Stay in the Loop!
2005-2025
Celebrating 20 Years of Play
The Children's Museum of the East End (CMEE) began as a simple idea. Eight mothers sat around a kitchen table and dreamt of a place where children could learn through play. 20 years later, CMEE is a beloved local institution, realizing its mission to spark imagination and foster learning for children of all backgrounds and abilities.
As we celebrate 20 years in our home and envision our future, it is time for us to update and modernize the Museum to reflect the experience of children in our community today. We have served one generation of children; now we need to meet the needs of the next generation and their families.
Made possible by the generosity of our valued donors, CMEE proudly unveiled its brand new exterior exhibit to the East End community in June of this year; the first of many exciting changes to come!
Play Your Part
Join us as we embark on a journey to ensure the future of the Children's Museum of the East End.
This is an invitation to grow with us. Together, we can show the world that educating our children and providing for their families are one and the same: an investment in the future.
New Outdoor Exhibition and Play Space
June 2025 marked the opening of CMEE’s new playground through the generous support of key leadership gifts and community partners. To execute the project, CMEE engaged award-winning playground design firm SPEC Play, landscape architects LaGuardia Design Group and Hampton Yards landscaping team to transform CMEE’s backyard into a marquee destination on the East End. The 10,000 square foot space features climbing, swinging and spinning areas as well as sand play and a playful forest.
CMEE chose the world-renowned Berliner playground equipment, a unique and specialized range of timeless metal and rope play structures designed with high quality stainless steel and steel-cored rope. Children can play according to their abilities, these pieces are among the most exciting, creative and challenging play equipment available on today’s market.
Our Partners
As landscape architects, we are often tasked with thoughtfully placing buildings and structures to minimize their impact on the surrounding environment. Our role with planning the new playground was no different. CMEE's site presented a unique challenge given its sloping terrain and sensitive woodland edges. Working with SPEC and Studio Ludo, we designed the play area surface to step naturally with the land, using locally sourced boulders and large shade trees to define the separate play spaces. The disturbed areas are all to be re-vegetated with native plant species, blurring the line between the new playground and its natural boundaries. Once completed, the space will create a strong visual and tangible connection with nature- something that the property has in abundance. - Dan Thorp, LaGuardia Design Group
“We have the opportunity today to create a CMEE that will nurture this and the next generation of our community’s children and families. I’m proud to support this campaign and hope you will join me."
Christie Jacobs, CMEE’s Campaign Co-Chair
"We have always found fulfillment in giving back in meaningful ways. Supporting this exciting new playground installation at CMEE is an opportunity for us to contribute to a space that will bring joy, creativity, and learning to local families for years to come. Investing in our community’s future, especially it's children, is something we take great pride in, and we’re honored to be a part of this special project."
Kristin and Aaron Marchese, Hampton Yards
