Children’s Museum of Atlanta raises over $270,000 at annual Amuse’um event

April 14,2017

Donations of all sizes contribute to Museum’s largest fundraiser of the year benefiting early childhood education programming and community outreach

Friday, April 14, 2017 — ATLANTA (April 14, 2017) – A colorful crowd celebrated Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s 14th annual Amuse’um fundraiser held on Saturday, March 25! The signature benefit, themed “Color Your World,” raised over $270,000 to support the Museum’s early childhood education programming and community outreach initiatives though ticket sales, sponsorships, and live and silent auctions. Co-chairs Allegra Lawrence-Hardy and Sarah-Elizabeth Reed painted a magical evening to honor beloved Atlanta citizen Lovette Russell.

“Every year I’m amazed by the community’s desire to come together for this special benefit that enables us to provide enriching opportunities for young children,” said Jane Turner, executive director of Children’s Museum of Atlanta. “Because of the success of Amuse’um, we are able to bring in the best exhibits and provide exciting educational programs to inspire kids’ natural desire to learn through the power of play!”

Presented by Georgia Natural Gas, the event’s “Color Your World” theme offered patrons a spectrum of activities, entertainment and cuisine from around the world! Guests “travelled across the globe” with passports and visits to several greeters in traditional cultural attire, indulged in a candy buffet, grooved to music provided by a DJ, struck a pose in the photo booth, explored Museum exhibits, enjoyed hand-crafted cocktails and internationally inspired cuisine—and more! The festivities also included live entertainment featuring traditional dances from around the world, a fundraising game that gave a new meaning to “heads or tails” and raffles as well as live and silent auctions.

The live auction featured a private dinner for 20 at Atlanta’s famed Staplehouse, an adventurous getaway for eight to a contemporary mountain cabin in Wild Rock, West Virginia, a Mexican getaway for 12 to Nuevo Vallarta and the ultimate NBA experience featuring courtside seats to watch the Atlanta Hawks play the Cleveland Cavaliers. Silent auction highlights included local getaways, restaurant gift cards, admission to area-attractions and more.

All proceeds support the Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s early childhood educational programming and community outreach that touches the lives of more than 200,000 local children and families annually. Serving the children, families and schools in Atlanta and throughout Georgia, the Museum has welcomed more than 2.5 million visitors since opening in 2003.