360 families receive year-long gift memberships to Please Touch Museum as a result of fundraising during the Imagination Ball.

In November 2022, over 300 people gathered in Memorial Hall for Please Touch Museum’s annual fundraiser, the Imagination Ball. Funds raised during the gala supported the Museum’s commitment to access for all families through our community benefit initiatives. Since reopening in 2021, 30% of visitors enjoy the Museum for free or at a deeply reduced rate of $2 per person. Access to the Museum and our programs is needed now, more than ever.

The Circle of Play Campaign

During the Imagination Ball, the Circle of Play Campaign was launched, with a goal of raising $54,000 by December 31, 2022 to provide gift memberships to 360 families with limited resources. These memberships include unlimited visits for one year, free carousel rides, free parking, and invitations to member-only events.

The Circle of Play Campaign was a success, allowing the Museum to provide 360 families with a year-long membership, and a myriad of opportunities to learn through play.

In consultation with leaders on the Museum’s Community Advisory Council, seven grades in local elementary schools with close proximity to the Museum were identified as recipients of the gift memberships. Students enrolled in either first or second grade in the following schools will receive a family membership to the Museum: Blankenburg Elementary, Heston Elementary, McMichael Elementary, Powel Elementary, Inquiry Charter, Discovery Charter, and St. Rose of Lima. Memberships will be distributed in late May 2023 so families can begin enjoying visits to the Museum when school lets out for the summer.

Please Touch Museum is grateful to the contributors of the Circle of Play Campaign whose generosity made these 360 gift memberships possible.