Discovery Place
Discovery Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating four science and nature museums across three Carolinas cities, delivering hands-on STEM education to 750,000+ visitors annually through exhibits, traveling exhibitions, outreach programs, and membership-based access including the Welcome Program for underserved families.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1947
- HeadquartersCharlotte, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Discovery Place does
Discovery Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1947 that operates a network of four interactive science, nature, and design museums across three cities in the Carolinas: Discovery Place Science (with the Charlotte IMAX Dome Theatre) in Charlotte, the Charlotte Museum of Nature currently under construction at Freedom Park (expected opening 2026), Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville, and Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham. The organization serves more than 750,000 visitors annually through museum visits, traveling exhibitions (Brick Masters Studio, Becoming Jane, Boxopolis, Gabby's Dollhouse MEOWseum), field trips, educator professional development, community outreach (including NASA Community Space Stations), and membership-based access, with a stated mission to bring science, nature, and design together to create transformative learning experiences. Its primary customer segments are families with children, pre-K–12 students and educators, underserved WIC/EBT-eligible families (through the $75 Welcome Program), and the broader Carolinas public.
The organization's core product is its physical museum network supplemented by traveling exhibitions, outreach programs, and a membership program. Underlying technology includes interactive STEM exhibits, a state-of-the-art IMAX Dome Theatre, a Planetarium, 300+ live animal species integrated into programming, a Tech Innovation Lab featuring a GenAI Avatar and TogetherTales AI-powered story generation wall (powered by Infosys Foundation USA), augmented reality activities in traveling exhibitions, and a Blackbaud-powered ticketing system integrated with Google Analytics and FullStory for visitor analytics. The AI/AR features are partner-provided rather than proprietary, and no in-house AI research or model development is disclosed.
Discovery Place generates revenue through museum admissions, annual memberships (including the $75 Welcome Program tier covering up to six family members), special exhibitions, programs and events (camps, birthday parties, field trips), retail and concessions, parking, and donations and grants from foundations, corporations, and individuals. Major financial supporters include Bank of America, Foundation for the Carolinas, LEGO Systems, and Infosys at the $100,000+ level. Go-to-market is event-driven and community-led: visitors are acquired through in-person visits, school and educator partnerships, seasonal events (NC Science Festival, City Nature Challenge), press and social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube), and direct outreach into underserved communities across Charlotte, Huntersville, Cornelius, Rockingham, and Rock Hill.
Discovery Place firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Discovery Place
- Legal name
- Discovery Place, Inc.
- Website
- https://discoveryplacemuseums.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1947
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Discovery Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating four science and nature museums across three Carolinas cities, delivering hands-on STEM education to 750,000+ visitors annually through exhibits, traveling exhibitions, outreach programs, and membership-based access including the Welcome Program for underserved families.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Discovery Place industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Science Museum and STEM Education
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB)
Keywords
Where Discovery Place is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charlotte
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Discovery Place business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Museum Admission: Revenue from general admission tickets to Discovery Place Science and other museums. Free admission for members.
- Membership Programs: Annual memberships providing free unlimited admission, discounted IMAX documentaries, 20% off concessions, members-only events, pre-sale access to camps, discounted birthday parties, and 25% off guest tickets. Welcome Program offers $75 memberships for up to 6 people for WIC/EBT families.
- Special Exhibitions: Revenue from temporary exhibitions like Brick Masters Studio (LEGO), Becoming Jane (Dr. Jane Goodall), Boxopolis, and Gabby's Dollhouse MEOWseum.
- Programs and Events: Revenue from summer camps, birthday parties, field trips, outreach programs, Science on the Rocks events, and special programming.
- Retail and Concessions: Revenue from museum stores, gift shops, and concessions (20% discount for members).
- Parking: $9.95 parking at Discovery Place Science for members.
- Donations and Grants: Charitable contributions from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government grants supporting museum operations, exhibitions, and community programs.
- Campaign Donations: Specific campaigns like Rose or Roach ($5 donations) supporting animal care and Living Collections team.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Welcome Program Membership - $75 for up to six people |
| Subscription | Annual | Discovery Place Science Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Discovery Place Kids Memberships |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Rose or Roach Campaign Donation - $5 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brick Masters Studio Exhibition |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels7 records
Discovery Place product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Discovery Place operates a network of four interactive science and nature museums across the Carolinas, including Discovery Place Science (with IMAX Dome Theatre), Charlotte Museum of Nature (opening 2026), and two Discovery Place Kids locations. The organization delivers hands-on STEM education through museum visits, traveling exhibitions (such as Brick Masters Studio and Becoming Jane), school field trips, outreach classes, summer camps, and membership programs including the Welcome Program for underserved families. It supplements its offering with community programs like NASA Community Space Stations and the Tech Innovation Lab powered by Infosys Foundation USA.
Product overview
Discovery Place is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit network of four distinct museums serving the Carolinas, comprising Discovery Place Science (with Charlotte IMAX Dome Theatre), the Charlotte Museum of Nature (opening 2026), Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville, and Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham. The organization offers hands-on STEM education through museum visits, traveling exhibitions (such as Brick Masters Studio and Becoming Jane), outreach classes, field trips, and membership programs including the Welcome Program for underserved families. Recent additions include the Tech Innovation Lab powered by Infosys and NASA Community Space Stations programming. The museum network serves over 750,000 people annually.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Discovery Place Science
- Charlotte Museum of Nature
- Discovery Place Kids-Huntersville
- Discovery Place Kids-Rockingham
- Discovery Place Membership
- Welcome Program
- NASA Community Space Stations
- Tech Innovation Lab
- Field Trips
- Outreach Classes
- Brick Masters Studio Exhibition
- Boxopolis Pop-up Experience
- Becoming Jane Exhibition
- Charlotte IMAX Dome Theatre
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves 750,000+ visitors annually through museum visits, educational programming, and community outreach
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Discovery Place
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Discovery Place technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability7 records
Feature4 records
Discovery Place partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Imagine (formerly Imagine Exhibitions)coreImagine produces and presents Brick Masters Studio exhibition featuring over 100 sculptures built with 2 million LEGO pieces. Global leader in immersive storytelling and experiential design.
- Sean KenneycoreAward-winning artist using LEGO pieces as medium for contemporary sculpture. Recognized as one of the leading experts in the field. Creator of Brick Masters Studio exhibition.
- Science NorthcoreScience North developed science content for Brick Masters Studio exhibition. Northern Ontario's most popular tourist attraction and educational resource.
- DreamWorks AnimationcoreCollaboration with DreamWorks Animation to bring Gabby's Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Days tour to Discovery Place Science. Year-long partnership part of ACM and DreamWorks Animation initiative.
- Association of Children's Museums (ACM)coreACM partnered with DreamWorks Animation to bring Gabby's Dollhouse to children's museums across the U.S. ACM supports children's museums with over 470 members in all 50 states and 19 countries.
- Town of MatthewscorePartnership to bring new Discovery Place Kids museum to Matthews, NC. Town providing building space co-located with future rebuilt Matthews Elementary School.
- Mecklenburg CountycorePublic-private partnership between Mecklenburg County and Discovery Place for Charlotte Museum of Nature construction and operation.
- Liollio ArchitecturecoreArchitectural partner for Charlotte Museum of Nature planning and design.
- Hood Design StudiocoreArchitectural partner for Charlotte Museum of Nature planning and design.
- The Creative OrganizationminorBrand strategy and design consultancy developing Charlotte Museum of Nature's new visual identity and brand story. Offices in New York and London.
- Rodgers BuilderscoreConstruction partner leading building of Charlotte Museum of Nature.
- NASAcoreDiscovery Place named NASA Community Anchor and awarded grant to develop NASA Community Space Stations programming. One of 13 institutions nationwide sharing $510,000 in NASA Community Anchor Award funds. Program engages students and families in NASA-themed educational experiences across the greater Charlotte region.
- Renaissance West STEAM AcademyminorCommunity partner in NASA Community Space Stations program in Charlotte.
- Winding Springs Elementary SchoolminorCommunity partner in NASA Community Space Stations program.
- Huntersville Elementary SchoolminorCommunity partner in NASA Community Space Stations program in Huntersville, NC.
- J.V. Washam Elementary SchoolminorCommunity partner in NASA Community Space Stations program.
- Richmond County SchoolsminorCommunity partner in NASA Community Space Stations program.
- The Catawba NationminorCommunity partner in NASA Community Space Stations program.
- National Geographic SocietycorePartnered with National Geographic Society to produce Becoming Jane exhibition celebrating Dr. Jane Goodall's legacy. Global nonprofit using science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of the world.
- Jane Goodall InstitutecorePartnered with Jane Goodall Institute for Becoming Jane exhibition. Global community-centered conservation organization founded in 1977 advancing Dr. Goodall's vision in over 30 countries.
- Infosys Foundation USAcoreInfosys Foundation USA opened Tech Innovation Lab at Discovery Place Science offering 11,000 free Infosys Springboard courses for upskilling in GenAI and STEM education. Features GenAI Avatar and TogetherTales AI-powered story generation wall.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Discovery Place competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EdVenture: Children's museum in Columbia, SC, founded by Discovery Place CEO Catherine Horne's previous employer for 17+ years. Directly comparable as a Southeastern children's museum offering hands-on STEM learning, memberships, and field trip programming for Pre K-12 audiences.
- Marbles Kids Museum: Children's museum in Raleigh, NC, serving the Carolinas with hands-on exhibits for ages 0-10 and educational programs. Comparable as a regional peer in the same geography targeting similar family and school audiences with overlapping membership models.
- COSI (Center of Science and Industry): Major science center in Columbus, OH, offering hands-on STEM exhibits, IMAX/dome theater, traveling exhibitions, and school outreach. Comparable in operating model, scale (hundreds of thousands of annual visitors), and product mix.
- Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based science center with hands-on exhibits, IMAX theater, planetarium, and school programs. Closely comparable multi-venue science museum with similar visitor scale and educational programming focus.
- Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based science center with IMAX theater, planetarium, traveling exhibitions, and STEM education programs. Comparable in scale, exhibit-led model, and partnerships with national science institutions.
- Franklin Institute: Philadelphia-based science museum and education institution with hands-on exhibits, IMAX theater, and traveling exhibitions. Comparable as a leading regional science museum with similar programming and audience profile.
- Arizona Science Center: Phoenix-based science center with interactive exhibits, IMAX theater, planetarium, and STEM education programs. Comparable mid-sized regional science museum with similar business model and visitor profile.
- Liberty Science Center: Jersey City, NJ-based science center with hands-on exhibits, IMAX dome theater, planetarium, and school programs. Comparable multi-experience science center with traveling exhibitions and educational programming.
- Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Largest children's museum in the world, located in Indianapolis, with hands-on exhibits, family memberships, and school programs. Comparable in audience targeting (families with young children), membership model, and educational programming.
Broad incumbents
- Smithsonian Institution: National museum complex with multiple science museums (National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History). Comparable as a multi-museum science institution, though federally funded and serving a national rather than regional audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Discovery Place social profiles
Digital presenceDiscovery Place financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Discovery Place leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Discovery Place subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Discovery Place funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Discovery Place M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Discovery Place
What does Discovery Place do?
Discovery Place operates a network of four interactive science and nature museums across the Carolinas, including Discovery Place Science (with IMAX Dome Theatre), Charlotte Museum of Nature (opening 2026), and two Discovery Place Kids locations. The organization delivers hands-on STEM education through museum visits, traveling exhibitions (such as Brick Masters Studio and Becoming Jane), school field trips, outreach classes, summer camps, and membership programs including the Welcome Program for underserved families. It supplements its offering with community programs like NASA Community Space Stations and the Tech Innovation Lab powered by Infosys Foundation USA.
Is Discovery Place a public or private company?
Discovery Place is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Discovery Place founded?
Discovery Place was founded in 1947. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Discovery Place based?
Discovery Place is headquartered in Charlotte, United States, in the North America region.
How does Discovery Place make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Museum Admission is the primary driver. The others are membership Programs, special Exhibitions, programs and Events, retail and Concessions, parking, donations and Grants and campaign Donations.
Who are Discovery Place's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EdVenture, Marbles Kids Museum, COSI (Center of Science and Industry), Carnegie Science Center, Pacific Science Center, Franklin Institute, Arizona Science Center, Liberty Science Center and Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Smithsonian Institution is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Discovery Place have an API?
No public API is recorded for Discovery Place.
What industry is Discovery Place in?
Discovery Place's product category is Science Museum and STEM Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAD, Science & Technology Museums, with a secondary code of EDAMABAE, Space & Astronomy Programs. Its NAICS code is 712110 and its SIC code is 8200.