The entry zone is going to be anchored by three existing buildings. On the south end, the guest services building will continue to be the gateway into the Wonder Gardens. The interior of the building will be completely upgraded after suffering significant damage caused by Hurricane Ian in the fall of 2022.
Ticketing, gift shop, grab and go refreshments, and staff offices will stay in the building, while the museum is slated to be relocated to Grandma’s House as one of the key attractions.
The Old Café at the north end of the zone is proposed to be renovated as the Education Center for the Wonder Gardens. The intent is to expand and grow the education programs. Renovating the Old Café is critical to create the space needed for staff and the children participating in the programs offered by the Wonder Gardens. The plan is to use the Education Center as the home base but also take full advantage of new and existing exhibits and interior and exterior spaces.
Grandma’s House is located near the Old Café building and is currently used as a storage building. We propose to completely restore the building to house the museum. The intent is to add a porch, a ramp, and upgrade the area around the building. The current boma fence between the Entry Building and Grandma’s House will be removed and replaced with an open picket ornamental fence located near the visitor walkway. This fence will match the style and color of the fence on the south side of the Entry Building. This will provide more usable space on the inside and eliminate dead space on the outside. Grandma’s House and the area south of the building is designed to be an after hours event area. Stand alone space or part of a larger event cluster near the Entry Building. This area will give the Wonder Gardens new flexibility to host a variety of small and large functions.
After the Barn has been demolished, the intent is to develop the area west of Grandma’s House as a Play and Discovery zone. This area will further enhance the educational opportunities at the Wonder Gardens.
