STEPPING STONES MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN ANNOUNCES FRANKIE VAGNONE AS NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Vagnone brings extensive executive leadership and strategic partnership experience to the institution

NORWALK, Conn., April 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Stepping Stones Museum for Children, an award-winning children’s museum located in Norwalk, Connecticut, announces the appointment of Frankie Dominic Vagnone as the museum’s new Chief Executive Officer.

The museum’s Board of Directors announces Vagnone’s appointment following an extensive national search process. He brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience transforming major cultural institutions, with a particular focus on innovative community engagement and dynamic educational programming. His proven expertise in creating engaging, interactive experiences for children and families has consistently driven record-breaking attendance and community participation at the institutions he has led. Vagnone begins his role at Stepping Stones in June 2025.

“Last month, Stepping Stones Museum for Children marked an exciting milestone as we celebrated the museum’s 25^th anniversary,” said Barbara Koteen, Chair of the Board of Directors of Stepping Stones. “Our collective excitement continues as we welcome Frankie as the museum’s next leader. We are beyond thrilled to bring him aboard. His innovative approach to cultural spaces and proven track record of transformative leadership make him the ideal person to lead Stepping Stones into its next chapter. His passion for creating engaging, hands-on learning environments for children aligns perfectly with our mission to broaden and enrich educational opportunities for children and their families.”

Throughout his career, Vagnone has developed specialized programming for children on the autism spectrum, with varying cognitive and physical abilities, created contemporary art engagements within cultural sites for families, and designed large-scale community programs focused on kinesthetic learning and childhood engagement. His expertise extends beyond programming to collaborative nonprofit leadership, where he has consistently built organizational capacity and professionalism while strengthening mission focus and financial stability. Internationally recognized for his innovative approach to cultural institutions, Vagnone has written extensively on reimagining visitor engagement and creating meaningful experiences in cultural spaces.

Vagnone served as President and CEO of Old Salem Historic District & Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, where he significantly increased attendance through award-winning educational initiatives including “Learning in Place,” which used STEAM principles to enrich children’s hands-on learning experiences. His “Access Salem” program provided educational opportunities for children with cognitive and physical challenges. His successful Winter Fair and Salem Saturdays at Christmas events saw overwhelming attendance and revenue increases.

Vagnone has also held leadership positions at the Newport Restoration Foundation, the Historic House Trust of New York City, the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks, the Bryn Athyn Cathedral Complex and Charity in Action.

“I am honored to join Stepping Stones Museum for Children at such a pivotal time in its history,” said Vagnone. “As the son of a single parent who operated a preschool from our home, I witnessed firsthand the power of thoughtfully designed early childhood environments. Throughout my career, I’ve observed how children engage with spaces differently than adults—touching, exploring, and questioning everything around them. What visitors might see as play is actually a carefully designed relationship between early childhood development and family engagement. The museum experience requires sensitivity to both the child’s journey and the caregiver’s needs. Having long advocated for cultural institutions to address contemporary community needs, I’m thrilled to join an organization that has already embedded this philosophy in its mission. I look forward to building upon the excellent foundation of Stepping Stones to create even more dynamic learning environments where children and families can fully engage with their surroundings.”

He holds a master’s degree in architecture from Columbia University, bringing unique insights into both the physical and programmatic aspects of creating engaging spaces for children. His anthropological studies in early childhood environments, self-curated spatial constructions, and personal boundary concepts inform his distinctive approach to designing interactive spaces. His research-based, educational approach to visitor engagement draws on decades of studying how people of all ages interact with built environments, backed by a lifelong commitment to teaching and developing evidence-based methodologies for meaningful learning experiences. Vagnone also brings substantial experience in exhibition and play environment design for children, implementing spaces that balance educational goals with engaging, tactile experiences

Vagnone will be just the second CEO in the museum’s 25-year history. Interim Executive Director Amanda Connell will resume her role as Vice President of Human Resources and Support Services.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children serves nearly 300,000 visitors annually. Nestled in historic Mathews Park, the whimsical 44,000-square foot facility is LEED-Gold certified and features STEAM-infused, hands-on exhibits including Big Adventures: Dinosaurs, ColorCoaster, Energy Lab^®, Lights On!, StudioK, Tot Town^®, the tented, open-air Celebration Courtyard, the state-of-the-art Multimedia Gallery, the ELLI+ Book Nook℠, The Shop at Stepping Stones and the Healthyville^® Cafe. 

About Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Stepping Stones Museum for Children (www.steppingstonesmuseum.org) in Norwalk is an award-winning, private, non-profit 501(c)(3) children’s museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. Located on five acres in Mathews Park, the LEED Gold certified museum encompasses five hands-on galleries, multimedia theater, The Shop at Stepping Stones and the Healthyville^® Cafe. Stepping Stones also offers engaging educational events and workshops, onsite, traveling and virtual group and school programs and traveling resources for schools, libraries and youth-serving organizations.

Stepping Stones is located at 303 West Avenue, exit 14N or 15S off I-95 in Norwalk. Museum hours are 9:00 am – 5:00 pm daily. Admission is $20 for adults and children and $16 for seniors. Children under 1 are free. Get social with Stepping Stones on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Contact:
Robert Townes
Director of External Affairs
Stepping Stones Museum for Children 
203-899-0606 ext. 262
[email protected]

SOURCE Stepping Stones Museum for Children