May 13–17, 2026
Join us from May 13–17 for Boston Children’s Museum’s Community Gathering Table, a multi-day program inviting children and families to gather, just like at home. From around the table, visitors will come together to share and learn about beliefs and spirituality through music, storytelling, games, dance, visual arts, objects, and more. This spring, we are highlighting themes of beginnings and renewal.
Community Gathering Table is part of Boston Children’s Museum’s Religious Literacy Initiative, which aims to support children, families, caregivers, and practitioners of all belief backgrounds — religious, spiritual, non-religious/secular, or questioning — in learning about what we each believe and understanding how our beliefs are intertwined with identity development and well-being.
Wednesday, May 13
1:00pm-2:00pm
Location: The Common (2nd floor)
Community Gathering Table: Paper Tube Binoculars
Build and decorate your own binoculars made out of paper tubes, and then use them to observe the details of the world, especially outside. What is new and what is changing? What colors, shapes, and patterns do you notice? What do you feel connected to? Plus, read some books about people’s beliefs about nature and the earth.
Thursday, May 14
2:00pm-3:00pm
Location: The Common (2nd floor)
Community Gathering Table: The Story of Your Name
Join us for a read-aloud of Naming Ceremony by Seina Wedlick, and create your own nametag that tells the story of your name. How was your name chosen? What does it mean? Do you have any traditions that celebrate somebody’s name?
10:30am-11:15am
Location: The Common (2nd floor)
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Community Gathering Table: Joy Takes Root Read-Aloud and Meet the Author Join us for a read-aloud of Joy Takes Root and a chance to meet author Gwendolyn Wallace! Listen to a story about mindfulness and the role of herbs in medicine, and decorate your own flower pot to take home. |
Friday, May 15
2:00pm-3:00pm
Location: The Common (2nd floor)
Community Gathering Table: More Than a Meal Join us for a screening of More Than a Meal — a specially created video project that showcases cuisines from the AAPI diaspora, and the families and stories that inspire them. Filmed in neighborhoods across the Boston area, More Than a Meal features six restaurant owners whose dishes reflect generations of memory, migration, and creativity. Visitors will be welcomed into the rarely seen kitchens where recipes come to life—where teams of cooks, chefs, and kitchen staff work side by side to bring flavors, stories, and traditions to the table with care and skill. Through a first-person perspective, experience how cooking connects people across time and place, and how sharing a meal can be a powerful way to show love, keep memories alive, and build community. Featured restaurants: |
Saturday, May 16
10:00am-10:30am and 11:00am-11:30am
Location: The Common (2nd floor)
Community Gathering Table: Fairies of the Seasons Talking Hands Theatre presents a magical puppet show set on a handmade dress that twirls as the year turns. Beautiful fairy puppets and hand-felted animals invite you to move, sing, and help the characters in the story find their way back to the seasons, where each one belongs. This show is created in honor of the Jewish holiday Tu B’shvat, the birthday of the trees. |
Saturday, May 16
1:30pm-3:30pm
Location: The Common (2nd floor)
Community Gathering Table: New Beginnings Through the Art of Henna Explore what a new beginning could look like for you through the art of henna – a traditional, natural dye used for centuries to create detailed designs celebrating joyous and new moments. Work with artist-educator Megha Nair to build your own designs using symbols that represent growth and rebirth–and even sit with a professional henna artist to bring them to life on your hand! |
Sunday, May 17
11:00am-11:30am
Location: The Common (2nd floor)
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Community Gathering Table: Counterpoint in Bloom Every musical masterpiece begins with a simple line, groove, or pattern. In Counterpoint in Bloom, Rasa String Quartet explores how both music and nature thrive on balance, detail, and the harmony of many parts coming together as one. Featuring music by JS Bach, Caroline Shaw, Ludwig van Beethoven, and some traditional fiddle tunes. |
Sunday, May 17
2:00pm-2:45pm
Location: The Common (2nd floor)
Community Gathering Table: Ansanm Anba Tonèl (Together in The Lakou) Experience a high-energy Haitian Folkloric dance and drum performance in honor of Haitian Flag Day presented by Jean Appolon Expressions, followed by an interactive Creative Dance for Kids class. As the rhythm of the drums fills the space, move alongside the performers, exploring the theme of L’Union Fait la Force (Unity Makes Strength). Through this blend of storytelling, professional performance, and guided movement, participants will learn how the Lakou (community courtyard) serves as a place for gathering, spirituality, and collective joy. |