A Hall County museum for children is ready to hold what it is calling a soft opening for its new location in Oakwood this coming week.
Interative Neighborhood for Kids, or "INK," recently closed its location in Gainesville in preparation for the construction of a new location in downtown Oakwood. The plans for the move were announced in 2021.
Executive Director for INK, Charlie Bramwell, said it has been exciting to see the new facility come to life.
"Our former location was about 20,000 square foot, and we've had so much community support and so many guests over the years, I mean, last year alone, we had over 72,000 guests, so we're outgrowing our old square footage," Bramwell said. "It's a fabulout place."
The new location is on Main Street in Oakwood, across from Oakwood City Hall. Bramwell said while the entire facility is not yet complete, there is enough in place to let the first guests in on Thursday, August 28.
"We're still working with different exhibitors...We have about 12 exhibits up, we still have about 10 more to go," Bramwell said. "Once you see what we already have in place, I think everyone's going to be really thrilled."
The Thursday soft opening will be normal operating hours from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with an admission rate of $12 per person, with children under the age of two admitted for free. Bramwell said a full grand opening is planned for a later date.
In addition to the added space, Bramwell said the location in Oakwood is expected to be an advantageous one for the museum.
"It's really easy to get to from I-985, the department of transportation is putting up signs out on 985 coming from both directions, so if you come from the Atlanta metro area, or come from up north...you'll see it," Bramwell said.
INK is a children's museum that features interactive exhibits for kids designed to allow them to "learn while playing." More details on the museum can be found on its website.
