Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – The Jonesboro City Council on Thursday approved a land use agreement with the planned Northeast Arkansas Children’s Museum.
The agreement was initially proposed when museum leadership gave an update on project’s progress to the city council in early August. The Public Services Council Committee unanimously forwarded the agreement to the full city council in September.
According to the resolution, the city will enter into an agreement with the museum to allow property located at 215 W. Monroe Ave. to be the site of the museum. The agreement is effective through Jan. 1, 2030.
The museum cannot begin any demolition or site improvement projects until it secures “verified, irrevocable long-term capital financing, enforceable grant awards, and/or committed sponsorships sufficient to complete the construction and opening of the museum facility,” and city leadership verifies that threshold has been met.
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“What began as a vision, to create a place where children across Northeast Arkansas can learn, explore, imagine, and play, is one giant step closer to becoming a reality,” the NEA Children’s Museum said in a social media announcement.
“This location gives us more than a place to build. It gives us a foundation for a museum that can serve Northeast Arkansas for generations to come,” the update added. “There is still much work ahead as we move into the next phase of planning and fundraising, but today, we celebrate this milestone.”
The resolution was approved on the consent agenda. Items on the consent agenda are considered to be routine business and are enacted by one motion of the City Council with no discussion. The council’s meeting was rescheduled from its usual Tuesday to Thursday due to National Night Out.
The property on Monroe Avenue is the site of Winter Wonderland, a walk-through holiday-themed museum that opens during the Christmas season. NEA Children’s Museum president Jordan Carlow previously told councilmembers that Winter Wonderland would be incorporated into the museum’s offerings “at no cost to the community.”
Carlow also previously told councilmembers that if enough funding is not secured, then the property will be returned to the city.
The project was announced in November 2023. The museum will feature numerous exhibits, including weather, agriculture, the human body, and more, as well as a low-sensory area. It is expected to draw 77,000 people annually.
The project is estimated to cost between $10 million and $12 million. Carlow previously told councilmembers that construction is estimated to begin in fall 2027, with the goal of opening in fall 2028.
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