Brooklyn Children’s Museum has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the Ponce De Leon Foundation to support its slate of cultural festivals in 2026, museum officials announced this week.
The funding will help sustain the Crown Heights institution’s popular festivals, which draw families from across Brooklyn and the greater New York City area for hands-on celebrations of global traditions. Each year, the museum hosts festivals honoring holidays and cultural heritage from the borough’s many communities, including Kwanzaa, Eid al-Fitr, Holi, Lunar New Year, Dia de los Muertos, Tu BiShvat and Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
The festivals typically feature live performances, art-making workshops, storytelling and food, offering children and caregivers an interactive way to learn about cultures beyond their own while celebrating traditions rooted in their families and neighborhoods.
“We love to celebrate Brooklyn’s families by uplifting their rich traditions through artistic activations and partnerships with other community-based organizations,” said Atiba T. Edwards, president and CEO of Brooklyn Children’s Museum, in a statement. “We are so grateful to the Ponce De Leon Foundation for its generous support, which enables BCM to create these joyful opportunities for children to learn about their world.”
The museum’s cultural festivals have become a cornerstone of its programming, reflecting Brooklyn’s reputation as one of the most culturally diverse counties in the country. By centering children and families, the events aim to foster cross-cultural understanding at an early age through play, creativity and shared experiences.
Madeline V. Marquez, executive director of the Ponce De Leon Foundation, said the foundation was drawn to the museum’s focus on inclusion and education.
“The Cultural Festivals at Brooklyn Children’s Museum create meaningful opportunities for children and families to connect across cultures and generations,” Marquez said. “Ponce De Leon Foundation is pleased to support this work and to help ensure that young people can experience the richness of global traditions in an environment that is welcoming, educational, and fun.”
The Ponce de Leon Foundation aims to “strengthen the communities served by Ponce Bank by providing funding to support charitable causes and organizations located within any county in which the Bank has a branch office,” according to its website, with a particular focus on youth and seniors, affordable housing, social services, economic development, education, healthcare and cultural events.
Founded in 1899 as the world’s first children’s museum, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is the city’s largest institution designed specifically for children and families. The museum serves approximately 300,000 people each year through its various events and exhibits.
