The Bakken Museum
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
The Bakken Museum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Bakken Museum
- Legal name
- The Bakken Museum
- Website
- https://thebakken.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Bakken Museum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Science Museum
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)
Keywords
Where The Bakken Museum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Bakken Museum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Admission Fees: General admission fees charged to visitors for access to exhibits and museum grounds
- Memberships: Annual memberships at various levels (Household $100, Individual $65, Supporting tiers $200-$500) providing free admission, discounts, and early access to events
- Venue Rentals: Revenue from renting West Winds Mansion, classrooms, and event spaces for weddings, corporate events, and private functions
- Event Tickets: Revenue from special events including Bakkenalia (21+ events), Brilliant fundraiser, Discovery Days, and other programming
- Education Programs: Registration fees for summer camps, break camps, Inventors Club, and field trip programs for youth
- Corporate Memberships: Corporate membership packages at four tiers ($5,000-$50,000) providing employee volunteer days, admission vouchers, and sponsorship options
- Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible contributions from individuals and organizations including Legacy Amendment funds and Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | General admission with various age-based pricing tiers |
| Subscription | Annual | Household membership covering two adults and children ages 3-17 with full admission benefits |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual membership for one adult plus one guest |
| Subscription | Annual | Supporting membership with enhanced benefits and recognition |
| Subscription | Annual | Corporate membership tiers with increasing benefits |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Income-based scholarship programs for youth education |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Bakken Museum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Bakken Museum operates a single-site interactive STEM museum in the historic West Winds Mansion on the shore of Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis, offering hands-on exhibits on electricity and innovation, youth makerspace education programs (summer camps, Inventors Club, break camps, field trips), venue rentals of the mansion and grounds for weddings and corporate events, and a mix of ticketed special events (Bakkenalia, Discovery Days, Brilliant fundraiser) and membership programs. The museum monetizes general admission, program registration, event tickets, venue rentals, and individual and corporate memberships, while supporting operations through donations, sponsorships, and grants.
Product overview
The Bakken Museum is a single-site museum institution offering interactive STEM-focused exhibits, youth education programs, and venue rentals. Its core product portfolio centers on three main exhibits (Spark, Ben Franklin, and Mary Shelley exhibits), complemented by youth programs including summer camps (Camp Innovation, Young Makers), Inventors Club, and Break Camps. Additional offerings include field trip programs, venue rentals of the historic West Winds Mansion, and special events such as Bakkenalia and Discovery Days. The museum also maintains and provides access to its artifact collections and offers individual/household and corporate membership programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spark Exhibit The Bakken Museum's main interactive exhibit where visitors play music, make movies, and learn human stories through hands-on activities; open to curious visitors of all ages.
- Ben Franklin Exhibit Interactive exhibit exploring Benjamin Franklin's experiments with electricity through immersive demonstrations and hands-on activities, nicknamed the 'Electricity Party'.
- Mary Shelley Exhibit (Mary and Her Monster) Exhibition exploring Mary Shelley's life, the inspiration behind Frankenstein, and the influences on her timeless novel.
- Camp Innovation (Summer Camp) Multi-day summer camp for campers entering grades 4-9 who design and build their own inventions while practicing creative thinking, problem-solving, and the innovation process in the museum's makerspace; in 2026 the program will also be delivered off-site at the University of St. Thomas Schoenecker Center.
- Inventors Club Five-week workshop program in which students design and build unique projects in the museum's makerspace with support from educators and volunteer mentors.
- Young Makers Camp Half-day camp for aspiring makers entering grades 2-3, providing practice with basic tools and an introduction to the invention process.
- Break Camps School break camps during winter, spring, and MEA breaks where students practice responsible innovation in the makerspace through technology, code, and creative projects.
- Field Trip Programs Guided STEM workshops and gallery tours for students in grades 3-12 that align with Minnesota Academic Science Standards, delivered on-site at the museum.
- Bakkenalia Annual 21+ evening event featuring after-hours museum access, drink tastings, live music, interactive science activities, and special vault artifact presentations.
- Discovery Days Family-friendly events with hands-on STEM activities and partner demonstrations that are included with museum admission.
- Vault Tours Guided tours of Earl Bakken's collection in the museum's vault, restricted to visitors ages 18 and older.
- Venue Rentals Rental of West Winds Mansion, classrooms, Great Hall, and outdoor spaces for weddings, corporate events, and fundraisers, with the 2025 renovation adding new flexible-use classrooms and rental spaces.
- Individual and Household Membership Tiered membership programs (Individual $65, Household $100, Supporting tiers $200-$500) offering free admission, ASTC Passport Program access to 350+ museums, discounts on camps and store purchases, and early event access.
- Corporate Membership Corporate membership program with four tiers (Explore $5,000, Wonder $10,000, Dream $25,000, Inspire $50,000) providing admission vouchers, recognition, volunteer days, facility rental discounts, vault tours, Corporate Family Day, and sponsorship allocations.
- Science Studios Monthly STEM-themed challenges for young innovators with step-by-step guides and educator support, included with museum admission.
- Brilliant (Annual Fundraiser) Signature annual fundraiser featuring live and silent auctions, interactive STEM experiences, and inspiring speakers, hosted at Historic Grain Belt Brewery in 2026.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves 45,000 individuals annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Bakken Museum
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Bakken Museum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
The Bakken Museum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of St. ThomascorePartnership to bring Camp Innovation to St. Paul for multiple weeks in 2026. The offsite experience delivers hands-on creative learning at the Schoenecker Center on the St. Thomas campus, with access to engineering labs and student community.
- Bell MuseumminorCommunity partner participating in Discovery Day events at The Bakken Museum, providing collaborative STEM programming for families.
- 3MminorCorporate partner participating in Women in Science Discovery Day events, supporting STEM programming and representation in science careers.
- Boston ScientificminorCorporate partner participating in Women in Science Discovery Day events at The Bakken Museum.
- Ann Bancroft FoundationminorCommunity partner supporting Women in Science Discovery Day programming and female STEM role models.
- Gillette Children'sminorHealthcare partner participating in Discovery Day events, supporting healthcare and medical science programming.
- Society of Women Engineers: MN Professional SectionminorProfessional organization partner for Women in Science Discovery Day, providing volunteers and STEM career representation.
- The Thinking SpotminorLocal bookstore partner for Bakken Book Club, co-hosting guided conversations about STEM-related books and providing book distribution.
- Historic Grain Belt BreweryminorHost venue for Brilliant 2026 annual fundraiser, providing space for the museum's signature fundraising event.
- BlackbaudcoreProvides ticketing and membership management platform used for online ticket sales, event registration, membership purchases, and donations.
- MailchimpcoreEmail marketing service provider used to manage and send newsletters, event invitations, and promotional communications to subscribers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Bakken Museum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Science Museum of Minnesota: St. Paul-based science museum operating in the same Twin Cities metro as The Bakken Museum, with overlapping K-12 field trip, family visit, and donor audiences. Both institutions focus on hands-on STEM exhibits and compete for regional mindshare and school district partnerships.
- The Franklin Institute: Philadelphia-based science museum with a signature Benjamin Franklin electricity exhibit—the closest thematic peer to The Bakken Museum's electricity-and-innovation focus. Both institutions combine historic-mansion-era architecture with hands-on STEM exhibits and serve families and school groups.
- Minnesota Children's Museum: St. Paul-based children's museum in the same Twin Cities market, overlapping with The Bakken Museum's family-with-children and youth programming segments. Both institutions serve family admissions, school break camps, and youth STEM programming.
- Bell Museum: University of Minnesota-affiliated natural history and science museum located in the Twin Cities, sharing the same regional STEM-education market. Listed as a community partner of The Bakken Museum, indicating direct overlap in family programming and field trip demand.
- The Works Museum: Bloomington, MN-based hands-on engineering and STEM museum for kids, directly comparable to The Bakken Museum's youth makerspace and field trip programs. Both target K-12 students and families in the Twin Cities with hands-on STEM experiences.
Broad incumbents
- COSI (Center of Science and Industry): Large Columbus, OH-based science center with a broader portfolio of hands-on STEM exhibits, camps, and educational programming. Comparable to The Bakken Museum in offering interactive science experiences for families and school groups, but at significantly larger scale and scope.
- Museum of Science, Boston: One of the largest science museums in the U.S., featuring interactive STEM exhibits, a planetarium, and youth education programs. Comparable to The Bakken Museum's mission-driven STEM education and exhibit approach, though at far greater scale and with broader subject coverage.
- Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based science center with IMAX theater, planetarium, and hands-on exhibits. Comparable to The Bakken Museum's interactive STEM exhibit model and youth/family audience, but with broader programming and a larger visitor base.
- Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh-based science center offering interactive STEM exhibits, youth programs, and planetarium shows. Comparable to The Bakken Museum's mix of hands-on exhibits and family/education programming, but operates at substantially larger scale as part of the Carnegie Museums complex.
Emerging players
- Explora: Albuquerque-based hands-on science and technology learning center focused on interactive exhibits and maker activities. Comparable to The Bakken Museum's hands-on STEM and makerspace programming for families and youth, though smaller and more regionally focused.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Bakken Museum social profiles
Digital presenceThe Bakken Museum compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
The Bakken Museum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Bakken Museum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Bakken Museum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Bakken Museum 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 The Bakken Museum
What does The Bakken Museum do?
The Bakken Museum operates a single-site interactive STEM museum in the historic West Winds Mansion on the shore of Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis, offering hands-on exhibits on electricity and innovation, youth makerspace education programs (summer camps, Inventors Club, break camps, field trips), venue rentals of the mansion and grounds for weddings and corporate events, and a mix of ticketed special events (Bakkenalia, Discovery Days, Brilliant fundraiser) and membership programs. The museum monetizes general admission, program registration, event tickets, venue rentals, and individual and corporate memberships, while supporting operations through donations, sponsorships, and grants.
Is The Bakken Museum a public or private company?
The Bakken Museum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Bakken Museum founded?
The Bakken Museum was founded in 1975. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Bakken Museum based?
The Bakken Museum is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Bakken Museum make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Admission Fees are the primary driver. The others are memberships, venue Rentals, event Tickets, education Programs, corporate Memberships and donations and Grants.
Who are The Bakken Museum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Science Museum of Minnesota, The Franklin Institute, Minnesota Children's Museum, Bell Museum and The Works Museum. Broad incumbents are COSI (Center of Science and Industry), Museum of Science, Boston, Pacific Science Center and Carnegie Science Center. Explora is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Bakken Museum have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Bakken Museum.
What industry is The Bakken Museum in?
The Bakken Museum's product category is Science Museum. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAA, Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty), with a secondary code of THAJADAF, Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film). Its NAICS code is 712110.