Grand Rapids Children's Museum

The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum will develop and implement a professional development program to prepare staff to lead community training through Museum University, the museum’s education initiative. The museum will offer a professional development program focused on play theory, child development, public speaking, and other selected core competencies. Up to 25 staff members across the organization will be organized into learning cohorts to engage in workshops, courses, and training sessions as well as attend professional conferences. As a result of the project, staff will achieve competency in each of six play-based training areas corresponding to Museum University course topics. As a result of this project, the museum will be able to train and develop staff who may grow into new roles, align staff and culture around our play-based mission, and more closely align to professional standards for children’s museum staff.