Thanks to a newly awarded $2.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the Children’s Museum of Atlanta begins work on a multi-dimensional project that empowers young children and their caregivers to discover, explore and strengthen key character strengths—including compassion, neighborliness, perseverance, curiosity and critical thinking—inside and outside the Museum walls.
According to a press release, this grant is funded through Fostering Character Through Children’s Museums, a Lilly Endowment initiative designed to help children’s museums develop new or expand existing efforts that explore and encourage the development of positive character traits among children and youth.
“This generous support from Lilly Endowment is a game-changer,” said the Museum’s Executive Director Edwin Link in the press release. “It’s an opportunity to not only expand what we do already, but to reimagine how children’s innate character strengths can flourish through joy, play and connection—ultimately impacting future generations for years to come.”
A central feature of the plan is an immersive exhibit built around a 22-foot-tall friendly robot, collaboratively constructed by children and their caregivers. Designed to promote multisensory learning and encourage dialogue between children and adults.
The exhibit will let families explore their character strengths in an immersive play environment, workshops will give caregivers more tools and allow families to practice their strengths with facilitated support and the digital resources empowers caregivers to keep the learning going at home.
The Museum is one of 23 children’s museums nationally to receive funding through Lilly Endowment’s Fostering Character Through Children’s Museums initiative.
“Children’s museums are places where children of all ages can learn informally, discovering new ideas through play, multi-sensory experiences and self-expression,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education and youth programs. “We are excited to see how the museums funded through this initiative will help children and their families to explore various character traits and reflect together on ways these traits can be practiced and strengthened.”
