More than 400 supporters gathered at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum earlier this month, pooling together $640,000 to support the institution’s educational programs and free admission initiatives.

Proceeds from the museum’s annual Spring Gala on June 11 will fund exhibits, cultural festivals and hands-on learning programs, as well as its Community Access initiative, which allowed nearly half of visitors this year to attend free of charge, according to museum officials.

“Tonight’s gala was a celebration of what’s possible when a commun
Ed Odom, Tanya Levy-Odom and Atiba T. Edwards attend the Brooklyn Children’s Museum Spring Gala, where supporters gathered to raise funds for the museum’s educational programs and Community Access initiative.

ity believes in its children,” said Atiba T. Edwards, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.

“BCM has been a place where curiosity is sparked, identity is celebrated, and every family is welcomed through the door to cultivate joyful learning,” Edwards said. “The support raised tonight is what makes that possible.”

Edwards said the funding will help ensure the Crown Heights museum remains accessible to families across Brooklyn.

“Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we are ensuring that BCM remains accessible to every family,” he said. “Support raised tonight helps us continue creating a space where all families can learn and play, see their culture celebrated, and experience belonging.”

Guests color in a Brooklyn Children’s Museum mural during the Spring Gala.Kenzi Hajar/BFA.com

The gala also honored Bobye List with the museum’s 2026 BCM Champion Award. List, a former executive director of the museum who served from 1995 to 1997 and an emeritus board member, has spent more than five decades working in nonprofit leadership, most recently serving as the executive director of the Emily Davie and Joseph S. Kornfeld Foundation.

“Here’s to the future of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum,” List said. “You were the first children’s museum in the world, and you will always be setting the bar for educating children with excellence and excitement for all!”

Performers take the stage at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum Spring Gala.Kenzi Hajar/BFA.com

Guests enjoyed food and cocktails from local vendors, music by DJ Suga Ray and performances by Sesame Flyers, a Brooklyn-based Caribbean youth organization, and the New York Liberty’s Timeless Torches dance team.

Founded in 1899, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum was the world’s first children’s museum. Today, the Crown Heights institution serves about 300,000 children and caregivers annually through exhibits and programs focused on the arts, science and world cultures.