Children's Museums Mobilize to Serve Children and Families during COVID-19

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Children's museums around the world are offering programs to support their communities during the COVID-19 crisis. Through its Museums Mobilize initiative, the Association of Children's Museums (ACM) has documented 167 programs in service to children and families from 78 children's museums in 34 states and four countries.

"Most children's museums closed their buildings in March 2020, and only just over half are currently open to physical visits by the public," said ACM Executive Director Laura Huerta Migus. "For the past year, children's museums have created and transformed their work to continue to support children and families, in the face of unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

An analysis of Museums Mobilize programming shows key trends among the programs offered, including partnerships with schools to provide space for students' in-person, hybrid, or virtual learning; webinar series to provide guidance for parenting during the pandemic; activity kits to help close the digital divide; and more. Sixty-four percent of these programs include philanthropic partnerships, and 53% involve community partnerships.

In an upcoming webinar on March 4 at 2:00 p.m. ET, ACM will highlight specific children's museum efforts, united by the theme of addressing food insecurity during the pandemic. Leaders from Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, Mid-Hudson Children's Museum, and the Children's Museum of the East End will share how they are exploring activity kits, a local farmer's market, and a food pantry as innovative strategies to support their communities. Register here.

ACM is collecting and sharing Museums Mobilize stories with the hashtag #MuseumsMobilize. View the Museums Mobilize dashboard with key stats at ChildrensMuseums.org/Museums-Mobilize.

Media Contact

Alison Howard, Association of Children's Museums, 703.224.3100 x102, [email protected]

SOURCE Association of Children's Museums