 In its first 10 years of operation, the museum received two million visits.The museum underwent a $17 million renovation in 2010, which closed Stepping Stones from August 17 to late November (with a "grand reopening" on November 20) and resulted in a expansion, roughly doubling the indoor space of the facility.The project, designed by Beinfield Architecture, enhanced the Museum with a naturally energy-efficient work environment, recycled and locally sourced materials, a forty-foot screen multi-media theatre and communication facility, an interior telescope for viewing rooftop plant and animal life, and three garden “follies” utilizing solar, wind and water energy.