Since her move to Austin in the early ’90s, Lynn Meredith has been a dedicated community member, serving as past president of the Austin Children’s Museum’s (ACM) board and as the honorary chair of the capital campaign that transformed ACM into Thinkery. Lynn has been integral to Thinkery’s journey – from its beginning stages as the Austin Children’s Museum to its evolution into the Thinkery we know today.
Lynn’s journey with Thinkery began with a desire to engage actively in her new community after her move to Austin. After speaking with different nonprofit leaders, she was introduced to Debbie Edward, co-founder of ACM. “I was taken with her vision and her understanding of the Austin community, but most important, her understanding of what was needed to help engage children and to help parents and adults learn alongside the children of Austin.”
After 30 years of growing from a museum without walls, to a brick-and-mortar, then their downtown location, ACM was quickly outgrowing its space, prompting a search for a new home that led them to Mueller. This move was not just geographical but also conceptual, rebranding from a traditional museum to Thinkery – a name that embodies the mission to inspire and equip ALL children to be confident, creative thinkers. Lynn reflects fondly on the excitement of building Thinkery from the ground up, designing innovative spaces like the iconic water exhibit and engaging children and adults alike with interactive exhibits and programs. She also understands the importance of continuous evolution and community engagement, “It’s time to refresh and to dream and to think strategically about what are the needs of our community? What do our families want? What do they need? Where is education going? Where’s learning going?”
There are so many new ways to engage children in learning. So, it’s time right now to stretch our wings, to grow our Thinkery into something that meets the needs and will continue to grow with our community and children.”
Celebrating a decade in its Mueller location, Lynn speaks passionately about Thinkery’s ongoing initiatives of bringing joyful learning experiences to all by expanding our reach to even more communities around Central Texas, starting with our first-ever neighborhood museum, Thinkery – Del Valle. She envisions a future where Thinkery’s influence extends even further, enriching more families with the wonder of hands-on learning.
For Lynn and her family, Thinkery isn’t just a museum, “Thinkery will always be part of our family’s traditions, and we are so grateful to have the opportunity to be part of the Thinkery family.” From visits to Thinkery during the holidays, summers, and being a part of the many programs and activities, Thinkery has been a constant companion in their journey through childhood and beyond.
As we look ahead, Lynn Meredith’s dedication and commitment to fostering a community of curious learners continues to shape Thinkery’s evolution. We are grateful to have Lynn on this Thinkery journey and excited to see what the future holds!