Liberty Science Center

What Liberty Science Center does

Liberty Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit science museum located on a 300,000-square-foot campus in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, New Jersey, founded in 1992 and operating under CEO Paul Hoffman. It serves more than 750,000 visitors annually through general admission, five annual membership tiers priced from $85 (Individual) to $575 (Friends Circle), school field trips, birthday parties, professional development for educators ($150-$175 per teacher), corporate venue rentals, and adult-only LSC After Dark evenings. The facility houses the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium — the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere at 88 million pixels and an 89-foot dome — alongside the Joseph D. Williams 3D Science Theater, the only publicly accessible NOAA Science On a Sphere in New Jersey, over 20 permanent and rotating interactive exhibitions (including the Infinity Climber, Touch Tunnel, and Pixel Art), and live animal habitats covering 100+ species.

The center's core educational technology stack includes the planetarium and Science On a Sphere for earth/climate visualization, a Live From Surgery program that broadcasts real operations via videoconference from Hackensack University Medical Center, Atlantic Health, and RWJBarnabas Health, a MakerLab offering 3D design, Arduino/Sphero coding, Scratch, Onshape CAD, and laser cutting, and a Verizon-powered VR learning lab. These programs are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGS) and are sold to school districts, homeschool co-ops, and youth organizations across the Northeast.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid earned-and-contributed model: ticket and membership sales (one-time and recurring subscriptions), premium add-ons (planetarium, 3D, laser shows), venue rentals, gift shop (Connections) and food service (Cosmic Café, Galaxy Grab and Go) revenue, fee-based educator training, birthday parties, and donations/corporate sponsorships (BASF, Bank of America, Hearst Foundations, plus the Luminary Society major-donor program). Capital expansion is supported by New Jersey Economic Development Authority tax credits and direct funding — most recently $104.8M in combined tax credits and $39.8M for the Project Supernova expansion (otter habitat, physics mini-golf, goat playground, exhibit renovations) with construction beginning early 2026. The organization is also building an innovation-ecosystem layer through SciTech Scity, a Healthcare Innovation Engine partnered with Tech Council Ventures, and recurring life-sciences conference hosting (BioNJ BioPartnering Conference, Medtech Innovation Showcase).

Name

Liberty Science Center

Legal name

Liberty Science Center

Website

https://lsc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum and Informal STEM Education

NAICS

Museums (712110), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

Keywords

• Science museum experiences
• STEM education programs
• Planetarium shows
• Interactive learning exhibits
• Educational field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Jersey City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Visitors pay for daily admission to the science center, with pricing varying by age category. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership tiers providing unlimited general admission, free single-use passes for premium exhibitions and planetarium shows, discounts on food, gift shop, and events. Tiers range from Individual ($85) to Friends Circle ($575).
3. Premium Add-ons: Additional revenue from planetarium shows, 3D theater films, laser shows, and premium exhibitions beyond general admission.
4. Birthday Party Packages: Celebration packages including food, venue rental, and optional premium experiences (planetarium, 3D movies, special exhibitions) with party pricing.
5. Professional Development for Educators: Fee-based teacher training programs aligned with NGSS standards, ranging from $150-175 per educator for workshops and multi-session courses.
6. Event Venue Rental: Corporate events, private functions, and facility rentals for organizations seeking unique venues. Includes plan-an-event services.
7. Gift Shop and Food Service: Retail merchandise through Connections gift shop and food/beverage through Cosmic Café and Galaxy Grab and Go.
8. Donations and Grants: Nonprofit funding from individual donors, corporate sponsors (BASF, Bank of America), foundation grants (Hearst Foundations), and public funds (Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund). Includes Luminary Society major donor program.
9. Government Economic Development Support: New Jersey Economic Development Authority approved nearly $40 million in support for Project Supernova expansion, including tax credits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Liberty Science Center operates a 300,000-square-foot interactive science museum in Jersey City, NJ, offering general admission to over 20 hands-on exhibitions, the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium (largest in the Western Hemisphere), and 100+ live animal species. The center delivers K-12 STEM education programs, NGSS-aligned field trips, professional development for educators, Live From Surgery broadcasts, MakerLab workshops, venue rentals for corporate events, and an annual membership program with reciprocal access to 360+ science centers worldwide.

Product overview

Liberty Science Center is a 300,000-square-foot nonprofit science museum in Jersey City, NJ, offering a unified visitor experience centered on interactive exhibitions, planetarium shows, and educational programs. The core offering includes general admission to over 20 hands-on exhibitions and the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium (the largest in the Western Hemisphere), paired with premium add-ons including the Joseph D. Williams 3D Science Theater, LSC After Dark adult events, Birthday Parties, and fee-based Education Programs. The facility accommodates approximately 750,000 visitors annually and is expanding through Project Supernova.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium The largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere offering live shows and films including Asteroids, Journey to the Planets, Space Trip, One World One Sky, and Black Holes. Available to general visitors, school groups, and LSC After Dark attendees.
• Joseph D. Williams 3D Science Theater 3D theater experience offering educational films for general visitors, school field trips, and birthday party add-ons.
• Interactive Exhibitions Over 20 permanent and rotating interactive exhibitions including the Wild About Animals habitat with 100+ species, Hoberman Sphere, Infinity Climber, Touch Tunnel, and hands-on STEM installations.
• LSC After Dark Adult-only evening entertainment events on special Thursdays featuring themed parties, food, drinks, music, planetarium shows, laser shows, and exhibit access. Includes Space Talk lecture series.
• Birthday Party Packages Science-themed birthday celebration packages including venue rental, food options, and optional premium add-ons like planetarium shows and 3D theater films for children and families.
• School Education Programs and Field Trips K-12 STEM education programming including field trips, laboratory workshops, stage shows, Partners in Science mentorship for high schoolers, home school programs, climate change programs, early childhood education, and LSC at Your School outreach.
• Live From Surgery Program Live educational broadcasts of real surgical procedures via video teleconference with regional hospital partners, enabling students to observe and ask questions during robotic, kidney transplant, cardiac, and neurosurgery operations.
• MakerLab and Tech & Design Studio Hands-on technology and maker education workshops for grades 3-12 covering 3D design, Arduino and Sphero coding, Scratch game design, AI introduction, VR learning, Onshape CAD, and laser cutting.
• Science On a Sphere Educational Programs Educational programming using the only publicly accessible NOAA Science On a Sphere in New Jersey to display Earth systems, weather, climate change, plate tectonics, and space exploration data for school groups.
• Space Talk Lecture Series Guest astronomer lectures featuring cosmic conversations, telescope viewing, and Q&A with working astronomers from NASA, MIT, Princeton, Rutgers, and other institutions, presented in the planetarium.
• LSC Science Camp Summer day camp programs offering STEM learning experiences for children at the Jersey City facility.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership tiers (Individual $85, Duo $165, Family $255, Family Plus $375, Friends Circle $575) offering unlimited general admission, free premium exhibition and theater passes, discounts on food and events, and reciprocal free admission to 360+ science centers worldwide.
• Professional Development for Educators Fee-based teacher training workshops and multi-session courses aligned with NGSS standards, including 3D printing design thinking and general STEM pedagogy, priced at $150-$175 per educator.
• Corporate Event Venue Rental Venue rental services for corporate events, private functions, and conferences, including hosting for major industry events such as the BioNJ BioPartnering Conference and Medtech Innovation Showcases.
• Birthday Party Packages Celebration packages including food, venue rental, and optional premium experiences (planetarium, 3D movies, special exhibitions) with party pricing via [email protected].

Quantifiable outcome

• 750,000+ annual visitors from the regional community
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

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

• BioNJcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026BioNJ's 16th Annual BioPartnering Conference hosted at Liberty Science Center. Expected to draw nearly 600 attendees from multiple states and countries. Features company pitches from nearly 90 life sciences companies, plenary sessions on FDA approval strategies, AI in life sciences, and M&A trends. LSC serves as the venue partner for this major industry event.
• J.P. MorgancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Conference partner for BioNJ BioPartnering Conference at LSC, providing financial and organizational support for the event.
• Morgan LewiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Conference partner for BioNJ BioPartnering Conference at LSC, providing legal and business expertise support.
• CoreWeavecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Conference partner for BioNJ BioPartnering Conference at LSC, providing technology infrastructure support for AI-related sessions.
• RWJBarnabas Health / Children's Specialized HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSC is an early partner in Children's Specialized Hospital's IncludED disability education service. LSC utilized IncludED guidance to enhance Sensory Day events with environmental modifications and supportive resources for guests with sensory needs. Partnership focuses on creating inclusive environments for individuals with cognitive or mobility challenges.
• Edge Medical VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Medtech Innovation Showcase at LSC highlighting New Jersey's emerging medtech ecosystem and its dual transatlantic venture creation model combining Israeli R&D with U.S. clinical and commercial operations. Event featured public-private collaboration discussions with NJEDA and showcased portfolio companies.
• NJEDA (New Jersey Economic Development Authority)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNJEDA provides nearly $40 million in support for Liberty Science Center's Project Supernova expansion (new otter habitat, physics-based miniature golf course, goat playground, larger exhibition renovations). Also approved $104.8 million in tax credits for LSC and partner organizations. Partner in Innovation Evergreen Fund investments.
• Synchrony MedicalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortfolio company showcased at Edge Medical Ventures event. Received $1M investment through NJEDA's Innovation Evergreen Fund.
• Hackensack University Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner for Live From Surgery: Robotic Surgery program. Dr. Michael Stifelman and team broadcast robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries to students via video teleconferencing technology. Enables students to ask questions during live operations.
• Atlantic Health (Morristown Medical Center, Overlook Medical Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner for Live From Cardiac Surgery (Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute at Morristown) and Live From Neurosurgery (Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ) programs. Enables middle and high school students to watch procedures in real-time.
• Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (RWJBarnabas Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner for Live From Kidney Transplant program. Renal Transplant Division broadcasts adult or pediatric kidney transplants, with educational information about transplantation and organ donation.
• BASF CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2010 to operate BASF's Kids' Lab program at LSC. More than 12,000 guests have experienced hands-on chemistry. Families participate in interactive workshops supporting standards-based chemistry curriculum. Free with paid admission or membership.
• Bank of AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMuseums on Us program partner. All Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank debit/credit cardholders receive free general admission on the first full weekend of each month with valid photo ID.
• New Jersey TransitcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTransit partnership offering $5 discount per person (up to 4 Premium or Combination Passes per transaction) for NJ Transit riders showing proof of travel or staff ID. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail provides direct access to Liberty State Park station.
• KultureCityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to enhance LSC's ability to assist guests with sensory needs. Provides sensory-inclusive certification and resources including sensory bags, moment maps, and social stories for visitors with sensory processing differences.
• SciTech ScityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSciTech Scity is LSC's innovation ecosystem initiative featuring the Healthcare Innovation Engine. TCV serves as Venture Capital Innovation Lead Partner. Aims to accelerate digital health startups and has received recognition from World Economic Forum.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Museum of Natural History: Largest natural history museum in the world, located in NYC. Closest large-scale science museum peer for LSC, competing for Northeast family visits, school field trips, and donor dollars with a similar exhibit-plus-education-plus-programming model.
• Franklin Institute: Philadelphia-based science museum and education center with a similar hands-on exhibits, planetarium, and NGSS-aligned school programs model. Direct competitor for Mid-Atlantic family visits and school group bookings.
• Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago): One of the largest science museums in the Western Hemisphere, comparable scale and exhibit-led education model. Peer in terms of donor-driven capital projects, blockbuster exhibitions, and corporate partnership strategies.
• Exploratorium: San Francisco-based interactive science museum pioneering hands-on STEM learning. Peer in mission, exhibit philosophy, professional development for educators, and After Dark-style adult programming.
• California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco-based science institution combining aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum. Comparable scale and integration of live animals, planetarium, and research-driven programming.
• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based science center with IMAX theater, planetarium, and hands-on exhibits. Peer in nonprofit science center operating model, school field trip business, and membership reciprocal programs.
• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based science center with planetarium, 3D theater, and STEM education focus. Comparable facility footprint and education-driven revenue mix for schools and families.
• COSI (Center of Science and Industry): Columbus, Ohio-based science center with large-scale interactive exhibits, planetarium, and educational programming. Comparable scale and operating model with similar GTM across families, schools, and corporate events.
• New York Hall of Science: Queens, NY-based interactive science center focused on hands-on STEM learning. Closest direct geographic competitor for NYC-area family visits, school trips, and educator professional development.

Regional players

• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: NYC-based museum on the Hudson River waterfront competing for similar family and tourist audiences. While focused on military/naval history rather than pure science, it overlaps significantly in space programming, school field trips, and tourism-driven visits in the same metro.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/libertyscictr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/libertysciencecenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/libertysciencecenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/libertysciencecenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/liberty-science-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Liberty Science Center