The Neville Public Museum in downtown Green Bay. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A proposal for merging the Children’s Museum of Green Bay with the Neville Public Museum of Brown County has surfaced.
Brown County Board Supervisor Pat Evans said he received the proposal, which was compiled by the children’s museum, from “an anonymous source.” He plans to discuss his concerns about the proposal at Wednesday’s meeting of the Education & Recreation Committee.
The proposal asks for a one-time investment of $2.5 million from Brown County.
The plan forecasts annual museum attendance of about 80,000 at an admission price of $12-$13. Attendance revenue would be $700,000. Additional revenue would be generated through programs, camps and educational offerings; facility rentals and events; birthday parties and group experiences and sponsorships and fundraising.
The plan anticipates net revenue in 2027 to be $1,332,575, against expenses of $1,264,450.
A merged museum would represent a return to downtown Green Bay for the Children’s Museum, which debuted in 2012 on Washington Street before moving to its current location near Bay Beach Amusement Park in 2019.
The children’s museum began a fundraising campaign in 2024 to more than double its interior space. Its current location is about 10,000 square feet. The expansion at the current location would bring it to 26,000 square feet.
The Neville has about 66,000 square feet, but it’s unclear how much of that is public space.
In an email to county staff members, Evans raised concerns about admission prices, operating revenue, the $2.5 million county investment and the proposal for children’s museum management of the Neville museum and desire to move from what he calls a successful location.
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