Children's Museum of the Lowcountry

What Children's Museum of the Lowcountry does

Children's Museum of the Lowcountry (CML) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum headquartered at 25 Ann Street in downtown Charleston, SC, with a satellite location in St. George, SC that opened in May 2024 inside the former Rosenwald School. Founded in 1995 and opened to the public in 2003, CML serves children from birth through age 10 with play-based, hands-on STEM and STEAM programming, welcoming more than 100,000 visitors annually. The museum's product surface spans seven interior exhibit galleries (including the Boeing BrightLab maker space, Live5News broadcast journalism exhibit, Publix Market, Dockside Cafe/Shrimp Boat, Art Room, and Infant & Toddler Playspace), outdoor space (DooDash's Back Yard splash pad and mini golf), recurring weekly programs (Tech Tuesday, Storytime Adventures, Building Buddies, Full STEAM Ahead, Early Connections, SuperStars sensory-friendly programming), seasonal camps, birthday party packages, school field trips, and a Mobile Museum and Enrichment on the Go outreach program that delivers portable STEM exhibits to schools and events.

CML operates a hybrid revenue model that mixes earned revenue with charitable contributions. Earned streams include general admission ($15 door / $13 advance), a $3 per-person rate for SNAP/WIC/Foster families, Family Membership at $160/year, Museums for All memberships at $20/person for low-income families, summer/spring/winter camps ($450/week downtown, $150/week St. George), birthday parties ($300-$350 standard; $850-$1,050 exclusive evening rental), school field trips at $10/student ($5/student for Title I schools), and Mobile Museum visits at $250/hour. Non-earned revenue includes individual and corporate donations, planned gifts, stock donations, and grants — most notably a $150,000 Boeing investment in the Mobile STEM Program in March 2022. The go-to-market motion is community-led and direct-to-consumer, driven by a weekly Live5News segment, Instagram (@explorecml), email newsletters, healthcare provider and school referrals, community events, and an annual gala (2026 Gala: An Evening of Enchantment, September 25, 2026).

The organization employs 32 staff and is led by President & CEO Lisa Van Deman, appointed March 13, 2026 following a national search, succeeding Karen Coltrane. CML recently completed a $4 million downtown renovation in 2025 to refresh exhibits and add mini golf. Corporate sponsorships with Boeing, Live5News, Publix, and the South Carolina Aquarium provide both funding and named-exhibit visibility, while the Board of Directors (chaired by Jasmine Woodard Rose) provides governance oversight. The mission is "to create innovative learning experiences that equip and inspire all children to become creative problem solvers," with explicit emphasis on access via the Museums for All program and Title I field trip pricing.

Name

Children's Museum of the Lowcountry

Legal name

Children's Museum of the Lowcountry

Website

https://explorecml.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Children's Museum of the Lowcountry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating two physical locations in Charleston and St. George, SC, delivering play-based, hands-on STEM exhibits, camps, outreach programs, and field trips to children birth through age 10 and serving over 100,000 visitors annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museums / Early Childhood Education Services

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Kids & Family Learning Workshops (Family Crafts, Junior Maker Classes) (THAJAKAO), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Children's museum exhibits
• Hands-on STEM education
• Early childhood learning
• Museum birthday parties
• School field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston, SC

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Daily admission fees charged to visitors. General admission $15 at door, $13 advance purchase. SNAP/WIC/Foster Family discounted admission at $3 per person. Children under 1 and all members admitted free.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual family memberships at $160/year covering two named adults and all children in household with free admission, early camp registration, and discounts. Museums for All program at $20/person/year for SNAP/WIC/Foster Families.
3. Camp Programs: Summer, Spring, and Winter camp programs. Downtown Charleston camps $450/week. St. George satellite location camps $150/week ($100 early bird). Camps include hands-on STEAM activities for ages 5-8.
4. Birthday Parties: DooDash Bash parties (up to 35 guests) at $300-$350. Exclusive Evening Birthday Bash (up to 100 guests) at $850-$1050. Includes private room, party host, museum-wide access, and art activities.
5. Field Trip Programs: School field trips priced at $10/student for SC public/private/home schools, $5/student for Title I schools. Additional educator-led programs available for $2/child extra. Minimum 15 students for group rates.
6. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, planned gifts, stock donations, and donor advised fund contributions. Major annual gala events. EIN 57-1014498.
7. Outreach Programs: Enrichment on the Go school programs and Mobile Museum visits at $250/hour with 2-hour minimum. Brings STEM learning directly to schools and community events.
8. Retail Sales: Explore More Store selling tax-free gifts, toys, and museum merchandise. Open to public without museum admission requirement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Children's Museum of the Lowcountry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates interactive play-based learning exhibits and educational programs for children from birth to age 10 across a downtown Charleston museum and a St. George, SC satellite location. Its core offerings include seven indoor exhibit galleries (Live5News Exhibit, Boeing BrightLab, Publix Market, Dockside Cafe/Shrimp Boat, Art Room, Infant & Toddler Playspace), plus DooDash's Back Yard outdoor space, daily admission, annual memberships, seasonal camps, school field trips, birthday party packages, and Mobile Museum outreach programs.

Product overview

Children's Museum of the Lowcountry is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum serving children birth to age 10, offering hands-on learning through play-based exhibits, educational programs, and community outreach. The museum operates from its main downtown Charleston location at 25 Ann Street and a satellite location in St. George, SC. Core offerings include interactive exhibits (Live5News Exhibit, Publix Market, Boeing BrightLab, Dockside Cafe/Shrimp Boat, Art Room, Infant & Toddler Playspace), paid admission tickets (Advance Admission at $13), and membership tiers (Family Membership at $160/year, Museums for All at $20/person). The museum delivers educational programming through camps (Summer, Spring Break, Winter Wonderland at $450/week downtown, $150/week St. George), weekly programs (Tech Tuesday, Building Buddies, Storytime Adventures, Full STEAM Ahead, Early Connections, Check-Out Challenge, CML SuperStars), birthday party packages (DooDash Bash at $300-$350, Exclusive Evening Bash at $850-$1050), school field trips, and outreach services (Mobile Museum, Enrichment on the Go). The museum also hosts annual events including the 2026 Gala and serves over 100,000 visitors annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Downtown Charleston Museum Admission Walk-in general admission to the main downtown Charleston museum at 25 Ann Street, granting access to seven indoor exhibit galleries and DooDash's Back Yard outdoor space. Priced at $15 at the door or $13 advance, with $3 SNAP/WIC/Foster rate and free for children under 1 and members.
• Family Membership Annual membership at $160/year covering two named adults and all children in the household with free year-round admission, member-only hours, early camp registration, and discounts on parties, classes, and retail purchases.
• Museums for All Membership Reduced-price annual membership at $20 per person for SNAP, WIC, and Foster families, providing subsidized access to museum programming.
• DooDash Birthday Bash Private 1.5-hour birthday party package in a dedicated room with museum-wide access for up to 35 guests, including a dedicated party host, themed activities, art activity, and scavenger hunt. Priced at $300 for members and $350 for non-members.
• Exclusive Evening Birthday Bash After-hours exclusive use of the entire museum on Saturday at 4:30 PM for birthday celebrations with up to 100 guests. Priced at $850 for members and $1,050 for non-members.
• Summer Camp (Downtown Charleston) Week-long full-day STEAM camp for ages 5-7 at the downtown Charleston location, featuring themed weekly activities such as Mission STEM Possible, Fairytale Camp, and Jedi camp, with mid-morning and late-afternoon snacks.
• Summer Camp (St. George Satellite) Week-long themed camp at the St. George satellite location including Music and Movement, Messy Art, Nature Explorers, Space Explorers, Magic and Mischief, and Mini Masterpieces, for ages 5-7.
• Spring Break Camp Play-based educational camp during spring break for ages 5-8 featuring STEAM activities built around picture book themes.
• Winter Wonderland Camp Holiday-themed educational camp during winter break with hands-on STEAM activities for children ages 5-7.
• School Field Trips Guided museum visits for Pre-K to 3rd grade classes aligned with educational standards, including self-guided exploration and optional educator-led programs. Priced at $10/student for SC public/private/home schools and $5/student for Title I schools, with a minimum of 15 students for group rates and an additional $2/child for educator-led programs.
• Enrichment on the Go Mobile outreach program bringing interactive, standards-based STEM programming directly to school classrooms. Programs include Use the Force (and Motion), Magnetic Attraction, Playground Architects, Science Experiments, Float Your Boat, Full STEAM Ahead, and Mini Masterpieces.
• Mobile Museum Portable museum bringing hands-on STEM exhibits directly to schools and community events. Includes SuperSpace Tiles, Ramp Exploration Station, Magnetic Gear Wall, Engineer-a-Coaster, Coding & Circuits (KIBO robots, Snap Circuits, Coding Critters), Garden STEM Challenge, Number Blocks, Wind Tunnel, LEGO Marble Run, and Rigamajig Jr. Priced at $250/hour with a 2-hour minimum.
• CML Scholars One-year leadership program for rising high school juniors offering immersive nonprofit sector experience, 200 service hours, and a $2,500 college scholarship upon completion.
• CML SuperStars Sensory-Friendly Program Free low-sensory play program for children with autism, developmental delays, or physical disabilities and their families, held on second and fourth Sundays with crowd-free museum access and specialized accessibility kits (noise-reducing headphones, sunglasses, weighted lap mats, fidget toys, visual schedulers).
• St. George Satellite Location Admission Admission to the satellite museum at 205 Ann Street, St. George, SC 29477, located within the former classrooms of the historic Rosenwald School. Features four galleries including a town square-themed gallery with child-sized grocery store and voting location, creative STEM gallery, Tinker Lab, and classroom for school groups. Priced at $5/person.
• Explore More Store Tax-free retail gift shop selling joyful, local, and unique gifts, toys, and museum merchandise. Open to everyone with no museum admission required.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ annual visitors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 core and minor.

• Live5NewscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2024Live5News sponsors the Live5News Exhibit featuring broadcast journalism experience with miniature anchor desk, green screen, and real mixer board. The exhibit is a perfect miniature replica of the Live5News headquarters. CML hosts monthly Second Saturday Science events with Live5 First Alert Meteorologists.
• BoeingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoeing sponsors the Boeing BrightLab maker space with real tools and materials for hands-on STEM learning. Boeing made a $150,000 investment in 2022 to support the Mobile STEM Program.
• South Carolina AquariumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Carolina Aquarium made generous contributions to help bring the splash pad (DooDash's Back Yard) to life.
• League of Women Voters CharlestonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe League of Women Voters Charleston sponsors the voting location exhibit within the town square-themed gallery at the St. George satellite location.
• Rosenwald SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. George satellite location is housed within the former classrooms of the historic Rosenwald School, a significant partnership preserving local educational heritage.
• Jasmine Woodard Rose and the Rose FamilyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCML Board Member Jasmine Woodard Rose and the Rose family provided the creative STEM gallery at the St. George location, featuring a Juke Joint with musical instruments, arts space with digital drawing technology, and miniature stage for pretend play.
• Post and CourierminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Charleston newspaper covering museum news, renovations, and events. Published feature on the $4M renovation in March 2025.
• College of Charleston Bonner ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCML accepts college interns through the College of Charleston's Bonner program, providing educational volunteer and internship opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Boston Children's Museum: Direct peer and one of the oldest children's museums in the US, serving a similar 0–10 age demographic with interactive exhibits, cultural programming, and school outreach. Operates a comparable membership and field-trip model.
• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Direct peer as a similarly-sized children's museum focused on hands-on, play-based learning for young children. Operates with multiple exhibit zones, maker spaces, and outreach programming — directly comparable to CML's Boeing BrightLab and exhibit-based model.
• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Direct peer as a major children's museum with extensive STEM-focused exhibits, school outreach, and accessibility programming. While larger in scale, the operating model — exhibits, camps, memberships, mobile outreach — is structurally comparable to CML.
• Please Touch Museum: Direct peer operating a children's museum serving the Philadelphia area with hands-on exhibits targeting ages 0–10. Comparable programming structure including member subscriptions, field trips, birthday parties, and accessibility initiatives for low-income families.
• Edventure Children's Museum: Direct peer as a South Carolina-based children's museum (Columbia, SC) serving the same 0–10 age range with hands-on exhibits and educational programming. Operates a comparable admissions and membership model in the same state.

Broad incumbents

• Charleston Museum: Broad incumbent as Charleston's oldest museum, operating paid admission, memberships, and educational programming. While focused on history rather than children's play, it competes for tourist families, school field trips, and donor dollars in the same Charleston market.
• South Carolina Aquarium: Charleston-based cultural attraction and existing CML partner (contributed to splash pad). Operates a paid-admission model with memberships, school field trips, and educational programming — overlapping on visitor base and Charleston family demographic, though not focused on early childhood.

Regional players

• iFly Indoor Skydiving (Charleston): Regional peer operating as a competing family entertainment venue in the Charleston market for birthday parties and family outings. Competes for the same family discretionary entertainment dollars, though with a different activity-based offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLr7gYoXiP0HwORp_dQq1pANWvAvXf3ObZ
• Instagraminstagram.com/explorecml
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children's-museum-of-the-lowcountry

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 the Lowcountry