The Lancaster Science Factory

What The Lancaster Science Factory does

The Lancaster Science Factory is a private, non-profit hands-on science and technology museum located at 454 New Holland Avenue in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2008, the organization operates an 11,000+ square foot facility (expanded by an additional 5,600+ square feet in Phase 1 of a $3M capital project) containing more than 80 interactive exhibits targeted at children in Pre-K through 8th grade and their families. Its core technology is physical rather than digital — interactive installations including a Baxter industrial robot (on loan from Thaddeus Stevens School of Technology), a Sustainable Energy Dance Floor, a Rock 'n' Roll Stage exhibit built with Rock Lititz partners, and a Youth Maker Space — supplemented by structured coding instruction (Ruby, JavaScript) in the Girls Code Club. The organization is a member of the Blue Star Museums program and partners with Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories to deliver live chemistry programming.

The business model is a hybrid of earned and contributed revenue. Earned revenue comes from general admissions, annual memberships, paid programs (Night Shift overnights at $55/participant, Girls Code Club at $105/participant, Pre-K STEM Explorers at $5/child, scout patches at $3, summer/winter STEM camps, field trips, birthday parties, team building, and facility rentals), and ticket sales processed via Blackbaud. Contributed revenue comes from individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and the annual A Taste of Science fundraising gala. The customer base is highly diversified: families with young children, K-8 school groups from Lancaster County and surrounding districts (Hershey, Downington), Cub Scout and Girl Scout packs, girls ages 8-13 in coding cohorts, corporate team-building clients, and military families accessing free admission programs. Distribution is primarily physical (walk-in, group reservations) augmented by the Science Factory To Go mobile outreach program that brings STEM experiences to schools and community sites across the region. The organization runs with 1-10 employees and a small management team led by an Executive Director.

Name

The Lancaster Science Factory

Legal name

The Lancaster Science Factory

Website

https://lancastersciencefactory.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Lancaster Science Factory is a non-profit, hands-on interactive science center in Lancaster, PA, serving Pre-K through 8th-grade children and their families with 80+ exhibits, STEM camps, scout programs, school field trips, and coding workshops, funded through admissions, memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum / Interactive Educational Center

NAICS

Museums (71211)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC), Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Interactive science museum
• STEM education programs
• Children's science exhibits
• Hands-on learning center
• Educational field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Admission: Revenue from paid admissions to the science center for individuals and families visiting the exhibits. First Friday evenings offer free admission for the first 300 guests.
2. Memberships: Annual membership programs offering unlimited visits and member benefits for families.
3. STEM Programs and Workshops: Fees from structured educational programs including Summer STEM Camps, Day and Winter STEM Camps, Girls Code Club, Pre-K STEM Explorers, and Night Shift overnight programs.
4. Night Shift Overnight Program: Overnight experiences at the science center including evening snacks and breakfast, priced at $55 per participant.
5. Scout Programs: Specialized programming for Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts with activity guides and commemorative patches.
6. Facility Rentals and Private Events: Birthday party hosting, team building events, and private facility rentals.
7. A Taste of Science Gala: Annual fundraising event featuring food, drinks, entertainment, silent auctions, and sponsorships to benefit the nonprofit mission.
8. Donations and Grants: Charitable contributions from individuals and organizations, business partnerships, and foundation grants supporting accessibility and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Lancaster Science Factory operates a hands-on, interactive science center featuring over 80 interactive exhibits focused on physical sciences and engineering for children in Pre-K through 8th grade. The organization sells admissions, memberships, structured STEM programs (camps, overnight programs, coding clubs, scout badge programs, field trips), facility rentals for parties and team building, and mobile STEM outreach services, supplemented by donations, grants, sponsorships, and an annual fundraising gala.

Product overview

The Lancaster Science Factory is a hands-on, interactive science center for children in Pre-K to 8th grade and their families. It operates as a single unified science museum offering interactive exhibits alongside structured educational programs including the Girls Code Club (coding education), Night Shift overnight programs, Pre-K STEM Explorers, summer/winter STEM camps, and scout badge programs. The facility hosts public events such as First Friday free admission evenings and special workshops like Chemistry Magic shows. Additional offerings include field trips, birthday parties, facility rentals, and mobile STEM outreach programs. The organization completed a $3M expansion adding over 5,600 square feet to the Hall of Science.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hands-On Science Exhibits
• Girls Code Club
• Night Shift Overnight Program
• Pre-K STEM Explorers
• STEM Camps
• Cub Scout Programs
• Girl Scout Programs
• Field Trips
• STEM Outreach (Science Factory To Go)
• Birthday Parties and Facility Rentals
• Annual Membership Program

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eurofins Lancaster LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides real scientists to present the Chemistry Magic Show, demonstrating chemical experiments and inspiring interest in chemistry careers
• Thaddeus Stevens School of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides the Baxter robot for hands-on robotics education and STEM learning experiences at the science center
• Rock Lititz / Performance Environment Design GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Rock 'n' Roll Stage exhibit featuring stage equipment used by artists like Taylor Swift and Bon Jovi
• Tait TowersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRock 'n' Roll exhibit partner providing stage equipment and expertise for concert production education
• Clair GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRock 'n' Roll exhibit partner supporting audio equipment and career education in live music production
• Drew's CluesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosts live science trivia at A Taste of Science annual gala fundraiser
• Thistle Finch DistilleryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreates and serves science-themed cocktails at the annual A Taste of Science gala event
• High Steel StructuresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted a five-day camp at the Lancaster Science Factory teaching bridge building to kids in grades 4-8

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Franklin Institute: Philadelphia-based interactive science museum and one of the most visited science centers in the U.S. Highly comparable to Lancaster Science Factory as both operate hands-on STEM exhibits, deliver school field-trip programs aligned with state standards, and run camps and outreach serving Mid-Atlantic families.
• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based science center operated by Carnegie Museums. Directly comparable as a regional hands-on science center delivering interactive exhibits, STEM camps, school field trips, and outreach programming to families in Pennsylvania.
• Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts: Harrisburg, PA-based science center with hands-on exhibits and educational programs. Comparable as an in-state, similarly-scoped Pennsylvania science center targeting K-8 audiences with field-trip and camp programming.
• Da Vinci Science Center: Allentown, PA-based hands-on science center with similar exhibits, maker activities, and K-8 programming. Operates in an overlapping regional catchment of eastern Pennsylvania, making it a close functional peer for families and schools.
• Maryland Science Center: Baltimore-based interactive science center serving regional schools and families with exhibits, IMAX, and STEM programs. Comparable in mission (hands-on science) and audience (Mid-Atlantic families and school groups) to the Lancaster Science Factory.
• Explora: Albuquerque-based hands-on science and children's museum emphasizing interactive exhibits and maker activities. Highly comparable operational model — a nonprofit interactive science center running camps, school programs, and outreach — though regional peer serving a different geography.
• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based interactive science center with exhibits, IMAX, school programs, and outreach. Comparable as a nonprofit science center delivering hands-on STEM experiences, camps, and field trips to families and schools.
• Discovery Museum (Bridgeport): Connecticut-based hands-on children's science museum focused on Pre-K through middle-school audiences. Comparable in mission, age range (Pre-K to 8th), and nonprofit interactive-exhibit model.
• Rochester Museum & Science Center: Rochester, NY-based regional science and technology center operating hands-on exhibits, school programming, and camps for families and K-12 groups. Comparable in scale and operational scope to the Lancaster Science Factory.

Broad incumbents

• Exploratorium: San Francisco-based pioneer of hands-on interactive science exhibits. Functionally comparable in exhibit philosophy and learning approach, though significantly larger and more resource-rich than the Lancaster Science Factory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LancasterScienceFactory
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_lancaster_science_factory
• Xx.com/lancscifactory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Lancaster Science Factory