What Lawrence Hall of Science does

The Lawrence Hall of Science is the public science center of the University of California, Berkeley, founded in 1968 and located at 1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA. Operated under The Regents of the University of California as a nonprofit educational entity with 251-500 employees, the organization operates two integrated business lines: (1) a hands-on public science center generating visitor revenue through admissions ($27 per visitor aged 3+), memberships, and retail sales at the Discovery Store, and (2) a national K-12 curriculum licensing operation distributing Amplify Science, FOSS (Full Option Science System), and SEPUP programs to school districts across the United States and internationally (including DoDEA schools in 11 countries, Japan, and Saudi Arabia). Curriculum materials reach approximately 25% of K-12 students nationally.

The organization's product portfolio includes interactive exhibits (Inside AI, Hands-on Biotech Lab, Ingenuity Challenges, Making Music, Animal Discovery Zone, Planetarium, 3D Theater, Outdoor Nature Lab), digital content (Tuff Pupil animated STEM series for ages 6-10), youth research programs (EBAYS, BEETLES, Activation Lab), and mobile outreach (Lawrence On-The-Go). The Center for K-12 Science houses over 50 experts developing professional learning programs (BEETLES, Reflecting on Practice). Revenue is generated through admissions, memberships, retail, curriculum licensing, and a diversified base of grants and donations from foundations (Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Pisces Foundation, Stuart Foundation, UC Office of the President), federal agencies, corporate sponsors (Chevron, Western Digital, Bayer Fund), and national laboratories (Sandia, Lawrence Livermore, Berkeley Lab).

Customer segments span K-12 students and educators (primary), families with children, teenagers/youth, and under-resourced communities. Distribution is multi-channel: direct visitor engagement at the Berkeley campus, mobile outreach across Bay Area counties, and institutional licensing for curriculum adoption. The organization has reached 12 million+ young people cumulatively and recorded over 1 million on-site visits in the past decade.

Name

Lawrence Hall of Science

Legal name

The Lawrence Hall of Science

Website

https://lawrencehallofscience.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Lawrence Hall of Science is UC Berkeley's public science center, operating hands-on exhibits, K-12 curriculum licensing (Amplify Science, FOSS, SEPUP reaching 25% of US students), youth research programs, and mobile outreach, funded through admissions, grants, and institutional partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Education and Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep) (EDAMABAC), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE)

Keywords

• Science center exhibits
• K-12 science curriculum
• STEM education programs
• Hands-on science learning
• Science museum operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Admissions and Memberships: Revenue generated from science center admissions ($27 per visitor aged 3+) and membership programs offering free unlimited visits and member benefits to individuals and families.
2. Retail Sales (Discovery Store): On-site retail operation selling science-related merchandise, toys, and educational materials to visitors.
3. Grants and Donations: Major institutional funding from foundations and government agencies including Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and others. Also receives individual donations from visitors and supporters.
4. K-12 Curriculum Licensing: Licensing of curriculum programs including Amplify Science, FOSS (Full Option Science System), and SEPUP to school districts across the United States and internationally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Lawrence Hall of Science operates UC Berkeley's public science center in Berkeley, California, offering hands-on exhibits (Inside AI, Hands-on Biotech Lab, Ingenuity Challenges, Making Music, Animal Discovery Zone, Planetarium, Outdoor Nature Lab), K-12 science curriculum programs licensed to schools (Amplify Science, FOSS, SEPUP), mobile community outreach (Lawrence On-The-Go), youth research programs (EBAYS), professional learning for educators (BEETLES), digital content (Tuff Pupil), memberships, field trips, summer camps, and an on-site Discovery Store. It is supported by grants, donations, and institutional partnerships.

Product overview

The Lawrence Hall of Science is UC Berkeley's public science center offering a unified portfolio of educational exhibits, programs, and digital content rather than a traditional software platform. The core offering includes physical science center exhibits (Inside AI, Hands-on Biotech, Ingenuity Challenges, Making Music, Animal Discovery Zone, Planetarium, Outdoor Nature Lab) and educational programs (Center for K-12 Science with Amplify Science/FOSS/SEPUP curricula, East Bay Academy for Young Scientists EBAYS, Teen Research Programs, Lawrence On-The-Go outreach). Digital content products include the Tuff Pupil animated STEM series and the Inside AI exhibit featuring AI image generation and computer vision activities. Professional development offerings include BEETLES and Activation Lab research initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Science Center Exhibits and Programs UC Berkeley's public science center featuring hands-on exhibits (Animal Discovery Zone, Planetarium, 3D Theater, Outdoor Nature Lab, Future of Food) and educational programs serving more than 1 million visits per decade; admissions are $27 per visitor aged 3+.
• Science Center Memberships Annual memberships providing unlimited free science center visits and exclusive member benefits to individuals and families.
• Inside AI / Explorando IA Exhibit Interactive exhibit that explores artificial intelligence, its ethical implications, and how AI learns to generate images, read facial expressions, and create art; features hands-on activities including Face Paint with AI, Art Copycat, Build a Picture, Mirror Mirror, and Control Your Face.
• Hands-on Biotech Learning Lab Interactive lab where visitors learn biotechnology concepts through hands-on activities including pipetting, microscopy, microbial pigments for bio paints, algae bioreactors, and the Mindball EEG brain-computer interface game.
• Ingenuity Challenges A rotating series of engineering design challenges where visitors use recycled materials to solve brainteasers, build marble machines, design prosthetic hands, and create wind turbines.
• Making Music: Math and Science Out Loud Exhibit Interactive exhibit exploring the science and math behind music through instruments, composition tools, and activities including Virtual Harp, Tone Tubes, Heart Beats, and the Oscylinderscope.
• Planetarium Participatory planetarium experience at the science center; planetarium content is also licensed and operated at 220+ sites worldwide.
• K-12 Science Curriculum Programs (Amplify Science, FOSS, SEPUP) Research-based, NGSS-aligned K-12 science curriculum programs developed by the Center for K-12 Science and licensed to school districts nationwide and internationally (Japan, Saudi Arabia, DoDEA schools in 11 countries and 2 territories); used by approximately 25% of U.S. K-12 students.
• Lawrence On-The-Go Outreach Program Mobile outreach program that brings hands-on STEM activities, science shows, and STEM workshops to schools, community events, and organizations across Bay Area counties, with emphasis on underrepresented communities.
• East Bay Academy for Young Scientists (EBAYS) Youth science research program engaging young people from under-resourced East Bay communities in hands-on environmental research investigations examining soil, water, and air quality in their neighborhoods.
• EBAYS Summer Environmental Research Project A paid 4-week summer environmental research program for youth ages 16-26, with stipends up to $1,800, covering scientific research, air/water/soil testing, and urban gardening.
• BEETLES Professional Learning Program Professional learning program affiliated with The Lawrence that offers techniques and curricula supporting nature-based, student-centered science learning in outdoor science programs.
• Tuff Pupil Animated Series Animated hip-hop musical STEM series for children ages 6-10 produced with UC Berkeley Computer Science faculty, covering STEM topics including data science, AI, contagion, climate disruption, and clean energy; episode one also available in Spanish.
• Discovery Store Retail On-site and online retail operation selling science-related merchandise, toys, science kits, sunprint kits, educational materials, and teacher resources to visitors and the public.
• School Field Trips and Science Programs School field trips, science shows, science festivals, and STEM workshops designed for K-12 classrooms and districts to deliver hands-on science experiences to students.
• Summer Camps Summer camp programs hosted at the science center for children and families during the summer season.

Quantifiable outcome

• Curriculum materials reach approximately 25% of all K-12 students in the United States
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco's combined natural history museum, aquarium, and planetarium with public-facing science exhibits, school programs, and significant research operations. Operates as a similar scale public science institution in the Bay Area with comparable revenue mix.
• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Science Center with hands-on exhibits, planetarium, Buhl Digital Dome, and K-12 STEM programming. Direct peer in the science center / museum model with school outreach and curriculum-aligned programming.
• Science Museum of Minnesota: St. Paul-based science museum with exhibit halls, Omnitheater, and K-12 educational programming. Comparable scale and operating model as a hands-on science center with significant education programming.
• Museum of Science (Boston): Boston's large science museum with extensive exhibit halls, planetarium, and nationally distributed curriculum materials including Engineering is Elementary. Operates at a similar scale with comparable visitor, education, and licensing revenue streams.
• Exploratorium: San Francisco-based hands-on science museum and public learning lab with a similar visitor-facing exhibit model, professional educator programs, and a comparable mix of admissions, membership, and grant funding. Closest direct peer in scale, mission, and Bay Area geography.
• COSI (Center of Science and Industry): Columbus, Ohio-based science center with hands-on exhibits, planetarium, and STEM learning programs. Direct peer in the science museum / informal science education category serving families and K-12 audiences.
• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based nonprofit science center with IMAX theater, planetarium, hands-on exhibits, and K-12 educational programming. Comparable institutional scale, mission, and reliance on admissions, memberships, and grants.
• The Franklin Institute: Philadelphia's science museum with extensive exhibits, planetarium, and STEM education programs. Comparable scale and operating model as a hands-on science center with K-12 outreach.
• New York Hall of Science: Queens, NY-based science museum focused on hands-on STEM learning for K-12 audiences with significant emphasis on underserved communities. Highly comparable mission, audience, and program mix including maker/innovation exhibits and school partnerships.

Emerging players

• Amplify (Amplify Education): EdTech partner/distributor of Amplify Science (originally developed at LHS), serving K-12 districts nationwide with digital curriculum. Closest commercialization partner and partial peer in the curriculum licensing business line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/berkeleyscience
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lawrencehallscience
• Facebookfacebook.com/lawrencehallofscience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2861184
• Instagraminstagram.com/lawrencehallofscience

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Lawrence Hall of Science