Cheerful energy usually reserved for playgrounds at a luncheon? Considering the cause at hand, we’d say it was quite fitting.

Photo by Wilson Parish

Jennifer Miller, Stephanie Braun, Lauren Zwart, and Lakshmi Picoli.

More than 400 supporters gathered at the River Oaks Country Club for Children’s Museum Houston’s 2026 Friends and Families Luncheon, a midday event celebrating curiosity and childhood. Co-chaired by Lexi Sakowitz Marek and Natasha Stolte, the affair welcomed a vibrant crowd of parents, educators, and advocates who share a belief that playful learning can shape young minds.

Guiding the afternoon’s program was emcee Katherine Whaley, who kept the room engaged as guests settled into a polished menu courtesy of River Oaks Country Club. The afternoon’s keynote speaker, Spencer Russell, founder of Toddlers Can Read, encouraged parents and caregivers to help children tackle difficult challenges by breaking them into manageable steps. Russell emphasized that perseverance builds confidence.

During the program, Children’s Museum Houston also unveiled plans for its newest addition, the Gallery of Wonder, a space designed for infants through age five. The expansive gallery will feature five interconnected exhibits scaled for little bodies and curious minds, along with early childhood educators who will guide families through nearly two dozen programs focused on early brain development, critical thinking, and cognitive growth. Once open, the gallery is expected to welcome more than 350,000 visitors annually.

The luncheon raised a record-breaking $237,000, making it the most successful Friends and Families Luncheon in the museum’s history. Proceeds support Children’s Museum Houston’s mission to improve the trajectories of children across Greater Houston through innovative, child-centered learning experiences.

Gathering in support of the mission were Katie Arnoldy, Meredith Barker, Lauren Barrett, Kathryn Boeker, Bethany Buchanan, Alex Butt, Skye Chao, Allison Chavez, Julie Chen, Lauren Cox, Adrienne Crane, Narguess Fazel, Annabel Florescu, Devorah Krieger, Whitney Kuhn Lawson, Lacey Marek, Hayden Lasher, Amanda Pickering, Kat Pressly, Monica Radoff, Ashley Sloan, and Mary Morgan Stevens, among many others.