Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects A new building for the National Children’s Museum was set to break ground early next year at National Harbor in Oxon Hill. But a lack of funds has kept the $182 million, 150,000-square-foot facility from opening.

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The National Children’s Museum is heralding a planned indoor-outdoor play area at National Harbor to serve more families than its smaller retail location at the Oxon Hill development, but Prince George’s officials are worried the space is a “downgrade” from a planned, permanent facility that hit funding roadblocks.

In January, the museum announced “A Place For Being Me,” an interim space slated to open in spring 2013 that will consist of 75,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space for exhibits and programming, expressing the themes of “play, civic engagement, the environment, the arts, health and well-being and global citizenship.”

But Willard Whitson, vice president of exhibits and programming for the museum, said a factor in the decision to pursue this “transitional space” was lack of funds for the construction of the planned $182 million permanent facility at National Harbor. The outdoor portion of the facility will promote an active lifestyle for children, including a number of play areas such as a “challenge mountain,” an area for toddlers and a “fantasy garden” for nature learning.

At least part of the permanent facility originally was planned to open by the end of 2013, but has been postponed indefinitely.

But Prince George’s County Councilman Obie Patterson (D-Dist. 8) of Fort Washington, whose district includes National Harbor, said he was disappointed to hear about the transitional space and postponement of the new facility’s construction. He called the newly-announced plan a “downgrade,” particularly in light of the $2 million in county funding and $3 million in state funding already allocated to the project.

“We were all excited by the expectation of having this museum down there, but now apparently that’s been put off,” Patterson said.

The newly-announced plan will cost about $7 million, Whitson said. The Washington, D.C.-based organization’s original plans for the museum stalled because of lack of donations and investment for the project because of the tough economic climate, he said.

Whitson said he hopes a combination of the economy improving and showing what kind of exhibits and programming the museum is capable of will spur investment in the project.

The museum was located in the District until 2004, and opened the “launch zone,” a 2,700-square-foot retail space at National Harbor, in spring 2009 to serve children and families until a more permanent facility could be constructed.

“We’re quite confident that we can move forward in the future,” Whitson said. “[The interim space] will greatly enhance our ability to fundraise because of the fact that we will have a large-scale operating museum to demonstrate what we’re doing and the quality of our programming and exhibits that engage families in the region.”

Whitson said some of the money will be going toward the interim space, while the rest will be reserved for the permanent facility.

Patterson said the county needs to keep close tabs on NCM’s fundraising efforts moving foward to ensure plans for a permanent facility do not run into further snags.

“We’re going to have to monitor their progress and also check with some of our folks in the [County Administration Building] to find out where we need to go with this, and how can we continue to support this, if that’s what the position of [County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D)] and the county council is,” Patterson said.

Baker spokesman Scott L. Peterson said the county is “anxious” to see the museum move into a permanent facility at National Harbor.

“However, we do understand these tough economic times requires NCM to take [a] more incremental approach towards (sic) meeting their ultimate goal,” Peterson said in an email to The Gazette. “We remain supportive of this project as it is still an important part of the future of our County and the National Harbor.”

Milton V. Peterson, chairman of National Harbor developer Peterson Cos., and of no relation to Scott Peterson, said in a statement the interim space is “an important step toward their ultimate vision for the NCM and we believe it will be a wonderful addition to National Harbor.”

Peterson declined to comment about NCM’s funding situation.

ewagner@gazette.net