Miriam P. Brenner Children's Museum

If you want to help the children in your life burn some energy and excitement, now that they are out of school on break, consider taking them to the Brenner Children's Museum downtown on Church Street. It is located directly across from the downtown branch of the public library. The museum will be closed from December 24th- 26 so, today and tomorrow are perfect days. Earlier this year, it was announced that the museum would be named in honor of Myriam P. Brenner, given the $1.25 million dollar donation to the museum from Frank and Nancy Brenner. The name change was effective July 1922. Mrs. Brenner, from Charleston, SC, moved to Winston Salem when she married Abe Brenner in 1947. During her lifetime, Mrs. Brenner was generous volunteering her time and donating money to worthy causes.* She would be honored to know her family donated to the children's museum on her behalf. Modeling philanthropy for the younger generations was important to her.

The above photo, taken at night, does not capture the vibrancy of the museum. However, it does show you the signage with the name change out front. It also shows and the extent to which the exterior has been added to and upgraded. Children have so much fun climbing around outside, weather permitting. When we see a photo like the one above, it reminds of an Edward Hopper painting. He was known for creating  "subdued drama out of commonplace subjects 'layered with a poetic meaning', inviting narrative interpretations" (Wikipedia, Hopper, visited 21 Dec. 2022). Seeing the museum at night evokes that mood for us. It also reminds us that, in Greensboro, the winter solstice is behind us and the hours and minutes of darkness have begun to wane.

Happy day-after-winter-solstice! How will you spend your extra second of daylight?

* read more on Mrs. Brenner  here.

Comments

[William Kendall]

Great contrast against that sky.

There is a children's museum located within our History Museum, where I'm going today. However every time I've gone in the amount of noise has left me with a headache.

[Nollie W Neill Jr]

My family bought a lot of cars out of that building. I bought my first new car there in 1979. Merry Christmas THANKS for all the great photos & post!! - Nollie - Glascock Stove Historian / Collector