Leaders of La Nube, city leaders and benefactors, celebrated Thursday, Jan. 15, that the children’s science museum received one of the highest recognitions in the museum world — the Hands On International Children in Museums Award.
Gina Martinez, chief executive officer of La Nube, said the museum received the honor in November in the United Kingdom.
“This award is presented annually to just one institution in the world that demonstrates innovation, impact and excellence in serving children. Since the award began more than a decade ago, only two children’s museums in the entire United States have ever received it,” Martinez said.
The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia earned it in 2013 and the Boston Children’s Museum in 2015.
“We competed against institutions like Budapest, Dubai and Singapore, just to name a few. And we won! This award has put us on the international stage and has shown light brightly on our community,” Martinez said.
La Nube competed against four other institutions from around the globe as finalists: Museum of Ethnography in Budapest, Hungary, the Children’s Museum in Singapore, the OliOli Children’s Museum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Showtown Blackpool in Blackpool, United Kingdom.
The VIP reception was attended by El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson, El Paso Community Foundation president Eric Pearson, and Stephanie Otero, vice president of operations and one of the museum’s core founding leaders, among other guests who donated to the museum. Otero flew to Liverpool to receive the award, Miffy, which looks like a children’s toy rabbit.
Miffy, the beloved Dutch character and global symbol of childhood creativity, also attended, taking photos with children visiting the museum and attendees.
La Nube leaders said the museum impressed judges from Iceland, Hungary and South Korea with its interactive STEAM and career-building experiences and accessibility to all children.
“They walked through our exhibits, met our team, and experienced the joy, curiosity, and imagination that lives here every single day,” Martinez said.
Pearson talked about how the museum’s inclusivity really makes it a museum for all to enjoy.
“Inclusivity, that’s a big one of the factors that we talked about in this award. You’ve probably heard me talk about the curb cut …. when we cut curbs … we do things for everybody, such as sensory packs for people with sensory issues, wheelchair ramps to take you to the top of a 53-foot climber, escape pods in every zone of the museum to let people get out and take a break and maybe not deal with sensory overload and very importantly, La Nube For All which provides for people to be able to afford the experience without having to pay full price and all of those accommodations help everybody in the museum have an equal chance,” Pearson said.
Since opening in August 2024, La Nube, at 201 W. Main Drive, has welcomed more than 350,000 children and families into its 70,000-square-foot learning environment.
La Nube STEAM Discovery Center Hours, Admission
Hours: Closed on Monday. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
General admission tickets: $17 for children, ages 1 to 17, seniors, and active-duty military and spouses with valid ID. Purchase tickets online at lanube.org
María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @eptmaria.bsky.social on Bluesky, and @eptmariacg on TikTok.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: La Nube leaders celebrate prestigious Hands On International Award
Reporting by Maria Cortes Gonzalez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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