Children's Museum of Houston

What Children's Museum of Houston does

Children's Museum of Houston (CMH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum founded in 1980 and housed in a 90,000-square-foot Venturi-designed building in the Houston Museum District. The organization serves families with children ages 0–12, school groups, and underserved communities through 14+ interactive galleries focused on STEM, literacy, financial literacy, arts, and cultural education. Core exhibits include Kidtropolis USA (career/financial literacy city simulation), FlowWorks (water physics), PowerPlay (physical activity), Chevron Maker Annex (engineering with 3D printers), SECRET Spy Game (mission-based problem-solving), and rotating exhibits such as Faithful Friends, Mixed Emotions, and a 2025 Rube Goldberg installation. The museum holds KultureCity Sensory Inclusive Certification and offers bilingual English/Spanish programming.

CMH operates a hybrid revenue model combining paid admissions (general admission $21.95 online / $23.95 onsite), annual membership subscriptions, facility rentals (birthday parties, corporate events), on-site food service and retail (Fresh Café, Fiddle Sticks Toys), and a substantial contributed-income stream from individuals, corporate sponsors (ExxonMobil, Chevron, Bank of America, BASF, ConocoPhillips, CenterPoint Energy), and foundation grants — including a $2.5 million Lilly Endowment grant awarded in January 2025. The museum also operates a sister site, Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center, extending its footprint into Fort Bend County. Approximately 35% of the 700,000+ annual visitors are admitted free through outreach programs serving 270+ community locations and 120,000+ participants at no cost. Distribution occurs via on-site box office, online ticketing (Blackbaud platform), CityPASS bundled attractions, and ASTC Passport reciprocal admission at 300+ science centers worldwide. Free Family Night Thursdays and Open Doors access for SNAP/TANF/WIC participants anchor the equity component of the model. The museum has earned the 2024 IMLS National Medal for Museum and Library Service, four consecutive Good Housekeeping Travel Awards, TripAdvisor Hall of Fame status, Charity Navigator four-star rating, and Candid Platinum Transparency Seal.

Name

Children's Museum of Houston

Legal name

Children's Museum Houston

Website

https://cmhouston.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Children's Museum of Houston is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) children's museum founded in 1980 in the Houston Museum District, operating 14+ interactive STEM, literacy, and cultural galleries across 90,000 square feet and serving 700,000+ visitors annually with diversified admission, membership, sponsorship, and grant revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum / Educational Experiences

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Educational Services (8200), Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG), Kids & Family Learning Workshops (Family Crafts, Junior Maker Classes) (THAJAKAO)

Keywords

• Children's museum education
• Interactive STEM exhibits
• Hands-on learning programs
• Early childhood education
• Youth community outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Revenue from general admission tickets sold online and at the door. Children under 1 are free; standard admission applies to ages 1+.
2. Museum Membership: Annual and monthly membership subscriptions providing unlimited access and member perks. Membership reportedly pays for itself in 3 visits.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants including events like Prom Night Gala, Randy Allen Spring Golf Classic, and Friends and Families Luncheon.
4. Facility Rentals: Birthday party packages, corporate event rentals, and private venue bookings for celebrations and team building activities.
5. SECRET Spy Game Add-on: Additional fee for the immersive spy mission experience separate from general admission
6. Fresh Café and Fiddle Sticks Toys: On-site food service and retail gift shop operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Children's Museum of Houston is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum that operates a 90,000-square-foot facility featuring 14+ hands-on galleries covering STEM, literacy, arts, and cultural education for children ages 0-12. It generates revenue through admission tickets, memberships, birthday parties and facility rentals, and free outreach programs delivered at 270+ community locations, with funding supplemented by donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Tickets

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% of 700,000+ annual visitors admitted free through outreach programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ASTC Passport ProgramcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociation of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) reciprocal admission program allowing members free admission at 300+ participating science centers worldwide. Members present their membership card at the box office to gain admission.
• CityPASScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBundled attraction pass partnership saving visitors up to 51% on admission to Houston's top 5 attractions including Children's Museum Houston and Space Center Houston.
• KultureCitycoreTechnology or IntegrationSensory inclusive certification partnership providing training and resources for staff, sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones, fidget tools, verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads for neurodivergent visitors.
• Fort Bend Children's Discovery CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister location extension of Children's Museum Houston, serving 100,000 additional visitors. Collaborates on major events including Spring Break Blast and offers alternative birthday party and private rental options.
• Charity NavigatorminorOthersFour-star charity rating organization providing transparency verification.
• CandidminorOthersGuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency partner for nonprofit transparency.
• Houston Pi Beta Phi FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Houston Pi Beta Phi Storytimes and book giveaways on Free Family Nights. 1,700 books given away in 2025.
• Houston ChronicleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Meteorologist Justin Ballard for solar eclipse Facebook livestreams across local communities.
• Texas Children's PediatricsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for free back-to-school immunizations during Free Family Night Thursdays.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Houston/GalvestonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative with Texas Children's Pediatrics and CMH for free immunizations.
• Trees for HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated tree saplings for Earth Day giveaway celebrations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Please Touch Museum: Philadelphia-based children's museum focused on hands-on, play-based learning through interactive exhibits. Comparable to CMH in target age (under 10), exhibit-driven admissions model, and emphasis on early-childhood developmental experiences.
• Kohl Children's Museum: Chicago-area children's museum operating hands-on exhibits targeting children ages 0-8. Directly comparable to CMH in age range, exhibit-driven admission model, and emphasis on early-literacy and STEM programming.
• Port Discovery Children's Museum: Baltimore-based children's museum offering three floors of interactive exhibits focused on STEM, health, and social-emotional learning. Comparable to CMH in exhibit mix, family membership model, and school-group programming.
• Discovery Children's Museum: Las Vegas children's museum offering interactive STEM and arts exhibits across three stories of exhibit space. Comparable in mission (children-first experiential learning), exhibit refresh cadence, and family field-trip audience.
• Boston Children's Museum: Founded in 1913, the second-oldest children's museum in the world, with exhibits in STEM, culture, and early childhood education. Closely analogous to CMH in exhibit-based learning, K-12 field trip programming, and nonprofit, donation-supported operating model.
• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Largest children's museum in the world, operating hands-on STEM, arts, and cultural exhibits across a 472,000 sq ft campus. Directly comparable to CMH in mission, exhibit-driven learning model, and family/school target market, and frequently cited alongside CMH in "best children's museums" rankings.
• The DoSeum: San Antonio children's museum dedicated to interactive learning in STEM, arts, and literacy for ages 0-10. Comparable to CMH as a fellow Texas children's museum with similar target demographic, exhibit-driven model, and school partnership programming.
• Children's Museum of Atlanta: Atlanta children's museum featuring interactive exhibits aimed at children under 9, with strong programming for early learners. Comparable to CMH in targeted age range, Atlanta/Houston comparable market size, and exhibit-refresh cadence.

Others

• Lily Pad Hope / Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center: CMH's own sister site in Sugar Land, TX, serving 100,000+ visitors with exhibit experiences similar to CMH. Included for reference as an internal expansion model rather than as an external competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Houston Museum of Natural Science: One of the most-visited museums in the U.S., located a few blocks from CMH in the Houston Museum District, with a broader science/nature mandate and permanent exhibits covering paleontology, gems, and space. Competes for tourist and family visitors in the same Houston market but addresses a wider age range and STEM scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyT4ASCs7BAViIT-8OGJCxQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/cmhouston
• Instagraminstagram.com/childrensmuseumhouston
• Xx.com/cmhouston

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Children's Museum of Houston