Research and Publications

CMOM collaborates with leading academic, research, community-based, and government organizations to translate the latest findings on child development into exhibits, programming, and resources that captivate, educate, and engage children and families. While our research work starts at the museum, it extends into schools, libraries, homeless shelters, and Head Start centers throughout New York City, ensuring all children have access to the benefits of play-based learning.

What makes CMOM unique is that everything we create—our exhibits, programs, and outreach—is rooted in research. Our team works closely with experts in early childhood development, education, and health to design experiences that are more than just fun—they actively support cognitive, social, and emotional growth in young children. Whether at the museum or in the community, every CMOM experience is built to inspire learning through play, ensuring that children from all backgrounds have the foundation they need to thrive.

To find out more about what we’ve discovered and how it informs our work, check out What We’ve Learned.

Early Childhood Development Research

Invisible Victims: How Children’s Museums Are Strengthening Families Through Partnerships With Correctional Facilities.

Violet Hott, Adrienne Testa and Leslie Bushara. 2024 “Invisible Victims: How Children’s Museums Are Strengthening Families Through Partnerships With Correctional Facilities.” Curator: The Museum Journal 00(0): 1–19.

New York University Research

Rhodes, Marjorie, and Leslie Bushara. “Learning about Science and Self: A Partnership Between the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the Psychology Department at New York University.” In Cognitive Development in Museum Settings: Related Research and Practice, edited by David M. Sobel and Jennifer L. Jipson, 104-19. New York: Routledge, 2016.
Rhodes, Marjorie, and Lisa Chalik. “Social Categories as Markers of Intrinsic Interpersonal Obligations.” Psychological Science Vol. 24, No. 6 (June 7, 2013): 999-1006. Published online before the print April 23, 2013.
Rhodes, Marjorie. “Naive Theories of Social Groups.” Child Development, November/December 2012, vol. 83, no. 6 (2012): 1900-916.
Rhodes, Marjorie, Sarah-Jane Leslie, and Christina M. Tworek. “Cultural Transmission of Social Essentialism.” PNAS, Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Vol. 109, no. No. 34 (August 21, 2012): 13526-3531.