NELA Children’s Museum moving to a new location at Forsythe Park

MONROE, La. (KNOE) -The Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum is diving in with the City of Monroe on a new location. The museum is going forward with a move to fill in the R.D. Swayze Natatorium pool at Forsythe Park and will be housed at the North East end of the pool area.

The museum director, Melissa Saye, is excited about the move to the new location and hopes that this will help expand what the museum offers to families.

“Now, we want to have a giant outdoor learning space as well, with some outdoor education, landscape, water features.”

They are looking to work with engineers, planners, and other key people to facilitate the move to the new location. They are also wanting input from families and children as well about the new location and what should be offered.

Saye also is hoping that the location will be a place that will help bring families to visit for years to come.

“So, we’ll be in the middle of all the fun of Forsythe Park, thousands and thousands of families, children come every year, every week to play and share some family time, and we are ready to be up in the middle of it.”

Allison Porter, a museum instructor who grew up in the area, is glad to see Monroe pursuing the future.

“Think it’s pretty cool that Monroe’s investing in the kids, I think it’s really important. It gives them a place to play and be creative, which is very important.”

The museum is still in the planning phase of the move and will be working with the city of Monroe to restore Forsythe Park.

You can find them on Facebook and online at nelcm.org.