Children’s Museum Of Manhattan’s Giant Steps Gala Honored Founding Board Chair Laurie M. Tisch  

On Thursday, April 24, over 550 guests gathered at The Glasshouse in Manhattan for the Children’s Museum of Manhattan’s 2025 Annual Gala, Giant Steps. The evening spotlighted CMOM’s commitment to early learning, arts access, and family enrichment for children across all five boroughs. The event raised a record-breaking $5 million and honored CMOM’s Founding Board Chair, Laurie M. Tisch.

Tisch’s commitment to access and opportunity has transformed CMOM into one of New York’s most vital institutions for families, reaching hundreds of thousands of children from all backgrounds, both on-site at the museum and off-site through programs with schools, shelters, and in the family visitation centers on Rikers Island.

“This event was not just a celebration—it was a declaration,” said Dava Schub, CMOM CEO and Museum Director. “CMOM matters deeply to the future of New York City and its one million children under 10 who call it home. To witness such overwhelming support was deeply affirming.”

Those lending their own voices in support of the Museum’s impact included Mike Bezos, Co-Founder & Chair of the Board of Directors Bezos Family Foundation, Michael Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New York City; Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey; Governor Wes Moore of Maryland; Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation; Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants, Dr. Ruth Gottesman, philanthropist and Chair of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Board; Alice Walton, philanthropist and founder of the Alice L. Walton Foundation; Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the City of New York; Leornard Lauder, Chairman Emeritus of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc; Frank Bennack, Executive Vice Chairman & Former CEO Hearst; and many extended members of the Tisch Family.

Rich Buery, CEO of Robin Hood, spoke to CMOM’s impact and Laurie Tisch’s commitment to equity and opportunity. “At Robin Hood, we have the privilege of being able to support the people who work on behalf of those who have too few champions. I am proud to have CMOM as a partner in this fight,” said Buery. “Laurie’s belief in this work and CMOM’s investment in children will make our city stronger now and for generations to come.”

The evening’s auction included packages such as Super Bowl 2026 tickets, a suite to see Lady Gaga at Madison Square Garden, and a coveted dinner reservation at Rao’s. The Young People’s Chorus of New York City delivered a performance, and the décor by Bronson van Wyck set the tone for the night.

“Every child in New York City deserves high-quality learning experiences. Laurie has championed access and opportunity throughout her life. It was an honor to mark her leadership in this space alongside so many of the city’s great philanthropic and civic leaders,” said Matt Messinger, Board Chair, Children’s Museum of Manhattan.

Funds raised from the event amplify CMOM’s mission. As the Museum prepares for its future 80,000-square-foot home at 96th Street and Central Park West, scheduled to open in 2028, this support will ensure CMOM can continue expanding access to playful, research-driven learning experiences for New York City’s children and families.

“Our children deserve spaces as bold and bright as their imaginations,” said Schub. “That’s what CMOM is building—and none of it would be possible without Laurie’s vision, leadership, and belief in what’s possible when a city shows up for its kids.”

Laurie M. Tisch is President of the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, which is dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for all New Yorkers and fostering healthy and vibrant communities. Her decades-long relationship with CMOM began when the Museum was a small storefront space in the mid-1970s. Under her leadership as Founding Board Chair, CMOM became a national model for integrating health, culture, education, and the arts for children and families. Today, Tisch continues to lead CMOM’s capital campaign to fund its new home on 96th Street and Central Park West — a step that will more than double its capacity and allow the Museum to expand its outreach to families in shelters, Head Starts, and correctional facilities citywide.

Tisch also serves on the boards of the Aspen Institute, Whitney Museum, Juilliard, and Lincoln Center. She is a co-owner of the New York Giants. She and her daughters, Carolyn Tisch Blodgett and Emily Tisch Sussman, are co-owners of Gotham FC.