Children's Science Center Lab

What Children's Science Center Lab does

Children's Science Center Lab is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating an interactive science center and STEM education programs for children and families, headquartered in Northern Virginia. Its current facility sits within Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, VA, and serves as the operational hub for hands-on exhibits, weekend programming, birthday parties ($750 per event), field trips ($600 per session), summer camps, and a Family Science Night program now in its 11th year across 50+ schools. The organization runs an equity-focused STEM Starter Fund that has reached 2,000+ students to date.

The business model is a hybrid of earned revenue (admissions priced at $15/person, memberships at $175/year, program and event fees) and contributed revenue (individual, corporate, and foundation donations). Per the organization's own disclosure, approximately 50% of operating revenue derives from donations, with the remaining 50% from earned sources. Corporate sponsors include Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Aramco, PNC, and Deloitte, providing both unrestricted support and likely sponsored programming.

The organization is in the middle of a major capacity-expansion phase: the "Launch the Future" capital campaign targets $75M to fund a 70,000+ sq ft flagship science center in the Dulles area, with design partners HGA (architect) and Roto (exhibit designer) engaged and a target opening in 2027. A $10M gift from Northwest Federal Credit Union in December 2019 served as the campaign's anchor contribution. At full operation, the new facility is projected to serve 300,000+ visitors annually — a multiple of current mall-based capacity. A partnership with the Science Museum of Virginia extends the organization's programmatic reach beyond a single physical site.

Name

Children's Science Center Lab

Legal name

Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation

Website

https://childsci.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Children's Science Center Lab is a Northern Virginia 501(c)(3) non-profit operating an interactive science center, STEM education programs, and school outreach for children and families, currently expanding from a mall location to a new 70,000+ sq ft Dulles facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Science Museum and STEM Education

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB), Biology & Life Science Enrichment (Biotech, Genetics, Anatomy) (EDAMABAF)

Keywords

• Interactive science museum
• Children's STEM education
• Hands-on science exhibits
• School field trips
• Family learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfax

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Timed-entry sessions at $15 per person (save $2 when purchased online). Children under 2 are free. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
2. Family Memberships: Annual membership at $175/year for 2 adults and 2 children, with 2 guest passes. Additional family members at $30/year. Includes ASTC/ACM reciprocity benefits.
3. Birthday Party Packages: $750 per party for up to 50 people, includes STEM educators, full Lab exploration, 2-hour party time. Members receive $25 off.
4. Summer and School Break Camps: Day-long camps at $TBD with various STEM themes including Dino Discovery, Studio STEM, Galactic Getaway, Tech Trailblazers, Chemistry Creations, Mission Possible, Happy Planet, and more. Members receive 10% discount.
5. Individual and Corporate Donations: 50% of operating revenue comes from individual donors, businesses, foundations, and community organizations. Monthly giving program (Catalyst Giving Circle), stock/securities gifts, planned giving, and corporate annual partnerships available.
6. Museums for All Reduced-Rate Program: Discounted admission at $2 per person for income-qualified families receiving SNAP, TANF, SSI, Medicaid, FAMIS, WIC, or VENA benefits. Reduced-rate membership at $25/year.
7. School Programs and Field Trips: Field trips for 3rd-5th grade at Title I schools, Family Science Night at schools ($600 for 4 NGSS/SOL themes), Science on Screen or Stage ($750 in-person, $275 virtual), Science on the Go summer program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Children's Science Center Lab operates an interactive children's science museum at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, VA, offering hands-on STEM exhibits and programs for children ages 2-12 and their families. The organization runs timed-entry weekend sessions, school field trips, summer and break camps, birthday parties, and outreach programs such as Family Science Night that travel to elementary schools. It is also developing the 70,000+ square-foot Northern Virginia Science Center in Dulles, VA, scheduled to open in 2027.

Product overview

Children's Science Center Lab operates as a single-location interactive children's museum in Northern Virginia with a major expansion project underway. The core product is the Children's Science Center Lab at Fair Oaks Mall—a hands-on STEM museum for children ages 2-12. The organization is also building the Northern Virginia Science Center in Dulles (70,000+ sq ft), funded through the Launch the Future campaign ($75 million). Educational programs include Camps (summer/school break day camps), Field Trips, Science on the Go (mobile programs), Science on Screen or Stage, and STEM Enrichment Series. Community and outreach programs include Family Science Night (school-based), Birthday Parties, and the STEM Starter Fund scholarship program. Membership offerings include Base Membership ($175/year with ASTC/ACM reciprocity) and Museums for All (income-qualified reduced-rate program at $25/year). The Lab uses Blackbaud for ticketing, donations, and membership management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Children's Science Center Lab Northern Virginia's first interactive children's science museum where children ages 2-12 and their families explore STEM concepts through hands-on exhibits and rotating activities. Located at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, VA, operating weekends with timed-entry sessions.
• Northern Virginia Science Center A 70,000+ square-foot world-class interactive science center currently under development in Dulles, VA, funded through the Launch the Future $75 million capital campaign. Will serve families, students, and learners of all ages across the region.
• Family Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 students and teachers served annually through subsidized field trips via STEM Starter Fund
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered pivotal and core.

• Science Museum of VirginiapivotalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop and operate Northern Virginia Science Center. The future center will join the Science Museum of Virginia and Danville Science Center as part of a state-wide network of science centers under the Department of Education.
• HGA (Architecture Firm)coreTechnology or IntegrationNational architecture firm selected for design of Northern Virginia Science Center. Has demonstrated experience designing public spaces that explore intersections between learning, play, and community, including Capital One Hall in Tysons and Loudoun County's Brambleton Library.
• Roto (Exhibit Design Firm)coreTechnology or IntegrationLeading design-build firm selected for exhibit design and architecture. Mission is to provide fresh ideas and reliable solutions for today's leading museums including Orlando Science Center, Arkansas Discovery Museum, and Science Museum of Virginia.
• George Mason UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM Education Professor collaborated with Lab to develop the STEM Enrichment Series, ensuring alignment with Virginia Science Standards of Learning and addressing specific topics of struggle for students.
• American Alliance of MuseumscoreOthersMember organization providing accreditation, standards, and professional development for museums. The Center displays AAM membership logo indicating compliance with professional museum standards.
• Association of Children's Museums (ACM)coreOthersMember organization representing children's museums. Members receive ACM reciprocity benefits allowing 50% off admission to ACM facilities worldwide.
• Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)coreOthersMember organization providing free admission to ASTC Technology Centers 90+ miles from home and home museum through reciprocity program.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Exploratorium: San Francisco-based interactive science museum with hundreds of hands-on exhibits. Operates a significantly larger-scale version of the same hands-on STEM discovery model with a national/international visitor base.

Direct peers

• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based non-profit science center with hands-on exhibits, IMAX theater, school programs, and camps. Operates a comparable membership + outreach + donation revenue model and similar target demographics.
• OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry): Portland-based science museum with hands-on exhibits, planetarium, school programs, and summer camps. Comparable non-profit operating model with diversified revenue streams and similar family/school target audiences.
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children: Connecticut-based children's museum focused on hands-on learning for ages 10 and under. Closely comparable in target age range (2-12), museum + outreach model, and donor-supported non-profit structure.
• Liberty Science Center: New Jersey-based interactive science center with hands-on STEM exhibits, school programs, camps, and birthday party offerings. Comparable scale and revenue diversification across admissions, events, and donations.
• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based interactive science center offering hands-on STEM exhibits, camps, and school programs. Similar museum + outreach model with comparable visitor volumes and donor-supported operating structure.
• Science Museum of Virginia: State-operated science museum in Richmond, VA, with which the Children's Science Center has an active partnership to develop a statewide network of science centers. Operates a similar hands-on STEM exhibit model and shares visitor demographics.
• Discovery Center Museum: Children's hands-on science museum in Rockford, IL, offering interactive exhibits for families and school groups. Comparable in scale, target age range, and STEM-focused programming model.

Regional players

• Maryland Science Center: Interactive science center in Baltimore's Inner Harbor serving Maryland and DC metro families. Operates a similar hands-on exhibit model and competes for the same Mid-Atlantic regional visitor base.
• Children's Museum of Richmond: Virginia-based children's museum with hands-on learning experiences for young children and families. Operates in the same state and shares elements of the children's museum + STEM enrichment model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ChildSci
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzVklIdmPgSuoCwcg4UE5yg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildrensScienceCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children's-science-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/childscicenterlab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Children's Science Center Lab