Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert initial March rollout features spring break camps

The Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert in Rancho Mirage has announced a phased rollout on March 25 with two weeks of spring break camps.

The next phase is set for mid-April with the installation of some of the 40 new custom exhibits, followed by the arrival and installation of additional exhibits in early June.

Specialty exhibits for the toddler area (Discover) and the sensory-friendly area (Dream) will be open to the public on July 1.

Throughout the museum's reimagination, CEO Cindy Burreson has stressed their commitment to increased accessibility. Grant money they've received so far has been used to purchase new equipment, including adaptive trikes for the trike track, accessible lunch table, adaptive sandbox digger, accessible san table, and automatic doors.

When fully reopened, the museum will be a certified autism center and progress has been made on its sensory room. The space will feature sensory bags that will include headphones, sunglasses, fidget toys, and VIP badges for children who need them. All of the staff will also be trained in sensory sensitivity awareness.

Fundraising efforts are still underway with the focus on the Color Our Courtyard fundraiser. Donors who invest $15,000 will have the name of their business or family on a crayon surrounding the museum's courtyard for 4 years. The deadline to be included in the grand opening is April 19.

Watch News Channel 3 at 6:00 p.m. tonight for the full report.