Long Island Children's Museum

What Long Island Children's Museum does

The Long Island Children's Museum (LICM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit children's museum founded in 1993, operating from a 40,000-square-foot permanent facility at 11 Davis Ave., Garden City, NY, on Museum Row at the historic Mitchel Field site. The museum delivers interactive learning experiences through 14 hands-on exhibit galleries (including the new 1,900 sq ft Saltwater Stories maritime heritage exhibit), a 140-seat live theater producing original children's productions, four classroom-size learning studios, and co-located Nunley's Carousel. It serves approximately 300,000+ children and families annually through walk-in visits, school field trips, birthday parties, summer/camp groups, scout programs, and outreach, with structured programs spanning early childhood, STEM (Green Teens, Citizen Science), and accessibility/licM4all initiatives for visitors with disabilities. The museum partners with the Westbury School District for a K-12 STEM teaching model and runs Together to Kindergarten for immigrant families.

Revenue is split approximately 52% earned (admissions at $18 general/$16 seniors, theater, field trips, birthday parties, museum store) and 48% contributed (individual donations, corporate and foundation grants, corporate memberships, family memberships tiered from $100 Wonder to $1,000 Dedication, and the Cupcakes & Cocktails annual gala which has raised $730K-$1M in recent years). It is the only children's museum in New York State and one of just 16 nationwide to hold American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accreditation (top 3% of U.S. museums), and a 2012 National Medal for Museum and Library Service recipient. The museum is staffed at 51-100 FTE, runs on Blackbaud-powered ticketing/donation rails, and pursues a community-led, partnership-driven go-to-market targeting Long Island families, schools, and underserved populations across Nassau County and broader New York State.

Name

Long Island Children's Museum

Legal name

Long Island Children's Museum

Website

https://licm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Long Island Children's Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit operating a 40,000 sq ft facility in Garden City, NY with 14 interactive exhibit galleries, a 140-seat theater, and educational programs serving 300,000+ children and families annually across Long Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum and Interactive Educational Experiences

NAICS

Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Interactive children's exhibits
• Hands-on learning experiences
• Live children's theater
• STEM education programs
• Museum membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Garden City

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. Earned Revenue (52%): Revenue from admission fees, field trips, theater ticket sales, birthday parties, museum store, and other visitor services. This comprises the majority of the museum's operating income.
2. Donations, Grants, Sponsorships & Memberships (48%): Revenue from individual donations, corporate and foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and annual memberships. Nearly half of operating budget comes from these contributed funds.
3. Annual Fundraising Event: Cupcakes & Cocktails annual gala generates significant fundraising with corporate sponsorships, auction items, and individual contributions. Recent events have raised over $730,000-$1 million.
4. Membership Programs: Annual family memberships providing unlimited visits, member benefits, and discounts. Memberships range from $100/year (Wonder) to $400/year (Exploration Plus) with supporter levels up to $1,000/year.
5. Corporate Memberships: Corporate membership programs offering free museum access for employees, discounts on programs and theater performances, and recognition on the LICM Donor Wall.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Long Island Children's Museum operates a 40,000-square-foot interactive children's museum in Garden City, NY, featuring 14 hands-on exhibit galleries, a 140-seat live theater, and classroom-size learning studios. It sells general admission, memberships, birthday party packages, school field trips, theater tickets, and carousel rides, while running educational programs in early childhood, STEM, accessibility (LICM4all), and kindergarten readiness (Together to Kindergarten). Approximately half of operating revenue comes from earned sources and half from donations, grants, sponsorships, and memberships.

Product overview

Long Island Children's Museum operates as a unified platform-plus-modules organization offering 14 interactive exhibit galleries plus live theater, art spaces, and daily activities. The core offerings include permanent interactive exhibits (such as the 1,900 sq ft 'Saltwater Stories' maritime exhibit), LICM Theater (140-seat live performance venue), and Early Childhood Programs. Supporting modules include STEM Programs (Green Teens, Citizen Science, Westbury Partnership), Community Initiatives (Together to Kindergarten, LICM4all accessibility, Community Connections), and visitor amenities (Nunley's Carousel, Birthday Parties, Group Visits, Membership). The museum's integrated approach combines hands-on exhibits, live theater productions, and community programs to deliver educational experiences for children and families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Interactive Exhibits 14 hands-on, interactive exhibit galleries offering interdisciplinary, age-appropriate experiences for children and families to foster independent and cooperative exploration, sold via general admission and memberships.
• Saltwater Stories: We Need the Sea & the Sea Needs Me 1,900-square-foot permanent exhibit celebrating Long Island's maritime history featuring a recreated bay house, fish market, interactive ocean exploration area, and 30-foot Story Map mural.
• LICM Theater 140-seat live theater offering professional performances including adaptations of children's literature, musical productions, and sensory-sensitive performances for children with disabilities.
• Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! Musical theater production based on Mo Willems' Pigeon books featuring a live band and interactive audience participation, with sensory-sensitive performance options.
• Nunley's Carousel Iconic historic carousel on Museum Row offering rides to visitors, operated as a separate ticketed attraction from the main museum.
• Early Childhood Programs Multi-sensory programs for young children including Little Learners Art Lab, Music and Movement, and Kids in the Kitchen, designed to develop motor skills, cooperation, and communication.
• STEM Programs Science, technology, engineering, and math programming including STEM Explorers powered by Green Teens, Citizen Science monarch butterfly monitoring, and school-year Westbury STEM Partnership.
• STEM Explorers powered by Green Teens High school volunteer-led science programs exploring topics including Great Outdoors, Outer Space, Conservation, Animals, Seasons, and Gardening for museum visitors.
• Together to Kindergarten Free kindergarten readiness program providing literacy, skills, and cultural acclimation support for families whose adults were educated outside the United States.
• LICM4all Accessibility Program Comprehensive accessibility and inclusion initiative offering Friendly Hours, Sensory Sensitive Theater, Sensory Room, assistive devices, and resources for visitors with disabilities.
• Birthday Parties Celebration packages and party venues tailored to family needs, including sensory-sensitive party options for children with disabilities.
• Group Visits School group field trips, camp group visits, and scout programs offering guided experiences in exhibits and theater.
• Membership Program Year-round unlimited admission with tiered benefits including Wonder ($100), Imagination ($200), and Exploration ($300) levels, plus Supporter levels (Connection $500, Dedication $1,000), with reciprocal admission through ASTC and ACM networks.
• Cultural Celebrations and Special Events Special events including Ghostly Gala, Jolly Jamboree, Countdown to 12, Pi Day, Holi celebrations, and Kidchella festival.
• Cupcakes & Cocktails Gala Annual fundraising gala featuring continuous cocktail party, live entertainment, auctions, and awards recognizing community supporters, raising $730,000 to $1 million at recent events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000+ children and families served annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Westbury School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool-museum teaching model expanding STEM education beyond classroom confines. Serves every 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade student plus all special education K-12 students in the district. Includes professional development for teachers and multiple-visit programs.
• The Viscardi Center/Henry Viscardi SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'Visibility of Disability' exhibit collaboration. Paralympic Gold Medalist Anastasia Pagonis spoke at opening reception. Collaboration supports inclusive programming for children with disabilities.
• Long Island Alzheimer's and Dementia CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-Generation Music and Movement class partnership bringing together young children and seniors for intergenerational programming.
• Nassau CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic/private partnership for Museum Row location at historic Mitchel Field. County approached museum board with idea to move to 15-acre cultural site. Model partnership for other museums.
• Cradle of Aviation MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partner on Museum Row at Mitchel Field cultural site, part of 15-acre cultural campus with Firefighters Museum and Nunley's Carousel.
• Association of Children's Museums (ACM)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerReciprocal network providing Plus-tier members discounted access to nearly 200 children's museums nationwide.
• Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel Passport Program providing all members free admission to 350+ science museums worldwide.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Children's Museum of Manhattan: Manhattan-based children's museum offering interactive exhibits and programming for children and families. Directly comparable as another NY metro children's museum with similar exhibit-based learning model and school-group programming.
• Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose: San Jose-based children's museum offering interactive exhibits and educational programming. One of the small set of AAM-accredited children's museums nationwide, comparable in mission and operational model to LICM though operating at a larger scale in a different region.
• Please Touch Museum: Philadelphia children's museum featuring hands-on exhibits, a historic carousel (Memorial Hall), and family programming. Directly comparable operating model combining exhibit galleries, historic carousel, and accessible programming.
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children: Norwalk, CT children's museum operating interactive exhibits and early childhood programs of similar scale to LICM. Strong size and program-mix peer serving a comparable suburban Northeast family demographic.
• Madison Children's Museum: Wisconsin-based children's museum offering hands-on exhibits and programming in a similar mid-sized-museum footprint. Comparable as another AAM-accredited children's museum with interactive exhibit focus and accessible programming.
• Boston Children's Museum: One of the oldest and largest AAM-accredited children's museums in the U.S., offering interactive exhibits, theater, and educational programming. Comparable as a flagship AAM-accredited children's museum; LICM operates at a smaller regional scale but similar programming model.
• Brooklyn Children's Museum: Brooklyn-based children's museum operating interactive exhibits and educational programs for NYC families. Comparable as a fellow NY metropolitan-area children's museum with a focus on hands-on learning, though larger and older than LICM.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The largest children's museum in the world, operating extensive exhibits and immersive programs. Comparable as a peer AAM-accredited children's museum but at a substantially larger scale, serving as an industry benchmark rather than direct regional competitor.

Regional players

• Long Island Explorium: Long Island-based hands-on science and STEM exhibit venue serving Port Jefferson area families. Comparable as a regional Long Island family-education attraction though focused more narrowly on STEM rather than full children's-museum offerings.

Others

• Cradle of Aviation Museum: Garden City-based aviation and space museum co-located with LICM on the Museum Row campus at historic Mitchel Field. Comparable as an adjacent cultural partner and physical co-tenant rather than a direct competitor; relevant for understanding LICM's local cultural-site ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LICMpage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/long-island-childrens-museum/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/longislandchildrensmuseum

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 Long Island Children's Museum