— Faced with closing its doors because the money was running out, the Boca Raton Children’s Museum has gotten a lifeline from the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers.

Florence Fuller, which provides affordable day care and early childhood education in Boca and its western suburbs, will receive $50,000 from the city to get the museum — an independent nonprofit organization — through the transition. After that, Florence Fuller will take over day-to-day operation of the museum, Florida’s oldest children’s museum.

Ellyn Okrent, executive director of Florence Fuller, who will be leading both organizations, said the Boca Raton Children’s Museum needs about $83,000 to get through the next few months and refresh some of the exhibits.

“What is at the museum has been there forever,” she said. “We really need to do some new, fresh things so the community is excited about coming back.”

The $5-per-child admission to the museum might also need to be raised, Okrent said. It might go as high as $10 per child, she said. The museum’s lease requires that the city be notified when the price of admission increases.

“I promise we won’t raise the admission to $10 until people want to pay $10,” she said.

Florence Fuller will also be reaching out to the Boca Raton Historical Society & Museum to help, Okrent said. Part of the museum is housed in Singing Pines, which at 101 years old, is the city’s oldest building.

The 34-year-old museum is dedicated to art, history, science and old-fashioned fun, tailored to engage the youngest ones.

But it’s hit hard times recently.

Earlier this year, the Boca Raton Children Museum’s leadership asked the City Council for a commitment of $150,000 a year to keep the museum going. City officials had considered taking over the operation, but they couldn’t foot the $150,000 bill. That would have meant slashing educational programs.

The latest arrangement appeared to please Council members.

“We’re so thrilled to see Florence Fuller step forward and want to take over this initiative,” said Mayor Susan Haynie.

The Boca Raton Children’s Museum has been a partner with the city — it’s located on city-owned property and the city maintains the grounds. But decreasing state and county funding and other revenue problems have clouded the future of the museum.

The Council immediately agreed to commit the $50,000 Florence Fuller’s leadership asked for at a recent city workshop. A formal vote is expected shortly.

“This is a modest amount,” Councilman Robert Weinroth said. “And we have what we didn’t have before which is a plan to move the children’s museum forward.”

Penny Morey, chairwoman of the Boca Raton Children’s Museum board, said that she anticipates the museum’s absorption into Florence Fuller will go smoothly.

“Everyone is getting what they need from it,” Morey said. “Whenever you have a merger like this, new life is breathed into the organization.”

, 561-243-6624 or Twitter @AnneBoca