'Sad and unceremonious': Water damage forces early closure of Children's Discovery Museum

The Children's Discovery Museum has been closed months early following significant water damage to its Market Mall location.

Closure of the Market Mall location was already scheduled for the end of December to give staff time to transition to the museum's new home at the former Mendel Art Gallery. A water main break on Sept.4 has forced the museum to close its doors early.

The loss of the space has been bittersweet for the museum's executive director Amanda Reynolds Doran.

"Unfortunately, it's a sad and unceremonious end to something that was full of happy memories for a lot of folks here in Saskatoon and beyond," Doran said on CBC's Saskatoon Morning.

Damage to the space is extensive. Water seeped through several layers of wall material and underneath the carpets. It ruined a hand painted mural of downtown Saskatoon.

Doran said she had hoped to remain in the space but it was determined that restoration could take upwards of three months — past the museum`s moving date. 

Despite the temporary lack of a physical space, Doran emphasized that the Children's Discovery Museum will remain active until it reopens in the spring. 

"We have a ton of really cool programs and we're working hard to find ways to bring those out into the community," Doran said. "While we won't be able to offer the same services — being able to bring your kids to the museum — we can bring the museum to you."