La Nube STEAM Discovery Center has been named a finalist for the 2025 Children in Museums Award, a prestigious museum award by The Network of European Museums Organizations.
La Nube is one of five museums worldwide vying for the award, announced by Hands On! International in partnership with the European Museum Academy. Established in 2011 by the European Museum Academy and Hands On! International, the Children in Museums Award (CMA) recognizes innovation and excellence in museum programming and exhibit design for children up to age 14.
Globe lights that change colors inside the El Paso Children’s Museum, La Nube, as seen on Friday, April 12, 2024.
The winner will be announced during the Hands On! International Conference, Nov. 26-28, in Liverpool, UK.
La Nube is the only U.S. institution nominated this year and joins past American winners, including Boston Children’s Museum (2015) and Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia (2013), according to a release.
“This nomination places El Paso on the global map of innovation in children’s learning,” said Gina Martinez, CEO of La Nube. “It’s a powerful validation of what our team, our city, and our families have built together — an inclusive space that celebrates curiosity, creativity, and wonder.”
The Children in Museums Award honors outstanding exhibitions, programs, and experiences that engage children in meaningful, playful, and educational ways.
Since opening in 2024, La Nube has welcomed over 300,000 guests and rapidly become a destination for hands-on, minds-on learning in the El Paso region. The museum features four floors of immersive STEAM exhibits with inclusive design and bilingual experiences.
A block party was held outside La Nube, the STEAM Discovery Center, at its official grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024.
2025 Children in Museums Award finalists
The 2025 shortlist includes:
Museum of Ethnography – Budapest, Hungary
Children’s Museum Singapore – Singapore
OliOli Children’s Museum – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Showtown – Blackpool, United Kingdom
La Nube STEAM Discovery Center – El Paso, United States
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María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com; @eptmaria.bsky.social on Bluesky, and @eptmariacg on TikTok
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: La Nube named finalist for 2025 international children’s museum award
