Letting the Future In

Just outside my office I have a framed quotation by the novelist Graham Greene (1904–1991) taken from The Power and the Glory. It reads: “There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.”

At The Children’s Museum, we open doors to the future every day. We ignite imaginations and sow seeds that will develop into lifelong passions. In fact, it is our mission to “let the future in” by creating extraordinary learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of families and children.

Whether we are teaching compassion and tolerance as in The Power of Children, or the fundamentals of science as in ScienceWorks, the museum’s exhibits shape futures by sparking new interests and encouraging family interactions.

But the museum’s transformative experiences are not limited to exhibits. They include many special programs that we offer for youths, such as our long-standing Museum Apprentice Program (MAP) volunteer program for teens. Christine Marson, assistant director in Mayor Greg Ballard’s Office of Education Innovation, was a member in the 1990s and credits MAP with helping her develop leadership skills.

The museum is committed to opening doors to the future for everyone, including those who for whom admission fees are a barrier. In fact, in 2010 the museum subsidized over $8 million in admission costs, allowing more than 108,000 visits by underserved audiences through free and reduced admission programs, and nearly 75,000 visits by schoolchildren, teachers, and chaperones.

These visits are made possible by contributions to The Children’s Museum Fund, which supports annual operating costs. Please consider children and families throughout our community and region and by contributing to The Children’s Museum Fund.

Thank you,
Jeffrey H. Patchen
President and CEO