On Tuesday, May 2^nd, the Bronx Children’s Museum (BCM) hosted its inaugural gala at Tribeca Rooftop here in New York City. Founded in 2005, BCM is a unique arts & cultural institution that it is a “museum without walls” but with the passion of the community and its team, many programs have been created for the children of the Bronx while efforts are underway to build a facility. Tuesday night’s gala was created to honor Bronxites and advocates of the arts, and to raise funding for BCM’s new (and first) facility. The Bronx is currently the only borough in NYC without a children’s museum for its youth and their families. Tuesday’s gala helped celebrate and raise funds for a actual building to become a reality, with plans of opening its doors in 2018.

Over the last 12 years, BCM has supported and enriched the lives of nearly 18,000 Bronx residents annually. For example, BCM’s well-known “Museum on the Go Bus” has cruised through the Bronx since 2010, a donation from a couple in Potomac, MD in memory of their daughter Sarah. The bus displays exciting hands on art exhibitions for children. BCM’s programing targets “children from infancy to 9 years of age and their families and caregivers to learn about themselves within the diversity and richness of their surroundings and the world beyond and to become caregivers of the planet.” With over 250,000 children under the age of 9 residing in the Bronx, this institution, its programming and its people, is an essential part of the growth, the creativity and possibilities of our borough.

So, how does this work? This brick-and-mortar development will require the essentials: offices, state of the art technology, exhibition spaces, activity spaces, meeting spaces, accessibility for children and caregivers with special needs, a beautiful aesthetic and large enough to accommodate nearly tens of thousands of human bodies per year.

Let’s hear from Hope Harley, President, Board of Directors of BCM on some of the goals and ‘ingredients’ for this facility:

To date, BCM has raised $7.9 million dollars in New York City funding and $4 million dollars from the State Assembly. Wow! BCM’s inaugural gala not only raised additional funding but its honorees and celebrity presence created some more buzz around the efforts that expand from our local area to possibly the world!

BCM’s gala honorees included Richard Abrons (Co-founder of First Manhattan Co.), Rafael Collado (Entrepreneur and Principal of GetMyBoat and Phacil) and our favorite Bronxite, Kerry Washington (Award-Winning Actress, Producer and Activist). Kerry Washington, whose mother Valerie M. Washington sits on the Board of Directors of BCM, says:

“What you do to a child when you don’t give them what they need in their own community, is you teach that child that they don’t matter. It’s so important that kids know that there is no limit to their potential; that you can do absolutely anything and museums help with that.”

I couldn’t agree more! Coming from a large family who had great childhoods here in the Bronx, witnessing successful Bronxite come back to the neighborhood and making the advancement of our community a priority is inspiring and brings a great sense of pride.

Familiar sightings were more Bronxites including the Bronx Borough President, Rubin Diaz Jr., the evening’s Master of Ceremonies, Sunny Hostin (Co-host of ABC’s Daytime’s morning show, The View), Tracy Morgan (Comedian) and our culture and arts king, Swizz Beatz.

Just like Hope Harley mentioned, “we couldn’t do all of this without the wonderful people, places and things we find here in the Bronx. We want to create a children’s museum that is as unique and special as the Bronx itself.”

The new Bronx Children’s Museum is set to make its mark on the world in 2018 at the POWERHOUSE facility which is an old City-owned, decommissioned powerhouse built originally in 1925 located on public park land on Mill Pond Park on the Harlem River in the South Bronx just steps from Yankee Stadium.

To be a part of making this facility the best it can possibly be, please spread the word and DONATE and let’s show our children how to reach for the stars!

*The opinions and ideas expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the opinions of The Bronx Brand*

Tiffanee Thompson grew up in Twin Parks near the Bronx Zoo, and currently resides in Co-Op City. She loves the passion, attitude and creativity of the people in the Bronx. She wants to do her part in telling the stories of this great borough.

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