Children's Museum of Acadiana

What Children's Museum of Acadiana does

The Children's Museum of Acadiana (CMA) is a nonprofit, hands-on children's museum operating since 1996 in Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, serving the Acadiana region. Its core offering is a portfolio of interactive, exhibit-based learning experiences designed for children and families, supplemented by structured educational programs including CAMP STEAMOLOGY (summer STEAM camp), Sensory Mornings (sensory-friendly sessions for children with sensitivities), Toddler Time, and the CMA on the Go! mobile outreach program that brings programming to schools and community sites. Ancillary commercial offerings include birthday party bookings, field trip packages, gift cards, and annual memberships marketed as "Play all year. Save as you go."

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack combining one-time consumer transactions (general admission tickets, special event tickets such as the Magic in the Making adults-only fundraiser priced at $175 per person, birthday parties, gift cards), recurring memberships, program fees, facility rentals, and charitable donations plus fundraising events. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through walk-in visitation, online ticketing via the Doubleknot platform, school group bookings, and community outreach. Customer segments span families with children, pre-K through middle school educational groups, children with sensory or special needs, and adult supporters engaged through fundraising events and Mission Partner sponsorships. Technology infrastructure is conventional for the category: interactive physical exhibits, a content/website presence, email newsletter, and online ticketing integration, with no disclosed proprietary software, apps, or AI components.

The museum operates from a Downtown Lafayette facility of approximately 15,000 square feet, with an additional ~15,000 square feet of adjacent second-floor space being evaluated for future expansion. It employs 12 people and relies on a network of Mission Partners (individuals, businesses, foundations) and event sponsors (e.g., Diverse Studio, Rudick Construction Group, Park Bistro, Three Thirty Seven, First Horizon) for fundraising support. Operating geographies are limited to Louisiana and the Acadiana region, with no international footprint.

Name

Children's Museum of Acadiana

Legal name

The Children's Museum of Acadiana

Website

https://cmalaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Children's Museum of Acadiana is a nonprofit hands-on children's museum in Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, serving families, schools, and community groups across the Acadiana region with interactive exhibits, educational programs, memberships, and outreach since 1996.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum & Educational Attractions

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG), Kids & Family Learning Workshops (Family Crafts, Junior Maker Classes) (THAJAKAO)

Keywords

• Children's museum exhibits
• Interactive STEAM learning
• Educational field trips
• Birthday party venues
• Museum membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lafayette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission and Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from individual and group admissions to the museum, including special event tickets like the Magic in the Making fundraiser at $175 per ticket.
2. Memberships: Annual membership programs offering unlimited visits and benefits to recurring visitors.
3. Facility Rentals and Party Bookings: Revenue from hosting private events, birthday parties, and facility rentals.
4. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations and fundraising events supporting museum operations and access programs for underserved families.
5. Educational Programs: Fees for specialized programs including CAMP STEAMOLOGY, Sensory Mornings, Toddler Time, and CMA on the Go outreach.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Children's Museum of Acadiana operates a hands-on interactive children's museum in Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, featuring exhibit-based learning experiences for children and families. The museum supplements its core exhibits with structured educational programs (CAMP STEAMOLOGY, Sensory Mornings, Toddler Time, CMA on the Go! outreach), annual memberships, birthday party rentals, school field trips, gift cards, and special fundraising events such as the Magic in the Making adults-only evening.

Product overview

Children's Museum of Acadiana is a hands-on interactive children's museum offering a diverse portfolio of exhibits and educational programs. The core offering includes interactive museum exhibits designed for children and families, supported by educational programs like CAMP STEAMOLOGY, Sensory Mornings, and Toddler Time. The museum also provides memberships, field trips, birthday party bookings, outreach through the CMA on the Go! mobile program, and gift cards. Special events like the Magic in the Making fundraiser provide adults-only experiences to support museum operations. The museum has been serving the Lafayette, Louisiana community since 1996.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Museum Exhibits Hands-on interactive exhibits located at the Downtown Lafayette museum, designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and hands-on discovery for children of every age. Open to walk-in visitors and included with general admission.
• Museum Memberships Annual membership program offering unlimited access to the museum, special member events, and discounts on programs for recurring visitors and families.
• Field Trips Guided and self-guided educational visits for school groups and other organized youth programs with curriculum-aligned learning experiences. Pre-K through middle school groups, including public and private schools, homeschool groups, and daycare centers.
• Birthday Parties Private party bookings for children's birthday celebrations at the museum, with access to exhibits and dedicated party spaces.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase and redeemable for museum admission and programs.
• CAMP STEAMOLOGY Summer camp program focusing on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) learning activities for children.
• Sensory Mornings at the Museum Specially designed morning sessions for children with sensory sensitivities and their families to enjoy the museum in a quieter, lower-stimulation environment.
• Toddler Time Structured programming designed specifically for toddlers and their caregivers to explore and learn together.
• CMA on the Go! Mobile museum programming that brings hands-on learning experiences to schools and community locations throughout Acadiana.
• Magic in the Making Adults-only evening fundraiser at the Children's Museum featuring live music, curated bites, cocktails, interactive entertainment, and exclusive after-hours museum experience. Inaugural event scheduled for August 20, 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served thousands of children and families annually from across Acadiana
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Diverse StudiominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2026Magic Maker Sponsor for the inaugural CMA Magic in the Making adults-only fundraiser event in 2026.
• Rudick Construction GroupminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2026Magic Maker Sponsor for the inaugural CMA Magic in the Making adults-only fundraiser event in 2026.
• Park BistrominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2026Bright Future Sponsor and curated small bites provider for the Magic in the Making event, providing food catering services.
• Three Thirty SevenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2026Bright Future Sponsor and live music entertainment provider for the Magic in the Making event.
• First HorizonminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2026Bright Future Sponsor for the inaugural CMA Magic in the Making adults-only fundraiser event in 2026.
• Clay and Lynette DarnallminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2026Bright Future Sponsor for the inaugural CMA Magic in the Making adults-only fundraiser event in 2026.
• JAE EventsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2026Bright Future Sponsor for the inaugural CMA Magic in the Making adults-only fundraiser event in 2026.
• Party CentralminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2026Bright Future Sponsor for the inaugural CMA Magic in the Making adults-only fundraiser event in 2026.
• Mission PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partners including individuals, businesses, foundations, and community leaders who invest in the museum's mission and help make play, learning, and access possible for every family. These partners are featured on the Mission Partners page with logo displays.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Please Touch Museum: Philadelphia-area children's museum focused on hands-on learning through play. Operates exhibits, programs, and events for young children and families, with a comparable nonprofit operating model.
• Discovery Children's Museum: Las Vegas-based children's museum operating interactive STEM-focused exhibits and programming for children and families. Comparable operating model with a strong STEAM focus similar to CMA's CAMP STEAMOLOGY.
• Children's Museum of Houston: One of the largest children's museums in the U.S., serving Houston-area families with interactive exhibits, STEM programming, and inclusive access initiatives. Highly comparable operating model with broader scale.
• Louisiana Children's Museum: Louisiana's flagship children's museum located in New Orleans. Operates hands-on interactive exhibits and educational programming for children and families in Louisiana, directly comparable in mission and operating model to CMA.
• Children's Creativity Museum: San Francisco-based children's museum focused on creativity and technology through hands-on exhibits (animation, music, filmmaking). Comparable in technology-infused, hands-on educational approach.
• Children's Museum of Atlanta: Regional children's museum serving metro Atlanta with hands-on exhibits, educational programs, and special events. Closely comparable mid-sized nonprofit children's museum model.
• Port Discovery Children's Museum: Baltimore-area children's museum offering interactive exhibits, climbing structures, and educational programming. Non-profit operating model comparable to CMA, with similar programs for schools and field trips.

Others

• Association of Children's Museums: Industry association representing children's museums globally. Relevant as an ecosystem/network organization that CMA is likely a member of, providing peer benchmarking, advocacy, and professional resources.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Children's Museum: One of the oldest and largest children's museums in the U.S., offering interactive exhibits, early childhood programs, and accessibility initiatives. Comparable in mission and STEAM programming orientation.
• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The largest children's museum in the world, operating extensive exhibits, educational programming, and outreach. A scaled incumbent in the same category, relevant as a benchmark for programs and operating sophistication.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childrensmuseumofacadiana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Acadiana