Make a Difference today and help the Children's Museum of Franklin by eating at Jersey Mike's

Jersey Mike's Fundraiser

Friends,

We are thrilled to share images of exhibits that have begun to arrive at 157 Cottage Street. But, first, you can support us at Jersey Mike’s today in Franklin, Medway OR Milford! Donate $5 at Jersey Mike’s and get a FREE regular sub. 

 

Details here ->

Meg & Erin in the structure

Now that dinner is taken care of, we are over-the-moon to share photos of some incredible progress in our space. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram where we post regular updates!

First up, the photo below at left shows our climbing structure, presenting a gross motor opportunity within the space. As kids climb through, they’ll find friendly monsters painted by Erin and June Mint Designs.

The gazebo pictured is a central feature to our Imaginative Play Downtown, and offers a climbing opportunity for our littlest friends. This piece was built and donated by Woodstock Building Associates.

 

 

 

Can you guess what C.R. Schmall is building in the next photo? This work is underway now and we can’t wait to reveal the finished project later this week on socials! 

The remaining photos can be found on the Children's Museum page ->

https://api.neonemails.com/emails/content/j6z-V9-shj2MBxBHYmn9SpWguppb40sLPnkWJCtyCOI=

Find out more about the Museum and donate directly to their efforts ->

https://www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org/

Get your spot today and save the date to "Move for the Museum" May 4

via BFT Franklin Village and Franklin Area Moms:

 

"Move for the Museum" May 4

Comment RSVP to snag your free tickets to join us along with @franklinareamoms, in support of the incredible @childrensmuseumfranklin, the vision of two local moms coming to life to benefit all local communities!

✨ All proceeds go directly to benefit this nonprofit museum dedicated to creating a space for kids to Discover, Imagine, and Grow!

What to Expect:
🔵45min group training session for all levels and abilities
🔵local vendors and raffles featuring prizes from area businesses
🔵1 Complimentary Raffle ticket per participant
🔵Meet and greet with founders of the Museum, @meghannajones and @efgallagher

👟 Come move with us @downtownsportsfranklin, connect with others in the community, and make a difference—because we are stronger together 💥

🎟 FREE Admission —Donations appreciated at the door!
Can’t make it? Send us a DM for details on how to donate now!

💥Comment RSVP or click link in bio to reserve your spot! Space is limited so grab your tickets NOW! 

 

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DIMLINhu5Ye/

 

Get your meal at Panera today and help the Children's Museum

Get your meal at Panera today

Show this flyer at Panera in Franklin Village or order online Sunday tomorrow and a portion of sales goes to Children’s Museum of Franklin!

Online orders use the code "FUND4U"

Shared from ->   https://www.facebook.com/share/18qn9iGzVS/

For more about the Children's Msueum or to donate directly to their mission ->  https://www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org/

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Sunday, March 23, 2025 ???

Sunday, March 23

** "Look Up" Gallery (Franklin Public Library during open hours)

11:00am Sunday Brunch (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

1:00pm Franklin Historical Museum (always free)

2:00pm Children's Museum Fundraiser (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

2:00pm (sold out) FPAC: Mel Brooks "The Producers" (THE BLACK BOX)

2:00pm An Evening of Short Plays (Dean College Main Stage Theater)

7:00pm Rehearsal for Distinguished Young Women (Patti Eisenhauer Dance Center)

** NO Town Meetings today   **

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Why are there multiple calendars?

What's happening today in Franklin? 

Respectfully, the Library and Senior Center calendars are too full of events to include all their events so we tend to focus on the major events. Town and School meetings are also kept separate. Links for all the calendars are shared here:

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Library calendar of events ->    calendar link

The Senior Center calendar of events ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37&showPastEvents=false

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendars

🚧 Building Progress: See What’s Happening Behind the Scenes!

Note: There is a fund raising event today at Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub from 2 to 5 PM

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online. Friends, We are thrilled to share some sneak peek photos into 157 Cottage Street. Construction is progressing smoothly and our walls are now fully up! A passerby will notice that our old garage door has been replaced by large windows, bringing so much natural light into the space. Over the next couple of weeks, painting will be complete and flooring installation will begin, bringing us another step closer to opening. Exhibits will begin to arrive at the start of April – stay tuned for more photos as the space truly comes to life! Fundraising remains our biggest hurdle before we can open our doors. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Museum is truly made possible by this incredible community of individuals, families and organizations. Your contribution of any amount has the ability to spark joy, create connections, encourage discovery and complete this hub for community. Join us tomorrow for a fundraiser at Teddy Gallagher's between 2:00 and 5:00 pm! (View details.) or  visit our website to support the Museum today. With joy and gratitude, Erin & Meg What you see here:  Left: Erin shows her four-year-old (and chief exhibit tester) where the climbing structure will be. Bottom Left: Hall & office wall – with drywall up! Bottom Right: View from the water area into the exhibit space. What you see here: Right: Meg unboxes the giant pumping heart exhibit that just arrived from Germany! Bottom Left: Testing out the incredible human bodies mirror from BPI. Bottom Right: WBA finishes up sanding the gazebo for our baby/crawler zone.

Become a Founding Family for the Children's Museum by April

Your contribution today helps open the doors.

If you're having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online. Exciting things are happening! Our community is coming together to bring Children's Museum of Franklin to life, but we need your help to make it a reality. You're invited to become a Founding Family, playing a vital role in opening the doors to a place where children can learn, explore, and create unforgettable memories.  Our Founding Families, now 60 and counting, have committed to a tax-deductible donation of $1,000 or more via one-time, monthly, or quarterly payments, providing truly essential funding that helps to open the doors of the Museum.  All Founding Families will be listed in our lobby and on our website, establishing legacy for their family within an organization that will impact children for generations to come.  Learn more and become a Founding Family today – visit www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org/founding-families or email Erin at erin@childrensmuseumfranklin.org This program will close in April, ahead of our opening. Reach out today! Thank you for being part of this journey! Erin & Meg

Hear about the Children’s Museum of Franklin! at Teddy Gallagher's Sunday, Mar 23 from 2 to 5 PM

Hear about the Children’s Museum of Franklin!
 at Teddy Gallagher's Sunday, Mar 23 from 2 to 5 PM

 

"Teddy’s honored and proud to support the new Children’s Museum of Franklin!  

Please come by and show your support for this incredible endeavor. Sunday 3/23 2:00-5:00PM.  

See you all then!! "

 

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/1FLyWBrKhq/

For additional info on the Children's Museum ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/childrens-museum-update-you-can-help.html

Children's Museum Update: You can help them open their doors this spring

We just left the @franklindowntownpartnership meeting and, feeling energized and excited, headed straight to the building to check in. Over the next week, this background is going to transform - sheetrock will go up and the old garage bay will be replaced with massive windows. Erin wants to go into construction; Meg says no. 😂😂

Shortly after that, exhibits will begin to arrive. Can you believe it?! 

This is where it gets exciting, vibrant, and the momentum will build. This is where YOU come in. We can’t open until we meet our funding needs. 

Please consider a donation and share onwards with your network or your organization. 

Children's Museum Update Erin & Meg

YOU have the potential to create powerful impact in your community, to create opportunities for generations of kids and families, to establish legacy for YOUR family.

Learn more at childrensmuseumfranklin.org/open and join us to OPEN THE DOORS!

With gratitude,
Erin and Meg

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DG3owjCRpdN/

The presentation document shared at the Downtown Partnerhsip meeting Thursday  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BQ_rjKfA1bMD54-YdW5LlKtRJdQnW2hk/view?usp=drive_link

If you missed the conversation with Erin & Meg in February, you can listen to it here ->  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/erin-meg-share-their-excitement-as.html

Enjoy the FREE Children's Museum mobile exhibits at Patriot Place on Sunday, Feb 23

Patriot Place Sunday, Feb 23

 "We’re back! Join us Feb 23 at Patriot Place (indoors!) for a FREE Mobile Museum featuring ALL of our themed areas, including (sock)

skating! 

There are no time blocks for this event - come anytime between 10 AM and 5 PM!  

Register at: childrensmuseumfranklin.org/register"

Did you listen to the excitement in Erin & Meg's voices as we talked of the opening of their facility on Cottage St here in Franklin?

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/erin-meg-share-their-excitement-as.html

Shared from -> https://childrensmuseumoffranklin.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/neonevents/events?path=%2Fportal%2Fevents%2F13914

The Sun Chronicle covers the Children's Museum

"Unknowingly, for the past several years, Erin Gallagher and Meg Hagen, shared a dream — to bring a children’s museum to town.

The Sun Chronicle covers the Children's Museum

“Erin and I had separately had the idea to open a museum but hadn’t discussed it even though we speak on a regular basis,” Hagan said. “This was until June 2023 when we happened to be at a mutual friend’s house for lunch and both hinted at the idea.”

Today, they are currently in the process of making this dream a reality by building the Children’s Museum of Franklin at 157 Cottage St. To do so, they have partnered with Brad Chaffee at Camford Property Group.

The museum is scheduled to open in April depending on plans continuing to move forward as scheduled and the need for more fundraising."

Continue reading the Sun Chronicle online -> (Subscription may be required)

https://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/new-childrens-museum-planned-to-open-in-franklin-in-the-spring/article_68fa43a2-d9c8-11ef-85e3-bf1d6e32096e.html?

You can also listen to my conversation with Erin & Meg recorded this week.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/erin-meg-share-their-excitement-as.html

Erin & Meg share their excitement as the opening the Children's Museum of Franklin gets closer (audio)

FM #1371 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1371 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with the founders of the Children’s Museum of Franklin; Meg Hagen and Erin Gallagher. 

Meg and Erin fill us in on their Franklin story, the idea for the museum, started as a mobile museum to help build interest and prove the concept would work. They are getting closer to opening their physical space on Cottage St (former Agway building). 

• You hear the excitement mounting as the building nears completion 

• Fundraising is still important, there are many ways to provide financial support 

• There is a free mobile museum scheduled for Patriot Place on Feb 23 from 10 AM to 5 PM

• Opportunities to volunteer will open in a few weeks

 

The show notes contain links to their web page where you can view the architectural renderings of what the museum will look like as well as to contribute.

The recording runs about 38 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Erin & Meg. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1371-update-on-the-childrens-museum-of-franklin-02-04-25/

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Franklin Children’s Museum -> https://www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org/ 

Events -> https://www.childrensmuseumfranklin.org/events 

Prior recording (Jan 2024) 

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2024/01/the-childrens-museum-of-franklin-to.html

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know 

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Erin & Meg share their excitement as the opening the Children's Museum of Franklin gets closer (audio)