What Pacific Science Center does

Pacific Science Center (PacSci) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit science museum and educational institution founded in 1962 at Seattle Center in Seattle, Washington. Originally built as the U.S. Science Pavilion for the 1962 World's Fair and designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki, it operates as the nation's first science and technology center from a City of Seattle Landmark-designated campus featuring IMAX theaters, a planetarium, a 10,000-watt Laser Dome, living exhibits (Tropical Butterfly House, Tide Pool), and rotating major exhibitions. The organization serves K-8 students, families, schools, corporate partners, and the general public through a diversified portfolio that includes general admission, IMAX and laser shows, field trips, summer camps (over 100 experiences for PreK-8), Science on Wheels mobile outreach (reaching 150,000 students annually), Digital Discovery Workshops, and a planned Maker & Innovation Lab estimated at $20 million.

The business model blends earned revenue with philanthropic support. Earned revenue comes from variable-priced timed admission, IMAX/planetarium/laser show tickets, multi-tier memberships ($60-$299 annually), school field trips at $10/student, birthday party packages, corporate memberships, and venue rentals. Revenue is complemented by donations from 1,500+ individuals, companies, and foundations each year, plus grants from major funders including Amazon Future Engineer, Allen Family Philanthropies, Boeing, Microsoft, Google, King County, and the State of Washington. In February 2026, PacSci executed a strategic real estate transaction with Space Needle LLC, selling less than 25% of its campus (including the Boeing IMAX Theater) to fund capital upgrades and the Maker & Innovation Lab, while establishing joint programming and ticketing arrangements.

Go-to-market is multi-channel and community-led: physical campus admissions, online ticketing, dedicated school program sales, mobile outreach, and partnership distribution through Seattle CityPASS and the ASTC Travel Passport Program (350+ reciprocal science centers worldwide). The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by President & CEO Kevin Malgesini (appointed June 2026), succeeding Will Daugherty who led the institution since December 2015.

Name

Pacific Science Center

Legal name

Pacific Science Center

Website

https://pacificsciencecenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Pacific Science Center is a Seattle-based nonprofit science museum founded in 1962, operating IMAX theaters, planetarium, laser dome, and exhibits from its landmark Seattle Center campus while delivering K-8 STEM education through field trips, summer camps, and Science on Wheels mobile outreach across Washington state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum and STEM Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

Keywords

• Science museum exhibits
• STEM education programs
• IMAX documentary theater
• Interactive science learning
• Museum field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Visitors pay for timed entry tickets to the science center with pricing varying based on capacity, attendance patterns, holidays, and events. Includes unlimited Planetarium and daytime laser shows with free timed tickets.
2. IMAX and Theater Tickets: Additional revenue from IMAX documentary films, evening laser shows, and planetarium experiences beyond general admission.
3. Memberships: Annual membership programs including PacSci Annual Pass ($60), PacSci Family ($185), and PacSci Feature Family ($299) with various benefits including free admission, discounts, and ASTC Passport reciprocal benefits.
4. Camps for Curious Minds: Over 100 week-long camp experiences for kids in grades PreK-8 across multiple locations, with scholarship programs for low-income families.
5. Field Trips: School field trip admissions at discounted rates ($10/student, $5/chaperone) plus add-on experiences like IMAX, laser shows, and planetarium.
6. Birthday Party Packages: Private party room rentals with science-themed activities for up to 30 guests ($300 for members, $350 for non-members).
7. Corporate Memberships: Corporate membership programs giving employees access to PacSci with discounts and benefits.
8. Donations and Philanthropy: Donations from individuals, companies, and foundations including more than 1,500 supporters annually, with major grants from entities like Amazon Future Engineer.
9. Group Sales: Discounted group admissions for parties of 11 or more, including corporate groups, social organizations, and community groups.
10. Real Estate Transaction: Sale of less than 25% of campus to Space Needle LLC including Boeing IMAX Theater to fund upgrades and maker space expansion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pacific Science Center is a not-for-profit science museum and STEM education institution operating a physical campus at Seattle Center that combines permanent exhibits, IMAX theaters, a Planetarium, a Laser Dome, and living exhibits with structured educational programs for K-8 students and families. Earned revenue comes from general admission, IMAX and laser tickets, memberships, camps, field trips, birthday parties, and group sales, while philanthropic support comes from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and grants.

Product overview

Pacific Science Center operates as a science museum and educational institution offering a diverse portfolio of products and services centered on STEM education and public science engagement. The core offerings include general admission access to permanent exhibits, IMAX theaters (PACCAR IMAX operated by PacSci, Boeing IMAX now operated by Space Needle), the Planetarium, and Laser Dome. Educational products span Camps for Curious Minds (summer camps for PreK-8), Digital Discovery Workshops (live virtual lessons), Science on Wheels (mobile outreach), and field trip programs. The organization offers multiple membership tiers (PacSci Annual Pass, Family, Feature Family, Access Memberships for low-income families, and Corporate Memberships). Living exhibits include the Tropical Butterfly House and Tide Pool. New initiatives include a planned Maker & Innovation Lab ($20M project), ongoing Courtyard renovation, and exhibits like Artemis Adventure with LEGO Bricks, Spiders: From Fear to Fascination, Brainy Bodies (bilingual), Wild Creativity (biomimicry), and Pollinator Path. The organization also provides online resources through Curiosity at Home, Career Corners video series, and I-LABS cognitive research partnerships. Special event programming includes KEXP DJ residencies in the Laser Dome and IMAX documentary premieres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission

Quantifiable outcome

• 80,000 K-8 students reached through Amazon Future Engineer STEM programs over two years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Space Needle LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2026Sale of less than 25% of PacSci campus including Boeing IMAX Theater to Space Needle LLC. Strategic partnership for joint programming, mutual promotion, and joint/add-on ticketing. Space Needle to explore partnership opportunities supporting PacSci’s future. Both committed to preserving historic Yamasaki landmark elements.
• Seattle CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025New partnership announced in early 2025 to deepen PacSci’s integration with Seattle Center. Seattle Center leadership consulted throughout real estate process. Collaboration on capital funding, courtyard restoration, and long-term stewardship of Yamasaki arches.
• KEXPflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2023Live at the Laser Dome: KEXP DJ in Residence partnership with quarterly rotating KEXP DJs curating music laser experiences. First renewal extended partnership into second year. DJs include Lace Cadence (The Continent), Kennady Quille (Audioasis), DJ Jewel (Astral Plane), and Eva Walker (Early).
• I-LABS (Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Partnership since 2015 to conduct cognitive science research studies with kids visiting PacSci. Studies focus on self-esteem, bias and stereotypes related to math and gender. Research data helps combat social inequalities and informs age-appropriate interventions.
• NASAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerField trips supported by NASA under award No. 80NSSC23K0796. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect NASA’s views.
• ASTC (Association of Science-Technology Centers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorASTC Travel Passport Program enabling PacSci members to visit 350+ science centers worldwide for free. Reciprocal admission subject to 90-mile restrictions from PacSci and home address.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Exploratorium: San Francisco hands-on science museum with strong educational programming and exhibit-based revenue model. Comparable in mission emphasis on interactive STEM learning and K-8 audience.
• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI): Portland-based science museum with IMAX theater, planetarium, camps, and school field-trip programs serving the Pacific Northwest. Highly comparable in scale, educational mission, and Pacific Northwest regional audience overlap with PacSci.
• Perot Museum of Nature and Science: Dallas science museum with hands-on exhibits and STEM education programs. Comparable in scale and product mix, particularly for K-8 school programs and member-based revenue.
• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh science center with IMAX, planetarium, and STEM education programming including camps and outreach. Comparable mid-size regional science center with similar program mix.
• California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco science institution combining aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum with living exhibits. Directly comparable for PacSci's Tropical Butterfly House and Tide Pool living-exhibit model alongside planetarium operations.
• Museum of Science, Boston: Major science museum with IMAX theater, planetarium, and comprehensive K-12 STEM education programs. Closest comparable peer at the upper end of scale with similar institutional complexity and corporate sponsorship model.
• Franklin Institute: Philadelphia science museum with IMAX theater, planetarium, and broad STEM education programming. Comparable scale and product mix including permanent exhibits, IMAX, and school programs.
• California Science Center: Los Angeles science museum with IMAX theaters, exhibits, and K-8 educational programs. Directly comparable operating model combining IMAX, permanent exhibits, school field trips, and STEM education mission.

Regional players

• Pacific National Exhibition (PNE): Vancouver fair/exhibition venue with science and entertainment programming. Comparable Pacific Coast regional attraction operator, though with a broader entertainment portfolio than PacSci's focused STEM mission.

Others

• ASTC (Association of Science-Technology Centers): Industry association facilitating the ASTC Travel Passport reciprocal network connecting 350+ science centers including PacSci. Comparable not as a competitor but as a network enabler whose Passport program materially enhances PacSci's membership value.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4ckxirkLFt5s27QKJdE4qw
• Facebookfacebook.com/pacsci
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-science-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/pacsci
• Xx.com/pacsci

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Science Center