Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine

What Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine does

The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating the nation's oldest continuously operating children's theatre (founded 1923 as Children's Theatre of Portland) alongside a children's museum (founded 1976), merged in 2008 under unified governance by the Junior League of Portland. Headquartered in a 30,000-square-foot, three-floor facility at 250 Thompson's Point Road in Portland, Maine, CMTM delivers interactive experiential learning to families with children from toddlers through teens, school and recreation groups, and underserved or special-needs communities across Maine and the broader Northeast. Core offerings include 15+ hands-on exhibits (Our Neighborhood, Go With the Flow, From the Mountains to the Sea aquarium, Beautiful Blackbird, MakerSpace, Outdoor Adventure), an 89-seat Maddy Theatre producing Theatre for Young Audiences and Intergenerational Plays, and educational programs including Science for Tots, Youth Playwriting Festival, and Play Your Way sensory-friendly sessions.

Underlying infrastructure centers on physical exhibit fabrication and live performing arts production. Exhibit technology ranges from kinetic water-play sculptures demonstrating physics principles to gesture-animation installations (Beautiful Blackbird's Transformit Fabric Architecture), child-scale working transportation exhibits, live aquarium habitats, and a Story Kiosk for visitor-generated content. The Maddy Theatre is a purpose-built performance space with 89 seats, and touring productions extend programming to schools and community venues statewide. The organization has contracted 50+ local visual and performing artists since the 2021 facility opening, anchoring creative production in Maine's regional arts ecosystem.

CMTM generates revenue through a hybrid non-profit model combining transactional earned income (admission, theatre tickets, facility rentals, birthday parties, school group programs) with recurring membership dues (Family, Organization, Scholarship) and institutional fundraising including corporate sponsorships (TD Securities, IDEXX, L.L.Bean, Hancock Lumber, Cross Insurance, Amtrak Downeaster, Portland International Jetport), foundation grants (Lunder Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, IMLS, Maine Humanities Council), and individual donations. Accessibility is central to the model: Museums for All provides $1 admission for SNAP/WIC/EBT/MaineCare recipients, Play Your Way serves families affected by Autism and sensory processing challenges, and the Suzanne Olson Scholarship Fund opens membership access. The organization subsidizes access by over $500,000 annually, underwritten by capital campaigns (a $2.5M campaign in 1993 and a $15M Imagine Capital Campaign completed in 2021), the Imagination Ball fundraiser, and diversified philanthropic support. The 40+ staff report through an Executive Director (Julie Butcher Pezzino, since July 2019) with directors covering Education, Theatre Artistic Direction, Finance & Administration, Development, Visitor Engagement, and Marketing & Communications.

Name

Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine

Legal name

Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine

Website

https://kitetails.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating a 30,000-square-foot interactive museum and the nation's oldest continuously operating children's theatre in Portland, Maine, serving families, school groups, and underserved communities through exhibits, live theatre, and accessible programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum and Theatre

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAE

Children’s Museums

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYMPAGABAE

Children’s & Youth Theatre

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYEDAMAAAG

Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Arts & Creative Enrichment (Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance)

SECONDARYMPAGABAN

Theatre Education, Training & Conservatories

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYMPAGABAD

Community & Amateur Theatre

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

SECONDARYTHAHAAAG

Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Conference & Convention Venues (Convention Centers, Civic Centers)

Keywords

• Children's museum experiences
• Interactive educational exhibits
• Live children's theatre
• Hands-on learning programs
• Family membership services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Daily admission fees for visitors to the 30,000 sq ft museum and theatre facility with over 15 interactive exhibits
2. Theatre Tickets: Ticket sales for Maddy Theatre productions including Theatre for Young Audiences, Intergenerational Plays, and touring shows
3. Memberships: Family, Organization, and Scholarship Memberships offering free admission, member-only hours, and member benefits
4. Facility Rentals: Birthday parties and space rentals for private events
5. Programs and Camps: Afterschool experiences, outreach programs, and educational programming for school groups
6. Donations and Grants: Charitable contributions from individuals, families, and foundations; grant funding from organizations including National Endowment for the Arts and Lunder Foundation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM) operates a 30,000 square foot combined children's museum and theatre facility in Portland, Maine, featuring 15+ interactive exhibits across three floors plus an Outdoor Adventure area, paired with an 89-seat Maddy Theatre producing professional children's theatre productions. The organization also runs educational programs, afterschool experiences, community outreach, memberships, birthday parties, facility rentals, and accessibility programs such as Museums for All and Play Your Way.

Product overview

The Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine operates as a unified organization offering interactive museum exhibits and live children's theatre productions. The core product portfolio includes over 15 interactive exhibits across three floors of a 30,000-square-foot facility plus outdoor adventure areas (featuring exhibits such as Our Neighborhood, Go With the Flow, From the Mountains to the Sea aquarium, Beautiful Blackbird, MakerSpace, and Maddy's Theatre), paired with a state-of-the-art 89-seat theatre producing professional children's performances. Supporting offerings include educational programs (Science for Tots, Youth Playwriting Festival), community initiatives (Play Your Way, School Programs), membership services, and space rentals. The museum-theatre integration enables a seamless visitor experience combining hands-on play with performing arts education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Maddy's Theatre: State-of-the-art 89-seat theatre that produces world-class children's theatre. It is the longest-running children's theatre in the nation.
• MakerSpace
• From the Mountains to the Sea
• Play Your Way
• Youth Playwriting Festival
• Suzanne Olson Scholarship Fund

Products and services

• Interactive Museum Exhibits Over 15 hands-on, interactive exhibits across three floors and an outdoor adventure area at the 30,000 sq ft facility, designed to encourage experiential learning through open-ended play for children and families.
• Maddy's Theatre Productions State-of-the-art 89-seat theatre producing world-class children's theatre including Theatre for Young Audiences, Intergenerational Plays, Youth Theatre Ensembles, and Pop Up Plays. The longest-running continuously operating children's theatre in the nation.
• Beautiful Blackbird Exhibit Interactive exhibit bringing Ashley Bryan's award-winning children's book to life through gesture animation on Transformit Fabric Architecture, maker activities, and storytelling, located in the Lunder Arts and Culture Gallery.
• Our Neighborhood Exhibit Multi-zone play space reflecting Portland's urban port city featuring Wellness and Safety (fire truck, Bear Care Center), Transportation (train station, jetport), and Working Waterfront areas for roleplay and imaginative play.
• Go With the Flow Exhibit Dynamic water play space on the 3rd floor featuring water tables, kinetic sculptures, swirling vortexes, dams, and water wheels demonstrating scientific principles such as gravity, flow, and energy.
• From the Mountains to the Sea Aquarium Exhibit Three-floor aquarium exhibit featuring freshwater, saltwater, and marine habitats showcasing New England aquatic species, including the IDEXX STEM Learning Hub and live animals like crayfish, lumpfish, and Atlantic Rock Crab.
• MakerSpace Gallery Hands-on art, making, and tinkering space where visitors create with found objects, tools, and various materials, featuring rotating visiting artist programs and collaborative projects.
• Science for Tots Program Weekly sensory-rich program for children ages 2-5 introducing STEM concepts through hands-on experiences.
• Youth Playwriting Festival Annual celebration of original plays written by young people for family audiences, with plays performed in Maddy's Theatre.
• Play Your Way Program Special playtime for families affected by Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, PTSD, Down Syndrome, or other challenges, offering quieter, low-key play sessions with supportive staff. Free event.
• School and Group Visit Programs Educational outreach including school visits, group tours, and curriculum-aligned experiences for students and recreation groups.
• Membership Programs Family, Organization, and Scholarship Membership options providing unlimited visits, member-only hours, and exclusive benefits.
• Parties and Space Rentals Birthday party packages and facility rental options for private events at the museum and theatre.
• Touring Theatre for Young Audiences Productions Theatre for Young Audiences productions available to tour to schools, community centers, and performance spaces throughout Maine.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 106,000 annual visitors from every state and 30+ nations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Indigo Arts AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival with IAA; IAA co-founders Marcia Minter and Daniel Minter serve as exhibit consultants for Beautiful Blackbird exhibit. Partnership supports Black and multicultural storytelling and representation.
• IDEXXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisiting Scientists program bringing professionals to share STEM knowledge with children; Celebrated one year of partnership with CMTM's IDEXX STEM Learning Hub
• L.L.BeanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership promoting outdoor stewardship and community well-being; supports programs encouraging nature exploration and love of outdoors in children
• Hancock LumbermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time supporter contributing to MakerSpace and play space creation; generosity and creativity have shaped beloved programs and exhibits
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern MainecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Partner Night program providing exclusive after-hours access to museum for families from direct-service organizations
• The Opportunity Alliance/Head StartcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Partner Night program providing exclusive after-hours access for Head Start families
• Woodfords Family ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity Partner Night program partner serving families with special needs
• Barbara Bush Children's Hospital / Maine HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Bear Care Center in Our Neighborhood exhibit where children role-play as medical caregivers
• Amtrak DowneastermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Train exhibit in Our Neighborhood Transportation area; Season sponsor for theatre productions
• Portland International JetportmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Jetport exhibit in Our Neighborhood Transportation area
• Association of Children's Museum (ACM)Strategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner for Museums for All initiative ensuring accessibility for all children
• Illustration InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShow sponsor supporting theatre productions
• I'm Your Neighbor BookscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival celebrating Black and Black Immigrant children's books
• Diverse BookFindercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival
• OurShelvesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiverse children's book curation service connecting families with expert-curated diverse children's books; featured in Melissa's Seaside Cottage exhibit
• Maine NeedsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonation drive partner during Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend collecting art kits and supplies for families

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Providence Children's Museum: New England regional children's museum focused on hands-on, interactive exhibits for young children; similar geographic catchment, scale, and exhibit-led operating model.
• Boston Children's Museum: One of the largest and oldest children's museums in the US, offering interactive exhibits, theatre programming, and educational programming for families in the New England market — directly comparable to CMTM's combined museum-and-theatre model within the same region.
• The Children's Museum (West Hartford, CT): Long-running New England children's museum with hands-on exhibits and educational programming; cited internally by CMTM staff as a benchmark, indicating direct comparability in mission, scale, and audience.
• Please Touch Museum: Philadelphia-based children's museum operating immersive play exhibits and family programming; comparable size, mission, and target demographic (families with young children) to CMTM.
• Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose: Silicon Valley children's museum combining interactive STEM exhibits with cultural programming; directly comparable in its blend of education, accessibility initiatives, and community partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The largest children's museum in the world, with broad exhibit, education, and theatre offerings across a much larger footprint. Comparable in mission and integrated exhibit-plus-performance model, but at far greater scale.

Emerging players

• Imagination Stage: Bethesda, MD-based professional theatre and arts-education organization producing theatre for young audiences with associated education programming; overlaps specifically with CMTM's Maddy's Theatre and Youth Playwriting Festival offerings.

Others

• Mad Horse Theatre Company: Portland, Maine-based professional theatre company where CMTM's Theatre Coordinator serves on the directorial leadership team. Indirectly comparable as a fellow Portland performing-arts organization with shared local talent pool and audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/playimagineact

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine