“As a nonprofit, we have to raise a lot of money every year,” said Heffernan. “Buying tickets or becoming members helps us grow our income so we can keep doing great things.” Enjoying the outdoor gardens remains a favorite no-cost OKC experience for residents and visitors alike. “Our exterior gardens are free, and that’s very rare,” said Heffernan. “Most are gated with an admission fee, so the fact that anyone can walk there, bring their family and not have to worry about paying to experience a beautiful garden is a real plus for OKC and for visitors.” A FUTURE SO BRIGHT After the successful completion of major renovations to both the outdoor gardens and the conservatory, Heffernan and her team are now focused on creating even more opportunities for families and individuals to connect with nature in meaningful ways. They hope to achieve that vision by adding more annual events and maintaining the grounds and conservatory as a top-notch botanical garden. “In the Children’s Garden, we would like to look at how we can elevate that,” said Heffernan. “We have had so many families and kids enjoying that space for over a decade. We’d like to look at that area to see how we can make it even better and replace some things that have aged out.” In Heffernan’s 11 years with the Myriad Gardens, she and her team have launched popular annual festivals like Pumpkinville; added
diverse programming like Dancing in the Gardens, a plant sale and concerts; overseen the opening of Park House and the design of the great lawn space and band shell north of the conservatory and revitalized the popular Full Moon bike rides, attracting thousands of repeat visitors throughout the seasons. Plus, the Myriad Gardens’ November tree program, through which the team gives away up to 1,000 trees to residents, is making a lifelong impact in greening the city and educating residents on the importance of conservation through tree planting, pollinators and native plants. “Having beautiful gardens and green spaces — 15 acres in the middle of downtown to relax, walk, take a break or have a place where you can come with your kids — that is priceless in terms of adding to people’s quality of life,” said Heffernan. “I like to think we’ve had a role in encouraging people to come downtown more, adding more vitality and momentum to how downtown has changed in many ways over the past decade.” JOIN THE CELEBRATION! Opening weekend for the new Inasmuch Foundation Crystal Bridge Conservatory is Nov. 18-20. Enjoy special hours Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Each day will include educational programming and activities. Find more details at myriadgardens.org.
Winter at The Cowboy Activities are free for Members or with Museum admission. Available while supplies last.
Kids Take Over The Cowboy Holidays at The Museum December 3 • 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Celebrate the season with photos with Santa and visit Prosperity Junction. Find the elves to earn your own special prize, create Western-inspired holiday crafts and meet Western characters including Teddy Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln and Annie Oakley. Winter Break Activities December 19 – 24 & 26 – 31 • 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Drop by and participate in family friendly activities. Create a different make-and-take craft each day.
1700 Northeast 63rd Street • Oklahoma City, OK 73111 nationalcowboymuseum.org/kids
METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / NOV-DEC 2022 15
Made with FlippingBook - PDF hosting