I have been on BCM's board since 1989 - far longer than my involvement with any other nonprofit organization. The reason? BCM, the world's first ever museum created expressly for children, is a touchstone in the world of children's museums. It has created model exhibitions and innovative programs that have been admired and replicated by institutions around the world.
At the same time, BCM has remained faithful to its home community, Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York. This is a low income, residential neighborhood which has seen serious urban problems, and is home to African Americans, Caribbean Americans, Hasidic Jewish Americans, and others from many parts of the world. BCM remains an anchor in the community, providing, in addition to traditional museum exhibits, an after-school program for neighborhood youth which has earned high praise from educators and youth services professionals.
There are many other distinguishing characteristics (for instance, a permanent collection of more than 30,000 objects and a recent expansion and renovation that made it NYC's first LEED certified "green" museum) that make this an outstanding organization.
Review from Guidestar