Ten years ago, someone had a dream: What if the Brainerd Lakes Area — one of the most beautiful places in Minnesota to be a kid — had its very own children's museum?

This summer, that dream becomes real.

WonderTrek Children's Museum is in the final stretch of construction on a 9-acre outdoor adventure campus just off Highway 371 near County Road 48 in Baxter — right next to the new Baxter Elementary School. The Outdoor Adventure is on track to open in mid-2026, and it is the kind of place that makes you excited to be a parent in this area.

Think: nature-based play environments. Interactive exhibits that spark curiosity. A 2,400-square-foot indoor-outdoor classroom designed for year-round fun. Four acres of nature play environments where kids ages 12 and under can explore, discover, and get wonderfully, cheerfully dirty.

The vision? A year-round destination where learning and play aren't separate things — they're the same thing.

A Community Built It

Here's what makes WonderTrek different from just another attraction: this museum didn't come from a corporation or a government grant. It came from you.

More than $6 million has already been raised from generous donors, local businesses, and foundations across the Brainerd Lakes Area and beyond. The groundbreaking happened on a sunny July day in 2025, with kids holding tiny shovels in the dirt — a perfect image for a museum about making things and figuring out how the world works.

WonderTrek is now in its final fundraising push — $1 million to go — and every dollar raised brings the opening closer.

One story worth sharing: WonderTrek recently honored Bob Nystrom, a long-time local resident, with a sponsorship spotlight celebrating his family's legacy. His gift is being used to shape the outdoor exploration spaces — a reminder that the people who make this region great are the same people investing in its future.

Why This Matters for the Lakes Area

Here's something you might not know: the Brainerd Lakes Area is one of the last regions in Minnesota without its own children's museum.

Not for long.

When WonderTrek opens, families from Brainerd, Baxter, Nisswa, Pequot Lakes, Crosslake, and every corner of the lakes area will have a place to bring their kids on rainy days, snow days, field trips, and summer afternoons. A place that says: being curious is the best thing you can be.

The museum also has a mobile outreach program — WonderTrek on Wheels — that brings exhibits directly to schools and community events while the main campus is being built.

Support WonderTrek Before It Opens

If you want to be part of making this happen, you still can:

• Donate: wondertrekmuseum.org or through GiveMN
• Follow along: Follow WonderTrek on Facebook for construction updates and opening announcements
• Volunteer/Spread the word: Know a local business that should be a sponsor? Point them to the website.

Mid-2026 can't come fast enough. 🌟