CuriOdyssey
CuriOdyssey is a 501(c)(3) science museum and live animal zoo in San Mateo, California, serving Bay Area families, schools, homeschool networks, and youth programs through hands-on STEM exhibits, educational camps, tiered memberships, and community-access programs supported by admissions, donations, and events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersSan Mateo, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What CuriOdyssey does
CuriOdyssey is a combined science museum and live animal zoo located at Coyote Point Park in San Mateo, California, serving Bay Area families, school groups, homeschool families, corporate clients, and underserved communities. The institution, founded in 1953 as the San Mateo County Junior Museum and rebranded as CuriOdyssey in 2011, houses approximately 60 live animals (many non-releasable wildlife sourced from rehabilitation centers) alongside hands-on STEM exhibits, and holds AZA accreditation and ASTC membership. Core offerings include general admission, four annual membership tiers (Discover $145 through Lead $695) plus a free Membership for All program, summer/homeschool/school-break camps for children from TK through 4th grade, science workshops and field trips for schools and scouts, venue rentals for events (birthday parties, corporate events, weddings), animal sponsorships, a retail shop, and conservation partnership grants.
CuriOdyssey operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit (Tax ID 94-1262434) under a multi-stream revenue model combining one-time admission and gift certificate sales, recurring annual memberships with ROAM reciprocal network benefits, session-based education program fees (e.g., homeschool 5-week sessions at $369-$469), retail, venue rental, animal sponsorship, and philanthropic contributions (annual campaigns, corporate engagement, foundation support, planned giving). Distribution is anchored at a single physical site but augmented by digital channels including a website with at-home science resources, email newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), and online registration via Active Network and donation processing via Fundraise Up.
The underlying technology is purposefully minimal and non-proprietary: no native app, no AI/ML capability, no patents or trademarks, and reliance on commodity third-party platforms for ticketing, fundraising, analytics, and citizen science. Differentiated capabilities stem from physical assets (animal collection, exhibits, universally designed playground built with Magical Bridge Foundation) and institutional credentials rather than technology.
CuriOdyssey firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CuriOdyssey
- Legal name
- CuriOdyssey
- Website
- https://curiodyssey.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CuriOdyssey is a 501(c)(3) science museum and live animal zoo in San Mateo, California, serving Bay Area families, schools, homeschool networks, and youth programs through hands-on STEM exhibits, educational camps, tiered memberships, and community-access programs supported by admissions, donations, and events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CuriOdyssey industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Science Museum & Zoo
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release Centers (Public Viewing/Education) (THAAAFAC)
Keywords
Where CuriOdyssey is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Mateo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CuriOdyssey business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- General Admission: Visitors pay admission fees to enter the museum and zoo. Open daily 10 AM–5 PM with last entry at 4:30 PM.
- Memberships: Annual membership subscriptions at four tiers (Discover $145, Create $195, Imagine $295, Lead $695) providing varying levels of access, reciprocal benefits, and named member slots.
- Event Hosting: Venue rental for birthday parties, corporate events, and weddings generates revenue from facility usage fees.
- Education Programs: Revenue from summer camps, homeschool programs, school break camps, and scout programs. Homeschool sessions range from $369-$469 per 5-week session.
- Donations and Fundraising: 501(c)(3) non-profit organization relying on charitable donations, corporate engagement, foundation support, and planned giving programs.
- Gift Shop: Retail sales of science-themed toys, books, plush animals, and educational materials.
- Animal Sponsorship: Visitors can sponsor animals with varying benefit packages including plushies, keeper notes, and optional membership bundles.
- Gift Certificates: Admission certificates sold for general admission, valid for one year from purchase date.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Discover Level - 2 named members, party of 2 admitted daily |
| Subscription | Annual | Create Level - 2 named members, party of 4 admitted daily |
| Subscription | Annual | Imagine Level - 3 named members, party of 7 admitted daily, with ROAM reciprocity |
| Subscription | Annual | Lead Level - 6 named members, party of 12 admitted daily, with personal tour and donor events |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Homeschool Program - 5-week science sessions for ages 6-9 |
| Freemium | Annual | Membership for All - Free membership for income-qualified families |
| Subscription | Annual | Volunteer Membership - Earned through 50 volunteer hours |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
CuriOdyssey product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CuriOdyssey operates a combined science museum and Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accredited live animal zoo at Coyote Point Park in San Mateo, California, offering daily general admission to exhibits, animal habitats, and outdoor learning spaces. Its core paid offerings include annual memberships, summer and school break camps, homeschool science sessions, school and scout programs, venue rentals (birthday parties, corporate events, weddings), animal sponsorship, and a gift shop, supported by charitable donations and grants.
Product overview
CuriOdyssey is a science museum and zoo combined in San Mateo, California. The organization offers a unified visitor experience pairing live animal habitats with hands-on science exhibits. Core offerings include general admission access, educational camps (Summer, Homeschool, School Break), and school group programs (Science Workshops, Scout Programs, Field Trips). The membership program spans four tiers (Discover through Lead) plus a free Membership for All program. Additional offerings include venue rentals for events (birthday parties, corporate events, weddings), animal sponsorship, gift certificates, and a retail shop. The organization also provides at-home science education content and awards conservation partnership grants. Key exhibits include the Nature Story Loop, IlluminOdyssey, ViewPoint, and the accessible Whooosh! Physics-in-Action Playground. The institution is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and is a member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- General Admission
Quantifiable outcome
- Served kids, teachers & families through educational programs
Companies that use CuriOdyssey
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CuriOdyssey technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
CuriOdyssey partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Magical Bridge FoundationcoreMagical Bridge Foundation designed the Whooosh! Physics-in-Action Playground at CuriOdyssey. This is the first playground of its kind created by a zoo and science museum. The foundation specializes in universally designed playgrounds ensuring accessibility for all ages and abilities.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CuriOdyssey competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Monterey Bay Aquarium: Major AZA-accredited aquarium in Monterey Bay. Overlaps on live animal exhibits, family education programming, and membership structures, though at substantially larger scale and as a regional tourism draw.
- The Tech Museum of Innovation: San Jose-based science and technology museum sharing ASTC membership and overlapping school field trip, family programming, and STEM education markets within the Bay Area.
- Exploratorium: San Francisco-based interactive science museum. Overlaps on hands-on STEM exhibits, family and school group programming, and event hosting—though it lacks the live animal component.
- California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco-based institution combining natural history museum, aquarium, and planetarium. Overlaps with CuriOdyssey on the science museum + live animals combination, but operates at much larger scale with broader programming.
Direct peers
- Lindsay Wildlife Experience: Walnut Creek-based wildlife rehabilitation hospital and museum housing non-releasable native California wildlife. Highly comparable rehabilitation-to-exhibit model and educational mission targeting Bay Area families.
- Oakland Zoo: AZA-accredited zoo in Oakland serving the East Bay portion of the same metropolitan area. Comparable family, school group, and event rental offerings, with overlapping membership and reciprocal program dynamics.
- San Francisco Zoo: AZA-accredited zoo located in San Francisco serving the same Bay Area family and tourist market. Comparable visitor operations, animal care scale, and educational programming targeting families and school groups, though at significantly larger scale.
- Happy Hollow Park & Zoo: AZA-accredited small zoo and amusement park in San Jose, California. Comparable size and family/children focus, with combined zoo and interactive exhibits targeting young children and school groups in the Bay Area.
- Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose: Children-focused interactive museum in San Jose with similar age targeting, membership tiers, and school/homeschool programming. Comparable scale and Bay Area market overlap, though without a live animal collection.
Regional players
- Aquarium of the Bay: San Francisco-based aquarium on Pier 39. Comparable live animal exhibits and Bay Area family visitor market, with overlapping membership reciprocity programs through AZA/ASTC networks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CuriOdyssey social profiles
Digital presenceCuriOdyssey compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
CuriOdyssey financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CuriOdyssey leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CuriOdyssey funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CuriOdyssey M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CuriOdyssey
What does CuriOdyssey do?
CuriOdyssey operates a combined science museum and Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accredited live animal zoo at Coyote Point Park in San Mateo, California, offering daily general admission to exhibits, animal habitats, and outdoor learning spaces. Its core paid offerings include annual memberships, summer and school break camps, homeschool science sessions, school and scout programs, venue rentals (birthday parties, corporate events, weddings), animal sponsorship, and a gift shop, supported by charitable donations and grants.
Is CuriOdyssey a public or private company?
CuriOdyssey is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CuriOdyssey founded?
CuriOdyssey was founded in 1953. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CuriOdyssey based?
CuriOdyssey is headquartered in San Mateo, United States, in the North America region.
How does CuriOdyssey make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. General Admission is the primary driver. The others are memberships, event Hosting, education Programs, donations and Fundraising, gift Shop, animal Sponsorship and gift Certificates.
Who are CuriOdyssey's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Tech Museum of Innovation, Exploratorium and California Academy of Sciences. Direct peers are Lindsay Wildlife Experience, Oakland Zoo, San Francisco Zoo, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo and Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose. Aquarium of the Bay is listed as a regional player.
Does CuriOdyssey have an API?
No public API is recorded for CuriOdyssey.
What industry is CuriOdyssey in?
CuriOdyssey's product category is Science Museum & Zoo. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAAFAA, Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations), with a secondary code of THAJADAL, Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections). Its NAICS code is 71213 and its SIC code is 7900.