NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM) capped a productive 2025 with expanded health, education and youth-focused initiatives that reinforce its role as a community anchor for families across Greater New Orleans.
Aging Up: Expanding Programs for Older Youth
The past year marked a significant expansion of programming for older youth. Through a multi-year, $2.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., awarded as part of the Fostering Character Through Children’s Museums initiative, the institution is formally “aging up” its offerings.
That effort has already launched a Teen Mentoring Program expected to serve nearly 500 youth, with the museum recently marking the graduation of its first teen cohort. Planning is also underway for a new 800-square-foot exhibit designed specifically for children ages 8 to 14.
Education and workforce experts increasingly point to early adolescence as a critical window for developing the skills that shape long-term employment outcomes, including communication, problem-solving, teamwork and decision-making.
Programs that engage youth between ages 8 and 14 have been shown to strengthen persistence, social-emotional learning and exposure to career pathways which are all factors employers and educators cite as foundational to future workforce readiness. By expanding programming for teens and “tweens,” LCM is positioning its youth initiatives as part of the broader talent-development pipeline that supports regional economic resilience.
Expanding Health Support
LCM also entered into an exclusive healthcare partnership with Manning Family Children’s as part of a broader effort to expand health and wellness programming for children and families across the region.
The collaboration has integrated healthcare services and expertise into the museum’s campus during special events and its Helis Foundation Art for All Days, which offer free, community-focused access to museum programming.
Through the partnership, families have been able to access immunizations, health screenings and gun safety resources, along with parenting education through the museum’s Parenting Center and mental health care coordination via ThriveKids.
“From launching new health resources to securing a first-of-its-kind character education grant for teens, we have continued to deliver on our legacy of nurturing the minds and bodies of children across our region,” said Tifferney White, CEO of the Louisiana Children’s Museum.
Signature and Community Programming
Beyond its health and youth-development initiatives, the museum continues to expand its slate of community-facing programs throughout 2025.
Recent programming has included MEOWseum Discovery Days tied to Gabby’s Dollhouse, sustainability-focused activities during Environmental Rescue with characters from PAW Patrol, sponsored by Cox Communications, and Earn & Learn, a financial literacy day supported by the Louisiana Society of CPAs and a private donor. Signature events such as Mud Fest, Kindergarten Kickoff and Noon Year’s Eve also returned during the year.
As the museum looks ahead, White said 2026 will mark a milestone moment for the institution.
“Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the Louisiana Children’s Museum,” White said. “We can’t wait to celebrate four decades of exploration, learning and memories as we continue our mission of serving Louisiana’s families.”
About Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM)
The Louisiana Children’s Museum is a nonprofit organization that is known for its work in the community through innovative outreach and nationally recognized programs that support children and advance the museum’s mission to engage children’s potential and make that potential visible.
At the national level, the Louisiana Children’s Museum is part of the U.S. children’s museum field through its involvement with the Association of Children’s Museums, which connects institutions across the country around research, accreditation standards, exhibit development and best practices in early learning and family engagement. That participation allows LCM to benchmark its programs against peer museums nationally while tailoring its approach to the needs of Greater New Orleans families.
