the details
add to calendarmay 2, 2026
6 pm reception 7 pm dinner + program 9:30 pm Museum afterparty
andrew w. mellon auditorium
afterparty at the Museum
colorful black tie
valet parking available
a whimsical evening
Elegance and play are heading your way as National Children’s Museum invites you to its signature fundraising event, the Play Soirée! We’ll celebrate our community of supporters and the accomplishments made possible by true champions of play. Then, we dream big with a look towards the future! The Play Soirée fuels our mission-driven work of creating world-class STEAM education experiences. Together, we can inspire more children to care about and change the world!
2026 honorees
Victor Hoskins is President and CEO of the Fairfax County (Va.) Economic Development Authority (FCEDA). He is an MIT trained Urban Planner and Real Estate Executive currently overseeing the growth of the largest economy in Virginia (GDP $167 billion), the #1 State for Business, as ranked by CNBC, for a record-breaking 6th time in 2024. Having worked in the public and private sectors, his career has taken him from Wall Street to Main Street, and he has expanded economies from Los Angeles/Long Beach to the Mid-Atlantic region.
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a Professor of Psychology at Temple University, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and a Visiting Professor at Oxford University, was declared a “scientific entrepreneur” from the American Association of Psychology. She examines the development of early language and literacy, the role of play in learning, and learning and technology.
co-chair
john drew
sepe + jason zuccari
host committee
kerri + darrin auito
aggie + laurence aurbach
liz + paul bonner
susan farkas
andrea dykes + jeremy fishelberg
mary margaret hart
margarita isaza
rae ann + jermaine johnson
aja mohammed
lise murphy
gerren price
erik smith + edith gregson
jessica power volz
sponsorship opportunities
become a sponsorFor more information, please contact MK at mmccann@nationalchildrensmuseum.org.
- two Play Soirée tables (20 seats) with premier table placement + placard recognition
- prominent name + logo placement in event promotional materials (press release, website, social media, email)
- name + logo featured prominently in all event collateral (invitation + signage)
- recognition during President + CEO’s remarks
- special acknowledgement in the Museum’s digital newsletter, reaching over 25,000 subscribers
- a complimentary field trip at National Children’s Museum for up to 100 kids
- name recognition in the Museum’s entry hall
- name recognition in Museum’s annual report
our sponsors
We are grateful for the generosity of our sponsors.
media sponsor
wonderer
agatha + laurence aurbach
liz + paul bonner
kiryn + david hoffman
doodle
