Meet Our Newest Community Partner: Portland Children’s Museum

Portland Children’s Museum has been a childhood favorite for creative exploration and joyful learning since 1946, when it was founded as the Junior Museum and Adventure House. They have welcomed more than four million visitors since then, dedicating themselves to sparking a love of learning and discovery in all of the children that visit. And they are just getting started! Beyond the exhibit floor, the Museum offers additional early learning experiences. The Opal School is a tuition-based preschool (for children ages 3-5) and public-charter elementary school (grades K-5). The mission of Opal School is to strengthen public education by inspiring fresh ideas and environments where creativity, imagination, and the wonder of learning thrive. Furthermore, the organization's Museum Center for Learning focuses on professional development. Educators from around the world have strengthened their approaches to teaching through participating in its seminars and symposia.

Through this new partnership, SVP will help Portland Children's Museum expand its capacity to become part of the solution for ensuring that all children in the Portland metro area have access to high-quality, culturally-responsive, and affordable preschool.

SVP Lead Partner Steve Maser shares his excitement about our newest Community Partner: “Initially, our Partnership was predicated on the Museum's planning to move to a new facility later this decade and using that as an opportunity to revisit its organizational structure and expand its footprint in the preschool space. From real estate to improving financial management systems and reporting, we saw an opportunity to invest SVP Partner skills and expertise to help advance their vision. The COVID-19 crisis has shifted the Museum's strategy, looking at immediate needs in light of the pandemic, and the SVP team is nothing if not flexible and responsive.”

We look forward to partnering with Portland Children’s Museum and will share additional updates as our capacity-building efforts move forward!