Kinder-Akademie Fulda

What Kinder-Akademie Fulda does

Kinder-Akademie Fulda gGmbH is a non-profit children's museum and academy based in Fulda, Germany, founded in 1991 by Helen Bonzel as Germany's first independent children's museum. Following ownership transfer to the city of Fulda in 2020, it operates under a dual leadership currently held by Silvia Brünnel and Dirk Meusel, with approximately 20 full-time and part-time staff and a Förderverein supporting association of roughly 150 members. The institution serves approximately 40,000 visitors annually, primarily families and children aged 6–14 from Fulda, Hesse, and across Germany, supplemented by school, kindergarten, and corporate clients.

The core offering is a 2,000m² hands-on museum (Hands-On-Bereich) including the unique-in-Europe Begehbares Herz walkable heart exhibit (36m², 5m height), rotating Sonderausstellungen, and artifacts such as wooden machines by Pierre Andrés. The Akademie layer adds structured educational programs: Kunstschule (art school), Erfinderclub and Erfinderwerkstatt (inventor programs funded by Dr. Hans Riegel-Stiftung and corporate sponsors), Holzwerkstatt, Nachhaltigkeitswerkstatt, holiday academies (Sommer-/Herbst-/Frühlings-/Winterakademie), Kinderuniversität with Hochschule Fulda, Kindergeburtstage, Gruppenprogramme, KAF-unterwegs mobile programming, and since 2025 KAFimKARL, a family experience concept inside the KARL department store. The WIRGARTEN adds a human-animal encounter site. Underlying technology is primarily physical interactive exhibit design, with a website, online booking via app.seminarmanagercloud.de, and a donated board game rental platform.

Revenue is hybrid: approximately 30–40% is self-generated from museum admission (€4 single, €12 family), Begehbares Herz tickets (€8/€24), holiday workshops (€150 for 5-day), Erfinderclub courses (€135/semester), birthday parties (€110–€140), school programs (€225/class), and the MuseumsKAFé/MuseumsShop, with the remaining 60–70% funded by the city of Fulda, district of Fulda, the state of Hessen, third-party grants, and donations. Distribution is direct-to-consumer at three Fulda locations plus online booking for programs, with supplementary corporate-event and traveling-exhibition channels.

Name

Kinder-Akademie Fulda

Legal name

KAF Kinder-Akademie Fulda gemeinnützige GmbH

Website

https://kaf.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kinder-Akademie Fulda is Germany's first independent children's museum, operating a 2,000m² hands-on museum, unique Begehbares Herz exhibit, and academy programs (art school, inventor clubs, holiday workshops) for families, schools, and corporate clients in Hesse, partially funded by the city of Fulda.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum & Educational Services

NAICS

Museums (71211)

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), Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

Keywords

• Children's museum services
• Hands-on museum exhibitions
• STEM education workshops
• School program field trips
• Family educational experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Fulda

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission Fees: Entry fees from museum visitors including single tickets, family tickets, and annual memberships
2. Workshop and Academy Fees: Revenue from holiday workshops (Sommerakademie, Herbstakademie, etc.), Erfinderclub courses, Kunstschule courses, and specialty workshops including materials fees and lunch
3. Birthday Party Packages: Customizable birthday party programs including guided tours through Begehbares Herz and themed workshops
4. Third-Party Funding and Donations: Approximately 30-40% of budget self-generated from entry fees, workshop fees, third-party funds, and general donations. Supported by city of Fulda, district of Fulda, state of Hessen, and private sponsors
5. MuseumsKAFé and MuseumsShop: On-site café with food/beverages and retail shop with books, toys, and souvenirs
6. Spieleverleih (Game Rental): Free loaner board games for up to four weeks, generating foot traffic to museum

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kinder-Akademie Fulda operates Germany's first independent children's museum, offering a 2,000m² hands-on interactive museum experience with rotating special exhibitions, the unique Begehbares Herz walkable heart exhibit, and structured educational programs including art school, inventor clubs, STEM workshops, holiday academies, and sustainability workshops. The organization also runs a family experience world (KAFimKARL), an animal encounter site (WIRGARTEN), birthday parties, school programs, and mobile programming for corporate events.

Product overview

Kinder-Akademie Fulda is Germany's first independent children's museum, operating as a dual-component organization: the Museum (Hands-On-Bereich) and the Akademie. The Museum encompasses a 2,000m² hands-on experience with interactive exhibits, the unique Begehbares Herz (Walkable Heart) exhibit spanning 36m² and 5m in height, rotating Sonderausstellungen (special exhibitions), MuseumsKAFé, and MuseumsShop. The Akademie provides structured educational programs including Kunstschule (art school with painting, ceramics, printmaking), Erfinderclub and Erfinderwerkstatt (tinkering/inventing programs), Holzwerkstatt (wood workshop), Nachhaltigkeitswerkstatt (sustainability workshop), and Ferienakademien (holiday academies: Sommerakademie, Herbstakademie, Frühlingsakademie, Winterakademie). Additional offerings include Kindergeburtstage (birthday parties), Gruppenprogramme (group programs), KAFimKARL (family experience world with mini-golf and Bobbycar parcours), KAF-unterwegs (mobile programming), Spieleverleih (game rental), Künstlerische Frühförderung (early artistic development for ages 3+), Kinderuniversität (children's university), Jugend malt (statewide art competition), and traveling exhibitions. The organization also operates the WIRGARTEN animal encounter space. Located at Mehlerstraße 8, 36043 Fulda, the museum welcomes approximately 40,000 visitors annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Museum (Hands-On-Bereich) A 2,000m² hands-on museum featuring interactive exhibits in art, culture, natural sciences, and technology, including wooden machines by French artist Pierre Andrés. The museum encourages children to explore, experiment, and learn through direct engagement. Open Monday-Friday 10:00-17:30, Saturday-Sunday 13:00-17:30.
• Begehbares Herz (Walkable Heart) A walkable heart exhibit spanning 36m² floor space and 5m in height, unique in Europe. Visitors journey through four heart chambers as 'red blood cells,' learning about cardiac anatomy and blood circulation through an interactive experience.
• Sonderausstellungen (Special Exhibitions) Rotating special exhibitions held twice yearly covering topics in art, culture, natural sciences, and technology. Previous exhibitions include 'Hasenspuren' (rabbit tracks), 'Schmeckt's?' from Grazer Kindermuseum FRida & freD, and 'Vom Ei zum Küken'.
• Kunstschule (Art School) Year-round art courses for children and youth including painting, drawing, ceramics (Tonwerkstatt), and printmaking (Druckwerkstatt). Features course-atelier sessions across multiple age groups, with annual exhibitions of student work. Affiliated with the Landesverband der Jugendkunstschule in Hessen e.V.
• Erfinderclub (Inventors Club) Weekly tinkering and building workshops for children aged 8+ where participants create projects such as dream houses, ships, automatons, or spaceships with expert guidance over 12-session semesters. Priced at €135 per course.
• Erfinderwerkstatt (Inventors Workshop) A week-long school program for 3rd graders where classes relocate to the museum for 4-hour morning sessions to explore city development history, renewable energy, electrical circuits, and electromagnetism. Funded by Dr. Hans Riegel-Stiftung.
• Holzwerkstatt (Wood Workshop) A workshop for children aged 8+ focusing on wood materials, woodworking tools, and techniques. Participants create various wooden games and toys across 10 sessions.
• Nachhaltigkeitswerkstatt (Sustainability Workshop) A week-long program for 4th grade classes where students engage creatively with sustainability topics in the museum's workshops, developing solutions for regional environmental problems.
• Sommerakademie (Summer Academy) An annual week-long workshop series during summer holidays for children aged 6-12, each year themed around topics like 'Demokratie und Du' (Democracy and You). Features daily workshops with presentations on the final day. Sponsored by the Hessischer Landtag with Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst partnership. Priced at €150 per workshop including lunch.
• Herbstakademie (Autumn Academy) Week-long workshops during autumn holidays for children aged 6-12 covering diverse creative and educational themes.
• Kindergeburtstage (Birthday Parties) Customizable birthday party programs including Begehbares Herz tours, workshops (Leporello, Tangram), MINT activities with Bee-Bots, 'Es werde Licht' lighting projects, and Universe programs. Priced at €110-140 per package.
• Gruppenprogramme (Group Programs) Hands-on programs for school classes and kindergarten groups (15+ participants) in artistic and scientific areas, including Begehbares Herz tours with workshops, Monotypie printing, and electricity workshops. Priced at €14.00 per child.
• KAFimKARL A family experience world in the KARL concept department store featuring UV-light neon mini-golf, Bobbycar parcours, interactive sense exploration stations, and bridge-building experiments. Open Tuesday-Friday 14:00-17:30, Saturday 10:00-16:00. Priced at €2.50 per person.
• Ausstellungen zum Ausleihen (Traveling Exhibitions) Conceived exhibitions available for loan to other institutions, such as 'Hasenspuren – von Hasen und Osterhasen' an 8-station interactive exhibition about rabbit natural and cultural history requiring approximately 200m² space. Includes training for hosting staff.
• Spieleverleih (Game Rental) A free board game lending service where users browse and reserve games through an online database (spieleverleih-fulda.de) and pick them up at the museum for up to four weeks. Software platform developed and donated by kaleidos:code.
• KAF-unterwegs (KAF on the Go) Mobile children's programming services brought to events, company celebrations, open days, and jubilees with customized concepts and professional artistic/pedagogical accompaniment.
• Künstlerische Frühförderung (Early Artistic Development) Art exploration workshops for children from age 3, introducing color, form, and artistic tools through creative collaboration between child and accompanying adult. Priced at €110 for the course.
• Kinderuniversität (Children's University) Lecture series for children aged 8-12 conducted in cooperation with Hochschule Fulda, covering topics in science, culture, and economics.
• Jugend malt Statewide painting competition for children and youth aged 6-16, organized in cooperation with the Hessian Ministry for Science and Research, Art and Culture. Annual themed competitions.
• WIRGARTEN A human-animal encounter space with predominantly native domestic and farm animals, located at Sickelser Straße 10, 36041 Fulda. Part of the Werkraum Museum operation.
• Schulprogramm: Das Universum (School Program: The Universe) School program for classes visiting the museum to explore the universe through interactive exhibits and guided tours. Priced at €225 per class up to 25 children, including museum entry.
• MuseumsShop Retail shop offering experimental kits, games, toys, and books, plus documentation of past summer academies. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-17:30 and Sun 13:00-17:30. Operates independently without requiring museum entry fee.
• MuseumsKAFé Café serving cold drinks, tea, coffee specialties, cocoa, cakes, pizza, and flammkuchen (including vegan options). Group catering packages available for 10+ persons. Operates independently without requiring museum entry fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~40,000 annual visitors from Fulda, Hessen, and across Germany
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, minor and major.

• Hochschule FuldacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-conducts Kinderuniversität with lectures on science, culture, and economics topics for children 8-12 years. Also project partner in MINTmachClub for practical MINT education. Collaborates on Nachhaltigkeitswerkstätten for 4th grade classes.
• kaleidos:codesupportingTechnology or IntegrationFulda-based software company that developed and donated the Spieleverleih (game rental) software platform, enabling free board game loans to the community.
• Deutsches FeuerwehrmuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in KAFimKARL Bobbycar-Parcours, with thematic elements related to firefighting integrated into the track where children extinguish fires along the route.
• THW (Technisches Hilfswerk)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in KAFimKARL Bobbycar-Parcours with thematic bridge repair elements in the track design.
• Landesverband der Jugendkunstschule in Hessen e.V.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorState association membership connecting Kinder-Akademie's Kunstschule with other youth art schools across Hesse for program development and best practices sharing.
• MINTmachClub FuldacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork membership with Hochschule Fulda providing practical MINT (STEM) education events and activities for children, integrated with Kinder-Akademie's inventor programming.
• Vonderau Museum FuldaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for selected Kinder-Akademie workshops including 'Mission: Mitbestimmung' and 'Große Schlösser' programs, and annual Kunstschule exhibitions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kindermuseum München: Munich-based children's museum with interactive, experience-based exhibits and educational programs for children and families; shares the German-speaking children's-museum niche with KAF.
• KinderMuseum Bonn: Independent children's museum in Bonn offering hands-on, interactive exhibits for children and families; comparable size, audience, and non-profit operating model to KAF.
• FRida & freD – Grazer Kindermuseum: Children's museum in Graz, Austria offering interactive exhibits and traveling exhibitions for kids; directly comparable to KAF — in fact, KAF has already borrowed its 'Schmeckt's?' exhibition, confirming operational similarity.
• exploratorium Kindermuseum Frankfurt: Hands-on children's museum in Frankfurt focused on science and technology exhibits for young children; comparable regional non-profit children's museum offering in Hessen/Rhine-Main.
• ZOOM Kindermuseum: Long-established children's museum in Vienna with hands-on exhibits and rotating thematic exhibitions for young audiences; comparable mission, audience (children 3–12), and programming model to KAF.

Broad incumbents

• experimenta Heilbronn: Major science center in Baden-Württemberg with extensive hands-on exhibits and educational programming; adjacent in mission (STEM engagement) but significantly larger footprint and broader audience than KAF.
• Phaeno Wolfsburg: Large science center in Lower Saxony with ~280+ interactive exhibits on science and technology; broader, much larger institution that overlaps with KAF's STEM workshops and school programs but at vastly different scale.
• Deutsches Museum München: One of the world's largest science and technology museums with dedicated children's/kids' programming; operates on a much larger scale and serves as the broad incumbent in the German interactive-science museum category that includes KAF.

Emerging players

• LVR-Industriemuseum / Kindermuseen in NRW: Regional industrial/heritage museums in North Rhine-Westphalia with family and children's programming components; emerging/regional peer in the German interactive-museum space that overlaps with KAF's school and family segments.

Others

• Lernort Natur / Naturpädagogik Anbieter (e.g., Naturkinder): Network of nature-education providers and outdoor learning sites in Germany offering hands-on STEM and sustainability programs for children; adjacent to KAF's Nachhaltigkeitswerkstätten and WIRGARTEN but operates as outdoor/enabling ecosystem rather than as a museum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kafimkarl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kinder-akademie-fulda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Kinder-Akademie Fulda