What a great way to start the new year!

3M Canada has been a long-time supporter of the London Children’s Museum, and on January 24, we were proud to be a part of the ribbon cutting of the brand-new, state-of-the-art London Children’s Museum space at 100 Kellogg Lane in London.

In 2020, 3M committed $500,000 (over five years), to develop the new Discovery Lab presented by 3M within the new Museum space. The Discovery Lab is a space for youth of all ages to support hands-on learning using real tools and technology – building on their curiosity.

Canada’s digital economy is growing at an unprecedented rate and the demand for talent with STEM skills will only continue to increase. 3M’s commitment to partners like the London Children’s Museum, is just one way we can help prepare our future workforce in Canada.

This partnership with the London Children’s Museum is a testament to our commitment to fostering a love of science and learning in young minds.

We believe that the Discovery Lab will inspire the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.

The 3,300-square-metre space on the fourth floor of the former cereal factory is the result of years of consultations, workshops, surveys and interviews. More than 500 kids, families and community members provided feedback on the planning and design process. Nearly $21 million of the $23-million fundraising goal has been achieved.

The museum features eight new immersive exhibits:

• Branching out: A multi-level treehouse village fit for climbing, crawling and balancing.
• Community roots: A child-sized town designed for role-playing.
• Farm works: Kids will learn how food is produced, processed and sold.
• Stream: Allows kids to explore water physics and life on the water; it features a 21-metre water table.
• Above and beyond: Kids can “blast off to the International Space Station” and learn about the stars, constellations and planets.
• Unearthed: Bones, rocks and minerals can be studied while exploring the world of dinosaurs.
• Discovery labs: An interdisciplinary space that promotes creativity through tinkering, crafting, designing, experimenting and hacking.
• The Annex: An open space for events and temporary exhibits.

The space is open to the public and we look forward to our continued partnership with London Children’s Museum and the Discovery Lab, as we work together to foster curiosity and education. We are very proud to be a part of this historic moment in London, Ontario.

The new London Children’s Museum project is funded in part by the City of London, the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage, Museums Assistance Program, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and Canadian Space Agency, and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund.