Council Weighs $864K Museum Balcony Enclosure

Normal Town Council will consider a contract to turn the space beneath the Children's Discovery Museum balcony into an enclosed exhibit area.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Child Care

Photograph of a cleared concrete construction site beneath a low museum balcony, with broken slabs, a yellow excavator arm, and orange fencing under an open sky. — Normal Town Council will consider a contract capped at $863,729 with P.J. Hoerr to enclose the space beneath the Children's Discovery Museum balcony. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you think your town should spend public money on expanding children's museums?

Normal Town Council will consider a contract capped at $863,729 with P.J. Hoerr to enclose the space beneath the Children's Discovery Museum's outdoor balcony. The resolution would also waive formal bidding for the museum construction contract.

Why it matters

The expansion would add an enclosed exhibit space to a museum that has served more than 2 million children and caregivers. Coordinating with P.J. Hoerr, already handling the adjoining underpass project, is intended to avoid scheduling conflicts and offer savings on the shared site.

The contract with P.J. Hoerr is capped at $863,729, and the Children's Discovery Museum Foundation would reimburse the town for the construction cost. Council approved a separate design-build contract with Boss Display for the water table exhibit on September 24.

The players

Children's Discovery Museum

A Normal, Illinois museum for children that has served more than 2 million children and caregivers through its exhibits and learning programs.

P.J. Hoerr

A Normal-area construction company recommended by town staff for the balcony enclosure because it is also handling the adjoining underpass project.

Normal Town Council

The elected governing body of the Town of Normal, Illinois, which will consider the construction contract.

The details

The proposed expansion would turn the space beneath the museum's outdoor balcony into an enclosed exhibit area, growing out of an exhibit master plan developed in September 2022. Demolition of existing concrete and building improvements is expected to begin immediately after approval, and the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District's board approved funding for the project through the foundation.

September 2022: Exhibit master plan developed for the museum.
September 24: Council approved the Boss Display water table contract.
Monday: Council considers the P.J. Hoerr enclosure contract.
2027: Exterior and interior building work expected to be completed.
Early 2028: Expanded interior space expected to fully open with the new exhibit.

Season Trajectory

The enclosure extends the September 2022 exhibit master plan that guided the museum's growth. It follows a pattern of phased capital work on the museum as the building approaches its 22nd year.

Families visiting the Children's Discovery Museum should expect construction barriers outside the building, which would remain until the nearby underpass project is completed in 2028. The expanded interior space is expected to open with a new exhibit by early 2028.

The takeaway

Local family attractions often expand in phases, and coordinating contractors across shared sites can reduce conflicts and cost. Parents planning visits during the work should watch for construction barriers near the museum.

What happens next

Council is scheduled to consider the P.J. Hoerr enclosure contract on Monday, with exterior and interior work expected to be completed in 2027 and the expanded space slated to open in early 2028.