Fort Kids Children's Museum

What Fort Kids Children's Museum does

Fort Kids Children's Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in May 2022 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, with the mission of building a dedicated children's museum along the Arkansas Riverfront in downtown Fort Smith. The organization is currently pre-operational for its permanent facility: it runs free pop-up programming at the Bakery District and at community venues (parks, libraries, schools) while raising funds and finalizing plans for the permanent site, whose land was donated by the Westphal Family in June 2023 adjacent to the United States Marshal Museum. Programming centers on hands-on STEAM learning through play for children from toddlers through pre-teens, with events including Pop-Up at Stone Park, Pedal-Palooza (a bike festival hosted with Buddy Pegs), Make a Story Cube library sessions, and cultural events such as Portuguese Pop-Up and My City is a Fort. In March 2023, the organization visited all 19 Fort Smith Public Schools elementary schools to gather child input for exhibit design.

The organization is governed by a 14-member volunteer board led by President Sarah Strom, Vice President Ashleigh Buckley, Director of Finance Joshua Sykes, and Development Director Kellie Black, supported by directors for Exhibits, Marketing, and DEAI. The core technology footprint is minimal: a Squarespace-hosted website, a Bloomerang donor CRM, and organic social channels on Facebook and Instagram. Revenue mechanics are entirely donation- and grant-driven; over its operational history, Fort Kids has secured roughly $6,000 from a December 2022 community fundraiser and $15,000 from the Mayor's 3rd Annual Gala in August 2023, in addition to in-kind contributions from corporate partners (First National Bank of Fort Smith, First Security Bank, Home Outlet Stores, Champion Cycling, Nothing Bundt Cakes, The Woodsman Company) and a strategic planning engagement with Haizlip Studio. No paid staff, admission pricing, or operating revenue are present in the disclosed data.

Name

Fort Kids Children's Museum

Legal name

Fort Kids Children's Museum

Website

https://fortkidschildrensmuseum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fort Kids Children's Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit building a dedicated children's museum on the Arkansas Riverfront in Fort Smith, Arkansas, currently operating free STEAM-focused pop-up events for local families while raising funds for the permanent site.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museums / Educational Attractions

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classroom Learning Centers & Thematic Units (Dramatic Play, Blocks, Sensory, STEM) (EDACAJAH), Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Children's museum
• STEAM education
• Interactive exhibits
• Hands-on learning
• Community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Smith

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Fort Kids relies on charitable donations from individuals, businesses, and community fundraisers. Major milestones include a December 2022 fundraiser that raised over $6,000 and a $15,000 allocation from the Mayor's 3rd Annual Gala in August 2023.
2. Event-Based Revenue: Free community events serve to build engagement and future donor relationships. Some events feature partner businesses and sponsors who contribute goods, services, or funding.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fort Kids Children's Museum is developing a dedicated children's museum on the Arkansas Riverfront in downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas, providing hands-on, interactive exhibits focused on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) learning through play for children and families. While the permanent facility is being developed, the organization operates a temporary pop-up location at the Bakery District and runs free community pop-up events at parks, libraries, and community spaces across Fort Smith.

Product overview

Fort Kids Children's Museum operates as a single, unified physical museum experience offering hands-on, interactive exhibits focused on learning through play for children and families. The museum is currently operating from a temporary pop-up location at the Bakery District while developing its permanent home on the Arkansas Riverfront. The organization complements its core museum offering with STEAM-focused community events programming, including pop-up activities at local parks, libraries, and special events like bike festivals and cultural celebrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fort Kids Children's Museum A dedicated children's museum on the Arkansas Riverfront in downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas, providing hands-on, interactive exhibits focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) learning through play for children from toddlers to pre-teens and their families.
• Fort Kids Pop-Up at the Bakery District An interim pop-up location at the Bakery District in Fort Smith where visitors can explore hands-on activities and learn about the museum's vision while the permanent Riverwalk location is under development.
• Fort Kids STEAM Events Programming Free community events hosted by Fort Kids Children's Museum, including Pop-Up at Stone Park, Fort Kids Pedal-Palooza (Kids Bike Fest), Make a Story Cube, My City is a Fort, and Portuguese Pop-Up, designed to engage families and community groups in playful STEAM learning experiences at parks, libraries, and community spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Visited all 19 Fort Smith Public Schools elementary schools to gather children's input for exhibit design
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Buddy PegsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2023Bentonville-based bike playground company partnered to bring first Kids Bike Fest (Pedal-Palooza) to Fort Smith at John Bell Jr. Park.
• First National Bank of Fort SmithminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2023Donated swag bags for pre-registered Pedal-Palooza participants.
• Home Outlet StoresminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2023Donated swag bags for pre-registered Pedal-Palooza participants.
• Champion CyclingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2023Donated custom bike for Pedal-Palooza event giveaway.
• The Woodsman CompanyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2023Donated gift certificate for Pedal-Palooza event giveaway.
• Arkansas College of Osteopathic MedicineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2023Supported Pedal-Palooza bike festival event.
• City of Fort Smith Solid Waste Services DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2023Co-hosted pop-up event at Stone Park featuring environmental education activities, trash and recycle trucks, and landfill tours.
• First Security BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 August 2023Provided grilled hot dogs for Stone Park pop-up event attendees.
• Nothing Bundt CakesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 August 2023Donated sweet treats for Stone Park pop-up event.
• Fort Smith Public Library Miller BranchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 August 2023Hosted Make a Story Cube activity event at library location (8701 South 28th Street).
• Haizlip StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022Museum planning company hired in June 2022 to assist with marketing study and feasibility analysis. Visited Fort Smith in August 2022 to evaluate potential museum sites from Chaffee to Downtown.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Please Touch Museum: A larger, established children's museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with extensive hands-on exhibits and a national profile. Comparable in mission and offering but serves as a broader incumbent example of a scaled, well-funded children's museum model Fort Kids aspires to.
• The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The largest children's museum in the world, located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Comparable in mission and exhibit philosophy but operates at a vastly larger scale, serving as a benchmark for the upper bound of the children's museum category.

Direct peers

• Scott Family Amazeum: A hands-on children's museum in Bentonville, Arkansas focused on interactive STEAM learning for families. It is the most direct geographic and conceptual peer, also operating in Northwest Arkansas and competing for the same regional family market Fort Kids targets.
• KidsQuest Children's Museum: A children's museum in Bellevue, Washington providing hands-on STEAM exhibits and programming for children and families. Comparable as a community-supported, mid-sized children's museum with similar target audience and exhibit design approach.
• Kohl Children's Museum: A children's museum in Glenview, Illinois offering hands-on exhibits focused on early childhood development, science, and art. Directly comparable in mission, audience, and exhibit philosophy to Fort Kids' planned permanent museum.
• Discovery Center Museum: A children's science museum in Rockford, Illinois with hands-on STEAM exhibits and strong school-group programming. Highly comparable as a mid-sized, community-supported children's museum serving a similar sized regional market as Fort Smith.
• Museum of Discovery: A science- and children-focused museum in Little Rock, Arkansas offering interactive exhibits and educational programming. Comparable as a mid-sized Arkansas museum serving families and school groups with STEAM-focused experiences.
• Discovery Children's Museum: A children's museum in Las Vegas, Nevada offering interactive STEAM exhibits and programming for young children and families. Comparable in target audience (toddlers to pre-teens), exhibit approach (hands-on learning), and nonprofit operating model.
• Children's Museum of Evansville: A children's museum in Evansville, Indiana providing hands-on exhibits and educational programming for families. Comparable as a small-to-mid-sized, donor-supported children's museum in a mid-size U.S. metro, mirroring Fort Kids' target market profile.

Regional players

• Mid-America Science Museum: An interactive science museum in Hot Springs, Arkansas featuring hands-on exhibits and educational programming for children and families. Comparable as a regional Arkansas institution delivering experiential learning, though broader in scientific scope than a dedicated children's museum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fortkidschildrensmuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/fortkidschildrensmuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fortkids

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Fort Kids Children's Museum