Children’s Museum Houston Awarded $2.5 Million Lilly Endowment Inc. Grant to Launch Initiative Supporting Character Development
Children’s Museum Houston (CMH) is thrilled to announce it has been awarded a $2.5 million grant by Lilly Endowment Inc. to implement new programming that helps families explore character development.
This initiative, set to launch in 2025 and continue through 2029, supports the desires of Houston parents and caregivers to foster the traits of integrity, collaboration, kindness, critical thinking, autonomy, and respect in their children.
- CMH is one of 15 children’s museums nationwide being funded through Lilly Endowment’s initiative Fostering Character Through Children’s Museums, underscoring the Museum’s position as a national leader in advancing children’s learning through family engagement.
- CMH collaborated with community advisors, educators, and families to develop an ambitious plan for embedding character development into every facet of the Museum’s work.
- The Museum crafted a blueprint that will empower children to build character through play, learning, and community engagement.
Over the next five years, we’ll use this funding to bring character-building to life through six dynamic engagement strategies:
- Exhibits as Curated Spaces for Learning
- A Team That Embodies Our Values
- Gallery Programs with Depth
- Outreach into the Community
- Partnerships That Elevate Impact
- Communications That Inspire
This initiative aligns with CMH’s mission to transform communities through innovative child-centered learning that improves the trajectories of all children.
Our commitment to equity means that character-building opportunities will be designed for relevance and accessibility to all children.
With close to 140,000 outreach participants at more than 340 partner locations annually and 35 to 40% of visitors entering the Museum for free, this initiative will meet children and families where they are, engendering a sense of belonging and inspiring learning.