Annual Spring Gala Celebrates 125 Years of Brooklyn Children’s Museum

On Thursday, June 12, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the world’s first and oldest children’s museum, celebrated 125 years of serving as a community and cultural anchor for young children and families at its annual Spring Gala.

The event brought together more than 400 community, business, and philanthropic leaders who raised more than $600,000 in support of the Museum’s mission to cultivate joyful learning and inspire curiosity in the next generation.

"Tonight’s gala was more than a celebration — it was a powerful demonstration of what we can achieve together. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we’ve raised vital funds to support youth programming that encourages play as one of the most powerful forms of learning and development, champions community, and brings families closer together," said Atiba T. Edwards, President and CEO of Brooklyn Children's Museum.

The event honored Dr. Jocelynne Rainey with the 2025 BCM Champion Award. Dr. Rainey is the President and CEO of Brooklyn Org, an essential community foundation that invests in the capacity of local nonprofits and Brooklynites with a vision for change that originates from the ground up.

“Over the last 125 years, Brooklyn Children’s Museum has become a cornerstone of childhood in our borough. When we invest in this Museum, we’re investing in countless “aha” moments and connections between parents and children, and the sparks of curiosity that grow into lifelong passions.” said Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, Emeritus Board Member of Brooklyn Children’s Museum. “I’m honored, I’m grateful, and I’m ready to keep being a champion for this magical place that has given so much to my family and to our community. Let’s celebrate this milestone!”

Guests at the Museum enjoyed Brooklyn’s best cocktails and food, music by DJ Suga Ray, and performances from Batalá New York and the Sugartone Brass Band.

Funds raised from the gala will help the Museum continue to serve nearly 300,000 children and adults annually, over 30% of whom access BCM programs free of charge.

BCM’s 2025 Spring Gala supporters included:

Hero
Amazon, Goldman Sachs Gives, Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation Social Justice Fund, Tiger Baron Foundation, Ms. Sipi Bhandari and Dr. Ravi Kamble, Amanda and Patrick Nichols, and Larkyn and Jim Sinclair.

Sustainer
ConEdison and Two Trees.

Neighbor
Bloomberg Philanthropies, Cleary Gottlieb, Davis Polk, Hollis Public Affairs, Julie and Larry Kwon, Allison Maritza Lasky, Michael Lasky, George and Anna Sampas, and Ambereen Sleemi and Sean O’Neal

Friend
BrooklynOrg, Clayco, NCheng LLP, Neuberger Berman, Resort World New York City, WilmerHale, Sanam Akhlagh and Morad Masjedi, The Futrell Family, Marvalee and Kwesi Leslie, Dana and Seth Pouwels, Alicia Wang and Humayun Khalid, Freya Zaheer and Whit Bernard, and Barbara and Michael Zimmerman.

Host Committee
A&O Shearman, Adler & Stachenfeld LLP, ARCO, Basu-León Family, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, The Campbell-Metzger Family, The Divoll Family, EG Bowman, Cristin Frodella and Conor Sheridan, Paul Gangsei and Susan Herman, Frederic and Shirley Golen, Grand Street Settlement, Greystar New York, Kastle Systems, Legacy Engineers, Tanya Levy-Odom, Lord Cultural Resources, Alison Maschmeyer and Guy Dorsainvil, Miranda Family Fund, Tristan Nadal, Pointsfive, The Ohashi-Freed Family, David and Janet Offensend, David and Janet Offensend, Brendan Reynolds and Elizabeth Meiers, Lisa Robins and Hervé Pauze, John Sakhleh, Sidley Austin, Schindler Elevator Company, Jessica Schumer, Rashmi Singh and Yan Chow, Studio Joseph, Taliaferro-Riddick Family, Angela Tribelli, Valley Bank, and Alycia and Aaron Zimmerman.

In-Kind Sponsors
Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Grange, Fort Hamilton Distillery, and Open Water.