Art Café Helps Sustain Free Museum Access for Taos Families

Families in Taos have limited access to free, creative learning spaces where children can safely explore and express themselves through art. With traditional funding sources in decline, Imagine Children’s Museum—one of the few free and inclusive art spaces in the community—is facing growing pressure to sustain no-cost access for families.

To meet this challenge, the museum’s director proposed an innovative solution: a family-focused art café that would generate reliable revenue while enhancing the visitor experience. She reached out to LOR to help bring the idea to life.

With LOR’s support, Imagine Children’s Museum will purchase equipment, furniture, and materials to establish the Imagine Art Café in its downtown Taos location. The café will feature locally sourced gelato, specialty coffees, and healthy grab-and-go items, alongside rotating exhibits of children’s artwork. It will also partner with Taos farms and bakeries for ingredients and offer paid internships for local youth—creating economic opportunities and strengthening community ties. The café will create a sustainable revenue stream that helps preserve free museum access and art programming for Taos families for years to come.