Let’s
play!
Ben Lonergan/EO Media Group
Ricardo Lara, 7, pieces together large blue blocks while playing this summer at the Children’s Museum of Eastern
Oregon in Pendleton. After a 444-day closure because of the global pandemic, the museum reopened in June and
recently celebrated its 25-year anniversary.
By Tammy Malgesini
Go! Magazine
P
ENDLETON — For more
than 25 years, children
and families throughout East-
ern Oregon and beyond have
engaged in educational explora-
tion through interactive exhibits
and play space at the Children’s
Museum of Eastern Oregon.
Executive Director Joanna
Engle was thrilled to re-open the
museum’s doors June 1 after
a 444-day closure because of
9
GRAB BAG
AN ASSORTMENT OF
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
the global pandemic. Less than
three months later, a block party
celebration marked the organi-
zation’s 25-year anniversary.
A trip to the museum
wouldn’t be complete, Engle
said, without a visit to the Pizza
Cafe. While puzzled why it’s
such a popular attraction, she
said kids gravitate toward it and
the Grocery Experience. Both
replicate a trip to a pizzeria or
grocery store — complete with
a food preparation area and
check-out stand.
“There’s something about it
that they just love,” Engle said. “I
think it’s the experience of acting
the part of the grown-up and
they get to be in charge.”
In addition, there’s a big
ship. Engle said visitors are
often taken aback by the large
structure housed within the
museum’s walls.
“And even though it’s sup-
posed to represent Lewis and
Clark, it very quickly turns into a
pirate ship,” she said with a laugh.
“Kids can crawl all over it.”
OCTOBER 13�20, 2021
Children’s Museum offers
space to learn and play
Other highlights include the
Big Blue Block Room. Featuring
a set of Imagination Playground
blocks, it off ers “loose parts,” giv-
ing children of all ages a chance
to play freely. Adults, Engle said,
will spend hours “helping” their
children build a structure.
Debbie McBee, who was the
driving force behind the creation
of the children’s museum, longed
for a place for her young children
to play during the harsh winters
of Eastern Oregon. After organiz-
ing a public meeting to gauge
interest, nearly 200 people rolled
up their sleeves with exhibit plan-
ning, fundraising eff orts, recruit-
ing volunteers and more.
Board President Kim Chavez-
Sierra and at-large board mem-
ber Chris Garrigues were ecstatic
when the museum reopened.
In addition to the play space for
children, Garrigues said it off ers
parents a chance to hang out.
“For any small town to have
a place like this is really incred-
ible,” he said. “It’s such an amaz-
ing place.”
In addition to local families,
Engle sees travelers stopping in
as well as a lot of children com-
ing in with their grandparents.
The museum off ers a great rest
stop. Also, she said, it provides
natural interaction opportuni-
ties.
“There are things grandpar-
ents can explain to their grand-
kids — they’re playing together
and they interact in a really neat
way,” Engle said.
This is all music to McBee’s
ears.
“A child’s work is play, and this
wonderful nonprofi t has been
able to provide children and
families a fun place to learn and
play together for many years,”
she said.
The Children’s Museum of
Eastern Oregon is located at 400
S. Main St. in Pendleton. It’s open
Tuesday through Saturday from
10 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed 1-2 p.m.
for cleaning). Daily admission is
$7 per person. For more infor-
mation, visit www.cmeo.org,
Facebook or Instagram.