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Over 550
guests gathered at The
Glasshouse in Manhattan for
the Children’s
Museum of Manhattan’s (CMOM)
2025 Annual Gala, Giant
Steps
—an evening of celebration and purpose, spotlighting CMOM’s
unwavering commitment to early learning, arts access, and family
enrichment to children across all five boroughs.
The event raised a record-breaking
$5M advancing their mission and in honor of
CMOM’s Founding Board Chair, Laurie M. Tisch,
providing more than 42 years of visionary leadership.
Guests marked
CMOM’s citywide impact and the extraordinary leadership of its
Founding Board Chair Laurie M. Tisch. Her commitment to access
and opportunity has transformed CMOM into one of New York’s most
vital institutions for families, reaching hundreds of thousands
of children from all backgrounds both on-site at the museum and
off-site through programs with schools, shelters, and in the
family, visitation centers on Rikers Island.
“This
event was not just a celebration—it was a declaration,”
said Dava
Schub,
CMOM CEO and Museum Director.
“CMOM
matters deeply to the future of New York City and it’s one
million children under 10 who call it home. To witness such
overwhelming support was deeply affirming.”
Those lending
their own voices in support of the Museum’s impact included Mike
Bezos, Co-Founder
& Chair of the Board of Directors Bezos Family Foundation, Michael
Bloomberg,
Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New
York City; Senator
Cory Booker of
New Jersey; Governor
Wes Moore of
Maryland; Darren
Walker,
President of the Ford Foundation; Eli
Manning,
two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants, Dr. Ruth
Gottesman,
philanthropist and Chair of the Albert Einstein College of
Medicine Board; Alice
Walton,
philanthropist and founder of the Alice L. Walton Foundation; Laurie
Cumbo, Commissioner
of Cultural Affairs for the City of New York; Leornard
Lauder,
Chairman Emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc; Frank
Bennack,
Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO Hearst; and many extended
members of the Tisch Family.
Rich Buery, CEO
of Robin Hood,
spoke to CMOM’s impact and Laurie Tisch’s deep commitment
to equity and opportunity:
“At
Robin Hood, we have the privilege of being able to support the
people who work on behalf of those who have too few champions. I
am proud to have CMOM as a partner in this fight,”
said Buery. “Laurie’s
belief in this work and CMOM’s investment in children will make
our city stronger now and for generations to come.”
The evening’s
auction included standout packages such as Super
Bowl 2026 tickets,
a suite to see Lady
Gaga at
Madison Square Garden, and a coveted dinner reservation at Rao’s. The
Young People’s Chorus of New York City delivered
a show-stopping performance, and stunning décor by Bronson
van Wyck set
the tone for an unforgettable night.
“Every
child in New York City deserves high-quality learning
experiences. Laurie has championed access and opportunity
throughout her life. It was an honor to mark her leadership in
this space alongside so many of the city’s great philanthropic
and civic leaders,”
said Matt
Messinger, Board
Chair, Children’s Museum of Manhattan.
Funds raised
from the event amplifies the totality of CMOM’s mission.
As the Museum prepares for its future
80,000-square-foot home at 96th
Street and Central Park West,
scheduled to open in 2028, this support will ensure CMOM can
continue expanding access to playful, research-driven learning
experiences for all of New York City’s children and families
today.
“Our
children deserve spaces as bold and bright as their
imaginations,” said
Schub. “That’s
what CMOM is building—and none of it would be possible without
Laurie’s vision, leadership, and belief in what’s possible when
a city shows up for its kids.”
Laurie M. Tisch is
President of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, which is
dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for all New
Yorkers and fostering healthy and vibrant communities. Her
philanthropy is rooted in her family’s legacy, extensive board
service, and civic engagement.
Her
decades-long relationship with CMOM began when the Museum was a
small storefront space in the mid-1970s. Under her leadership as
Founding Board Chair, CMOM grew into a national model for
integrating health, culture, education, and the arts for
children and families of all backgrounds. Today, Tisch continues
to lead CMOM’s ambitious capital campaign to fund its new home
on 96th Street and Central Park West — a bold step that will
more than double its capacity and allow the Museum to expand its
outreach to families in shelters, Head Starts, and
correctional facilities citywide.
Ms. Tisch also
serves on the boards of the Aspen Institute Whitney Museum,
Juilliard, and Lincoln Center. She is a co-owner of the New York
Football Giants. She and her daughters Carolyn Tisch Blodgett
and Emily Tisch Sussman are co-owners of Gotham FC.
Recognized for
her philanthropic impact, she has received numerous awards,
including an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University, the Key
to the City of New York, and was twice named as one of Crain’s
New York Business’s 50 Most Powerful Women.
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