Testimonial - Scott Liebl
Scott Liebl, president of the Children's Museum of Rochester, explains why he was one of the founders of the CMR:
"First, if there ever was a community "built" for a children's museum, it's Rochester. With a highly-educated, professional workforce, the community is filled with young families that are motivated to encourage their children's exploration of the world around them. As the state's third largest city and home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic, Rochester is a destination for hundreds of thousands of people each year. And during the long winters in this region, what could be better than indoor activities that not only educate but entertain?
When the founders and I started CMR, we also knew of the support this community provides to many worthy causes. From early childhood education to helping the families of ill patients to providing nature programs, Rochester volunteers are passionate and never tire in reaching their goals. We were certain if we did the initial work of creating the organization, a groundswell of talented supporters would gather to propel the project forward. In reality, we have been overwhelmed by the offers of support and encouragement from those within the community.
But, lastly, the main reason for starting this organization is simply my children, Hannah and Zac. Since our first visit to a children's museum years ago, my wife and I are always amazed at how immersed they become in the environment. Whether it is pretending to be firefighters putting out imaginary flames or turning valves to help a ball travel through a certain pipe, seeing your children discover, experience, and learn is truly a gift. It is that gift that I want to give to the future generations of Rochester."
Scott Liebl talks about what sparked his desire to establish a Children's Museum of Rochester:
"In the spring of 1995, my wife's family was planning to visit us. We were living in a small apartment in Fargo, North Dakota at the time and didn't have the room to host everyone, especially the small but energetic army of little nieces and nephews. Amy, my wife, had heard about Yunker's Farm, an interactive children's museum just north of the North Dakota State University campus. We decided to make an afternoon of it and spent a fun-filled two hours with the children exploring mirrors, bubbles, and make-believe.
Fast forward to the winter of 2004. Our daughter Hannah was 2 years old and we were discussing what to do for the weekend. The day at Yunker's still stood out in our minds and we decided to drive to La Crosse to give Hannah her first experience at a children's museum. As we watched her explore the exhibits, we could see her absorbing new and wonderful information. It was on the drive back home that afternoon that we discussed why a community like Rochester not just needed an educational, interactive place of its own, but that it was ideal for one."