Our efforts began after Emilie and Mark lost their young son, Finn Sebastian Golitko, very suddenly in 2018. Finn loved children’s museums, and Emilie loved the chance to play with and learn from her curious, creative, kind little boy. Museums prodded her to engage with Finn in new ways, and offered a window into his brilliant little mind at work. She and the rest of the team have worked hard to bring enriching parent-child interactions to the families of South Bend, in Finn’s memory.

What started as a response to great personal tragedy has evolved into our love letter to the children of South Bend and Michiana. A team of amazing, dedicated women & men volunteered countless hours throughout the pandemic to achieve Phase I of our plan: our small, store-front location on Michigan Street. Now in Phase II, we sustain and grow. We are committed to enhancing our exhibits, expanding our reach to children, and eliminating barriers to entry.

We are grateful for all of our community supporters, and we ask you to join us in our mission to be a children’s museum for all!