MATH-SCIENCE NUCLEUS

What MATH-SCIENCE NUCLEUS does

Math-Science Nucleus is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Fremont, California. It develops and delivers NGSS-aligned K-8 science curriculum, operates the Children's Natural History Museum (CNHM), and manages multiple public-facing educational sites including the 17-acre Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon wetland, 22-acre California Nursery Historical Park, 98-acre Sabercat Creek Historical Park, and the Hayward Fault Exhibit at Fremont Community Center. The organization houses one of the Bay Area's most significant Ice Age fossil collections with over 150,000 specimens, including Irvingtonian fossils inherited from the San Lorenzo School District in 2004 and ongoing donations from infrastructure projects (Facebook, SFPUC, CalTrans).

The organization's product portfolio centers on the Integrating Science, Math, and Technology Reference Curriculum (free lesson plans, worksheets, multimedia storybooks, slideshows), supplemented by Helping Hands Science in-classroom presentations, teacher workshops, summer camps, Zoom-based online science classes for Fremont Unified School District K-6 students, and 2-hour field trip programs. Auxiliary revenue streams include museum admissions ($10/person, $15/person group), science-themed birthday parties, and a small museum shop selling educational materials.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining program fees (pay-as-you-go unit pricing), museum admissions, retail sales, and significant grant/donation funding including a $5,000,000 California State grant secured by Senator Bob Wieckowski in 2020 for museum renovations. The organization employs approximately 6 staff, is led by Board President Dr. Joyce Blueford (geologist), and serves roughly 15,000 students annually through school partnerships, family programming, scout groups, and community events in the San Francisco Bay Area's Tri-City region (Fremont, Newark, Union City).

Name

MATH-SCIENCE NUCLEUS

Legal name

Math Science Nucleus

Website

https://msnucleus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Non-profit educational organization operating Children's Natural History Museum and managing multiple science education sites in Fremont, California. Provides NGSS-aligned K-8 curriculum, in-classroom presentations, field trips, and teacher workshops serving approximately 15,000 students annually in the San Francisco Bay Area's Tri-City region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Science Education Services

NAICS

Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB), Math & Science Interactive Learning Platforms (STEM Core) (EDAFANAH)

Keywords

• NGSS-aligned science curriculum
• Hands-on science education
• Children's natural history museum
• K-8 school field trips
• Teacher professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Fremont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Field Trips and In-Class Programs: Helping Hands Science in-classroom presentations for schools at $200-$500 per classroom depending on number of classes. School field trips to museum and outdoor facilities.
2. Museum Admission: $10 per person admission to Children's Natural History Museum, with group rates of $15 per person with staff. Free for children under 3.
3. Birthday Party Packages: Field trip birthday parties for school classes during weekdays: $150 for up to 24 children, $175 for 25+ children.
4. Museum Shop Sales: Science educational materials, gifts, shells, models, minerals, and educational supplies sold through the museum shop.
5. Donations and Grants: Significant funding from grants ($5 million from California State), donations from individuals and organizations, and tax-deductible contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Math-Science Nucleus is a non-profit educational organization that develops and delivers an NGSS-aligned K-8 science curriculum (Integrating Science, Math, and Technology Reference Curriculum) and operates the Children's Natural History Museum plus multiple educational sites including Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon and California Nursery Historical Park. Its sellable offerings include school field trips, in-classroom Helping Hands Science presentations, teacher workshops, online Zoom science classes, summer science camps, science-themed birthday parties, vermicomposting workshops, the Passport to Adventure program, and museum shop retail.

Product overview

Math Science Nucleus is a non-profit educational organization (serving since 1982) that operates a multi-faceted science education portfolio consisting of: a K-8 NGSS-aligned Integrating Science, Math, and Technology Reference Curriculum (core product with free lesson plans, worksheets, and digital resources); the Children's Natural History Museum (CNHM) featuring Ice Age fossils and interactive exhibits; Helping Hands Science in-classroom presentations; Teacher Workshops and professional development; Field Trips to CNHM, Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon, California Nursery Historical Park, and Sabercat Historical Park; 2026 Science Summer Camps; and Online Science Classes via Zoom. Additional offerings include Vermicomposting Workshops, Science Birthday Parties, Museum Shop, Passport to Adventure Program, and Storybooks/Slideshows. The organization manages several physical sites in Fremont, CA and serves schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Children's Natural History Museum (CNHM): Children's museum focusing on natural history and Ice Age fossils from the Irvingtonian era, managed by Math Science Nucleus

Products and services

• K-8 Science Curriculum (Integrating Science, Math, and Technology Reference Curriculum)
• Children's Natural History Museum (CNHM)

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves approximately 15,000 students annually through field trips and educational programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Leadership FremontminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Class of 2011 created outdoor lunch area for the museum, doubling the number of students able to participate in field trips.
• Fremont Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with FUSD for K-6 online science classes, field trips, and teacher workshops. Math Science Nucleus creates curriculum aligned with FUSD needs and delivers programs at schools and their facilities.
• Mattos Science MagnetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDocent lesson plans developed specifically for Mattos Science Magnet with NGSS correlation, ongoing teacher project collaboration.
• New Haven School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for VISION 2026 program for healthy children, with Masonic Home Reforestation and Composting Project highlighted in science and health lesson plans.
• University of California Museum of Paleontology, UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Berkeley houses the majority of fossils (over 20,000 specimens) excavated by the Boy Paleontologists. Ongoing collaboration and access to academic resources and expertise.
• Northern California Geological SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of Rock and Roll Educator event at Children's Natural History Museum, supporting earth science education for teachers.
• Ohlone CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFossils from Boy Paleontologists collection displayed at Ohlone College (1,000 specimens), continuing educational mission.
• Alameda County Flood Control & Water Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor funder of Tule Ponds at Tyson Lagoon with $65,000 contribution. Partners on wetland education and environmental programs including vermicomposting workshops.
• Facebook (Corporate)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacebook donated fossils from their Menlo Park corporate office excavation, now on display at CNHM as part of exhibit remake.
• San Francisco Public Utilities CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated Rancholabrean fossils from Warm Springs District excavation during pipe retrofitting across the Hayward Fault. Specimens are approximately 12,000 years old.
• City of FremontcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner of California Nursery Historical Park (managed by MSN) and Sabercat Creek Historical Park. Partners on various educational and environmental initiatives.
• CalTransminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated fossils from 680 Freeway widening project in 2019, with more fossils expected.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chabot Space & Science Center: Oakland-based science center offering school field trips, teacher workshops, and interactive STEM exhibits to Bay Area K-12 students. Operates a similar mix of museum admissions, school programming, and educator resources targeting the same East Bay audience.
• Oakland Museum of California: Regional museum in Oakland combining California natural and cultural history exhibits with school tour programs and educator resources. Comparable as an East Bay museum that runs school programs and develops curriculum tied to its collections.
• Lindsay Wildlife Experience: Walnut Creek-based wildlife rehabilitation and education center that combines a museum/exhibits with school field trips, live animal programs, and NGSS-aligned curriculum. Comparable in combining a local natural-history museum with K-12 programming in the Bay Area.
• Lawrence Hall of Science: UC Berkeley-affiliated public science center in the Bay Area that combines a hands-on science museum with K-12 curriculum development, teacher professional development, and school field trip programs — directly comparable mission and audience to Math-Science Nucleus, though at significantly larger scale.
• Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose: Children's museum in the Bay Area delivering hands-on exhibits, school field trips, and educational programs for K-5 students. Comparable in serving the same audience (young children, families, schools) through exhibits and field trip experiences.

Broad incumbents

• Exploratorium: San Francisco's flagship hands-on science museum with exhibits, teacher institutes, and school programs. Operates in the same Bay Area science education space as MSN but at much larger scale, with stronger digital and national brand recognition.
• The Tech Interactive: San Jose-based science and technology center with hands-on exhibits, school field trips, and teacher professional development. Broader STEM/maker focus than MSN, but overlapping audience of Bay Area K-12 schools and teachers, and significantly larger institution.
• California Academy of Sciences: San Francisco-based natural history museum combining research, aquarium, planetarium, and exhibits with extensive K-12 programming. Overlaps with MSN's paleontology and natural history focus but operates at vastly greater scale, budget, and geographic draw.

Regional players

• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based science center with exhibits, IMAX, school programs, and teacher development in a Pacific Northwest market. Comparable mix of museum-based STEM learning, school field trips, and curriculum but serves a different geography than MSN's Bay Area focus.
• Discovery Cube: Southern California science center with locations in Santa Ana and Los Angeles, combining hands-on STEM exhibits with K-12 field trips and curriculum. Comparable program mix to MSN, but operates in a different geographic region with a much larger footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/msnucleus.cnhm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/math-science-nucleus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 MATH-SCIENCE NUCLEUS