Children's Museum of Richmond

Museum experience: cmor is more than a fun place to play indoors and outdoors (though it's definitely that!) - it's an active, involved opportunity for the whole family to grow and learn together. From fundamental concepts to socialization skills, research shows that play has a positive impact on a child's academic performance - and the more often they engage in play at an environment like the one shared at cmor, the more likely they are to find success inside the classroom. In fy23, cmor saw total attendance of 287,833 guests. The Museum continues to rebuild from the devastating effects of the covid-19 pandemic.

Museum shop: the Museum shop carries educational toys, games, art and craft supplies, musical instruments, and hands-on projects that support Children's learning experiences.

Education and outreach: play is a critical element to encourage healthy development in children, fostering skills that will stay with them well into adolescence and adulthood. At cmor, Children's growth is inspired by engaging families in the power of play, knowing that everyone can learn more - and develop more rapidly - when families play together. Our exhibits and experiences fuel Children's problem-solving skills, motor development skills, language skills, spatial skills and coordination, communication and negotiation skills, creative skills, and pre-reading and reading comprehension skills. The Museum facilitated 266 field trips, which consisted of 11,907 students, through in-museum, museum-to-go, and virtual field trips.

Book bank: the cmor book bank distributes books to children from low-income households; in fy23, we distributed 21,162 books, primarily to children for the home libraries. 26% of field trips were free or reduced price through our access for all scholarship program and 368 scholarship memberships donated to families in need. More than 34,600 visitors utilized our museums for all program, which provides discount admission to families who access snap, wic, and/or ebt benefits. A monthly evening for children with disabilities and their families welcomed 1,299 attendees to experience the Museum with lower sensory inputs, a cool-down room, and volunteers from vcu's occupational therapy program. In the lead up to the new school year, cmor helped to prepare families for kindergarten readiness with programs and activities focused on tips for early literacy, social-emotional support, healthy habits, and ways for caregivers to support learning in and out of the classroom. Legendary santa: legendary santa celebrated its 86th season in Richmond (at cmor since 2005), continuing the timeless tradition of visiting santa as he shares stories, memories, and love for all children. During the legendary santa visit, children have the opportunity to visit the holiday village, which explores holidays from six different cultures. In addition to the programming, cmor added a new modular exhibit, build it, which is designed flexibly to go between the locations and out into the community. The community recognized cmor's impact with awards from the best of Virginia 2023 and Richmond times-dispatch top workplaces 2023.