Pretend City Children's Museum

What Pretend City Children's Museum does

Pretend City Children's Museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization operating a single-location interactive children's museum at 29 Hubble, Irvine, California. Founded in 2009, the museum is structured as a "child-size interconnected city" comprising 19 themed learning spaces — including an auto shop, restaurant, health center, bank, beach, Toddler Town, and the newly launched Wonder Studio art exhibit — where children ages 0-8 engage in role-play and imaginative learning. The organization also delivers Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) developmental screenings, dedicated programming for babies (Baby Steps), toddlers, neurodivergent families, expectant and new parents, and free Title I school field trips, and has served more than 2.6 million guests since opening. A planned relocation to the Great Park site in Irvine will expand indoor and outdoor programming capacity.

The business model blends earned revenue with philanthropic funding. Earned streams include one-time museum admission, annual memberships offering free entry and early-access (9-10am Wed-Sat) benefits, birthday-party and private-event facility rentals, and field-trip fees. The donations and fundraising stream — comprising individual gifts, corporate sponsorships (U.S. Bank, Frank's Irvine Subaru), foundation grants (Mariner Foundation), and annual events including the Start Smart FUNdraising Luncheon (which raised over $225,000 in April 2026) and a 17th Annual Poker Challenge — is core to the operating model and underwrites the Access for All programs that subsidize free admissions for underserved families.

Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via a single physical site, supported by a website (pretendcity.org), email newsletter, and an active organic social presence on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and X. The customer base spans four primary segments: families with young children (core), schools and educational institutions (including free Title I field trips), neurodivergent families (served via Neurodivergent Family Nights), and expectant and new parents (served through a MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center partnership). Strategic ecosystem partners include MemorialCare, U.S. Bank, Frank's Irvine Subaru, Mariner Foundation, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and First 5 Orange County.

Name

Pretend City Children's Museum

Legal name

Pretend City Children's Museum

Website

https://pretendcity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pretend City Children's Museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) operating a single-location interactive children's museum in Irvine, California, serving families with children ages 0-8 through 19 themed learning spaces, developmental screenings, field trips, and inclusive community programs funded by admissions, memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum / Early Childhood Education

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Preschools (Play-Based) (EDACABAA), Kids & Family Learning Workshops (Family Crafts, Junior Maker Classes) (THAJAKAO)

Keywords

• Children's museum
• Early childhood education
• Interactive learning exhibits
• Developmental screenings
• Field trip programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

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. Museum Admission: Ticket sales for museum entry for families and individuals
2. Membership Program: Annual membership providing free admission and early entry benefits to members
3. Facility Rentals: Birthday parties, facility rentals, and private events generating venue rental revenue
4. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and annual fundraising events including luncheons, poker challenges, and galas
5. Field Trip Programs: School field trip programs including free Title I school trips subsidized by donors

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pretend City Children's Museum operates a non-profit children's museum featuring a child-size interconnected city with 19 themed learning spaces designed for hands-on imaginative play and early childhood development. Core offerings include museum admission, an annual membership program, birthday party and facility rentals, school field trip programs (including free Title I trips), developmental screenings using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), and inclusive programming such as Neurodivergent Family Nights, Baby Steps, Toddler Town, Good to Go, and Way to Play Days.

Product overview

Pretend City Children's Museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering a unified children's museum experience centered around an interconnected city with 19 learning spaces. The museum balances playful learning and engagement for the entire family through exhibits (Wonder Studio, Toddler Town), developmental services (ASQ screenings, Good to Go), educational programs (Field Trips, Baby Steps), family events (Neurodivergent Family Night, Way to Play Days), parent workshops (Prenatal/Postnatal with MemorialCare), and membership/donation programs (City Lights Giving Circle). All offerings support early childhood development through purposeful play.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pretend City Children's Museum Admission Walk-in admission for families and individuals to access a child-size interconnected city with 19 themed learning spaces, designed to prepare children to meet developmental milestones through imaginative play.
• Membership Program Annual museum membership offering free admission and early entry access (9am–10am Wednesday through Saturday) plus member benefits for families and caregivers.
• Birthday Parties Birthday party celebration packages and venue rentals hosted inside the children's museum for families looking to host children's events in an interactive play environment.
• Facility Rentals Rental of the museum's facility and exhibit spaces for private events, corporate gatherings, and special occasions outside normal operating hours.
• Field Trips Educational field trip programs for school groups, including free Title I school field trips subsidized by donors, providing structured learning experiences within the museum.
• Developmental Screenings (ASQ) Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) screenings that assess child developmental performance across communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social skills.
• Neurodivergent Family Night Free sensory-friendly, neuro-affirming evening events designed for neurodivergent children and their families, including attending therapists.
• Baby Steps Early childhood development program for babies and their caregivers that focuses on developmental milestones through guided activities at the museum.
• Toddler Town A dedicated interactive play space within the museum designed specifically for toddlers to safely explore and engage in age-appropriate activities.
• Good to Go School-readiness developmental program helping young children build skills and confidence for preschool and elementary transitions.
• Way to Play Days Specialized family events offering hands-on play activities and educational experiences themed around different topics throughout the year.
• Prenatal Workshop Monthly workshop for expectant parents hosted by MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center breastfeeding experts, offering prenatal education, connection, and parenting support.
• Postnatal Workshop Monthly workshop for breastfeeding mothers and infants hosted by MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center lactation experts, providing breastfeeding support and parent connection.
• Wonder Studio Immersive summer art exhibit featuring hands-on creative spaces including a clay station, makerspace, portrait station, painting room, and children's gallery, included with museum admission.
• City Lights Giving Circle A giving circle donor program recognizing 139+ individuals and couples who support early childhood development experiences and resources at the museum.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.6 million guests served since opening
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MemorialCare Saddleback Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026MemorialCare lactation consultants provide postnatal breastfeeding workshops at the museum on the 1st Tuesday of each month. The partnership also includes prenatal workshops and health-related programming for families.
• Frank's Irvine SubaruminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026Frank's Irvine Subaru selected Pretend City as their Hometown Charity for Subaru's Share the Love Event (Nov 2025-Jan 2026). Subaru donated $19,008 to the museum based on vehicle sales and service visits.
• U.S. BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 April 2026U.S. Bank served as presenting sponsor for the 9th Annual Start Smart FUNdraising Luncheon, supporting early childhood development fundraising efforts.
• Segerstrom Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSegerstrom Center for the Arts presents Music and Movement programming at the museum, bringing dance and movement activities to children and families.
• Children & Families Commission of Orange County (First 5 Orange County)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides parent resources and educational materials to families, including information about developmental screenings through Ages and Stages Questionnaire.
• First 5 Orange CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst 5 Orange County partners with the museum on parent resources and developmental screening programs, focusing on early childhood development initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cayton Children's Museum: Los Angeles-based non-profit children's museum offering play-based exhibits and early childhood programming. Same model, audience, and California footprint.
• Kidspace Children's Museum: Pasadena-based non-profit children's museum with 40+ hands-on exhibits focused on early childhood learning, plus memberships, school programs, and birthday parties. Same operating model and family target as Pretend City.
• Discovery Cube Orange County: Santa Ana-based non-profit science museum serving OC families and schools with hands-on exhibits, field trips, and memberships. Direct regional competitor with similar revenue mix (admissions, memberships, donations, rentals) and comparable target audience.
• Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose: Large-scale non-profit children's museum in the Bay Area with extensive hands-on exhibits, school programs, and donor-supported access initiatives. Closely comparable operating model and inclusive programming approach.
• Children's Museum of La Habra: Southern California non-profit children's museum offering hands-on exhibits, field trips, and memberships to families and schools. Same 501(c)(3) museum model and Southern California geography as Pretend City.
• Kohl Children's Museum: Chicago-area non-profit children's museum offering hands-on exhibits, memberships, and inclusive programming for young children. Same 501(c)(3) structure and early-childhood focus as Pretend City.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Largest children's museum in the world, with extensive exhibits, donor-funded programs, and field trip offerings. Same mission and revenue structure, but operates at a far larger scale than Pretend City.
• Boston Children's Museum: One of the oldest and largest U.S. children's museums with play-based exhibits, memberships, and school programs. Comparable mission, programming categories, and non-profit operating model.
• Please Touch Museum: Philadelphia-based non-profit children's museum focused on learning through play with similar exhibit, membership, and field trip model. Significantly larger scale and older brand.

Others

• First 5 Orange County: Orange County funder and partner organization for early childhood development programs. Not a museum, but a current strategic partner supporting Pretend City's developmental screening and family resource programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pretendcity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/pretendcity
• Facebookfacebook.com/pretendcitychildrensmuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pretend-city-children%27s-museum
• Instagraminstagram.com/pretendcity
• TikToktiktok.com/@pretendcity
• Pinterestpinterest.com/pretendcity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Pretend City Children's Museum