NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana Children’s Museum is entering a new phase reflecting not only the evolving needs of New Orleans youth but also a bold reimagining of what a children’s museum can be. Since taking the helm in 2023, CEO Tifferney White has been on a mission to ensure the museum grows alongside the children it serves.
“When I stepped into the role of CEO at the Louisiana Children’s Museum in 2023, I inherited a legacy of deep, meaningful impact,” White said. “For almost 40 years, the museum has been a cornerstone of early childhood learning and exploration in New Orleans.”
But sustaining that legacy, she said, requires listening closely to the people the museum aims to serve.
“From my first day, I knew that for the Louisiana Children’s Museum to remain relevant for the next 40 years, we needed to better understand and meet the current needs of our community,” White said. “So, I started listening.”
White launched a citywide listening tour, gathering input from educators, officials, families and children. What she heard aligned closely with findings in the New Orleans Youth Master Plan.
“One of the things that I heard repeatedly was that children were aging out of the Louisiana Children’s Museum too early,” she said.
That feedback revealed a critical gap in the local landscape. While children’s museums traditionally focus on kids up to age 9, science centers typically pick up from there—but New Orleans lacks such a facility.
“New Orleans doesn’t have a dedicated science center, which leaves a gap that we felt called to fill,” White explained.
That realization led to a fundamental question: Could the museum be more than just a space for early learners?
“Our team began to think, ‘What if the museum didn’t stop at early childhood? What if we reimagined our space as a destination for older children too? What if the museum can be a place where older children could continue to grow and learn?’” White said.
Those questions sparked a strategic vision that is already coming to life. As part of that vision, the museum piloted a Teen Mentoring Program, partnering with Sci High to bring students directly into the planning process.
“We welcomed young leaders from Sci High, who brought energy, creativity and perspective to help us shape the museum’s next chapter,” White said. “Their voices helped inform our vision and they showed us the power of including young people not just as visitors, but as co-creators.”
Community Partnerships
Community partnerships proved essential to the pilot’s success.
“We are deeply grateful to community partners like Sci High, the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families and Kid smART, who helped provide stipends and development opportunities for the teens,” White said. “Their support ensured this program wasn’t just meaningful but also intentional and empowering.”
That support reflects a broader recognition of the role science and mentoring programs can play in shaping future opportunities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 10.7 million STEM jobs in 2023—a number projected to grow to 11.8 million by 2033, more than twice the rate of non-STEM job growth. Research also shows that active STEM learning in middle and high school boosts academic achievement and significantly increases the likelihood of success in high-demand careers.
$2.5 million Grant from Lilly Endowment
That strategic vision is now gaining momentum with major new support from the national Lilly Endowment.
“With a transformative $2.5 million investment from the Lilly Endowment, we are aging up with the expansion of the Teen Mentoring Program and adding an exhibit for tweens called Character Connects Us,” White announced.
The exhibit, designed for children ages 8 to 14, will focus on civic virtues such as service, confidence, and neighborliness.
“It will give tweens a space to reflect, connect and grow as responsible citizens,” she said. “And it will be shaped, in part, by the teens from the new Teen Mentoring Program as passionate, capable collaborators.”
Over the next four years, the Teen Mentoring Program will expand to reach 480 paid participants—each contributing to exhibit design and gaining hands-on experience in the process.
“The Louisiana Children’s Museum is one of just 23 children’s museums nationwide selected by the Lilly Endowment for this kind of funding,” White said. “We are incredibly proud to create this new programming that reflects the full journey of childhood – not just the early years.”
Active STEM learning in middle and high school significantly improves long-term outcomes by boosting academic achievement, increasing college readiness, and raising the likelihood of pursuing and succeeding in high-demand STEM careers.
In her view, the work underway is not just about growing older—it’s about growing better.
“We are not just aging up,” she said. “We are growing deeper, stronger and more connected to the vibrant, diverse voices of New Orleans youth. And we look forward to what’s to come.”
About the Louisiana Children’s Museum
After more than 30 years on Julia Street in downtown New Orleans, the Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM) opened its doors in City Park in 2019. The Museum was meticulously designed to be a social, cultural and learning resource for children and families. Indoors and out, there are tons of hands-on ways to learn literacy, health and wellness, arts and culture, environmental education, and STEM.
“There are a bajillion paths to take through LCM. But the easiest way to plot a course is to choose the exhibits you want to see or the things you want to learn. Walk through the reeds or brush up on your reading. Learn the songs of this city or make your own music. The world is your oyster. Hey, you can learn about those too!”
The Louisiana Children’s Museum is its own 501c3 non-profit managed and operated independent of City Park Conservancy.
