Tuscaloosa’s Children’s Hands-On Museum Announces 2026 Closure to Move Into Saban Center

A long-beloved children's museum in downtown Tuscaloosa will close next year in order to rebrand and move into the Saban Center, which is under construction now a few blocks away.

The Children's Hands-On Museum opened in its current home on University Boulevard in 1988 and has delighted young people - this author included - for the last forty years. On Monday, a spokesperson for the Saban Center announced CHOM will close on August 1st, 2026, to begin relocating.

When they reopen in the $120 million STEM-learning center, CHOM will be called IGNITE going forward.

Although the mission of educating and entertaining children will remain the same, IGNITE will be unrecognizable from CHOM as it is today. It's being described as a state-of-the-art STEAM-based learning environment featuring "maker spaces, digital media labs, and immersive science zones—all built to spark imagination and foster lifelong learning."

Get our free mobile app

Because of the significance of the Museum to so many families, the Monday announcement also kicks off a year-long celebration of CHOM's past and future.

“Since 1986, CHOM has been the iconic place in Tuscaloosa for children to have hands-on experiences, grow, and play," said board chair Liz Obradovich in a press release. "We’ve been given an incredible opportunity to move to the Saban Center and rebrand as IGNITE. It is now time to announce that we will be closing CHOM, and I could not be more excited about our future.”

The Museum was first dreamt by Helene Warner Hibbard and made reality when she partnered with retired educator Frances Alexander to create an early prototype at the University of Alabama's Smith Hall in 1984. Two years later, they moved the concept into its permanent home downtown.

"My mom, Mary Louise Armstrong, loved CHOM and wanted to leave a legacy in my dad’s name, Cliff Armstrong," explained Pat Patton, Past President and Board Member "When CHOM was searching for a new home, she offered to purchase the building to give CHOM a permanent location, and she loved coming to visit and see all the children playing. My grandkids also loved playing and learning at CHOM. We are happy that this has been a wonderful children’s museum for many years."

The museum will remain open for the next year before closing on August 1st, 2026. A celebration event is being planned and will be announced later.

Applications are still being considered for IGNITE's executive director and will be through September 21st.

For more coverage of news about the Saban Center and the send-off for the Children's Hands-On Museum, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.