Discovery Lab

What Discovery Lab does

Discovery Lab is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's science museum headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, operating a 57,000-square-foot facility within Gathering Place park. Founded in 2007 and opened in its current home in early 2022, the museum delivers hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) programming through in-house designed and fabricated exhibits, including signature installations such as tape tunnels, the Solarcoaster, Ballapalooza, and the Automated Color Sorting Station. Programming spans the WorkShop makerspace, Science Lab demonstrations, Little Lab early-learner classes, seasonal transformations (Summer of Discovery, Winter WonderLab), and signature community events (Noon Year's Eve, Mad Scientist Ball, Tinkerfest).

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of consumer and institutional streams: daily museum admissions, five membership tiers ($45-$340 annually) with reciprocal ASTC/ACM network benefits, 10-week summer and break camps for K-6 students, birthday party and corporate facility rentals, the on-site Elote Café, and a substantial fundraising program anchored by the Mad Scientist Ball gala (over $575,000 raised in 2026) plus foundation grants and corporate sponsorships. A bond-funded partnership with Tulsa Public Schools operates an embedded STEAM Center serving 25,000 pre-K through 5th graders annually, and outreach programs reach 8,000+ students across 200+ schools and community sites statewide.

The organization's distribution relies on a single physical storefront at 3123 Riverside Dr., direct online ticketing, school field-trip bookings, mobile outreach, and earned media through local TV partnerships (Weather Experiment Wednesday on News On 6 and Fox 23). Award credentials include American Alliance of Museums accreditation (held by only 13 Oklahoma museums), the 2022 ASTC Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Award, 2022 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence Education category winner and J. Jerry Dickman top award, GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency, and 2025 Oklahoma Top Workplaces recognition. Leadership transitioned to Paul Davis as CEO effective December 1, 2025.

Name

Discovery Lab

Legal name

Discovery Lab

Website

https://discoverylab.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Discovery Lab is a Tulsa-based 501(c)(3) children's science museum operating a 57,000-square-foot facility that delivers hands-on STEAM exhibits, camps, and curriculum-aligned programming for families, K-12 schools, and underserved communities across Oklahoma.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Science Museum / STEAM Education

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB), Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Children's science museum
• STEAM education programs
• Interactive hands-on exhibits
• Summer science camps
• School field trip programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tulsa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Daily admission fees for visitors to the 57,000 sq ft museum facility. Variable pricing based on age and membership status.
2. Memberships: Annual membership tiers (Just For Two $85, Family $170, Family Plus $255, Family Premier $340, Adult $45) providing unlimited visits, member-only hours, and reciprocal ASTC/ACM network benefits.
3. Summer Camps: 10-week summer camp programs for Kindergarten through 6th grade with half-day (Kindergarten) and full-day options. Registration-based recurring revenue.
4. Birthday Parties and Facility Rentals: Private event bookings including birthday parties, premier parties, and private rentals of exhibit spaces and facilities.
5. Donations and Fundraising: 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying on individual donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships. Annual Mad Scientist Ball gala raised over $575,000 (2026).
6. Elote Café and Catering: On-site food service operating during museum hours, including Saturday evening service during extended hours.
7. Exhibit Rentals: Rental of exhibit spaces and services for private events, including corporate events and after-hours bookings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Discovery Lab operates a 57,000-square-foot children's science museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, offering hands-on interactive STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) exhibits designed, developed, and fabricated in-house. The museum sells admissions, annual memberships, summer/winter/spring break camps, school field trips, birthday party rentals, corporate event rentals, and on-site food service through Elote Café. It also runs the bond-funded Tulsa Public Schools STEAM Center serving 25,000 pre-K through 5th grade students each year, plus mobile outreach programs reaching 8,000+ students across 200+ Oklahoma schools and community centers.

Product overview

Discovery Lab operates as a children's science museum and STEAM education center offering a unified portfolio of interactive exhibits, educational programs, and community outreach. The core offering centers on the 57,000-square-foot museum facility featuring rotating exhibit spaces (WorkShop, Science Lab, Little Lab), supplemented by seasonal programs (Summer of Discovery, Winter WonderLab), signature events (Noon Year's Eve, Mad Scientist Ball, Tinkerfest), and formal educational offerings (STEAM Center partnership with Tulsa Public Schools, summer camps, field trips). Membership programs and facility rentals provide additional access tiers. The museum also develops and fabricates its own exhibits in-house and partners with organizations like USA BMX Foundation and OSU Medicine for specialized programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Discovery Lab Museum Admissions Daily walk-in admission to the 57,000-square-foot Discovery Lab children's museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, featuring hands-on STEAM exhibits, Science Lab demonstrations, WorkShop makerspace, and Little Lab early-learners programming. Variable pricing by age and membership status; open Monday-Sunday with extended Saturday evening hours.
• Annual Museum Memberships Annual membership tiers — Adult ($45), Just For Two ($85), Family ($170), Family Plus ($255), and Family Premier ($340) — providing unlimited visits, member-only early access hours, and reciprocal benefits at 300+ science and children's museums nationwide via ASTC and ACM networks.
• Summer Camps STEAM-focused summer camps for children from Kindergarten through 6th grade; 10 weekly sessions each summer from June 8 to August 12; half-day for Kindergarten students and full-day options for 1st through 6th grade students. Registration-based recurring seasonal program.
• Tulsa Public Schools STEAM Center Bond-funded partnership program with Tulsa Public Schools providing hands-on STEAM programming in five dedicated classrooms inside Discovery Lab; serves 25,000 pre-K through 5th grade students annually with labs and exhibit experiences aligned to Oklahoma Academic Standards.
• School Field Trips and Museum Classes Pre-arranged educational field trip experiences and museum classes for school groups; aligned with Oklahoma Academic Standards; ~16,000 Tulsa Public Schools students served in 2023 alone with additional bookings from regional districts.
• Mobile Outreach Programs Mobile educational programs bringing hands-on STEAM activities directly to schools, towns, and community centers across Oklahoma; reached 8,000+ students across 200+ sites in 2023 through the Accessible Discovery program and similar outreach.
• Birthday Party Rentals Private birthday party rental packages including standard parties and Premier Parties for children's birthdays at the museum; private exhibit space and facility rentals for special occasions.
• Corporate and Private Exhibit Rentals After-hours rental of exhibit spaces and museum facilities for corporate events, team-building gatherings, and private events; for-profit and corporate customers seeking distinctive Tulsa venues.
• Elote Café and Catering On-site food and beverage service (Elote Café) operating during museum hours including Saturday evening service during extended hours; catering available for private events and facility rentals.
• Original Exhibits Design Challenge Annual student design competition where middle and high school students create exhibit concepts; winning designs are fabricated in-house and installed in the museum; primary funder is Hardesty Family Foundation.
• Sensory-Friendly Family Hours Monthly lower-sensory museum experience held on the 2nd Sunday with dimmed lights and reduced sounds, designed for families needing a quieter environment; part of the Accessible Discovery program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 205,000+ annual visitors from all 50 states
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

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

• OSU MedicineflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2025Collaboration to launch Curiosity Clinic exhibit introducing children to health and science careers. Features interactive activities including teddy bear clinic, create-a-cast, and sensory bins explaining white blood cells. Supported by microbiome lab graduate students and health professors. Partnership connects education and healthcare in kid-friendly setting.
• USA BMX FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 September 2024Joint development of 'Riders Ready: The Science of BMX' exhibit exploring STEM through BMX racing. 2,000 sq ft exhibit teaches physics, engineering, soil science through interactive bike repair, track design, and helmet safety stations. Funded by Hardesty Family Foundation. After 12-18 months in Tulsa, exhibit begins 7-10 year North America tour expected to reach 1 million+ visitors.
• StemcellminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2024Retail partnership creates regional hub for science education. New retail location at Discovery Lab accessible without museum admission. Partnership marks milestone in establishing Tulsa as scientific exploration destination for all ages.
• Tulsa Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnprecedented bond-funded partnership integrates Tulsa Public Schools' official STEAM Center within Discovery Lab. Five dedicated classrooms serve 25,000 pre-K through 5th grade students annually with hands-on labs aligned to Oklahoma Academic Standards. Museum educators lead labs too expensive/messy for typical classrooms. TPS provides meals and transportation. Partnership maximizes Education Center capacity while serving regional districts.
• Art Alliance TulsaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports Fiber Friends Workshop theme with materials for fiber arts activities including embroidery, stamp dyeing, rope making, and sewing. Partnership emphasizes arts integration in STEAM education.
• IF/THEN CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant-funded If/Then Exhibit showcasing successful women in STEM careers. Partnership with ASTC and National Girls Collaborative Project. One of few U.S. museums hosting this pop-up featuring three interactive activities inspired by women in aerospace engineering, physics, and biomedical engineering.
• Tulsa Regional ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiscovery Lab is active Chamber member. Partnership provides community connections and business networking. Museum participates in Chamber initiatives including 918 Day celebrations and Mosaic Inclusive Workplace coalition.
• Gathering PlacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiscovery Lab's 57,000 sq ft facility is located within Gathering Place park, one of Tulsa's premier recreational destinations. Prime location provides consistent foot traffic and association with quality regional attractions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Museum of Science, Boston: Museum of Science, Boston is a much larger, broader science museum with exhibits, school programs, and an IMAX theater serving millions of visitors annually. Overlaps in exhibit-based STEAM mission and school programming, but substantially larger scale and more diversified portfolio make it a broader incumbent rather than direct niche competitor.

Direct peers

• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI): OMSI is a hands-on science museum in Portland, Oregon that combines permanent interactive exhibits, school field trips, camps, and traveling exhibit programs. Directly comparable to Discovery Lab in mission (STEAM learning), revenue mix (admissions, memberships, school programs), and exhibit-driven model.
• Creative Discovery Museum: Creative Discovery Museum is a Chattanooga-based children's museum with interactive exhibits, school outreach programs, summer camps, and Maker-focused programming. Strong size and scope overlap with Discovery Lab including Maker/maker-space and STEAM emphasis.
• Liberty Science Center: Liberty Science Center is a Jersey City, NJ science center with hands-on exhibits, school programs, and traveling exhibit development. Comparable in mission (STEAM learning), operating scale, and embedded K-12 district partnerships.
• COSI (Center of Science and Industry): COSI is a Columbus, Ohio science center with hands-on exhibits, school field trips, summer camps, and traveling exhibit programs. Comparable operating model, scale (large facility with embedded school programs), and nonprofit funding structure.
• Carnegie Science Center: Carnegie Science Center (Pittsburgh) operates hands-on exhibits, school programs, summer camps, and traveling exhibit development through its subsidiary. Closely comparable in mission, exhibit-development capabilities, and K-12 STEAM focus.
• Pacific Science Center: Pacific Science Center is a Seattle-based nonprofit science center with permanent IMAX theater, exhibits, school programs, and seasonal camps. Mirrors Discovery Lab's combination of family/general public visitation and K-12 STEAM curriculum-aligned programming with reciprocal ASTC membership benefits.
• The Magic House: The Magic House is a St. Louis–based children's museum with hands-on exhibits, school field trip programming, summer camps, and a satellite location model. Comparable in size (mid-major regional children's museum), mission, and revenue mix.
• The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a 472,000 sq ft children's museum with in-house exhibit design, traveling exhibit programs that tour nationally, and significant school partnerships. Comparable in proprietary exhibit development and museum-based STEAM education delivery.
• Science Museum of Virginia: Science Museum of Virginia is a state-supported science museum in Richmond with exhibits, school programs, and traveling exhibit offerings. Comparable combination of family visitation, K-12 STEAM programming, and nonprofit operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUp4nEgC3YflhngI8BBRleA
• Facebookfacebook.com/DiscoveryLabTulsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/discovery-lab-tulsa

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Discovery Lab