SLO County children’s museum on the brink of closure saved by ‘angel’ donors
A San Luis Obispo County children’s museum and play space on the brink of closure was recently resurrected by an outpouring of community support.
In late October, the Exploration Discovery Center, 867 Ramona Ave. in Grover Beach, was struggling to keep its doors open after two months of extremely meager visitor attendance.
“We encountered more financial challenges than we were ready for” after burning through reserve funds, Exploration Discovery Center creative manager Debra Ugalde told The Tribune. “It turned into a bit of a crunch with really, really low numbers.”
Even after reducing weekly hours in an effort to minimize its already small payroll, Ugalde said the center was facing severe financial challenges amid poor patron turnout and rising insurance costs.
Robert Robert, vice president of the center’s board of directors, created a GoFundMe fundraising campaign as a last resort to save the beloved community space.
“We’ve done everything possible to stretch our limited resources — cutting costs, reducing hours and even implementing staff reductions,” Robert posted on the center’s GoFundMe page. “But those measures can only go so far. The need is real, and we cannot sustain this vital community space without your help.”
In less than two weeks, the fundraiser had raised more than $12,000.
Here’s how the new funds will be used.
What is the Exploration Discovery Center?
The Exploration Discovery Center in Grover Beach offers kids a place to “explore, discover and dream” through multicultural projects, science experiments and an arts and crafts room, the center said on its website.
Housed in a former volunteer fire department, the center gives local children a chance to interact with live turtles and chickens as well as play in a model train room. They can also wander through a miniature grocery store, veterinary clinic and pizza kitchen.
Opened in 2021, the center — currently staffed by three grandmothers — is a place for all kids to tap into play, learning and creativity, according to Ugalde.
“We have such a variety of things (that children) can find something that touches them,” she said.
Why do families love Grover Beach children’s museum?
On a sunny Wednesday morning at the Exploration Discovery Center, a toddler played with a spurting water feature while another kid launched a toy rocket into the air. Others cooed at a turtle and applied copious amounts of face paint to their cheeks.
“On a good day in the summer, when it’s absolutely beautiful, we have 100 children there,” the center’s board president Anita Shower told The Tribune.
San Luis Obispo resident Jennifer Bosserman said she and her 3-year-old granddaughter, Genevieve, have been visiting the Grover Beach spot for the past year and a half — drawn by its helpful staff and plethora of activities.
“We sure love it here,” Bosserman said as her granddaughter munched on a mid-morning snack.
How will fundraiser help local play center?
As of Friday, Nov. 7, 68 donors had contributed a total of $12,375 to the Exploration Discovery Center’s GoFundMe fundraiser.
The GoFundMe fundraiser was still going as of Friday, with a new goal to raise $20,000, according to Shower.
Shower said the cash-strapped center would use the additional funds to pay the bills and fix facilities worn out from the everyday wear-and-tear that comes with hundreds of children stomping through the space.
“The financial struggles are just maintaining what we have to maintain,” Shower said. “We have to have water, electricity, we have to have certain insurance policies ... We have to have supplies.
Ugalde said that after a few “guardian angel” sponsors contributed thousands of dollars to the effort, the center now has enough funds to stay open without any reduction in hours or cuts to staff for many months to come.
“The community has been overwhelming in supporting us. It’s just brought tears to my eyes,” Ugalde said as she wiped her face. “We’re happy to be here, happy to be with the kids. We built it for the kids.”
How to visit Exploration Discovery Center
The Exploration Discovery Center, 867 Ramona Ave. in Grover Beach, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Admission costs $5 for children ages 2 to 12, $15 for adults and $10 for seniors.
