facility located on a 10-acre site at 1714 State Highway 9 West (formerly the Power Transmission Building) was selected to house the museum.

Feb. 16, 1989

Seventeen exhibit committees were organized to research potential exhibits, and when possible, begin construction.

March 1989

The foundation hired Carol Morrisseau Holmes and Associates as fundraising consultants to locate and identify possible funding sources for the museum.

April 14, 1989

The foundation received notification of tax-exemption from the Internal Revenue Service.

November, 1989

The museum’s sign was erected at the site chosen for the museum. Cost was $6,235.

March, 1992

Construction was begun

December, 1992

The museum’s volunteer program initiated

Jan. 23, 1993

Museum opens with core exhibits: courtroom, Bubble Room, Video Magic, Shadow Box Room, Infunity Mirror Room, Handi-Capable, aquarium, Homeland, Kid Town Fire Station, Creativity Central, hospital, Kermie, classroom, hand puppet theater, 1921 Model T, Tot Spot, Convair cockpit, Gentle Dental, model train, doll house, domino and magnet tables, kaleidoscope and piano keyboard on the floor. Guest speakers were Sandy Garrett and David Boren. Later exhibits include dinosaur exhibit, agriculture, oil and gas.

1995 to 2007

Dr. Carmen Notaro hired as grants writer

1995

First egg hunt

Jan 1996

Tommy Mills leaves position of museum director; Zora Fowler begins six months as part-time director

June, 1996       

Marci Donaho ends presidency on board; had been president since March 1988. She is hired as executive director

1997

Museum purchased additional seven and one-half acres northwest of building

1998

First golf tournament fundraiser 

1999

First Jasmine Award presented to First Lady Cathy Keating. First Foundation Benefactor awards went to the Mabee Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Sarkeys Foundation. Corporate Benefactor award recipients were Koch Industries and Southwestern Bell.

2000    

Additional parking lot paid for by Noble Foundation of Ardmore. Sarkeys added 250,000 to endowment. 

2001

Purchased adjoining acreages; now have 23 acres. St. Crispin’s retreat, started endowment fund.

2003

10^th anniversary in Haney Center at Seminole State College, with George Nigh as featured speaker. Brad Henry’s inaugural events held at the museum in January. Honored Gene Rainbolt with Jasmine Award in Tulsa. Installed elaborate new playground equipment.

2004

Betty Smith hired as education coordinator.

2005

OG&E donated land to expand parking lot to the east. Betty Smith retires.

2006

Parking lot expanded.

2007

Welcomed 800,000^th visitor. Selected for Oklahoma Museum Network. Doyle Morris retires, having worked there 18 years, 14 years as head of maintenance.

2009

Now have 38,000 square feet inside and 12 acres outside. New Norick Service Center opens.

2012

Museum’s front expanded to make room of cast of Acrocanthosaurus, donated by Reggie Whitten.

1993

Lunch room

1999

Roesler Hall (6,000 square feet added with seed money from Dennis and Leilani Roesler)

1999

Climbing Maze, (purchased with funding by Ronald McDonald House Charities) and Waterworks.

2000

Small train and Jasmine’s Ark

2001

New train, SuperSonic Express and Safety Town (completed in 2002). The town and tracks were funded by a Department of Transportation T-21 grant and the train was funded by Sonic Restaurants. Also part of this expansion was Henderson Nature Park, completed in 2003.

2006

Castle Maze (ribbon cut July 2) was funded by the Paula Timmerman Estate and the Oklahoma Centennial Commission – 12,000 square feet.

2007

Kim Henry Science Works Wing (8,400 square-foot construction completed in 2008), which includes the Heath Care exhibit, spearheaded by Kim Henry and Stan Hupfeld, who challenged other hospitals to be part of the expansion. The Whitten Newman Foundation was the single largest funder of the Kim Henry Science Works Wing. The wing also includes the audio-kinetic exhibit (built in 2007) with half the funding by the Roeslers.

2012

Expansion of the lobby and introduction of the Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur cast.

2014

Organ and Tissue Donation Exhibit