March 31, 2006—Philanthropists, diplomats, arts activists and business leaders from both sides of the border have joined together to form a capital campaign committee to assist the Children’s Museum/Museo de los Niños San Diego raise $6.5 million.

According to Carolyn Clark, capital campaign director for the Museum, a $5 million gift from Joan and Irwin Jacobs is allowing construction to start in a matter of weeks on the new 50,000-square-foot Children’s Museum in downtown San Diego. Her new committee’s charge is to assist the Museum in raising the funds necessary to pay off construction loans and to establish a $3 million endowment for the Museum’s future use.

“This is more than just a makeover for the Children’s Museum,” said Kay Wagner, executive director. “We are building a new state-of-the-art facility and expanding our programming in the biggest transformation of the Museum’s history. We are reshaping the role and identity of the Museum as a premier family attraction and community resource and we are honored to have these pillars of our community share our commitment.”

Capital campaign committee members include Luis Cabrera, counsel general of Mexico in San Diego; Patti Cooprider, artist and arts activist; Salvatore Giametta, vice president of public affairs and communications for the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau; Jeanne Jones, author, culinary consultant and syndicated columnist; Jessie Knight, president of San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Karen McElliott, community activist.

Also, Linda Caballero-Merritt, president of the San Diego Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Pedro Ochoa, cultural attaché for Mexican Consulate in San Diego; Jeanne Roth, community leader; Ted Roth, president and COO of the Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp.; Susie Spanos, community leader, and Annemarie Tanner, financial consultant and corporate financier.

The Children’s Museum/Museo de los Niños San Diego is a cultural and educational institution with a quarter-century history of hands-on, arts-based programs for children and their families. It has been cited nationally for its emphasis on the arts and its challenging and problem-solving activities that develop critical thinking skills among children.

Located in the heart of the Marina District in downtown San Diego, just blocks from Petco Park, Horton Plaza, the Gaslamp Quarter, and the Convention Center, the new Museum will be an integral part of downtown’s revitalization, according to Wagner.

The new Museum at 200 West Island Avenue will include art galleries, theatrical spaces, a toddler area, a revolving artist-in-residence space, clay, painting and mixed-media studios, as well as a computer animation studio and party rooms. In addition to public spaces, the Museum facility will house the Museum School, administrative offices and an exhibit workshop. And the adjacent Museum Park will bring the artists’ works to the outdoors.