Ms. Rachel with James and Kristina Payne, the owners of Play Street Museum on the Upper West Side
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An Upper West Side family business received national attention this week after Ms. Rachel — the hugely popular children’s entertainer and educator — publicly thanked them for opening their doors to a 3-year-old girl from Gaza.
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In an Instagram post this week, Ms. Rachel told her 4.4 million followers that Play Street Museum, located at 805 Columbus Avenue near West 100th Street, stepped up after three other venues declined to host a special play session for Rahaf, a young child from Gaza who is a double amputee.“Please support @paynefamilynyc and follow them and visit them,” she wrote. “After 3 venues turned down having Rahaf I was scared to even ask another venue. They immediately said yes, all kids are welcome here. They made me cry because I was so touched. Let’s see how many followers we can get them!”
Ms. Rachel previously posted a video describing the difficulty she faced securing a space for Rahaf’s visit, saying that multiple venues had turned them away. She did not identify those locations.
Play Street Museum — which opened its Upper West Side location in February 2024 — is owned by James and Kristina Payne, local parents who operate the neighborhood franchise of the national children’s play-and-event space. The Columbus Avenue location, the brand’s first in the Northeast, features a “Town Square” of child-sized city-themed exhibits designed for independent play, birthday parties and special events geared toward kids eight and under.
The Payne family responded with their own Instagram post, saying that agreeing to host Rahaf, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, and Ms. Rachel required no deliberation.
“When we received the call it was a no brainer,” they wrote. “When we learned that others denied them access, our hearts were literally broken. We couldn’t believe it.”
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They added that they said yes “even without the lights, camera, action because it was the right thing to do,” writing that their decision reflects both their values and their identity as a Black, family-owned small business rooted in their faith. “Caring and advocating for children is always the right thing to do. Full stop.”Play Street Museum’s national network originated in 2014 in Frisco, Texas, and now includes more than 20 franchised locations across the country and abroad. The Upper West Side site offers activities such as pottery, canvas painting, science-based slime sessions, and party packages for small groups.
As Ms. Rachel’s post continues to circulate, the Payne family has seen a surge of online support — something she encouraged as a public thank-you for welcoming Rahaf after others would not.
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