The City of Buellton will pony up $1 million over three years in funds to help launch the Santa Ynez Valley Children’s Museum into its next phase, a critical boost that supporters say will keep the dream alive.

The Buellton City Council agreed to provide the money over three years with $500,000 for the first fiscal year starting July 1. 

“This museum puts us on the map,” Mayor David Silva said, adding that the museum will become a destination for families with children.

Ahead of meetings to consider the request, Buellton council members were inundated with emails urging support, including from those connected to nearby museums, he said. 

“If we take the courage to invest into them, this is the ROI [return on investment] we get. It’s not just amenities to our community, which is drastically needed, but it’s a long-term investment for Buellton to diversify why people come here,” Silva added.

Museum Aims to Get Kids Outdoors

The all-outdoors Children’s Museum sits on 1 acre at the former Willemsen Dairy property acquired by the City of Buellton. The property, at 202 Dairyland Road, also houses the Buellton Library in the dairy’s former renovated home.

“We are a different entity than any other children’s museum,” said Ashley Jenkins, executive director and founder.

“The community is what’s making this possible, and the City of Buellton coming alongside us is a great start, giving us a launch pad to partner with the rest of our community in making this happen.”

The council’s recent action directs staff to prepare the formal agreement with final approval expected in the coming weeks.

“This would enable the Children’s Museum to construct exhibits, to finish construction on their facility, to actually pull required permits and open the facility to the public on a limited basis,” Buellton City Manager Scott Wolfe said.

In the second year, the city would provide a $300,000 grant to allow expansion of programming hours and operations.

The third contribution would be on a matching basis with the city providing $1 for each dollar raised by the organization with a cap of $200,000 from Buellton.

“It’s a useful tool to help when you’re trying to fundraise to show other donors that somebody else has skin the game,” Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis said. “It’s helping them providing the funding they need but doing it in a creative way that should help generate additional funding beyond what we’re providing.”

Envisioned six years ago with the nonprofit organization launched in 2020, the museum plans stalled because of the COVID-19 pandemic but has slowly ramped up since the 2021 groundbreaking ceremony.

Exhibits already in place include a dirt zone, a mud kitchen, a truck painting station, a truck zone and a garden. A STEAM Zone to promote science, technology, engineering, art and math also is planned.

Another exhibit includes a variety of loose parts to let children create with unfettered access to various times. 

“We piloted some of those loose parts programs in local schools, and the kids go crazy for them,” Jenkins said. 

A rain gazebo still needs utilities installed, but eventually will feed into a shallow waterway to look like the Santa Ynez Valley River and teach youths about the water cycle. The exhibit will end at a giant splash pad, or an interactive water play area featuring various spray features and ground-level water jets.

“They can just splash and learn and explore,” Jenkins said. 

Perhaps the most ambitious feature involves a hill slide, reminiscent of public slides such as one in Pismo Beach but designed differently.

She’s hopeful exhibits can be installed in time for the soft opening in October, but recognizes that’s an ambitious timeline. 

“Our goal is to get our first two years of operating expenses entirely covered because our revenue doesn’t really start until all our programs are online. We’re not making money until people are coming through the doors,” Jenkins said.

She estimated the organization is about halfway to meeting the goal to gather funding for the first two years of operating expenses but wouldn’t reveal specific numbers. 

“We are looking for community partners to do matching grants to match the generosity of the City of Buellton,” she said, adding that the campaign over the coming months will focus on doubling what the city provided. 

One of the next projects will be adding a fence around the site to corral youths. 

“The museum isn’t fun until it’s open,” she said. 

After opening in the fall, the Children’s Museum expects to expand offerings and hours in 2026. 

However, youngsters don’t have to wait until then to get their hands dirty. The next community play day is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. 

For more information or to provide donations, go to syvchildrensmuseum.com.