Thinkery

What Thinkery does

Thinkery is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum (legal entity: Austin Children's Museum Inc. dba Thinkery) founded in 1983 and rebranded to its current name in 2013. It operates a 40,000-square-foot interactive STEAM learning facility known as the Meredith Learning Lab in Austin's Mueller neighborhood, drawing 1M+ cumulative visitors since inception. The organization serves families with young children (primarily ages 0–12), schools and educators (including Title I schools via field trips), and underserved families through the Open Door Initiative. Core products and programs include general admission ($14/visit), annual memberships, weeklong summer camps ($275–$350), Think Labs weekend workshops, Baby Bloomers sessions for ages 0–3, Family Nights, Parents' Night Out, Thinkery21 adult events, Gingerbread Workshops, and sensory-friendly hours. The STEAM Learning Institute operates as a distinct arm delivering educator professional development and curriculum research, while the C.R.E.A.T.E. program is delivered in partnership with National Instruments and Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area to provide after-school engineering education. Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining earned income (admissions, memberships, camp/workshop fees, venue rentals, birthday parties) and contributed income (individual donations, corporate sponsorships from H-E-B, Wells Fargo, Texas Children's Hospital, Applied Materials, Google Fiber, Silicon Labs, Powell Foundation, Millipore Sigma, City of Austin, and foundations; plus signature fundraising events such as Spark After Dark, which raised $275,000+ in 2022).

Thinkery is currently expanding its footprint via the Thinkery – Del Valle partnership with Del Valle Independent School District, projected to add an outdoor exhibit site and STEAM Learning Institute hub in the Austin metro area. The organization employs approximately 108 people, including a CEO (Michael Shanklin, succeeding Andy Bell), COO Patricia Young Brown, Chief Campaign Officer Shaleiah Fox, VP of STEAM Learning Brooke Turner, and a dedicated STEAM Learning Institute instructional coaching team. Recent strategic shifts include the closure of the Little Thinkers Preschool effective August 31, 2025 due to expanded public Pre-K options, and the departure of long-tenured VP of Culture and Community Dana Domingue. Distribution is primarily through the physical Mueller destination, supplemented by school field trips, off-site library programming (19 Austin Public Library branches via Tween STEAM), corporate partnership activations, and online content (Thinkery At Home).

Name

Thinkery

Legal name

Austin Children's Museum Inc. (dba Thinkery)

Website

https://thinkeryaustin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Thinkery is a nonprofit children's museum in Austin, Texas, operating a 40,000-square-foot interactive STEAM learning facility serving families, schools, and educators through exhibits, camps, and the STEAM Learning Institute, with an expansion underway in Del Valle.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum and STEAM Education Services

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering Design & Project-Based Learning Programs (EDAMADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE), STEAM-Focused Early Learning Academies (EDACADAJ)

Keywords

• Children's museum
• STEAM learning
• Interactive exhibits
• Educational programs
• Museum membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission: Visitors pay admission fees to access the museum's 40,000 square foot interactive exhibit space. Membership provides free general admission along with additional benefits.
2. Memberships: Annual memberships provide free general admission and exclusive benefits like member mornings. Membership fees provide recurring revenue and foster ongoing visitor engagement.
3. Camp Programs: Weeklong summer camps for Pre-K through 5th grade covering STEAM themes like robotics, fabrication, and coding.
4. Special Programs and Workshops: Think Labs workshops, Baby Bloomers sessions for ages 0-3, Thinkery21 adult nights, Parents' Night Out, and Gingerbread Workshops generate additional program revenue.
5. Venue Rentals and Events: Birthday party hosting and facility rentals for private events.
6. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Thinkery relies on individual giving, corporate partnerships, and foundation support. The Open Door Initiative accepts donations to provide free/discounted admission to underserved families.
7. STEAM Learning Institute Services: Professional development programs for educators, consulting, and training on play-based STEAM learning approaches.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Thinkery operates an interactive children's museum with a 40,000 sq ft exhibit space (Meredith Learning Lab) offering play-based STEAM learning through exhibits, workshops, summer camps, birthday parties, and field trips. It runs an annual membership program, hosts themed adult evenings (Thinkery21), and delivers fee-based educator professional development through its STEAM Learning Institute. The organization also runs the C.R.E.A.T.E. engineering education program in partnership with National Instruments and Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area.

Product overview

Thinkery is a children's museum in Austin, Texas, operated as a nonprofit organization. The museum offers a 40,000-square-foot interactive space (Meredith Learning Lab) featuring hands-on STEAM exhibits and hosts diverse programs including Baby Bloomers (ages 0-3), Thinkery Camps (summer programs for Pre-K through 5th grade), Think Labs (weekend workshops), Family Nights, Parents' Night Out, and Thinkery21 (adults-only evenings). The organization operates the STEAM Learning Institute for educator professional development and runs the C.R.E.A.T.E. program in partnership with NI and Boys and Girls Clubs. Accessibility initiatives include the Open Door Initiative (free/discounted admission via Museums for All), Sensory Friendly Hours, and discounted field trips for Title I schools. The museum is expanding to Del Valle ISD with a new location planned for 2024. Thinkery also runs seasonal programs like Gingerbread Workshops and events such as Spark After Dark (annual fundraiser).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Little Thinkers Preschool: A research-focused, play-based, STEAM preschool serving children ages 3 and 4, located within Thinkery's facilities. Note: This program closed effective August 31, 2025.
• Meredith Learning Lab
• Thinkery – Del Valle
• STEAM Learning Institute

Products and services

• Thinkery Museum General Admission Access to Thinkery's 40,000 sq ft Meredith Learning Lab featuring interactive STEAM exhibits and hands-on activations for children and families.
• Thinkery Annual Membership Annual subscription membership providing free general admission, Member Mornings, discounts on camps and programs, and other benefits.
• Thinkery Camps Weeklong summer camps for Pre-K through 5th grade covering STEAM themes such as robotics, fabrication, and coding.
• Think Labs Saturday and Sunday workshops held in Kitchen Lab or Space 8 for children ages 4+ on innovative art and science topics led by educators.
• Baby Bloomers Special program for early learners ages 0-3 and their families with hands-on toddler-focused activities and monthly themed programming.
• STEAM Learning Institute Professional Development Fee-based educator professional development, consulting, and training on play-based STEAM learning delivered to schools, districts, and partner organizations.
• C.R.E.A.T.E. Program Collaboration to Realize Equity and Teach Engineering — partnership with National Instruments and Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area delivering after-school engineering education to underrepresented youth.
• Field Trips Educational group visits for school and childcare groups with hands-on STEAM activities and discounted pricing for Title I schools.
• Birthday Parties Private birthday party bookings at Thinkery featuring museum exhibit access and themed activities for children.
• Venue Rentals Private event hosting for organizations and individuals to rent Thinkery spaces for corporate events, parties, and gatherings.
• Thinkery21 Adults-only themed evenings featuring cash bar, food from local vendors, and activities around making, tinkering, and designing.
• Parents' Night Out Drop-off evening program for children ages 4+ featuring themed activities so parents can enjoy an evening out.
• Gingerbread Workshops Seasonal holiday workshops where families build, decorate, and create gingerbread houses together with a candy bar buffet and certificate.
• Family Night Monthly pay-what-you-can family events offering opportunities for children and families to explore STEAM concepts in an inclusive, welcoming environment.
• Open Door Initiative Access program providing free and discounted admission to Thinkery and play-based learning programs through Museums for All, monthly pay-what-you-can Family Nights, and discounted Field Trip pricing for Title I schools.
• Spark After Dark Annual adults-only fundraising gala featuring activities, auctions, and donor engagement to raise funds for the Open Door Initiative.
• Sensory Friendly Hours Special programming designed for learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or other special needs and their families, offering a quieter museum experience with reduced stimuli.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 1 million+ children and families since 1983
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• AVANCE-AustincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2024Deep partnership working side by side to build welcoming community experiences. Over 200 AVANCE families participate in events like Children's Day, many visiting Thinkery for the first time through this partnership.
• National Instruments (NI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.R.E.A.T.E. (Collaboration to Realize Equity and Teach Engineering) program partner. Provides technology and support for engineering education programs serving underrepresented youth.
• Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin AreacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.R.E.A.T.E. program partner providing after-school engineering education, youth development programming, and family engagement. Students receive free yearlong Thinkery membership.
• H-E-BcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen Door Initiative sponsor. Presents Gingerbread Workshops in partnership with H-E-B. Children's Day partner and sponsor.
• Austin Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTween STEAM program partner with 19 APL branches. EdExchange professional development program expanded to multiple library locations.
• Austin FCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren's Day partner helping create inclusive community event.
• Austin SpursminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren's Day partner.
• CapMetrominorGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren's Day sponsor and transportation partner.
• Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChildren's Day partner.
• Women in BiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer group hosting activities during Spooktacular October STEAM Week.
• Texas Pre-Dental SocietyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer group hosting activities during Spooktacular October STEAM Week.
• American Institute of ArchitectsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer group hosting activities during Spooktacular October STEAM Week.
• Del Valle Independent School District (DVISD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Thinkery – Del Valle location housing exhibits and STEAM Learning Institute site. Child Development Center will serve as professional development location for DVISD educators.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Liberty Science Center: New Jersey-based nonprofit science center with large exhibit halls, school programs, and educator training. Comparable as a STEAM-focused nonprofit institution with membership and corporate sponsorship.
• Pacific Science Center: Seattle-based nonprofit science center delivering interactive exhibits, IMAX and STEAM curricula for schools and families. Comparable STEAM/educator professional-development positioning, though broader and more science-focused.
• Arizona Science Center: Phoenix-based nonprofit science center with STEAM exhibits, planetarium and educator programs. Broader than a children's museum but overlaps meaningfully on STEAM-focused family programming and corporate-sponsored STEM initiatives.

Direct peers

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The world's largest children's museum, combining STEAM exhibits with broad programming, memberships, and large-scale fundraising. Comparable mission and nonprofit structure though significantly larger scale.
• Boston Children's Museum: Historic nonprofit children's museum founded in 1913 delivering hands-on exhibits, early-childhood programming, and educator resources. Directly comparable as a 501(c)(3) children's museum with membership, school, and donor revenue streams.
• Minnesota Children's Museum: Nonprofit children's museum featuring hands-on exhibits, play-based learning, and equity-focused access programs. Closely aligned model including memberships, school programs, and donor-funded admission access.
• The New Children's Museum: San Diego-based children's museum combining contemporary art with hands-on STEAM and maker programming. Comparable operational footprint and family/membership-centric revenue approach.
• Children's Museum of Houston: One of the largest U.S. children's museums, combining permanent interactive exhibits with outreach programming across the Houston metro. Highly comparable mission, scale, and revenue model including memberships, camps, and donor-funded access programs.
• The DoSeum: San Antonio's children's museum offers interactive STEAM exhibits and maker-focused programming for similar age ranges (infant through tween) with comparable membership and field-trip models. Closest in-region direct competitor to Thinkery within Texas.
• Explora: Albuquerque-based interactive learning center focused on hands-on STEAM exhibits and programs for families and schools. Similar nonprofit structure, visitor engagement model, and STEAM/integrated-school programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Thinkeryatx
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheThinkery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/austin-children's-museum
• Instagraminstagram.com/thinkeryatx
• TikToktiktok.com/@thinkeryatx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Thinkery