The New Children’s Museum

What they do & why we invested

The New Children’s Museum’s (NCM) mission is to stimulate imagination, creativity, and critical thinking in children and families through engaging experiences with contemporary art. The NCM has large interactive art installations and workshops for children of all ages that create an engaging space for children to learn through art. Traditionally, the NCM offers multiple programs to make the museum accessible to all families, including those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and with special needs. Additionally, the NCM has multiple partnerships that increase access to their museum and programs, including no-cost visits for Title I schools and low-income families.

Since closing in March due to the pandemic, The New Children’s Museum has faced a significant loss of revenue. In addition, the museum has had to lay off over half of its employees due to the sudden halt in revenue. All remaining employees took a 10% to 50% pay cut. To adapt to COVID-19, the museum pivoted to provide enhanced services and creative, engaging content through online programming. The museum also began developing and distributing instructions and materials necessary for age-appropriate educational Think Play Create learning kits that provide the opportunity for non-virtual engagement and active participation in the arts.