ROCHESTER, Minn. - Kids and families celebrated the start of 2020 early with the Minnesota Children Museum of Rochester's annual Noon-Year's Eve ball drop.

Hundreds of people turned out at the Apache Mall to ring in 2020. There was a make your own party hat station, write down your New Year's resolution spot and, for the first time, the event had a magician perform for kids and their families.

Linda Bonow says she came with two of her grandchildren for the event. She says, "If you can have a ball drop at noon with children there's nothing better!"

The museum hosted the event near its new location just down the hallway from J.C. Penny. Museum Director Beth Sherden says the facility which will be renamed "Spark" is set to open next summer. 

Sherden says the venue will include a variety of new exhibits in the larger location.

"We're looking forward to having more space. We're looking forward to having many more visitors, and looking forward to having many new exhibits including a climber, an international bazaar and a water play area," explained Sherden.

However, Tuesday event was truly about bringing together the community and looking forward to the future.

"We really feel it's an opportunity for families to come in and celebrate, get some time together, celebrate brining in the new year together and just really have a good time," said Sherden.

Bonow added, "We are so excited about Spark and the children's museum. There's great people here, there's great energy. We couldn't be happier."

The museum's Broadway Avenue location closes on February 16th. Sherden does say there will be pop-up events for the community to participate in until the new site officially opens.