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Category: In the News

CMNH Receives Support from the Evelyn S. and K.E. Barrett Foundation

CMNH open ended building challenge

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (CMNH) is excited to share that they have been awarded a two-year grant totaling $80,000 from the Evelyn S. and K.E. Barrett Foundation to support a facility expansion project. This expansion will add two new exhibit spaces to the Museum’s second floor, allowing CMNH to meet the changing needs of children, families, and the community.  The Museum will launch this project in 2024, with the goal of opening the additional 1,000 square feet of engaging activities in late 2025. 

“We have been impressed with the work that the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire has done for children and families in New Hampshire and are pleased to continue supporting their mission,” said Peter Barrett, Executive Director and Trustee at the Barrett Foundation.

The Barrett Foundation previously provided CMNH with support for their “Bolstering a Childcare System in Crisis” project through which large activity kits filled with play-based manipulatives were provided to 83 childcare centers, family resource centers, and libraries in New Hampshire. The project also supplied educators with resources such as activity guides, instructional workshops and informational videos, and ultimately impacted over 9,900 children in the state. 

“We’re thrilled to have this funding from the Barrett Foundation for our second floor expansion,” said Museum President Jane Bard. “The two new exhibits we have in the works include a New Hampshire farm exhibit designed for our youngest visitors, ages 0-5, similar to our popular Primary Place, and another designed to be a creative open space for changing exhibits and active play.”

The Museum is embracing new opportunities to grow and present new experiences to adapt to community needs. Current lack of childcare and preschool openings are bringing to light a demand for socialization and learning opportunities for children ages 0-5, as well as for their caregivers, hence the addition of a second area catering to this age. The new flexible space will allow CMNH to be responsive, not just through changing exhibits that will provide new and fresh experiences, but also as a space to expand our current drop-in programs and playgroups, community events, and school field trips.  Recent statewide data and feedback from Museum visitors also indicates an urgent need for resources to support child and family emotional wellbeing. Educational activities related to social/emotional learning will be integrated into the new exhibits and CMNH will evaluate existing exhibits in the Museum to determine additional changes that can support children and family emotional health in an approachable and age-appropriate way.

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Service Credit Union to Sponsor CMNH Discounts for Military Families

Karen Wituszynski Photography CMNH 048 a

Photo courtesy of Karen Wituszynski

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (CMNH) is pleased to announce that Service Credit Union is once again sponsoring year-round admission discounts for military families in 2024.

During the school year, military personnel, including veterans, and their families receive a 50% discount on admission. In the summer months, Armed Forces Day through Labor Day, current and retired military personnel and their immediate family members receive free admission to the Museum, thanks to Service Credit Union as exclusive sponsor of the Blue Star Museum program.

“We are proud to once again partner with the Children’s Museum to sponsor discounts for military families,” said Jaime Yates, Service Credit Union Community Relations Manager. “At Service Credit Union, we have a longstanding history of supporting our military members, veterans and their families, and this program is one of the ways we can give back to those who have given so much to us.”

These discounts are frequently used by families to access the Museum. In 2023, CMNH admitted 633 military visitors to the Museum at the 50% off rate, and the Blue Star Museum/free admission program admitted 1,430 military visitors.  “Utilization of both our military discount programs last year increased more than 20% from the prior year,” said Jane Bard, Museum president.  “This adds up to over $22,000 in savings for military families, and we are grateful to Service Credit Union’s continued support that enables us to continue to offer these programs.”

In addition to being open six days a week for play, CMNH is introducing “Play Late” evening hours on the first Friday of every month (through May 2024) from 4-7pm. CMNH hopes that these extended hours once a month will allow working families, including military families, with more flexibility of times that they are able to access the Museum. Military and all other discounts can be used to access these special play sessions.

These military discounts are available to active duty and retired U.S. military - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps - and their families.

About Service Credit Union:

Service Credit Union is dedicated to providing a banking experience that improves our members’ lives and the communities in which they live. Established in 1957 to provide affordable credit to the Pease Air Force Base community, and now the largest credit union in New Hampshire, with over $5 billion in assets and 50 branch locations in the New England Region and Germany, we continue to provide a better future to our members all over the world. To learn more about Service Credit Union, please visit www.servicecu.org

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Community Businesses Offer Support for Museum Expansion 

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (CMNH) is excited to announce plans for an expansion of the second floor, which will add two new exhibits and better prepare the Museum to serve children and families in the future. Fundraising for the $420,000 expansion launched this spring, when the Museum was awarded $175,000 in Tax Credits from the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA). 

Multiple businesses from the community have stepped forward in recent months to support this expansion through purchasing tax credits, including the JGroup (The Sailmaker’s House, Vida Cantina, 106 Grill, White Heron Tea, Bibimbap, Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café, GC Fine Foods, Cemita, The Franklin, Dos Amigos Burritos, Liars Bench and Railpenny Tavern), ReVision Energy, Chinburg Builders, Inc., Leone, McDonnell & Roberts P.A., Meredith Village Savings Bank, Grappone Automotive Group, First Seacoast Bank, Piscataqua Savings Bank, Nathan Wechsler & Company, P.A., Newburyport Bank, Eastern Propane & Oil and Stinson Associates, CPA.

“We deeply appreciate the support from each and every business that has purchased Tax Credits this year to support the facility expansion,” said Jane Bard, Museum President. “This project is in response to feedback from our visitors and will provide more of what families are saying they need from the Museum today. These companies understand that and are making a direct investment in our local community.”

The additional 1,000 sq ft will include a farm-themed exhibit designed for visitors ages birth through five, plus a second, flexible exhibit that changes multiple times a year providing new experiences and offering opportunities for active play and creative movement. The ongoing shortage of childcare and preschool openings continues to challenge families with young children who are seeking in-person socialization and learning experiences. This additional space will enable the Museum to expand our current drop-in programs, playgroups, community events and more.

Businesses paying New Hampshire state taxes that are interested in purchasing tax credits to support this expansion project are encouraged to contact Monique Deforge, Director of Development & Community Engagement, monique@childrens-museum.org.  Individuals who would like to learn more or make a donation to the project can visit www.childrens-museum.org. The Museum anticipates opening the new space in late 2025.

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Seasons Change but Play Remains

Paint playpatio23

As the summer draws to a close, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire prepares for the Fall crowds and says farewell to some summer time discounts. The museum stays open through Labor Day weekend ending Sunday, September 3, 9am-Noon. Then the museum closes for its annual maintenance weeks from Monday, September 4 through Friday, September 15, reopening on Saturday, September 16th. 

Also coming to an end is the museum’s Blue Star Museum Military Discount program, sponsored by Service Credit Union. This popular program offers free admission to all military personnel, including veterans and their families, from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day. As of this release, over 1,300 military family members utilized this discount to visit the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire this summer. When the museum reopens on September 16th, Military families will be able to enjoy half-off admission through Armed Forces Day in May, 2024, also supported by Service Credit Union.

The museum is also wrapping up its free admission for Childcare Providers from NH Licensed centers or facilities after September 3. This free admission was part of a prestigious IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) INSPIRE grant the museum was awarded to help launch a series of educational initiatives designed to help providers and families implement enriching, engaging, and developmentally appropriate play-based learning activities for kids from birth to age 5. Beyond the free admission for NH Childcare providers, which was utilized by over 260 educators, other museum initiatives included Teacher Workshops, Play Based Learning tips and project ideas, and physical kits full of high quality Play Based Learning toys, curated by museum educators, and gifted to over 80 childcare facilities and libraries across the state. When the museum reopens on September 16, teachers who teach Pre-K through 5th grade will still continue to enjoy half-off their museum admission. 

CMNH Members had a blast this summer with their Messy Member Monday exclusive playtime out on the museum’s Play Patio, featuring mud, paint, and slime! As the cooler fall weather starts, no more Messy Member Mondays, but in October the museum will start to welcome Members inside the museum exhibits on the first Monday of the month for exclusive Member Monday Hours from 9-11am. Free as always for Members, but online reservations required. Also ending after August 31st is a Member Reciprocity with the Seacoast Science Center in Rye. “We love doing different admission reciprocity programs with other institutions,” shared Leila McRae, Membership Manager. “This August we welcomed over 200 Seacoast Science Center members into CMNH to play for free, and our members can enjoy free admission into their great facility as well.” Upcoming admission reciprocity programs include an agreement with Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth and the NH Farm Museum in Milton - see website for details: https://childrens-museum.org/membership/member-perks 

The museum continues to celebrate its 40th anniversary year into the Fall with an upcoming CMNH Birthday Party on Saturday, September 23. Summer birthday events included a $1 Dover Resident Day, which over 60 Dover residents utilized, and a $1 Family Fun Day during which the museum welcomed over 440 individuals for $1 each, the same admission it charged when it opened its doors 40 years ago! Affordable admission for all is something the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is very passionate about. When the museum reopens on September 16th, it will continue to offer all EBT and WIC cardholders $3/person admission, a popular discount which over 3,000 individuals have benefited from so far this year.

The start of Fall also means back-to-school fun, and the Children’s Museum of NH is continuing to offer free and reduced Field Trips for Title 1 schools. Any NH Title 1 schools interested in booking a free Self-Guided Visit, or a Group Visit + STEAM Workshop, they must book for a date before March 2024. Available dates can be found online at: https://childrens-museum.org/outreach/field-trips . And for those schools wishing to visit who aren’t Title 1 Schools, the museum is offering 20% off your visit if you book a trip for October or November of 2023. “We know teachers love to save those field trips for the end of the school year, but those dates go quickly, so we hope offering a discount will convince them to visit us before the holidays!” shared Education Director Xanthi Gray. 

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire reopens with Fall Hours on Saturday, September 16, 2023: Wednesdays - Saturdays, 9am-Noon or 1-4pm; Tuesdays & Sundays, 9am-Noon. Online reservations are required as the museum has a capacity limit, and uses online reservations to help everyone have the best visit possible: https://childrens-museum.org/visit/info 

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A "Beary" Pleasant Checkup!

Children’s Museum of NH’s Teddy Bear Clinic Going Strong After 40 Years

Practically every year for the past 40 years, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover has organized and hosted a “Teddy Bear Clinic and Picnic” with the help of Portsmouth Regional Hospital staff and volunteers. Each year, the clinic offers kids a chance to develop positive associations with a visit to the doctor’s office. This year’s clinic will be held on Thursday, August 10 from 9am-Noon, and is included with museum admission. 

“The Teddy Bear Clinic at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is one of our favorite events,” said Nora Fortin, RN, seacoast market director of Women & Children’s Services at Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Frisbie Memorial Hospital. “It gives us the opportunity to talk with children in our community, to help them learn more about what we, as caregivers and providers, do so that hopefully they’ll be less afraid when it’s time to go to the doctor themselves.

At the clinic each child’s stuffed animal is checked-in and given an ID bracelet. Then children take their animals to meet with a volunteer doctor or nurse for a check-up. If needed, animals can be taken to the surgical table for stitches, band-aids, and ribbons. “Last year we had an actual surgeon volunteer at the clinic, which was fun to see,” said Megan Beach, CMNH Museum Experience Manager. At the end of their appointment, animals receive a certificate of good health, and families are invited to enjoy a to-go snack for the ride home. 

“Providing education is a big part of our jobs at Portsmouth Regional Hospital,” said Malachi Fisher, market director of trauma and neurosciences at HCA New England. “While we enjoy being out in the community at a wide range of events, stitching and patching up stuffed animals, and doing exams when the stuffed animals aren’t feeling well is by far one of the highlights for us. It helps keep us grounded. It’s just one of the reasons we love what we do.”

“We’re so happy to once again welcome back volunteers from Portsmouth Regional Hospital to be a part of the Clinic this year,” shared CMNH President Jane Bard. “We have photos of them from as far back as 1985, volunteering for and supporting this program, which is wonderful to see.” Online reservations are required. The Teddy Bear Clinic Sponsor for 2023 is Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history. Portsmouth Regional Hospital has been a long time sponsor of this event and sends volunteer staff every year to participate!


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Teddy Bear Clinic is a special program that the museum has been offering for most of its 40 year history.


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CMNH Receives CDFA Tax Credits

CDFA 2023 sm

Left to Right: CDFA’s Executive Director, Katy Easterly Martey, CMNH President, Jane Bard, and CMNH Director of Development & Community Engagement, Monique Deforge.

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (CMNH) is excited to share that they have been awarded $175,000 in Tax Credits from the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA). CDFA awarded eleven nonprofits a total of $1.4 million in tax credit resources to advance their missions and implement community economic development initiatives. These tax credits have been granted to the Museum to help fund an expansion of the second floor. This expansion will add two new exhibit spaces, allowing CMNH to better serve children, families, and the community.  The Museum will launch this project in 2024, with the goal of opening the additional 1,000 square feet of engaging activities in 2025.

“Organizations awarded Tax Credit resources have demonstrated a strong commitment to their communities,” states  Katy Easterly Martey, Executive Director, CDFA. “These community builders are driving positive, long-lasting change in New Hampshire.”

“We’re thrilled to have this funding from CDFA to kick start our second floor facility expansion” states Museum President Jane Bard. “The two new exhibits we have in the works include one dedicated to our youngest visitors, ages 0-5, similar to our popular Primary Place, and another designed to be a creative open space for changing exhibits.”

The Museum has felt the pressure to adjust and grow to adapt to community needs. Current lack of childcare and preschool openings are bringing to light a demand for socialization and learning opportunities for children ages 0-5, as well as for their caregivers. As the Museum’s visitor numbers increase and community needs change, the new flexible space will allow CMNH to be responsive, not just through changing exhibits that can be catered to different age groups and interests, but also as a space to use for play groups, meetings, and school field trips. 

Recent statewide data and feedback from Museum visitors also indicates an urgent need for resources to support child and family emotional wellbeing. Educational pieces related to social/emotional learning will be integrated into these new exhibits. CMNH is also in talks with local experts in the mental health field to evaluate existing exhibits in the Museum to discuss what kinds of changes could be made to support children and family emotional health in an approachable and age-appropriate way. 

If you are a business that pays NH taxes and are interested in purchasing tax credits from the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire to support this exciting facility expansion, or have questions or would like to connect, please contact Monique Deforge, Director of Development, monique@childrens-museum.org, (603) 742-2002. More information about the tax credit program can be found on the CDFA website: www.nhcdfa.org.

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Military Families Play for FREE All Summer

Scu sponsor

Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20 is the start of the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s Military Appreciation Summer, during which all current and retired military personnel and their immediate family members are invited to play at no cost, thanks to a generous sponsorship from Service Credit Union. From now through Sunday, September 3rd, 2023, guests can reserve their spots online for free, and then simply show a military ID at the front desk of the museum to receive free admission for the military member, dependent children and spouse. 

"We are excited to once again sponsor the Military Appreciation Program at the museum” said Jaime Yates, Community Relations Manager at Service CU. “Giving back to the communities we serve is ingrained in our mission, especially when it comes to providing low cost or free activities for our military and their families.”

The museum’s summer Military Appreciation Program is exclusively sponsored by Service Credit Union and is part of the larger nationwide Blue Star Museum program. The Blue Star Museum program is a collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense. Children’s Museums, art, science, and history museums, zoos, gardens, lighthouses, and more from all 50 states, District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands offer free admission to the nation’s active duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve and their families from Armed Forces Day through Labor Day. Find the list of participating museums at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.

“We thank the 2023 Blue Star Museums who invite military personnel and their families to experience the many wonders they have to offer, whether it’s a glimpse into the past, an encounter with awe-inspiring art, or a moment of discovery,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is helping to enrich the lives of military families and build meaningful connections between our nation’s military and their local community.”

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire has expanded what is offered through the Blue Star Museum program to also include free admission to retired military personnel and their family members. “We are so grateful that Service Credit Union has agreed to help us sponsor this vital addition to our Military Appreciation summer program in 2023,” said Jane Bard, Museum President.

The summer free admission program at the Children’s Museum of NH is available to active duty and retired U.S. military - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps - and up to five family members.

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire extends a fifty-percent-off discount to military personnel and their families during the rest of the year thanks to additional sponsorship support, including from M&T Bank.

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire’s hours are Wednesdays – Saturdays, 9am-Noon or 1-4pm; Tuesdays and Sundays, 9am-Noon. Summer hours begin Tuesday, June 20 and add a Tuesday afternoon (1-4pm) play session to the existing hours. The museum is closed on Mondays. Online reservations prior to visiting are required. To learn more, visit www.childrens-museum.org

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the Arts Endowment supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Blue Star Families
BlueStar Families (BSF) is the nation’s largest chapter-based military and veteran family support organization. Its research-driven approach fosters strong communities with a focus on human centered design and innovative solutions. Since its founding in 2009, BSF has delivered millions of dollars in benefits and impacted more than 1.5 million people each year. For more information, click here and follow along with Blue Star Families on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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