Bookworm Gardens

What Bookworm Gardens does

Bookworm Gardens is a 501c3 nonprofit botanic garden located at 1415 Campus Drive in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, founded in 2011 and currently operating its 16th season. The organization brings more than 80 children's books to life through themed outdoor garden installations, weather-proof laminated book towers, storybook houses (e.g., Hansel and Gretel Cottage, Charlotte's Web Rustic Barn), and character-inspired landscapes, creating an integrated experience that fuses horticulture with children's literature. Its mission is to inspire the love of books and nature in the young and young at heart.

The core product is general admission to the gardens, priced at $13 for adults, $11 for youth aged 3–17, $3 for Sheboygan County residents and Museums for All (SNAP EBT) attendees, and free for children 2 and under. A diversified revenue model layers memberships (annual subscription with free admission and priority registration), educational programs (Nature Preschool at $2,450–$3,063 per year for 3K, Camp Bookworm at $165–$215 per session for grades 4K–5, Field Trips at $6 per student for groups of 10–200, Little Bookworms at $20–$30 per class for ages 2–5, Homeschool Days, and Little Bookworms), guided tours ($15–$18 per person), workshops ($16–$60 per session), private and wedding venue rentals (capacity 40–100 guests across three venues), and signature annual events including Fairyfolk Festival (six days), Happily Haunted, and the Secret Garden Dinner Series. Distribution combines on-site sales, online ticketing via Blackbaud, registration through Microsoft Forms, Google Calendar/ICS sync, and channel partners including public libraries (Experience Passes at $250 each) and the American Horticultural Society Garden Network. Corporate sponsorships from Kohler, Charter Manufacturing, Hiawatha National Bank, Little Love Boutique, Visit Sheboygan, Wisconsin Arts Board, and Wisconsin Historical Society supplement earned revenue.

The technology footprint is intentionally minimal and consists of standard nonprofit SaaS tooling — Blackbaud for ticketing, Microsoft Forms for bookings and waitlists, and Google Calendar/ICS for event synchronization — with no proprietary software, mobile app, or AI/ML capabilities. The underlying 'technology' is horticultural and educational programming design rather than software. In August 2026 the organization expanded its footprint with the Livermore Loop, a free, year-round, half-mile nature trail on its expanded property, featuring a Wisconsin Historical Society content partnership, signaling a strategic shift from a strictly seasonal attraction toward a year-round community asset.

Name

Bookworm Gardens

Legal name

Bookworm Gardens

Website

https://bookwormgardens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bookworm Gardens is a 501c3 nonprofit botanic garden in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, now in its 16th season, that brings over 80 children's books to life through themed garden installations and serves families with young children, schools, event renters, and early-childhood programs through admissions, memberships, camps, tours, and private rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Botanical Gardens & Cultural Attractions

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs (EDACADAD), Educational & Edutainment Parks (Science/Discovery/Children’s Parks) (THAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Botanical garden attractions
• Children's literature gardens
• Outdoor event venues
• Nature preschool programs
• Literacy themed gardens

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheboygan Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Visitors pay for entry tickets to access the gardens. Pricing varies by age category and residency status. Tickets are valid for all-day entry on the purchased date.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership provides free unlimited admission to members and their families, along with other benefits like priority registration for programs.
3. Educational Programs: Revenue from summer camps, nature preschool tuition, field trips, workshops, and homeschool days.
4. Private Event Rentals: Venues are rented for weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, and other private celebrations.
5. Guided Tours: Adult group tours offered at different price points depending on tour theme, with add-on options for drop-in tours.
6. Library Experience Passes: Libraries purchase experience passes for $250 to lend to their patrons for complimentary general admission.
7. Corporate Support: Sponsorships from corporate partners to fund specific programs and initiatives.
8. Special Event Tickets: Premium pricing during special events like Fairyfolk Festival and Happily Haunted.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bookworm Gardens is a nonprofit botanic garden in Sheboygan, Wisconsin that brings children's literature to life through themed outdoor garden installations and indoor facilities. It sells general admission tickets, guided tours, hands-on workshops, educational programs (nature preschool, summer camp, field trips, homeschool days, early-childhood Little Bookworms sessions), and private event rentals, supplemented by seasonal festivals and ticketed special events. The site functions as both a family/educational attraction and a private-event venue.

Product overview

Bookworm Gardens is a nonprofit botanic garden inspired by children's literature, now in its 16th season, offering a unified visitor experience centered on bringing over 80 children's books to life through themed garden spaces. The core product is general admission access to the outdoor gardens, supplemented by paid add-on modules including educational programs (Field Trips, Summer Camp, Nature Preschool, Little Bookworms, Homeschool Days, Drop-In Programs), guided experiences (Guided Tours, Workshops), and private event rentals (Venues for weddings and celebrations). The organization recently launched Livermore Loop (August 2026), a free half-mile nature trail expanding visitor access to outdoor spaces. Annual signature events include Fairyfolk Festival (August), Happily Haunted (fall), and Secret Garden Dinner Series. The product integrates with Blackbaud for ticketing, Microsoft Forms for registrations, and offers Google Calendar/ICS synchronization for event management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission
• Guided Tours
• Nature Preschool
• Camp Bookworm (Summer Camp)
• Field Trips
• Homeschool Days
• Little Bookworms
• Workshops
• Private & Wedding Rentals
• Membership Program
• Fairyfolk Festival
• Happily Haunted
• Secret Garden Dinner Series
• Library Experience Passes
• Livermore Loop (Walk the Loop)
• Drop-In Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 16 seasons of operation serving the Sheboygan community
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wisconsin Historical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2026The Wisconsin Historical Society's 'Thinking Big Is What We Do' History Walk will be on display on the Livermore Loop from August 2026 through February 2027. This collaborative partnership brings historical content to the expanded garden space and aligns with the Wisconsin History Center opening in early 2027.
• Visit SheboyganminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2026Visit Sheboygan is a partial sponsor of the Livermore Loop, contributing to the funding of this new half-mile walking trail at Bookworm Gardens.
• Wisconsin Arts BoardminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2026Wisconsin Arts Board is a partial sponsor of the Livermore Loop and also provides partial funding for the Cultivating Curiosity: Education Stations program.
• Literacy Council: A Family Resource Center Program of Sheboygan CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud partnership for Bilingual Storytime program, which takes place on the second Saturday of each month (May-October). Stories are read in Spanish and Spanish/English to celebrate language, culture, and stories.
• Hiawatha National BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial Guest Storytime sponsor, supporting the weekly featured guest reader program during summer months.
• Little Love BoutiqueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecial Guest Storytime sponsor and featured guest reader (owner Kya Diehl read stories on July 31, 2026).
• Charter Manufacturing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGateway to Curiosity sponsor, supporting educational programming at the gardens.
• Participating LibrariesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLibraries purchase Experience Passes for $250 to lend to patrons for complimentary general admission to Bookworm Gardens. Not valid during special events.
• American Horticultural SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBookworm Gardens is a member of the American Horticultural Society Garden Network, enabling reciprocal free admission for members from participating AHS gardens.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Olbrich Botanical Gardens: Mid-sized public botanical garden in Madison, WI offering admissions, classes, event rentals, and educational programming. Comparable in scale, Wisconsin location, and mix of general public, school, and private event audiences.
• Green Bay Botanical Garden: Regional Wisconsin botanic garden of comparable scale with family programming, seasonal events, and educational mission. Highly comparable as a Wisconsin-based garden attracting family and school audiences with similar admission-based and event-driven revenue model.
• Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens: Nonprofit botanic garden with comparable scale, family programming, and seasonal event-driven model. Similar mix of admissions, education, special events, and children's garden experiences.
• Rotary Botanical Gardens: Botanic garden in Janesville, WI with similar admission, event, and educational programming. Direct comparable on regional scale, programming mix, and Midwestern family audience.

Broad incumbents

• Naples Botanical Garden: Nonprofit botanical garden featuring dedicated children's garden and family programming. Comparable mission and children's garden focus, though operating in a more affluent market with year-round climate.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Major Midwest regional botanic garden offering admissions, extensive educational programming, and family attractions including a children's garden. Overlaps mission and audience, but operates at substantially larger scale.
• Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden: Mid-Atlantic botanic garden with strong educational programming, children's garden, and event venues. Comparable educational and family-event positioning but significantly larger scale and longer operating season economics.
• Morton Arboretum: Large-scale Illinois-based tree-focused public garden with extensive children's education programming (including camp/field trip offerings) and family events. Comparable educational mission but much larger scale.
• Longwood Gardens: Premier U.S. public garden with extensive education programming, family events, and event rentals. Operates as a benchmark for revenue scale in the public garden sector, far larger than Bookworm but illustrative of comparable product categories.

Regional players

• Boerner Botanical Gardens: Milwaukee County-operated formal botanical garden in Hales Corners, WI. Comparable as a Wisconsin public garden with seasonal programming, though larger in scale and county-operated.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bookworm-gardens

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Bookworm Gardens