In 2010, Bridgette Stevens of Redford Township and her brother Nate learn about static electricity by touching the sides of a “plasma tube” at the Detroit Children's Museum. (John T. Greilick / The Detroit News)
The cash-strapped Detroit Children's Museum, closed since the end of December, will reopen early next week, according to Detroit Public Schools officials — but only for DPS students.
DPS officials also announced Friday that the school system, which owns the 96-year-old institution, has severed its 10-year service agreement with the Detroit Science Center. The center had administered and staffed the museum since 2010.
The limited reopening, said DPS chief communications officer Steven Wasko, "will allow us to fulfill programs — field trips and other museum connections for DPS students — that were scheduled prior to the interruption of the past month."
Science Center interim president and CEO James Issner declined to comment on the developments.
The Science Center, which closed Sept. 26 citing insufficient funds, announced in early January that its fiscal crisis meant the Children's Museum would also be closed for the duration. The next day, DPS officials contended only the school system could shut the museum down.
Under the now-severed agreement, the Science Center paid Children's Museum staffers and other expenses.
But part of the museum's annual budget involved $450,000 in federal grants earmarked for museum services for DPS students. Those grants are ongoing and are what the district will use to underwrite the reopening and to rehire the museum's six staffers — who, Wasko notes, continued to show up after the museum was closed and they had lost their jobs to take care of essential business and make sure the building was secure.
Said Children's Museum director Julie Johnson, "We are very excited about this opportunity to continue offering educational programming to the DPS students and staff. We are very proud of the museum."
Wasko said DPS hopes to find another partner to administer the museum and bring in revenue that would allow it to reopen to the public.
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