CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MANHATTAN TO HOLD ANNUAL GALA
ON OCTOBER 30

Honorees Include Jackie and Mike Bezos & Bezos Family Foundation,
and the late Mark Adkins

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) today announced it will hold its Annual Gala celebrating a year’s worth of joyful environments and programs that promote delight, discovery and learning at the Museum and across New York City on Tuesday, October 30 at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers (Pier 61). Cocktails will begin at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner and an awards presentation at 7:30 pm.

Honorees include Jackie and Mike Bezos and Bezos Family Foundation, who will be presented with theLaurie M. Tisch Award. The Museum will also posthumously honor Mark Adkins.

Proceeds from the evening will help fund the programs and services the Museum delivers to just under 400,000 people each year at its Upper West Side location (212 West 83rd Street) and through outreach programs at schools, libraries, homeless shelters, Head Start Centers and hospitals citywide.

The Laurie M. Tisch Award is presented to an individual or family who exemplify the founding Board Member’s civic spirit, visionary leadership and philanthropic commitment to positive social change. Jackie and Mike Bezos and Bezos Family Foundation will receive the award in recognition of their commitment to helping young people from birth through high school to reach their full potential and make meaningful contributions to society. CMOM will celebrate the Bezos’s commitment to changing young lives through the creation on inspired learning environments and programs including Vroom and Mind in Making.

The Children’s Museum will also honor the memory of Mark Adkins, who served the institution for 10 dedicated years in numerous roles, most recently as Secretary of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Governance Committee. Adkins, who was an inspiration and role model, will be honored for his thoughtful advice, his generous spirit, his unwavering sense of fairness, and his joyful sense of fun.

The gala will also include CMOM’s signature, game-of-chance tombola raffle of 100 wondrous prizes. Tombola will take place during the cocktail hour and every ticket is a guaranteed winner. Participants will enjoy mingling with other guests to trade and show off their winnings. Past prizes have included concert tickets, golf outings, vacation packages, family adventures, food and dining experiences, fashion and accessories, spa services, gym memberships, sports tickets and even private tours!

In 2018, CMOM’s accomplishments have included the opening of “Art, Artists & You,” a groundbreaking new exhibit offering visitors unique opportunities to watch, follow, collaborate with, and take inspiration from contemporary artists as the artists work in studio spaces created especially for the exhibition. The Museum has also expanded its work with New York City agencies, providing health and literacy resources and training to Head Start Centers and homeless shelters.

With funds raised at the gala, CMOM, which last December purchased 361 Central Park West as the site of its future home, is poised to make even greater contributions allowing it to improve the lives of children and families for years to come.

To purchase tickets or learn more about the gala, please visit cmom.org/gala/.

For more information about the Children’s Museum of Museum of Manhattan, please visit www.cmom.org.

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About Children’s Museum of Manhattan

The non-profit Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM) – a citywide resource for children, families, and educators—creates experiences at the intersection of the arts, sciences, and humanities to help children thrive at home, at school, and in the community. Based on West 83^rd Street, the Museum creates hands-on learning environments, programs, and curriculums built on evidence-based early research and the museum sciences. In addition to its commitment to delight and educate visitors, the Museum offers tools and strategies for parents, caregivers, and educators to help children become lifelong learners. Thousands more New Yorkers benefit from the Museum’s offerings through its outreach programs at schools, Head Start centers, homeless shelters, libraries, and hospitals. In 2017, CMOM purchased 361 Central Park West. The new site is expected to open in late 2021. www.cmom.org