Museum of Life and Science

What Museum of Life and Science does

The Museum of Life and Science is a private non-profit science museum and nature center founded in 1946 and headquartered on an 84-acre campus at 433 W. Murray Avenue in Durham, North Carolina. The museum operates as a direct-to-consumer attraction, selling daily admission ($24 adults, $19 children, $22 seniors, $15 group rate) through its on-site box office and website (powered by Blackbaud ticketing infrastructure), with memberships providing recurring annual revenue through free daily admission, early entry, discounts, and reciprocal benefits at 500+ ASTC and AZA partner institutions. Its programmatic surface spans general admission, summer camps, kids' programs, adult workshops, school field trips, birthday parties, corporate event rentals, and seasonal events such as Adult Summer Camp, Messtival, and Watermelon Days.

The museum holds AZA accreditation and participates in the federal Species Survival Plan for critically endangered red wolves, including coordinated breeding and relocation with the Wolf Conservation Center and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its 80th anniversary in 2026 is being marked through commemorative merchandise and a new permanent exhibit, "From Here On: Shaping Our Future." Contributed revenue is diversified across named campaigns including the Annual Fund, Fund-a-Feed, Innovators Society, Building Bonds, Project Support, and a Legacy Society, alongside an Invent the Night Gala. Community access is supported through Durham Community Days, which provides free admission to Durham County residents.

The business model blends one-time admission revenue with recurring memberships, donations, event rentals, retail (Sprout Cafe, museum store, Bonfire e-commerce), and educational programs. There is no proprietary technology platform; the digital stack consists of a WordPress-based website with cookie-based analytics and third-party Blackbaud ticketing. Marketing relies on email, the Nature Blog, professional affiliations, local award recognition, and review platforms. Customer segments are horizontally distributed across families with children (primary), schools/educational groups (primary), Durham community residents, conservation-minded visitors, and corporate/private event clients.

Name

Museum of Life and Science

Legal name

Museum of Life and Science

Website

https://lifeandscience.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Museum of Life and Science is a Durham, NC-based non-profit science museum and nature center operating an 84-acre campus since 1946, serving families, schools, and corporate clients through ticketed admission, annual memberships, educational programs, event rentals, and conservation partnerships including the Species Survival Plan for red wolves.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum and Nature Center

NAICS

Museums (71211), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB), Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG)

Keywords

• Science museum exhibits
• Nature education programs
• Annual museum memberships
• School field trips
• Children's summer camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission and Ticket Sales: One-time admission fees from individual visitors and families purchasing daily access to the museum's 84-acre campus, indoor exhibits, outdoor spaces, and animal habitats.
2. Annual Memberships: Recurring annual membership subscriptions offering free daily admission, early entry, advance event registration, and discounts at the museum store and cafe. Memberships pay for themselves in as few as two visits, positioning them as a value proposition for frequent visitors.
3. Donations and Fundraising: The museum accepts charitable donations through its website donation portal and annual fund campaigns, including Fund-A-Feed for animal care, Innovators Society, Building Bonds, and Project Support programs.
4. Event Rentals and Private Functions: Corporate events, birthday parties, and facility rentals generate revenue from groups seeking exclusive access to museum spaces for private gatherings and team events.
5. Retail and Food Service: On-site cafe (Sprout Cafe) and museum store selling merchandise, souvenirs, and commemorative items including 80th anniversary dinosaur and Red Wolf t-shirts.
6. Group and School Visits: School group programs, field trips, and educational group bookings with discounted admission rates for non-school groups of 10 or more.
7. Educational Programs: Revenue from summer camps, Kids Night Out, Adult Workshops, and other educational programming offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Museum of Life and Science operates an 84-acre science museum and nature center in Durham, North Carolina, selling daily general admission and annual memberships that grant access to indoor science exhibits, outdoor nature experiences, and animal habitats. Beyond admission, it delivers structured educational programs including summer camps, school field trips, adult workshops, and birthday parties, alongside corporate event rentals and donation-supported conservation initiatives including participation in the red wolf Species Survival Plan.

Product overview

The Museum of Life and Science operates as a single physical science and nature museum with multiple interconnected visitor programs. The core offering is general museum admission providing access to 84 acres of exhibits and animal habitats. This is supplemented by membership programs for repeat visitors, educational programs including summer camps and workshops for children and adults, school group visits, and special events like Messtival and Watermelon Days. Additional revenue streams include venue rentals for birthday parties and corporate events, animal care donations through Fund-a-Feed, and merchandise sales. The museum's programs support the Durham community through free admission on designated Community Days.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Museum Admission Daily access ticket granting visitors entry to the 84-acre campus with indoor and outdoor science exhibits, animal habitats, nature play areas, and daily programming. Targeted at individual visitors, families, and tourists.
• Annual Museum Membership Annual subscription membership providing unlimited free admission, early entry, advance event registration, on-site discounts, and reciprocal admission benefits at partner institutions. Designed for frequent family visitors and positioned as paying for itself in as few as two visits.
• Summer Camp Seasonal day-camp programming for children with science and nature activities during summer months. Registration available via a dedicated summer camp microsite.
• Schools Out Camps Day-camp programming for children held on school-out days, providing supervised educational activities aligned with museum learning offerings.
• Kids Night Out Evening supervised program for children, giving parents time at the museum or in the local Durham area while children engage in museum-led activities.
• Adult Summer Camp 21+ evening ticketed event recreating the summer camp experience for adults, including access to camp-style activities and exhibits. Priced at $40 for members and $45 for general public.
• Adult Workshops Educational workshops and learning programming aimed at adult audiences, covering science and nature topics tied to the museum's mission.
• NC Youth Climate Summit Youth-focused climate education and engagement summit bringing together students for environmental learning and action programming.
• Groups & School Visits Guided field trips and structured group educational visits tailored for schools and organizations, with discounted group rates for non-school groups of 10 or more when booked 48 hours in advance.
• Group Programs Structured educational programs offered to organized groups beyond standard school field trips, supporting group learning experiences.
• Team Lab Team-based, collaborative learning program focused on group problem-solving and science activities.
• Birthday Parties Birthday party hosting service at the museum with optional full-service party planning, providing a distinctive venue for children's celebrations.
• Corporate & Family Events Venue rental service for corporate events and family gatherings, with bookings handled through a dedicated corporate inquiry form and rentals team.
• Durham Community Days Free-admission program granting Durham County residents access to the museum on designated Community Days with proof of address; each adult can bring up to five children.
• Train Rides Add-on train ride attraction available for an additional fee during museum visits; $4.50 for members and $6 for non-members.
• Messtival Annual hands-on messy play event featuring family-friendly science activities, included with museum admission.
• Watermelon Days Annual summer event celebrating watermelon and showcasing animal enrichment activities.
• From Here On: Shaping Our Future Exhibit Indoor and outdoor exhibit encouraging visitors of all ages to discuss and collaborate around future-shaping themes.
• Business Memberships Corporate-tier membership product providing businesses with museum benefits tailored to organizational use, distinct from individual and family memberships.
• 80th Anniversary Merchandise Commemorative merchandise line including dinosaur and Red Wolf T-shirts celebrating 80 years of museum history, sold via the museum's online store.
• Museum Store (Retail) On-site and online museum store selling branded souvenirs, gifts, and apparel through a Shopify storefront.
• Sprout Cafe On-site cafe serving food and beverages to museum visitors, with a 10% discount available to museum members.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wolf Conservation CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025The Museum of Life and Science relocated critically endangered red wolves (including Martha, Oka, and their pups) to the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, NY as part of a coordinated conservation effort to recover the species' dwindling population. The museum serves as a breeding facility in the Species Survival Plan.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025The museum participates in a coordinated conservation effort supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the recovery of critically endangered red wolves through breeding and relocation programs.
• Pilots to the RescueminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025Nonprofit organization that assisted with the air transport of critically endangered red wolves from the Museum of Life and Science to the Wolf Conservation Center as part of the species recovery effort.
• Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorActive membership in ASTC provides reciprocal admission benefits, allowing members of other ASTC science centers to visit the Museum of Life and Science with reduced admission, and vice versa. This membership is a core part of the museum's value proposition for annual members.
• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAZA accreditation and membership provides reciprocal admission benefits similar to ASTC, expanding the network of partner institutions. AZA accreditation signifies excellence in animal care, conservation, and education standards.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Marbles Kids Museum: Raleigh-based children's museum serving Triangle-area families with hands-on exhibits. Directly comparable as a regional nonprofit interactive museum targeting the same family demographic in adjacent Durham-Raleigh market.
• North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences: State-run natural sciences museum in Raleigh combining exhibits, research, and educational programming. Directly comparable as a North Carolina science museum with conservation focus and educational mission.
• Greensboro Science Center: Triad-region science center combining zoo, aquarium, and science exhibits on a multi-acre campus. Closely comparable as a North Carolina science attraction blending animal habitats with STEM education and similar mid-size footprint.
• Discovery Place: Charlotte-based science and technology museum with hands-on exhibits and educational programming. Directly comparable as a North Carolina science museum of similar scale targeting families and school groups.
• Morehead Planetarium and Science Center: UNC-Chapel Hill affiliated science center offering planetarium shows and STEM programming. Comparable as a regional North Carolina science education institution with reciprocal museum network involvement.
• Fernbank Museum of Natural History: Atlanta natural history museum combining indoor exhibits with outdoor nature experiences on a large campus. Comparable in scale and science/nature hybrid positioning.
• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based science center with hands-on exhibits, IMAX, and educational programs. Comparable as an ASTC-member nonprofit science center of similar institutional scale and programming mix.
• Liberty Science Center: New Jersey science center and zoo with large-scale exhibits and education programs. Comparable as a multi-program nonprofit science institution combining animal habitats with STEM education.
• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based science center with exhibits, planetarium, and educational programming. Comparable as an established mid-size nonprofit science institution serving families and school groups.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Federally operated natural history museum in Washington, D.C. with vastly greater scale, research mission, and global visitor base. Comparable as a science/natural history museum but operates at a fundamentally larger and federally-funded scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lifeandscience
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MuseumofLifeandScience
• Facebookfacebook.com/lifeandscience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museum-of-life-and-science
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifeandsciencemuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Museum of Life and Science