KID Museum is our region’s pioneering experiential museum and educational makerspace. Founded in 2014, KID Museum is revolutionizing what and how kids learn. With a focus on engaging populations that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM, KID Museum programs have helped educate and empower more than 330,000 kids in the Greater Washington region.

When the museum decided to move to 3 Bethesda Metro Center after years of searching for a new location, MMD was hired to be the architect for the renovation and interiors. Originally working with 7,500 sq.ft., this new location would almost quadruple their offering,  bringing with it its own set of challenges and opportunities. The expansive project included recommendations for overall furniture, critical egress logistics, and environmental graphics, which all serve to deliver a state-of-the-art and engaging educational facility.

MMD worked with the museum to identify, plan, and develop a space plan that could handle the museum expansion and its growing programs. With staff frequently working with machinery and electric tools, and often carrying potentially heavy materials, it was important to understand how visitors, students and instructors would use the space. To accommodate the fluid nature of modern fabrication labs, an open floor plan was recommended that featured spacious and unobstructed walkways, non-permanent space dividers and a furniture plan that was mobile and adaptable.

The central workshop area was further subdivided into four fabrication labs with each catering to unique materials and tools, allowing teachers and guests to give lectures and workshops in a  space that is custom built for their specific expertise. These labs focused around technology, textiles, cardboard, and 3D printing.  It was critical to make all the programs and activities feel accessible and inviting at all times.  The four studios were designed with glass partitions, incentivizing experimentation, education and creativity amongst all users, regardless of their direct participation. In addition to selecting and arranging the furniture for the labs, environmental graphics were applied around the perimeter of each room to create a more obvious visual barrier.