Science Center of Iowa

What Science Center of Iowa does

The Science Center of Iowa is a private nonprofit science museum operating from a single facility at 401 W Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in Downtown Des Moines. Founded in 1970 and relocated to its current site in 2005, the organization serves more than 300,000 visitors annually through on-site visits and statewide educational outreach. Its core offerings are organized around three pillars: permanent hands-on exhibits (Small Discoveries, What On Earth?, When Things Get Moving, Why The Sky?, Makers Studio, Brick by Brick), a 50-foot planetarium with full-dome digital projection and surround sound running an extensive library of shows, and live demonstration programs (Fire Works, Deep Freeze, Zap, Chemistry Clues).

The center generates revenue through a diversified mix of one-time and recurring streams: admission tickets priced at $15 for children/seniors and $20 for adults, individual and corporate memberships, tax-deductible donations, private event rentals (birthday parties, corporate meetings, weddings), tuition for the NAEYC-accredited SCI Preschool, and seasonal summer camps. The customer base spans families with children, K-12 school groups (including homeschool families), preschool-age children, and adults through targeted programs such as Mixology and dome shows like Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon.

Beyond the physical site, SCI operates a statewide distribution layer for STEM education through the Iowa Governor's STEM Scale-Up Program, where it delivered 400+ Pint Size Science kits to educators. Strategic partnerships with Des Moines Parks & Recreation, the Des Moines Astronomical Society, Iowa State University, Des Moines University, Kemin, and Principal Financial Group extend SCI's programming into astronomy observation, biotech career exploration, and the STEM Explorers internship pipeline. The organization employs 51-100 staff and is led by CEO Curtis Simmons and CFO Ni Wagner.

Name

Science Center of Iowa

Legal name

Science Center of Iowa

Website

https://sciowa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Science Center of Iowa is a nonprofit science museum in Downtown Des Moines operating hands-on exhibits, a 50-foot planetarium, live demonstrations, a NAEYC-accredited preschool, and statewide STEM outreach, serving 300,000+ visitors and K-12 schools annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum and Informal STEM Education

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Interactive science exhibits
• Planetarium dome shows
• STEM preschool education
• School science outreach
• Hands-on science museum

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Visitors pay admission fees to access exhibits and planetarium shows. Pricing varies by age: children (2-12) $15, adults (13-64) $20, seniors (65+) $15. Members receive free admission.
2. Memberships: Individual and family memberships providing unlimited free admission, with options for gift memberships and corporate memberships
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting the mission to engage and inspire Iowans along their journey of lifelong science learning
4. Private Event Rentals: Birthday parties, corporate meetings, events, and weddings hosted at the facility
5. SCI Preschool Tuition: Early childhood education program with tuition-based enrollment
6. Summer Camps: Science-themed camps offered during summer break for children

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Science Center of Iowa operates a hands-on science museum in Downtown Des Moines featuring permanent interactive exhibits, a 50-foot full-dome planetarium theater, and live science demonstration programs. It sells admission tickets and memberships to general visitors, runs an NAEYC-accredited STEM preschool, and delivers statewide school outreach programs including summer camps, Discovery Labs, and Pint Size Science kits.

Product overview

The Science Center of Iowa is a single-site science museum offering hands-on permanent exhibits (Small Discoveries, What On Earth?, When Things Get Moving, Why The Sky?, Makers Studio, Brick by Brick), a planetarium with full-dome shows (Seven Wonders, Black Holes, Phantom of the Universe, Solar Odyssey, etc.), and live demonstration programs (Fire Works, Deep Freeze, Zap, Chemistry Clues). The center provides educational programming including youth camps, the NAEYC-accredited SCI Preschool, school outreach programs, and specialized offerings like Star/Solar Parties for astronomy observation and Sensory-Friendly Hours for visitors with sensory needs. Special events include dome shows (Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon) and maker-focused events. The organization serves more than 300,000 people annually through on-site visits and statewide educational outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permanent Exhibits

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves more than 300,000 people annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Des Moines Parks & RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStar Parties are offered through a partnership with Des Moines Parks & Recreation. The collaboration enables outdoor astronomy events at various locations around the Des Moines Metro including Drake Municipal Observatory and Ashton Observatory.
• Des Moines Astronomical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Des Moines Astronomical Society (DMAS) for Star Party programming. DMAS members volunteer alongside SCI staff to operate telescopes and provide astronomy education during public observation nights.
• Iowa Governor's STEM Scale-Up ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI participates in the Iowa Governor's STEM Scale-Up Program, delivering Pint Size Science kits and educator training to schools across Iowa. This state-wide initiative brings STEM education resources to underserved communities.
• DuPont PioneerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDuPont Pioneer was a presenting sponsor of the Girls in Science Pajama Party event, supporting programming that encourages girls' interest in science careers.
• Iowa State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCI engages with Iowa State University through partnerships with engineering faculty and students, including astronaut Clay Anderson who joined the Iowa State engineering faculty and participates in SCI events.
• Des Moines UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Des Moines University for biotech education initiatives, connecting students with STEM professionals and providing exposure to medical and scientific careers.
• KeminminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal biotech company that partners with SCI for STEM professional connections and career exploration programs.
• Principal Financial GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal Financial Group partners with SCI for the STEM Explorers program, providing paid internship opportunities and supporting college-to-career pathways for Des Moines high school students.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based science center combining permanent hands-on exhibits, a planetarium, live stage shows, and school outreach. Closely mirrors SCI's mix of exhibits, dome theater, and youth programming.
• Discovery Museum (Bridgeport, CT): Mid-size hands-on science and children's museum combining permanent exhibits, planetarium, preschool, and statewide school programs. Closely comparable in scale and program mix to SCI.
• Adventure Science Center: Nashville-based nonprofit science center with a planetarium, hands-on exhibits, school outreach, and youth programs. Directly comparable mid-market science center model.
• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based nonprofit science center with permanent interactive exhibits, IMAX/planetarium dome, live demonstrations, and summer camps. Directly comparable operating model to SCI.

Broad incumbents

• Liberty Science Center: NJ-based science center with interactive exhibits, planetarium, live programs, and school partnerships. Comparable program mix though larger in scale and budget than SCI.
• Exploratorium: San Francisco's flagship hands-on science museum with exhibits, teacher professional development, and statewide/international reach. Broader scope but most iconic comparable for the interactive-science-museum model SCI operates.
• Science Museum of Minnesota: Large, established hands-on science museum with a planetarium theater, permanent exhibits, and statewide education programs. Highly comparable as a multi-program science center operating both destination exhibits and K-12/school outreach.
• The Franklin Institute: Philadelphia's long-established hands-on science museum with planetarium, permanent exhibits, youth programs, and corporate partnerships. Comparable programming footprint at a larger scale.
• OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry): Larger Pacific Northwest science museum with planetarium, hands-on labs, school programs, and traveling exhibits. Broader scale than SCI but operates a directly analogous set of programs.

Emerging players

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Largest children's museum in the U.S. with substantial STEM/STEAM programming and a strong school-and-family reach. Comparable to SCI on the children's STEM side, though it spans a wider age and topic range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sciowa
• Facebookfacebook.com/sciowa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/science-center-of-iowa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Science Center of Iowa