Children's Museum of Illinois

What Children's Museum of Illinois does

The Children's Museum of Illinois (CMofIL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, hands-on children's museum founded in 1988 (incorporated as the Decatur Area Children's Museum) and operating since 1990 from a 27,000-square-foot, two-story facility at 55 S Country Club Rd in Decatur, Illinois, adjacent to Scovill Park and Scovill Children's Zoo. It serves children ages 2–10 and their families through more than 60 interactive exhibits simulating real-world scenarios — including a Central Climber, a 20-foot Soybean Distribution Water Table (Illinois Soybean Association partnership), the Heroes Hall emergency-services wing (Howard G. Buffett Foundation-funded), the Seed to Shelf Agricultural exhibit, a Super Service Center, a Healthy Mouth dental exhibit, the HSHS Hospital medical play area, and the Ready. Set. Build! construction exhibit (O'Shea Builders and union partnership) — together with recurring programming (Toddler Time, Baby Steps, Sensory Friendly Times, Yoga with Rikki), Learning Labs, summer camps, birthday parties, field trips, facility rentals, and a mobile outreach program (Museum on Wheels).

The museum earns revenue through a diversified mix of earned income and contributed support. Earned streams include general admission ($12 adults, $6 seniors, free for under 2 and members; $3 EBT/LINK and 50% military discount), annual memberships ($150 Family, $200 Fun Family with ACM/ASTC reciprocal benefits, $175 Grandparent, plus gifted Angel Memberships), weekday/weekend birthday party rentals ($150–$250, up to 30 guests), private facility rentals ($65–$650 per session), school field trips ($7–$9/person plus $3 Learning Lab add-on, up to 125 children), Mobile Museum outreach, and signature fundraising events (Duck Derby rubber-duck race, Mardi Gras adult evening, Happy Noon Year). Contributed support underwrites operations, including endowments held by Heart of Illinois Community Foundation and free summer camps funded by John Ullrich Foundation and Amherst-Hardy Foundation grants — notably with no federal, state, or local government funding.

The institution is led by Executive Director Rikki Parker alongside a management team (Director of Education Melanie Bilbrey-Snively, Facilities Manager Darryl Coates, Operations Manager Keenan Wilcott) and a Board of Directors chaired by Cathy Briggs. Strategic positioning combines a 35-year community history, national recognition (Top 25 Children's Museums by Child Magazine, 1995), corporate-sponsor-driven exhibit sponsorship, and ACM/ASTC reciprocal network affiliation. Currently the museum is running a "Building Our Future" capital campaign, hosts a "Professionals at Play" adult engagement initiative (2026), and remains reliant on small-staff operations (15 employees) anchored in walk-in visitation and school-group bookings across Central Illinois.

Name

Children's Museum of Illinois

Legal name

Children's Museum of Illinois

Website

https://cmofil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Children's Museum of Illinois is a Decatur-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 27,000 sq ft interactive children's museum for ages 2–10 with 60+ exhibits, funded via admissions, memberships, birthday parties, field trips, facility rentals, and community-sponsored fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum / Informal Education Services

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

Keywords

• Children's museum
• Interactive exhibits
• STEAM education
• Field trips
• Family memberships

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur, IL - Illinois

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, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission: Entry fees charged to all non-member visitors. Adults and children 2+ pay standard admission; children under 2, members, and seniors receive discounted or free admission.
2. Memberships: Annual family memberships providing unlimited visits. Three tiers: Family ($150), Fun Family ($200 with reciprocal benefits), and Grandparent ($175). Members receive priority access, discounts on parties and camps, and reciprocal admission at other children's museums.
3. Birthday Party Rentals: Private party room rental with up to 30 guests for 2 hours. Includes party supplies, Party Pal coordinator, and museum admission for all guests. Weekend rates higher than weekday rates.
4. Facility Rentals: Museum rental for private events including corporate meetings, family reunions, and after-hours events. Classroom spaces available for business use; full museum rental accommodates up to 450 guests.
5. Field Trips and Learning Labs: Group admission for schools and community organizations with educational workshops. Basic self-guided ($7/person) and extended options ($9/person). Learning Labs add $3/child for STEAM-focused activities.
6. Duck Derby Fundraiser: Annual rubber duck race fundraiser. Each duck has a number; winning number receives $3,000. Multiple bundle pricing tiers to encourage larger purchases. This is the museum's longest-running fundraiser (30+ years).
7. Business/Meeting Room Rental: Classroom and Heroes Hall spaces rented for corporate meetings, team-building, and professional events. Hourly rates with full-day options.
8. Mobile Museum Outreach: Bringing museum experience to off-site locations including libraries, parties, festivals. Options for unguided play, guided play, or kit checkout.
9. Mardi Gras Adult Fundraiser: Annual adult-only evening event featuring New Orleans-themed entertainment, food, drinks, live music, and beads. Ticket-based fundraising event with corporate sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Children's Museum of Illinois operates a two-story, 27,000 square foot interactive museum in Decatur, Illinois, featuring over 60 hands-on exhibits and activities designed for children ages 2-10. The museum simulates real-world scenarios through role-playing exhibits (automotive shop, pizzeria, hospital, grocery store) and offers STEAM-focused educational programming including field trips, summer camps, birthday parties, and special events.

Product overview

Children's Museum of Illinois is a 27,000 square foot, two-story interactive museum for children ages 2-10, offering over 60 hands-on exhibits as its core product. The museum operates as a single unified experience with ancillary services including Birthday Parties (private room rentals), Field Trips (self-guided and Learning Labs), Summer Camps (Preschool through STEAM programs), Mobile Museum (outreach), Recurring Programming (Toddler Time, Baby Steps, Sensory Friendly Times, Yoga), Facility Rentals, and Memberships. The museum also hosts signature fundraising events: Duck Derby (rubber duck races), Happy Noon Year (New Year's celebration), and Mardi Gras (adult evening event). Special educational programs include ChemGirls/ChemKids in partnership with Millikin University.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interactive Exhibits Over 60 hands-on interactive exhibits simulating real-world scenarios for children ages 2-10, including Central Climber, Water Table, Super Service Center, Seed to Shelf, Young at Art, CMofIL Theater, Heroes Hall, and toddler-specific areas.
• Birthday Parties

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ years of operation as primary children's museum in Central Illinois
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

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

• Howard G. Buffett FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor donor and active collaborator enabling the creation of Heroes Hall, an immersive emergency services wing featuring ambulance, sheriff helicopter, crime lab, and training academy. This flagship exhibit area significantly expanded museum programming and capacity.
• O'Shea BuilderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead sponsor for the Ready. Set. Build! construction exhibit renovation. Provided construction expertise and labor alongside multiple trade unions (Teamsters #916, Carpenters #270, Painters Union, Iron Workers #46).
• Illinois Soybean AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting sponsor of the 20-foot Water Table exhibit that tracks soybean product distribution from Central Illinois to Gulf ports. Features lock-and-dam system and interactive agricultural education.
• Jerger Pediatric DentistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Healthy Mouth dental exhibit teaching children proper teeth cleaning through an oversized interactive mouth.
• Midwest Eye FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for A Peek Inside eye health exhibit, allowing children to go inside an eyeball to learn how eyes work.
• St. Mary's Hospital (HSHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for HSHS Hospital exhibit featuring ambulance, X-rays, and emergency room play area for hands-on medical role-play.
• Millikin UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with Dr. Anne Rodriguez, Associate Professor of Chemistry, to deliver ChemGirls and ChemKids programming. University chemistry labs used for advanced programming sessions.
• CaterpillarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of STEM Sampler summer camp focusing on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics activities.
• Bodine ElectricminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributed to Ready. Set. Build! exhibit renovation as part of multi-union collaboration.
• Kenny's Ace HardwareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal hardware store contributing to Ready. Set. Build! exhibit renovation.
• Association of Children's Museums (ACM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMofIL participates in ACM Reciprocal Network, providing Fun Family members 50% off general admission at nearly 200 children's museums nationwide.
• Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFun Family members receive free general admission to nearly 300 science centers and museums through ASTC Passport Program.
• MuellercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilder of the Mueller-designed water-propelled duck racetrack used in annual Duck Derby fundraiser.
• Hickory Point BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual sponsor of Duck Derby rubber duck race fundraiser.
• TillamookminorGTM or Marketing Partner2026 Mardi Gras event sponsor providing food products for the adult fundraiser.
• Decatur Brew WORKSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal brewery sponsor providing beverages for Duck Derby event.
• Decatur Area Arts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding partner in 1988 alongside Junior Welfare Association of Decatur. Collaboration addressed lack of art and science activities in area schools.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Children's Museum of La Crosse: Small children's museum in La Crosse, WI operating with a similar hands-on exhibits model, modest team size, and community-funded nonprofit structure — directly comparable in scale and operating profile.
• Children's Museum of Evansville: A small-to-mid-sized children's museum in another Midwest industrial city, operating a similar hands-on exhibit model with comparable revenue streams (admission, memberships, parties, facility rentals) and demographic targeting of young children.
• Betty Brinn Children's Museum: A community-based children's museum in Milwaukee, WI with comparable mission, scale, and programming mix — hands-on exhibits, member tiers, field trips, and birthday parties — making it a strong structural comparable for a mid-size Midwest children's museum operation.
• Mid-Michigan Children's Museum: Community-based children's museum serving a regional market similar to Decatur, with comparable exhibit offerings, membership tiers, and school field-trip programming targeting young children.
• Children's Museum of South Dakota: Mid-size children's museum serving a similar rural/small-metro Midwest market with comparable exhibit programming and community-nonprofit funding model.
• Madison Children's Museum: Mid-size children's museum in Madison, WI operating under a similar nonprofit model with hands-on exhibits, school programming, and special events. Comparable in scale and community-museum positioning despite a stronger urban market.
• Children's Discovery Museum: Located in Normal, Illinois, just 40 miles from Decatur, this is the closest geographic peer. It operates a similar hands-on children's museum model serving Central Illinois families with exhibits and programming in the same size range, creating direct regional competition for school field trips and family visits.

Others

• Caterpillar: Major Decatur-area corporate sponsor of the museum's STEM Sampler summer camp. Not a peer in the museum sense, but a critical funding partner whose local economic health directly affects the museum's sponsorship pipeline.
• Association of Children's Museums (ACM): Industry trade association that connects the Children's Museum of Illinois to ~200 peer institutions via the reciprocal membership network. Not a competitor, but a key ecosystem enabler that materially shapes member value and industry standards.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The largest children's museum in the world, also located in Indiana. While far larger in scale and resources, it shares the same product category, member benefits network (ACM reciprocal), and target demographic, anchoring the broader market for children's museum experiences.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cmofil
• Instagraminstagram.com/cmofil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children's-museum-of-illinois

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Children's Museum of Illinois