Only a bit more than $18.5 million had been committed to themuseum's capital campaign by the end of June, but museum boardmember Bill Bynum, CEO of Jackson-based Enterprise Corp. of theDelta and Hope Community Credit Union, says the organization hasenough money to start work on the 43,000-sf project at 2140Riverside Dr. in LeFleur's Bluff State Park. Completion is plannedfor early 2010.

"We are still hard at work as we continue to raise the remaining$6 million," Bynum says. "The vision for the museum began more than10 years ago and we have made tremendous strides. We will continuethat momentum as we break ground next month, begin the constructionprocess and reach our financial goals." The Junior League ofJackson is spearheading the fund-raising effort.

The museum's executive director, Susan Garrard, says shebelieves the project will be one of the best children's museums inthe world. According to the Association of Children's Museums inWashington, DC, there are 341 children's museums in 23 countries.The organization says about one quarter of them are still instartup.