EdVenture to merge with another SC children’s museum

After a long-standing symbiotic relationship, two popular South Carolina children’s museums are permanently joining forces.

EdVenture and the Children’s Museum of South Carolina in Myrtle Beach announced Thursday they plan to merge, according to a new release from EdVenture. The merger will take effect March 1.

The combined museum will maintain their names and current locations at 211 Gervais St. in Columbia and at 2204 N. Oak St. in Myrtle Beach.

Members at either museum will continue to have admission to both facilities.

Edventure reported it has managed day-to-day operations at CMSC for the past 18 months, and CMSC Board of Directors President Melody Breeden said this was the natural next step.

“We were able to ‘try out’ the relationship and we continued to see advantages for both organizations,” Breeden said. “As a Board, we believe this is the best possible route to a fiscally sound and robust children’s museum for our community. ”

EdVenture Board of Trustees chairman John H. Dozier said the board believes the merger will make both museums stronger. Dozier, also the chief diversity officer at the University of South Carolina, said informal learning these museums supply helps connect children’s academic world to real world applications.

“When children are excited about learning, they perform better in school, which leads to more success for them, and all of us,” Dozier said. We take our role as the ‘entry ramp to workforce development’ very seriously, and are looking at every opportunity to expand our impact.”

EdVenture President and CEO Karen Coltrane said museum officials would like to expand the location in Myrtle Beach, including better accommodating families with special needs.

“We hope that a universally-designed children’s museum will contribute to Myrtle Beach’s appeal as a destination, as well as a great resource for local families,” Coltrane said.

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 4:23 PM with the headline "EdVenture to merge with another SC children’s museum."