“It doesn’t get much better than this, folks,” said Mark Lyman, president of the Magic City Discovery Center board, during a press conference. “750,000 is just amazing.”

The Magic City Discovery Center is in the early stages of raising $7 million for the new children’s museum, which will be located on Minot Park District land on North Hill, according to a press release. A temporary museum has been housed during the winter at the Dakota Territory Air Museum. The permanent building will be 20,000 square feet and will feature four to five exhibit galleries of varying sizes.

The Magic Climber will be a “signature and unique multi-story climbing experience for visitors of all ages,” according to the press release. There will be stops along the way for kids to explore science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

“We think it’s going to be one of the coolest and most used portions of our children’s museum,” said Lyman during the press conference on Wednesday.

Andrea Johnson/MDN Confetti was released during a press conference Wednesday at which it was announced that the Minot Area Community Foundation has awarded a $750,000 grant to the Magic City Discovery Center for its new children’s museum.

Children were present at the big reveal and balloons filled with confetti were released into the air.

Cassidy Hjelmstad, mother of 3 1/2 year old Thomas, and Jamie Rennich, mother of 4-year-old Audrey Portillo, both said they plan to bring their children to the museum when it is completed.

“It’s going to be awesome,” said Hjelmstad.

Ken Kitzman, president of the Minot Area Community Foundation Board, said the $750,000 donation is the largest grant the foundation has ever made. Over 18 years, he said the foundation has distributed more than $16.2 million.

The Minot Area Community Foundation also plans to set up funding for a museum endowment. Lyman said the Magic City Discovery Board is humbled and excited to receive such a generous donation from the foundation.