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La Nube

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Coordinates: 31°45′33″N 106°29′27″W / 31.75917°N 106.49083°W / 31.75917; -106.49083
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La Nube
Map
EstablishedAugust 10, 2024; 3 months ago (2024-08-10)
Location201 West Main Drive
El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Coordinates31°45′33″N 106°29′27″W / 31.75917°N 106.49083°W / 31.75917; -106.49083
Type
Websitela-nube.org

La Nube (Spanish: [la ˈnu.β̞e], Spanish for 'The Cloud') is a children's museum and science center in Downtown El Paso, Texas, United States. It was funded in part by El Paso bonds in 2012, and after several years of delays, it opened on August 10, 2024. La Nube holds 77,000 square feet (7,200 m2) of floor space and cost $72 million. The museum is divided into nine zones, each focusing on a scientific topic, such as the Anything's Possible Climber, a 50-foot-tall (15 m) climbing structure focused on shapes.

History

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On November 6, 2012, voters in El Paso, Texas, approved $473 million in government bonds for the city to use for quality-of-life initiatives in the community, including parks, libraries, and museums,[1] with 76% of the voters supporting the measure.[2] $19 million of this was set to be used for a children's museum.[3] In January 2016, the city government purchased a Greyhound Lines maintenance facility in Downtown El Paso at 201 West Main Street for $1.27 million as the future site of the museum. Greyhound removed their underground fuel tanks and any asbestos in the building at their own expense. In exchange, the city granted Greyhound a ten-year lease of about 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2) of one of its Sun Metro facilities for $114,409 per year.[4][5] The city also attempted to purchase three surrounding properties, but property owners chose not to sell.[6] In September 2016, the city approved a relationship with the EPC Museum Foundation under the El Paso Community Foundation so the EPC group would manage the development of the museum.[3]

Architecture firms Snøhetta, Koning Eizenberg Architecture, and TEN Arquitectos displayed design proposals for the museum in December 2017, and the community was invited to vote on the designs.[7] That month, the EPC group announced that the budgeted $19 million from the 2012 bonds would be insufficient. They pledged an additional $10 million for the project, saying they would double their pledge if the city would donate another $20 million. This brought the estimated cost of the museum's development to $59 million in an effort to make the finished project "world-class".[3] About half of that amount was slated for the building itself, with the remaining funds to be used to install its exhibits.[8] On July 23, 2018, the city council approved the additional $20 million in funding with a 6–1 vote. The one representative who opposed this, Michiel Noe, did so because he believed other bond projects were as important but not receiving sufficient funding compared to the children's museum.[6] This additional funding was accomplished by an increase in property taxes averaging about $3 per year and set to begin in 2020.[9] This decision faced some criticism from the community, because the taxpayer-funded government was now responsible for twice as much as voters previously approved in 2012.[10]

Design

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In October 2018, Snøhetta was announced as the designer of the museum after winning the public vote. They proposed a building vaulted off the ground to leave space for an interactive garden below.[11][12] Their design incorporated bright and open spaces into a building with over 80,000 square feet (7,400 m2) of floor space. At the time, construction was estimated to begin in early 2019 and conclude in late 2021 or early 2022.[13]

Snøhetta revealed a dramatically remade cloud-shaped design for the museum on October 1, 2020. The new design was 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2) and included four floors with multi-story glass windows,[14] along with additional outdoor exhibits.[15] The Architect's Newspaper described the new design as "a much heavier, solid building topped with an undulating, cloud-like roof profile".[16]

Construction

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On October 1, 2020, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the project, with children participating. While construction had officially begun on the museum, the EPC group announced that the COVID-19 pandemic could negatively impact the completion date.[17] Along with the new design came a new budget totaling approximately $70 million, with the EPC group funding an additional $10 million for the project.[14] The next month, the museum announced plans for eight of its nine exhibition areas,[17] designed by Gyroscope, Inc. in Oakland, California.[18]

The museum invited the community to suggest its new name in January 2021. Stephanie Otero, the vice president of the El Paso Community Foundation, said "We know what the outside of the building is going to look like, we know what the inside of the building is going to look like and what kinds of experiences people are going to have inside that museum. We don't know what to call it." The prize for the winning name was lifetime admission to the museum.[19] After receiving over 600 suggestions, the museum announced on March 23, 2022, that it would be called La Nube, which is Spanish for 'The Cloud'.[20] The name was announced at a ceremony at the El Paso Independent School District's Aoy Elementary School, with attending students receiving free T-shirts promoting La Nube.[21] At this point, the museum was estimated to open in early 2023.[22] An endowment fund was created for La Nube in November 2022, with its first donation being an undisclosed amount.[23]

La Nube caught fire on March 13, 2023, and the irregularly-shaped roof slowed the response of the El Paso Fire Department (EPFD).[24] This prompted concerns from the community regarding the safety of the roof.[24] Two days later, an investigation concluded that the fire was unintentional and started due to common construction methods while construction workers were on the roof. No exhibits were in the building yet, and the water damage from the EPFD's response was found to be more significant than the damage done by the fire itself.[25] Repairs after the fire were completed by July, and the estimated opening was adjusted to 2024.[26]

On April 16, 2024, La Nube announced a final opening date of August 10. Prior to the launch, several "soft launches" were scheduled for staff recruitment and training.[27] Leading up to the opening, the El Paso Chihuahuas wore Star Wars–themed jerseys for their game against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on May 4, auctioning the jerseys after the game and donating the funds to La Nube.[28]

After several years of delays, La Nube opened on August 10[29] with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and public celebration.[30] The celebration included science demonstrations, food trucks, and live performances.[31] The final 77,000-square-foot (7,200 m2) complex cost $72 million, with most of the funds raised through private donations.[32]

Architecture

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La Nube is a four-story building with 77,000 square feet (7,200 m2) of floor space[32] that can hold about 1,200 people.[31] The first floor is wrapped in glass to allow natural light in and show the exhibits to the public. The building also features multi-story arched windows and some smaller circular windows.[33] The roof of the building has four sections, with three curved and one pitched.[15] The museum has three entrances, including one for group visits which can accommodate four buses at one time.[34] One of the main features inside the building is an atrium with an interactive climbing structure spanning all four floors.[14][35]

There are also outdoor spaces for exhibitions, decorated with local plants and natural boulders.[33] They offer trees and misters for cooling and shade.[14]

Exhibits

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La Nube is organized with nine different zones of exhibits, each focusing on a specific science-related topic. Visitors receive RFID wristbands that track their activity and photos from each of the exhibition zones.[36]

Exhibition zones at La Nube
Title Focus Description Sponsorship Notes
Anything's Possible Climber Geometric shapes A 50-foot-tall (15 m) climbing structure with games for visitors to find and learn about shapes[37] $5 million from the Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation[38] The climber complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and features a wheelchair obstacle course on the top floor.[39]
Challenge It Maker space Exhibits where visitors create physical projects, including wood cars and 3D-printed objects[40] $1 million from Richard Castro[41] Challenge It was created by Fab Lab, a company based in El Paso.[36]
Desert Bloom Young children An area intended for children ages 0–3 and their parents with sensory-friendly activities[42] — Desert Bloom is the only age-restricted zone in the museum and also prohibits shoes.[36]
Flow Water Exhibits and activities surrounding water, its uses in society, and its treatment[43] By Marathon Petroleum[43] Flow includes a mock bus washing station in recognition of the original Greyhound facility La Nube is built on.[36]
Fly High Aerospace An interactive paper plane–making exhibit with where visitors can launch creations over a model of the Franklin Mountains[44] $1 million from William and Cita Sanders and the Sanders Foundation[44]
Follow Your Instincts Animals and related careers A zone for children ages 4–7 centered on animals, where visitors pretend to be animals, learn about habitats and environments, or role-play as veterinarians[36] By the Arriola Foundation[45]
Making Waves Sound and waves A series of music- and sound-related activities, with some incorporating programming concepts[46] By the Cardwell Foundation[46]
Our Sky Meteorology Weather-related exhibits where visitors can create model structures to withstand natural disasters, use a weather station, and record a green screen weather broadcast $300,000 from Cliff and Martha Eisenberg[47] La Nube held a digital photo contest for El Paso children to submit photos of clouds to be featured in Our Sky.[48]
Puzzle It Cafe with puzzles A cafe with multilingual puzzle kits available to check out[49] By W. Silver Recycling[49]

La Nube emphasizes inclusivity, with wheelchair accessibility throughout all exhibits and sensory-friendly accommodations.[50] The museum offers about 200 kits available to check out for children with autism, including noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses, a weighted vest, and a chewable necklace.[36]

The museum also features work from local artists throughout the building, including a sculpture by El Paso nonprofit Creative Kids[51] and murals by Christin Apodaca,[52] Gabriel Marquez,[53] and Mitsumasa Overstreet.[50]

Location

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La Nube is located in the arts district of Downtown El Paso in El Paso, Texas. Its address is 201 West Main Drive, at the intersection of West Main Drive and North Santa Fe Street, across from Southwest University Park.[34] It is near Ciudad Juárez across the Mexico–United States border.[33] Because of its proximity to Mexico, La Nube's exhibits are presented with both English and Spanish text to accommodate the El Paso–Juárez community.[16]

Community leaders believe La Nube will positively impact the economy of El Paso, bringing increased tourism and additional businesses to the area.[32]

Admission and membership

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Daily passes for children cost $14 each, and tickets for adults cost $18 each. La Nube gives discounted rates to active-duty military members, their spouses, and adults over 65 years old. Adults entering without accompanying children are subject to a background check.[50] Memberships are generally available for $112 per year for one adult and one child. La Nube also offers "abuelos [grandparents] passes" for $264 per year, which include two adults over 55 years old and four children.[54]

La Nube aims to join Museums for All, an organization which would allow them to provide discounted admission rates to families receiving food assistance.[55]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Bracamontes, Aaron (November 6, 2012). "Propositions 1 and 2: Quality-of-life bonds approved". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  2. ^ Merlin, Lalla (June 5, 2024). "Inclusivity and imagination at La Nube". Blooloop. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Perez, Elida S. (December 14, 2017). "$60M needed for 'world class' children's museum, city's nonprofit partner says". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  4. ^ Perez, Elida S. (January 8, 2016). "City may buy Downtown lot for children's museum". El Paso Times. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Martinez, Jesse (January 12, 2016). "Site approved for Downtown children's museum". KDBC. El Paso, Texas. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Perez, Elida S. (July 27, 2018). "El Paso Children's Museum: What you need to know on the now $60 million project". El Paso Times. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  7. ^ Borunda, Daniel (December 4, 2017). "El Paso children's museum design concepts up for public vote". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  8. ^ Claster, Ashley (December 11, 2017). "Bond money approved for new Children's Museum won't be enough to build it". KDBC. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  9. ^ DeLeon, Gloria (July 23, 2018). "Additional money needed to build $60 million children's museum approved". KDBC. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  10. ^ Dodson, Shelton (January 7, 2020). "Cost of El Paso Children's Museum is triple what voters approved". KDBC. El Paso, Texas. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  11. ^ "International firm tapped for El Paso Children's Museum design". KTSM. El Paso, Texas. October 19, 2018. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  12. ^ Baldwin, Eric (October 19, 2018). "Snøhetta Selected to Design El Paso Children's Museum". ArchDaily. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  13. ^ Ratliff, Laura (December 3, 2018). "Snøhetta's Next Design Will Be a Futuristic Children's Museum in El Paso, Texas". Architectural Digest. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d Cortes Gonzales, Maria (October 1, 2020). "Plans for El Paso Children's Museum unveiled during groundbreaking at Downtown location". El Paso Times. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Gibson, Eleanor (October 5, 2020). "Snøhetta designs barrel-vaulted El Paso Children's Museum". Dezeen. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Hilburg, Jonathan (October 5, 2020). "Snøhetta reveals its El Paso Children's Museum, inspired by geometric shapes". The Architect's Newspaper. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Gaytan, Samuel (November 19, 2020). "El Paso Children's Museum unveils plans for interactive exhibits". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  18. ^ "El Paso Children's Museum kicks off 'Name the Museum' challenge". KTSM. El Paso, Texas. January 25, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  19. ^ Cross, David (January 25, 2021). "El Paso Children's Museum invites community to help name museum". KFOX. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  20. ^ Rodriguez, Alison (April 14, 2022). "New museum 'La Nube' brings curiosity and imagination to Sun City". The Prospector. University of Texas at El Paso. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  21. ^ Richardson, Amaris (March 23, 2022). "Children's museum reveals name: La Nube. 'The cloud we can all go up to.'". El Paso Inc. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  22. ^ Jackson, Anthony (March 23, 2022). "El Paso Children's Museum and Science Center in Downtown to be called La Nube". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  23. ^ "Donation establishes La Nube Endowment Fund". El Paso Inc. November 22, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  24. ^ a b Golden, Lianna (March 14, 2023). "Safety concerns surrounding cloud shape of La Nube children's museum arise after fire". KDBC. El Paso, Texas. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  25. ^ Fischer, Fallon (March 16, 2023). "Cause of fire at La Nube museum in downtown El Paso classified as 'unintentional'". KDBC. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  26. ^ Parra, Ariana (July 25, 2023). "La Nube children's museum in El Paso rebounds after fire, plans for 2024 opening". KFOX. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  27. ^ Pittock, Drew (April 16, 2024). "La Nube, El Paso's long-awaited children's museum, announces grand opening on Aug. 10". KFOX. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  28. ^ Flores, Jocelyn (May 3, 2024). "Chihuahuas' 'Star Wars' jersey to benefit La Nube". KTSM. El Paso, Texas. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  29. ^ Dillman, Isabella (August 10, 2024). "La Nube children's museum opens in El Paso with a celebration of science and music". KDBC. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  30. ^ Luna, Melissa (August 7, 2024). "La Nube to open its doors this Saturday". KTSM. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  31. ^ a b Pittock, Drew (August 6, 2024). "Cloudy with a chance of wonder: La Nube to host grand opening Aug 10". KFOX. El Paso, Texas. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  32. ^ a b c Villa, Pablo (July 7, 2024). "Transforming Downtown: Counting down to La Nube STEAM Center's Aug. 10 opening". El Paso Matters. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  33. ^ a b c Joyner, Sean (October 6, 2020). "Snøhetta unveils playful design for the El Paso Children's Museum". Archinect. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Hours & Directions". La Nube. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  35. ^ "Anything's Possible Climber". La Nube. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  36. ^ a b c d e f Cortes Gonzalez, Maria (April 16, 2024). "La Nube set to open Aug. 10: Sneak peek inside Downtown's latest museum". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  37. ^ Cicala, Paul (August 2, 2024). "Big slide & "climber" at La Nube Children's Museum in downtown El Paso". KVIA. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  38. ^ Kree, Justin (March 30, 2021). "Children's museum will be unique only to El Paso when completed". KFOX. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  39. ^ Jackson, Anthony (March 30, 2021). "El Paso Children's Museum and Science Center get $5 million donation for 4-story climber". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  40. ^ "Challenge It". La Nube. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  41. ^ Barrio, Luis (March 31, 2022). "Castro's $1M donation to sponsor exhibit at La Nube". KTSM. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  42. ^ "Desert Bloom". La Nube. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  43. ^ a b "Flow". La Nube. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  44. ^ a b Cortes Gonzales, Maria (July 23, 2021). "El Paso Children's Museum receives $1 million gift for Fly High kids zone". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  45. ^ "Follow Your Instincts". La Nube. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  46. ^ a b "Making Waves". La Nube. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  47. ^ Esquivel, Erika (December 9, 2021). "Eisenberg family donates money for immersive weather exhibit at El Paso Children's Museum". KFOX. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  48. ^ Lopez, Iris (October 28, 2022). "Your Child's Best Cloud Photo Could Be Displayed in La Nube's "Big Sky" Exhibit". KISS-FM. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  49. ^ a b "Puzzle It". La Nube. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  50. ^ a b c Gaytan, Samuel (August 5, 2024). "El Paso children's museum La Nube offers educational, fun exhibitions in Borderland". LoneStarLive.com. Advance Publications. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  51. ^ Loera, Fabiola (April 6, 2023). "Creative Kids commissioning art sculpture for La Nube science center". KTSM. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  52. ^ Pittock, Drew (December 20, 2023). "El Paso artist Christin Apodaca completes immersive mural at La Nube". KFOX. El Paso, Texas. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  53. ^ Ibave, David (March 28, 2024). "La Nube children's museum in downtown El Paso to unveil new mural by local artist". KFOX. El Paso, Texas. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  54. ^ Paloma, Natassia (July 18, 2024). "La Nube memberships start at $112, cheaper than other Texas children's museums". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  55. ^ "Museums for All". La Nube. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
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