November 6, 2025 / News & Blog
In a world where technology shapes how we learn, connect, and grow, access to digital tools is no longer a luxury. It’s a necessity. Yet, millions of families remain disconnected from the digital resources that power modern life. In the latest Empowering Young Minds episode, Maria Collins, vice president of the New York Life Foundation, joins Arthur Affleck, president and CEO of the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), to explore how children’s museums can play a transformative role in bridging this divide, not only through technology but through empathy, trust, and community.
Maria’s reflections offer a blueprint for how cultural institutions can foster belonging and resilience through equitable access to learning.
Maria begins with a simple but profound truth: belonging is at the heart of learning. Whether in a classroom, a museum, or at home, children flourish when they feel seen, valued, and supported. But as the world becomes increasingly digital, belonging looks different. Access to devices and broadband is one layer, but so is the confidence to use those tools effectively and safely.
She reminds us that for many families, technology can feel intimidating or exclusionary. “We often think of the digital divide in terms of infrastructure,” she notes, “but there’s also a gap in confidence and trust. That’s where museums can make a difference, by creating environments where learning through technology feels joyful and empowering.”
Arthur builds on this idea, emphasizing how children’s museums are uniquely positioned to bridge that emotional and experiential gap. By inviting families to play with technology—to tinker, explore, and fail safely—museums can turn digital literacy into an act of discovery rather than intimidation.
Maria and Arthur agree that connection starts with listening. The New York Life Foundation’s work, particularly through community-based partnerships, demonstrates that success isn’t about imposing solutions but co-creating them. “When you meet people where they are,” Maria says, “you discover their strengths, and those strengths are the starting point for equity.”
Children’s museums have long embraced this philosophy. From rural mobile makerspaces to multilingual exhibits, these institutions are redefining what accessibility looks like. Maria highlights the importance of trust brokers—individuals and organizations that communities already know and rely on—in building lasting engagement. “Partnerships only work when people feel safe showing up,” she says. “Children’s museums can be that safe space, both literally and figuratively.”
Arthur echoes that trust is central to ACM’s national initiatives, such as Museums for All, which provides affordable access to millions of families. “Access is not only about opening the doors,” he adds. “It’s about making sure families feel that what’s inside belongs to them.”
Maria offers a powerful reframe of philanthropy: moving from “funding projects” to fueling partnerships. The New York Life Foundation’s approach emphasizes long-term, collaborative relationships that prioritize sustainability over short-term impact. “We don’t just want to give grants,” she explains. “We want to invest in people and in ecosystems of care that last beyond the life of a grant cycle.”
This shift mirrors how children’s museums approach community engagement, with an emphasis on co-designing programs, sharing credit, and celebrating local leadership. Maria applauds ACM’s ability to convene museums around shared goals, such as advancing social-emotional learning and character development. “It’s not just about what’s in the exhibit,” she says. “It’s about how museums nurture the whole child—emotionally, cognitively, and socially.”
Her message resonates deeply with ACM’s strategic priorities: to elevate the children’s museum community, lift up children and families, and advance the field through research and advocacy. Partnerships like this embody that mission, turning values into action.
Throughout the conversation, Maria returns to one word: resilience. For children, resilience is cultivated through relationships—with caregivers, educators, and peers. For communities, it’s built through systems that support learning, wellness, and belonging. And for institutions, resilience means adapting to serve evolving needs while holding firm to core values.
“Resilience isn’t just bouncing back,” she says. “It’s about bouncing forward, learning, growing, and creating something new out of challenge.”
Arthur reflects on how children’s museums have modeled this kind of resilience, especially through the pandemic. Many pivoted rapidly to digital programming, outdoor learning spaces, and community-based initiatives, proving that flexibility and empathy go hand in hand.
Maria sees this adaptability as a hallmark of what makes children’s museums vital. “You don’t just change programs,” she says. “You change lives. You meet families in joy, in grief, in hope. That’s where healing happens.”
A recurring theme in the conversation is that equity isn’t an initiative—it’s a daily commitment. Maria urges leaders to view inclusion not as a box to check but as a lens through which every decision is made.
She offers a poignant reminder: “If we want to talk about equity, we must also talk about power—who has it, who shares it, and how we use it.” In practice, that means diversifying leadership, reimagining funding structures, and designing spaces that reflect the communities they serve.
Arthur connects this idea to ACM’s ongoing work in cultural competence and professional development. Through initiatives like the Cultural Competence Learning Institute and the Fostering Character Through Children’s Museums program, ACM supports museum professionals in building inclusive, reflective practices that empower both staff and visitors.
As the episode draws to a close, Maria’s optimism shines through. “The future of learning isn’t just digital,” she says. “It’s human.” Technology may be the tool, but connection—real, relational, and rooted in empathy—is the goal.
Arthur reflects that this is the essence of ACM’s vision: a world that prioritizes the rights of all children to playful learning and a healthy, safe, and equitable future. Children’s museums, he notes, are more than just buildings; they are hubs of community, compassion, and imagination.
Maria agrees. “When you walk into a children’s museum,” she says, “you’re not just entering a space. You’re entering a possibility, the possibility that every child, regardless of circumstance, can see themselves as capable, creative, and connected.”
Maria Collins’s conversation with Arthur Affleck reminds us that bridging the digital divide starts with bridging the human divide. Children’s museums have always been spaces where equity, imagination, and play intersect, and where families can explore not just how to connect online, but how to connect with one another.
If you’re a museum professional, educator, policymaker, or parent who believes in this mission, you’ll want to hear the full conversation.
###
This blog only scratches the surface of our chat with Maria Collins. To hear the full conversation—including her reflections on equity, digital inclusion, resilience, and the power of community partnerships—we invite you to listen to the complete podcast episode:
👉 Listen to the ACM Podcast with Maria Collins here
Empowering Young Minds, the Association of Children’s Museum Podcast is available on all major listening platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music!
