A love of learning, fueled with play, is at the core of KidsQuest Children’s Museum.
The architecture, exhibits and landscape at KidsQuest Children’s Museum are firmly rooted in the Pacific Northwest. The museum’s success has led it to contemplate its third incarnation—a new building that will provide visitors and staff with 39,000 SF indoors and 8,000 SF outdoors. Design and planning began in 2024! FRAME will collaborate with SRM Development, Urbal Architecture and MxM Landscape Architecture to bring KidsQuest 3.0 to fruition.
BELLEVUE, WA
While the galleries share a consistent palette of colors and materials, each exhibit shines in its own unique way. Kids from birth to eleven—and their adults—find activities that suit their age, learning style, skills and interests. Excellent programs are featured throughout the museum, where staff build on the framework provided by the exhibits to engage visitors.
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Client: KidsQuest Children’s Museum
Size:
Expansion Project: 39,000 SF indoors with 8,000 SF outdoors on a mixed use campus
13,500 SF Museum, 1.5 acre Site (Current Museum);
9,500 SF (previous museum in Factoria);
Completion:
Expansion Project—opening 2027
Current Museum opened 2017
Previous site opened 2005 -
Expansion Planning 2024 and beyond: FRAME with JREMco and MxM Landscape Architects
Current museum:
Architecture and Exhibit Design by Alissa and her design team, while with The Portico Group (now MIG).
Prime Architect, Landscape Architect and Exhibit Designer: The Portico Group (now MIG)
Exhibit Fabrication: Turner Exhibits, Dillon Works! and Pacific Studio
General Contractor: GLY Construction
Alissa’s role: Principal in Charge, Architect
Photos by Lisa Merrill, Alissa Rupp
“Alissa kept visitor experience, fundraising, schedule and programming in mind throughout the project, never forgetting that learning through play was at the heart of our mission. She led the design process, and set us up for success. She has been a go-to person for our team from day one.”
~ Putter Bert, CEO, KidsQuest Children’s Museum