Friday, July 25, 2025



Mermaids can be found at Kid City museum

Artist Ted Esselstyn has been spending his time painting mermaids and creating an underwater world in a basement. The mermaid-themed room of Kid City museum, designed for children four and under, is the first exhibit in the new building and is planned to open by the end of the month.

Located on Washington Street, Kid City was founded in 1995 by Wesleyan alum Jen Alexander ’88. Esselstyn built a number of the exhibits, and now he and Alexander are designing the new addition, which will more than double the size of the museum.

“For me it’s dream work,” Esselstyn said about designing Kid City exhibits. “It’s just a blank canvas.”

The mermaid room, which has small caves, large shells, and murals depicting underwater scenes, is being constructed from a variety of materials, including mosaic tiles, plaster, and paint. According to Esselstyn, the room is designed to appeal to both children and adults.

“We are raising the bar of what a kids museum is,” Esselstyn said.

The mermaid caves are decorated with intricate mosaic artwork. While adding to the fanciful underwater scene, it also catches the eye of the adults who visit the room with their children. Also, some of the mermaids are carrying diaper bags, which show the small details and humor that Esselstyn has included in the designs.

The museum in general is designed for children ten years old and under. Exhibits include “The Ship,” an “Invention Station,” and “Global Music,” which are all interactive, kid-friendly spaces.

“The mission of Kid City Children’s Museum is to celebrate a child’s natural curiosity by offering a downtown hands-on playspace where children come with parents and other significant adults to learn through play,” said the museum’s mission statement on its website.

Both Esselstyn and Alexander commented on how the exhibits have been inspired by their kids, and also from the difficulty they recognize in finding activities to do with children.

“There wouldn’t be a museum if we didn’t have kids,” Alexander said.

The mermaid room will be a space for the youngest children to play. Once the room is completed, Esselstyn and Alexander will begin work on the rest of the addition, which has about 8000 square feet of space, according to Esselstyn.

“It is a safe public place you can play with our kids,” Esselstyn said. “It also allows the community to have a say in what goes into kids’ play.”

Esselstyn graduated from Yale in 1986 and has been interested in art since he was young.

“As a kid I was always the one in the class who could draw Fred Flintstone the best in the class,” Esselstyn said.

After Yale, he said he considered going into medicine like the rest of his family, but first took a carpenter job and began creating artwork using different materials. Now, Esselstyn creates furniture, sculptures, and paintings. He describes his art as eclectic, designing objects that are functional yet artistic.

Esselstyn has done work at local hospitals and libraries. At the Southington Library he designed a seating area in the shape of a large tree for the children’s section and a 20 foot long rotating mobile. Esselstyn also creates pieces out of his home.

“I love doing things for people specifically,” Esselstyn said.

Esselstyn and Alexander met through their kids who went to the same preschool. Alexander is one of a small number of alums who has stayed in Middletown since graduation. The Buttonwood Tree, a concert venue, was also started by a Wesleyan alum.

“A number of women who decided to stay around here have made a tremendous impact,” Esselstyn said. “All it takes is someone with passion to just start it.”

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