August 20, 2025 / News & Blog
Data from this report was collected through a search of available literature. The research was supported by funding from the New York Life Foundation.
This ACM Trends report looks at how children’s museums can harness the therapeutic power of play to benefit the many bereaved children who walk through their doors every day. It also highlights two other actions children’s museums can take to provide for the needs of the bereaved: capacity building and resource sharing. The guidance offered here builds on Trends Report 8.1, which surveyed recent literature on bereaved children’s needs and the kinds of experiences that can help them overcome the grief associated with the death of a loved one. By leveraging the therapeutic power of play, building their own capacities for recognizing and responding to loss, and mobilizing existing community resources, children’s museums can contribute to the growth of new, community-driven modes of caring for the bereaved.
