State, County and City Officials Show Support For The Children's Discovery Center
- Madison Yaggie Schuler
- Oct 23
- 4 min read
The Children’s Discovery Center is a 100% volunteer-led project
And as a board of six mothers, we understand deeply what it means when people say “it takes a village.” But the truth is — we don’t just understand it. We are living it. We have the most incredible village behind this project, and we feel that blessing every single day.
Moments like Tuesday are powerful reminders of what can happen when a communities unite.
We are so grateful to be surrounded by partners from every corner of public and private leadership. On Tuesday October 21, 2025, leaders from the City of Breckenridge, Wilkin County, and the State of Minnesota sat at the same table with us — not just to hear about the project, but also to discuss what this space means for the region's future.
As mothers driven to create more opportunities for rural children and families, and to help revitalize the community we love — this meeting filled our cups in the best way possible.
We had the honor of welcoming Senator Jordan Rasmusson, Wilkin County Commissioner Eric Klindt, Jon Braaten, Breckenridge City Administrator Sydney Wiertzema, and Momentum lobbyist Will Waggoner, alongside the Children’s Discovery Center board members.
What makes this project so inspiring is the strength of the public–private partnership behind it. We have people from every level of public leadership- city, county, and state, sitting around the same table with parents, educators, business owners, and community volunteers, all asking the same question: How do we come together to make this happen?
At the meeting, we were grateful to provide an update on the incredible progress to date — we are now more than halfway toward securing the County’s $1 million match. We continue advancing our capital campaign with urgency to begin construction at the former movie theater. With our first exhibit scheduled to be delivered in December — fully funded by a Minnesota Legacy Arts & Cultural Heritage Grant — we are extremely eager to break ground this winter, pending donations.
“We are exhausting every avenue of funding through grants to help pay for exhibits,” shared Madison Yaggie Schuler. “We don’t want to leave any money on the table.”
Joni Frolek added, “Although it is very hard to have these floor-to-ceiling exhibits designed and fabricated without a place to install them, we are working very hard to raise the dollars needed to begin construction as soon as possible.”
Children’s Museums: Strong Statewide Movement
Children’s museums are seen not only as joyful places for play and learning, but as educational powerhouses and economic drivers that help revitalize downtowns and attract young families, which is why they continue to receive strong support at the Minnesota Legislature from both parties. These spaces don’t just serve children and families — they fuel local economies. Children’s museums attract visitors from surrounding towns and neighboring states, bringing new foot traffic to main street businesses, restaurants, and retail.
By making communities more family-friendly, children’s museums help retain and attract young families, boost workforce recruitment, and contribute to long-term downtown revitalization.
Children’s museums are multi-purpose investments, not only advancing early learning and family well-being but also strengthening tourism, economic development, and quality of life in rural and urban communities alike.
When Senator Jordan Rasmusson (District 9 Republican) paused and asked, “What can I do to help?” — it spoke volumes of his genuine leadership and commitment for District 9 and all Minnesotans.
Senator Rasmusson has already been a great advocate for children's museums across Minnesota, as he co-authored legislation that earmarked a portion specifically for children’s museums. He is one of two Minnesota Senator's with not just one children's museum in his district, but two (Otter Cove and the Children's Discovery Center).
The Greater Minnesota Children’s Museums Coalition
The CDC is also proud to be part of the Greater Minnesota Children’s Museums Coalition — 12 museums across the state that collaborate, mentor one another, and advocate together at the Capitol. Lobbyist Will Waggoner, (alongside Amy Koch) helps lead that work and made the trip to Breckenridge to hear our progress firsthand.
Greater Minnesota Children’s Museums Coalition Members:
WonderTrek Children's Museum (Baxter- Brainerd)
Minisota (Benson)
The Works Museum (Bloomington)
The Children's Discovery Center (Breckenridge)
Duluth Children's Museum (Duluth)
Otter Cove (Fergus Falls)
Children's Discovery Museum (Grand Rapids)
Wheel & Cog (Hutchinson)
Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota (Mankato)
Great River Children's Museum (St. Cloud)
SPARK (St. Cloud)
The Village (Willmar)
As we move forward in our capital campaign to raise the funds needed to begin construction, we are reminded every day of the incredible support we have marching behind the Children's Discovery Center, and all of the other wonderful children's museums across the great state of Minnesota.