CMEE Celebrates 20 Years in Bridgehampton, Adds New Playground

The Children’s Museum of the East End (CMEE) is celebrating two decades of serving the community this year, along with a new playground, and events and fundraisers.

Liz Bard, co-president of the museum with Lara Sweeney, spoke with Dan’s Papers about the creation of CMEE, its enduring legacy on the East End and what they’re doing in this 20th year of offering local children enrichment and companionship with other kids and fun.

Tell me how CMEE started.

The museum was founded by a group of moms who were really looking for a new community, having young families on the East End. At the same time, this idea of children’s museums was really emerging across the country and the world. So there was a dream to create the museum. The museum, I always love to say, started as a play group, growing into community spaces and houses, and eventually transforming into our home in Bridgehampton, which is celebrating 20 years this year. And we’ve really continued to evolve to meet the needs of the community over those 20 years.

When did you add the amazing miniature golf course?

The miniature golf course is about 10 years old. I always love to think that the museum is really an extension of your playroom at home or your living room, and so many families find connections and create memories and traditions with us, whether you’re attending the annual Family Fair or our New Year’s Eve event, our Halloween event, our big truck day. There are a number of ways that you’re connecting with the museum — and of course, through play, and meeting new families, new parents. It’s a special place.

How often does the inside evolve?

We’re really lucky. The museum was built and kind of crafted by tons of local artisans. So everything has really stood the test of time. It still resembles a lot of the same things that were here 20 years ago. We still have the candy kitchen, we still have a farm stand, the library, the fire truck. We’ve made some small changes over the years, but for the most part we’re lucky because our audience ages out. The exhibits are kind of evergreen, and they’re always meeting the kids where they are in their stages of development and play.

That’s a good point. It’s always new to somebody.

Recently we had the original architect, Lee Skolnick, visit and he even was just amazed at how beautiful everything still is and how well everything has held up.

Is the museum self-sustaining? Or is it sustained by donations?

A majority of our funding is through admissions and daily visitors. And then we do have a board of trustees, and we do rely on some grants and fundraising, of course.

Tell me about the playground you put in this year.

The playground is beautiful. It’s exceeded all of our expectations. But our backyard was kind of a blank canvas. We had a garden that never really could flourish. We had a play set that was a donated residential play set. And then, in celebration of our 20 years, we kind of saw an opportunity to re-envision the space as this beautiful play space that would bring you to the museum rain or shine. It’s a 9,000-square-foot play space recommended for children ages 2 to 12. It’s also something for older siblings to do while they’re here with their younger siblings. It’s very different from any other playground on the East End, with different opportunities for climbing, and bridges and monkey bars, and a little something for everyone.

I know you just had the annual Family Fair there in July. Is there anything that you’ve done, or are doing, to celebrate the 20th anniversary?

We look forward to having a birthday party with the whole community in the fall, so stay tuned for details on that. But we do have our 2025 Summer Ladies Night fundraiser next Wednesday. If anyone would like to join us, it’s on August 6 (from 6–8 p.m.) at a private residence in Bridgehampton.

Are there any other highlights you’d like to mention from the past two decades?

I think a major one is the food pantry and how we pivoted during COVID to serve this need that was always there. In our first couple weeks, we were serving 18 families. At the height, we were serving over 80 families. And we’re still serving between 50 and 60 families on a bi-weekly basis. But all of our programming has evolved over the years, really in response to the community and the needs of local families. We are a Blue Star Museum, offering free visits to active military, we are a museum for all, extending free admission to families who have EBT or WIC benefits. We just really champion ourselves in removing any barrier to play.

Given how long CMEE has been around, have you had experience with kids coming back as adults and getting involved?

Oh, yeah, that’s my favorite. It’s always so fun to have teens return, you know, they kind of graduate from the exhibits, and then they return as volunteers. And it’s so fun to see them walk through the museum and kind of be like, “Oh, I used to love that when I was little. And they feel so big in the play space. It’s really a full circle when we can hire kids who either played here or attended our Baby and Me or music classes when they were infants. A lot of those kids have come back.

Learn more or visit the Children’s Museum of the East End at 376 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton. Call 631-537-8250 or visit cmee.org