Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine Receives Gift from The Lunder Foundation

Schematic of The Lunder Arts and Culture Gallery at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine when it reopens at Thompson’s Point. Artwork by Chris Sullivan.

PORTLAND, Maine - Board Member and Chair of Imagine Capital Campaign Barbee Gilman announced that the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine has received a $500,000 gift from The Lunder Foundation to name an arts workshop and culture exhibit space as “The Lunder Arts and Culture Gallery.”  This collaborative space will house arts programming—facilitated by educators, visiting artists, and community partners—that will support the Museum & Theatre’s overall diversity, equity, access, and inclusion initiatives. The gift is in the form of a challenge match to inspire the greater community to give and to complete the remaining $1m of the $14m Imagine Campaign to build a 30,000 square foot new facility at Thompson’s Point that is slated to open in spring of 2021. 

Peter and Paula Lunder have been longtime supporters of several institutions in Maine, including: the Colby College Museum of Art, the Lunder Institute for American Art at Colby College, the Portland Museum of Art, and the Maine College of Art. 

At the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, the gift from The Lunder Foundation will be allocated to the Museum & Theatre’s endowment, ensuring that future generations of children—regardless of socioeconomic status—will have access to the Museum & Theatre’s educational programs and exhibits.

“We are so thrilled to have this support from The Lunder Foundation which is instrumental to the final stages of the campaign. The Imagine Campaign is not just about a new building—it is about increasing opportunities for children across the state.  Through our new space, we will be able to provide greater educational experiences and exposure to the arts, both of which are so critical in the early years of a child’s life,” said Barbee Gilman, Board member and Chair of the Imagine Capital Campaign.

Peter and Paula Lunder said, “This project is for the next one hundred years. The gift is to support future generations of young people who will find delight and learn so much at the newly reimagined Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine. Parents will be very glad to have such a great museum where they can take their children to see, play, and learn.”

Kevin Gillis, President of The Lunder Foundation said, “We’re pleased to structure this as a match to help inspire others to give and to help the Museum & Theatre finish the final phase of their $14 million campaign.” 

Recognizing that children’s museums often provide a child’s first exposure to the visual and performing arts, the Museum & Theatre has dedicated over 2,000 square feet of the new exhibit space to benefit children’s early learning through arts and culture. The Museum & Theatre’s mission is devoted, in part, to the transformative power of the arts in developing children’s understanding and expression of the world around them. Exploring identity through art fosters creativity and ingenuity and is essential to healthy development. Research shows that people who visit cultural organizations as children are more likely to visit as adults; furthermore, they are more likely to be active in their communities and volunteer as adults. Data emphasizes the importance of engaging children under the age of 13 in cultural experiences. 

About the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine: The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine exists to inspire discovery and imagination through exploration and play, with a focus on science learning, community engagement, performing and visual arts, and early childhood education. The Museum & Theatre serves as an indispensable resource for families and educators, helping to create a broad community devoted to our children's development and learning. It is committed to providing access for children of all economic means and all abilities through a variety of access initiatives. With hundreds of educational programs, almost one hundred years of children’s theatre history, and nearly fifty years as a children’s museum, the award-winning organization is considered one of the top children’s museums in the country.