The Children's Museum

What The Children's Museum does

The Children's Museum Group (legal name; previously known as The Children's Museum) is a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization founded in 1927, making it the fifth oldest children's museum in the United States. It operates three integrated programs serving children from preschool age through middle school and their caregivers: (1) The Children's Museum Preschool, a NAEYC-accredited play-based preschool in West Hartford, CT, established in 1946; (2) TCM Mobile Museum, a mobile STEAM outreach program delivering hands-on, customizable curriculum-aligned experiences to schools, libraries, scout troops, community centers, and summer camps; and (3) Roaring Brook Nature Center, a 165-acre nature facility in Canton, CT, with five miles of trails, live animal ambassadors, a licensed wildlife rehabilitation clinic, and year-round educational programming. The group also operates a portable STARLAB planetarium for astronomy education.

The organization's revenue model is a blend of earned and contributed income. Earned revenue includes RBNC admission fees ($7-$9 per visitor), tiered annual memberships ($50 Individual to $250 Animal Sponsorship), Summer Discovery Days program fees ($270-$315 per program), birthday party packages, and preschool tuition that accepts Care 4 Kids subsidies. Contributed revenue includes federal grants (the CSA Grant of $1.6M over four years and the ASEND Grant of ~$100K annually), corporate donations through programs such as Birdies for Charity, and individual giving via an online donation platform.

The group is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Ayesha Clarke, with executive leadership led by Executive Director Missy DiNunno (joined July 2024) and Chief Learning Officer Kim Read. The organization employs approximately 10-15 staff plus a separate team of 5+ educators. As of early 2026, the museum space at 180 Mohegan Drive, West Hartford was permanently closed following 2025 flooding, and the group is operating from its Simsbury administrative office, the West Hartford preschool, and RBNC in Canton while seeking a permanent museum home. Both major federal grants are scheduled to end in fall 2026, making community fundraising and program fee revenue critical to continuity.

Name

The Children's Museum

Legal name

The Children's Museum Group

Website

https://thechildrensmuseumct.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Children's Museum Group is a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) non-profit operating a NAEYC-accredited preschool, a mobile STEAM museum, and Roaring Brook Nature Center, serving children ages 0-12, families, and schools across Connecticut.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum & Experiential Education

NAICS

Museums (712110), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outdoor / Nature-Based Nursery & Forest Playgroups (EDACACAH)

Keywords

• Children's museum programs
• STEAM education services
• Nature center programs
• Mobile museum outreach
• Preschool education

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hartford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Admission Fees: Entry fees to Roaring Brook Nature Center: Adults $9, Seniors (62+) $8, Children (12 and under) $7. Members receive free admission.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership tiers including Individual ($50), Family ($125), Reciprocal ($150), and Animal Sponsorship ($250). Provides free admission, discounts, and member-only event access.
3. Summer Program Fees: Summer Discovery Days programs: Members $270/program, Non-members $315/program. Programs run Monday-Friday, 9am to Noon.
4. Birthday Party Packages: Birthday party experiences at Roaring Brook Nature Center with animal ambassador visits and guided nature hikes. Additional fees for groups exceeding 25 attendees.
5. Donations and Grants: Major funding sources include ASEND Grant (~$100,000 annually), CSA Grant ($1.6 million over four years). Federal funding supports outreach programs reaching children in need. Also participates in Birdies for Charity program.
6. Preschool Tuition: NAEYC-accredited preschool program with play-based curriculum. Care 4 Kids accepted for subsidized tuition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Children's Museum Group is a Connecticut-based non-profit educational organization operating three integrated programs: TCM Mobile Museum (mobile STEAM outreach to schools, libraries, and community centers), The Children's Museum Preschool (NAEYC-accredited play-based preschool in West Hartford), and Roaring Brook Nature Center (a 165-acre nature center in Canton, CT with trails, animal ambassadors, and a wildlife clinic). The organization delivers experiential learning programs covering STEAM, health, nature, and the environment to children and families, with services spanning admissions, memberships, summer programs, birthday parties, and preschool tuition.

Product overview

The Children's Museum Group is a Connecticut-based nonprofit educational organization operating three integrated programs: The Children's Museum Preschool (a NAEYC-accredited play-based preschool established 1946), the TCM Mobile Museum (a mobile outreach program delivering hands-on STEAM experiences to schools, libraries, and community centers), and Roaring Brook Nature Center (a 165-acre wildlife sanctuary with trails, animal ambassadors, and a wildlife clinic established 1948). These programs work synergistically—the Mobile Museum extends the preschool's science curriculum into the community while the Nature Center provides outdoor learning experiences; together they served 11,485 people through 418 programs across 118 locations in early 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TCM Mobile Museum A mobile museum that delivers hands-on, interactive STEAM learning experiences directly to schools, libraries, scout troops, community centers, summer camps, and other venues across Connecticut and beyond. Programs are customizable by grade level, topic, and group size, with outreach focusing on districts with greatest academic needs.
• The Children's Museum Preschool A NAEYC-accredited play-based preschool program for children ages 3-5 in West Hartford, CT, featuring a science-focused curriculum, hands-on museum room activities, and weekly lessons from TCM Mobile Museum educators. Care 4 Kids accepted for subsidized tuition.
• Roaring Brook Nature Center A 165-acre nature center in Canton, CT featuring 5 miles of trails, live animal ambassadors, a wildlife rehabilitation clinic, and year-round educational programs connecting visitors with the natural world.
• Roaring Brook Wildlife Clinic A wildlife rehabilitation service that provides medical care to ill, injured, and orphaned wildlife (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians) with the goal of returning them to the wild. Non-releasable animals become ambassadors for visitor education.
• Summer Discovery Days Week-long summer programs at Roaring Brook Nature Center offering themed activities including hikes, games, stories, crafts, and animal visits for children during school vacation periods. Members $270/program, Non-members $315/program.
• Birthday Party Packages Birthday celebration packages at Roaring Brook Nature Center including visits with animal ambassadors and guided nature hikes, accommodating groups of up to 25-50 attendees with additional fees for groups exceeding 25.
• Roaring Brook Membership Tiered membership program at Roaring Brook Nature Center offering free admission, gift shop discounts, member-only events, and reciprocal benefits, with levels including Individual ($50), Family ($125), Reciprocal ($150), and Animal Sponsorship ($250).
• Summer Library Programs Free STEAM programs delivered by the Mobile Museum at Hartford public libraries during summer months, aligned with summer reading themes and including field trips and human body exploration activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 418 programs delivered and 11,485 people reached in just 4 months (Jan-Apr 2026)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• State of ConnecticutcoreOthersAgreement with State of Connecticut for Roaring Brook Nature Center to use 165 acres of adjacent State Wildlife Refuge as outdoor classroom featuring accessible trails, butterfly and bird gardens, geology and animal senses gardens, vernal pools, and rescue enclosures.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Please Touch Museum: Philadelphia-based children's museum focused on play-based early learning environments and family programming, with comparable preschool-style engagement and donor-funded nonprofit operations.
• Mad Science: Franchise-based provider of mobile STEAM programming delivered to schools, libraries, and camps nationwide. Closest direct functional analog to the TCM Mobile Museum outreach channel.
• Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose: California-based children's museum blending hands-on science exhibits, outdoor environmental learning, and school outreach programs—mirroring TCM's combined museum, nature, and outreach delivery model.
• Connecticut Audubon Society: Connecticut-based nonprofit operating nature centers, wildlife sanctuaries, and environmental education programs—directly comparable to Roaring Brook Nature Center's regional wildlife and environmental education role.
• Boston Children's Museum: Boston-based nonprofit children's museum offering hands-on STEAM and cultural exhibits for ages 0–10, with school outreach and membership programs closely comparable to The Children's Museum's fixed-site + mobile approach in New England.
• The Discovery Museums: Acton, MA-based children's discovery museum combining hands-on STEM exhibits with nature/environmental programs on a multi-acre campus—comparable New England nonprofit with adjacent STEAM + nature focus.
• Brooklyn Children's Museum: First-of-its-kind children's museum providing hands-on cultural and STEAM programming, exhibit-based family experiences, and school/community outreach that mirrors TCM's integrated museum-plus-outreach model.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The largest children's museum in the world, operating broad STEAM exhibits, nature exhibits, and education programs. Far larger scale than TCM but comparable mission and STEAM/nature education orientation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheChildrensMuseumCT
• Instagraminstagram.com/thechildrensmuseumgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles28 records

Subsidiaries3 records

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 The Children's Museum