Science Museum Of Long Island

What Science Museum Of Long Island does

The Science Museum of Long Island (SMLI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit science education center founded in 1962 and chartered by the New York State Board of Regents in 1963, originally as the North Shore Junior Science Museum. The organization operates from a single site — the 36-acre Leeds Pond Preserve at 1526 N. Plandome Road in Manhasset, NY — a Nassau County-owned property used under one of the county's earliest public-private partnerships (established 1973). SMLI serves families, schools, scout troops, and community organizations across Long Island with a portfolio of hands-on science programs anchored at a unique preserve containing forests, wetlands, intertidal beaches, meadows, ponds, and historic buildings (Norwood House, Visitor Center).

The core product set includes School Field Trips and Outreach Programs (PreK through grade 12, including advanced dissection-based labs), an eight-week Summer Camp for ages 4–12 with a Counselor-in-Training track, Summer Sprouts half-day camp for ages 3–5, Birthday Party packages ($625 base), Scout Badge Programs for Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts (with sleepover options), Holiday Workshops, Family Workshops, and the annual Sciencestock music-and-science festival. Supporting offerings include Venue Rentals (Norwood House and Visitor Center), an Annual Membership Program, Camper Cash Cards, and a Scholarship Program. Conservation programming — Community Compost (20,000+ pounds of kitchen scraps diverted since October 2020), Ecosystem Restoration (invasive species removal and native reforestation since 2019), and Stormwater Management green infrastructure (preventing 2.6 million gallons of polluted runoff annually) — leverages the preserve as both educational subject matter and community impact platform.

SMLI's business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue mix. Program fees are the primary income source, structured as unit-based pricing per session, week, or event (e.g., $600/week summer camp, $200 base school program, $200 base scout program). Secondary streams include subscription-based annual memberships, donations (the organization explicitly notes no endowment), tax-deductible grants from foundations such as the Community Chest of Port Washington, the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and event sponsorships. Distribution is dual-channel: on-site programs at the Manhasset campus and outreach visits where SMLI educators travel to schools and community locations across Nassau County, with online registration via the Amilia platform. Marketing relies on community partnerships, social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube), an email newsletter, local press coverage, and signature events such as Sciencestock.

Name

Science Museum Of Long Island

Legal name

Science Museum of Long Island

Website

https://smli.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Science Museum of Long Island is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit science education center on a 36-acre Nassau County preserve in Manhasset, NY, delivering hands-on school programs, summer camps, scout badge fulfillment, and birthday parties to Long Island families, schools, and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Education / Nonprofit Educational Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science) (EDAMALAC), Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD)

Keywords

• Hands-on science education
• School field trip programs
• Summer science camp
• Scout badge programs
• Environmental conservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Manhasset

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Fees charged for summer camp, school programs, scout programs, birthday parties, holiday workshops, and after-school clubs. These are per-session or per-week charges for educational programming.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership subscriptions offering discounts on programs, early registration access, and member benefits. Memberships are valid for one year from purchase date.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals supporting the museum's educational mission. SMLI states they have no endowment and rely heavily on donations.
4. Venue Rentals: Rental revenue from Norwood House and other facilities for corporate events, private parties, and community gatherings. Rates vary by day of week and duration.
5. Event Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from the annual Sciencestock event and other programs. Corporate sponsors support events in exchange for recognition and event tickets.
6. Grant Funding: Grant awards from foundations and government entities supporting specific programs and capital improvements including scholarships, restoration projects, and equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Science Museum of Long Island delivers hands-on, experiential science education on a 36-acre Nassau County preserve in Manhasset, NY, serving children ages 3–15 and the broader community. Its core offerings are fee-based programs: school field trips and outreach, an eight-week themed summer camp for ages 4–12 with a CIT leadership track, scout badge programs, birthday parties, holiday and family workshops, and Summer Sprouts for ages 3–5. It also operates conservation programs (Community Compost, Ecosystem Restoration, Stormwater Management) and supports these activities through memberships, donations, grants, sponsorships, and venue rentals.

Product overview

The Science Museum of Long Island is a 501(c)(3) science education center offering a diverse portfolio of hands-on science programs for children and families. The core offerings include School Field Trips & Outreach Programs serving students from nursery through high school, and Summer Camp for ages 4-12 with a CIT leadership track. Additional programs include Birthday Parties with science-themed activities, Scout Badge Programs for Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts, Holiday Workshops, Family Workshops, and Summer Sprouts for ages 3-5. Special events include the annual Sciencestock festival. Conservation initiatives include Community Compost, Ecosystem Restoration, and Stormwater Management at the 36-acre Leeds Pond Preserve. Supporting offerings include Venue Rentals, Membership Program, Camper Cash Cards, Scholarship Program, and Volunteer Opportunities. All programs require pre-registration as SMLI does not operate as an exhibit-based museum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Field Trips & Outreach Programs Hands-on science education programs for school groups, delivered either on-site at SMLI or through outreach visits to schools. Programs serve Early Childhood (Nursery–2nd), Upper Elementary (3rd–5th), and Middle & High School (8th–12th) students, covering life sciences, physical sciences, earth sciences, and advanced dissection programs (DNA Fingerprinting, Beach Ecology, Practical Paleontology, Shark Dissection, Pig Dissection).
• Summer Camp Eight-week themed science summer camp for children ages 4–12 with weekly hands-on experiments, nature exploration, and outdoor activities on the Leeds Pond Preserve. Campers are grouped into Tiny Explorers (ages 4–5), Jr. Adventurers (grades 1–4), and Sr. Scientists (grades 5–7), with a Counselor-in-Training program for grades 8–9.
• Summer Sprouts Half-day early childhood science camp for ages 3–5 featuring hands-on science activities, nature exploration, live animal encounters, and crafts inspired by the summer season, with two sessions and a daily drop-in option.
• Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program Leadership development program for campers completing grades 7–9 that provides hands-on experience working with children and acts as a bridge between camper and staff positions at SMLI Summer Camp.
• Birthday Parties Two-hour science-themed birthday party packages featuring hands-on activities, live animal presentations, themed crafts, pizza, juice, and decorations, with add-ons for additional guests, animal visits, and themed party goods.
• Scout Badge Programs Hands-on scout programs for Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts that fulfill badge and adventure requirements. Covers Lions through Arrow of Light (Cub Scouts) and Daisies through Seniors (Girl Scouts), with optional sleepover programs.
• Holiday Workshops Full-day drop-off science programs for children ages 3.5+ on school days off, featuring hands-on experiments, crafts, and demonstrations.
• Family Workshops Hands-on science programs designed for parents and children to participate together, providing family-level science engagement opportunities at SMLI.
• Annual Family Membership Annual family membership covering two adults and up to five children that provides 10% discounts on summer camp and other programs, early access to camp registration, and additional member benefits for one year from purchase.
• Venue Rentals (Norwood House and Visitor Center) Private event rental of Norwood House (up to 150 guests) and hourly rental of the Visitor Center for corporate events, private parties, and nonprofit gatherings, with weekday/weekend rate differentials and non-profit rates available.
• Community Compost Program Community composting demonstration facility launched October 2020 that educates families on reducing food waste, with participating families rescuing kitchen scraps from landfills; over 20,000 pounds of kitchen scraps diverted to date.
• Ecosystem Restoration Invasive species removal and native habitat restoration program on the 36-acre Leeds Pond Preserve. Since 2019, SMLI has focused on physical restoration without pesticides, replanting native species to restore the ecosystem.
• Stormwater Management Demonstration Project Green infrastructure demonstration project at Leeds Pond Preserve featuring rain barrels, rain gardens, swales, and geocells designed to mitigate stormwater runoff and prevent over 2.6 million gallons of polluted stormwater from entering Manhasset Bay annually.
• Scholarship Program Financial assistance program providing full scholarships for SMLI programming, currently limited to Port Washington residents for holiday and after-school workshops, funded by Community Chest of Port Washington grants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 pounds of food scraps diverted from landfills through Community Compost program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Transition Town Port WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joint Adopt-a-Trail program launched October 2021. TTPW volunteers help maintain museum trails and grounds including invasive species removal. Over 15 volunteers in first two weeks.
• The Nicholas CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutism inclusion organization running Trail Navigator program with team of 4 members and a staff member maintaining a trail at Leeds Pond Preserve.
• Spadefoot Design and ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHabitat restoration firm led by Frank Piccininni. Specializes in invasive species management and woodland restoration. Offering 50% discount on services with proceeds supporting museum restoration.
• Bendix Engineering, P.C.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSciencestock 2026 event sponsor.
• Barrier Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSciencestock 2026 event sponsor and beverage vendor.
• Big Black Food TruckminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSciencestock 2026 food vendor.
• SMUSHTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSciencestock 2026 event sponsor.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Children's Museum of Manhattan: Children's Museum of Manhattan offers hands-on exhibits and programming for children focused on learning through play, with curriculum-aligned school programs. Comparable in mission, target audience (children and families), and hands-on learning methodology.
• Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium: Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium on Long Island offers nature-based science education including marine biology programs and school field trips. Comparable as a Long Island nature/science education provider with school programming focus.
• Long Island Children's Museum: Long Island Children's Museum in Garden City is a regional children's museum serving Long Island families with hands-on exhibits and educational programming. Most directly comparable peer due to similar Long Island geography, child-focused mission, and hands-on learning approach.
• New York Hall of Science: New York Hall of Science in Queens is a hands-on science museum focused on STEM learning for children and families. Directly comparable as a science education center with similar age-tiered programming, school field trip offerings, and community outreach mission.
• Brooklyn Children's Museum: Brooklyn Children's Museum is the world's first children's museum, offering hands-on exhibits, educational programs, and school programming for children. Comparable in child-focused mission and hands-on educational methodology.
• Hudson Highlands Nature Museum: Hudson Highlands Nature Museum in Cornwall, NY operates outdoor nature education programs on a preserved natural property with school programs and family programming. Comparable as a nature-based education center with preserved land, school field trips, and family programming.

Regional players

• Stepping Stones Museum for Children: Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, CT is a children's hands-on museum with educational programs and family workshops. Comparable in child-focused educational programming and family workshop offerings, but serves the Connecticut market.
• Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk: Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, CT operates marine science education programs with school field trips, family programming, and live animal exhibits. Comparable in marine science education focus (overlapping with SMLI's beach ecology and shark dissection programs) but serves Connecticut rather than Long Island.

Broad incumbents

• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in Manhattan is a major museum with STEM education programs, school field trips, and youth programming. Comparable in offering specialized science programming and hosting school groups, though operates at significantly larger scale.
• American Museum of Natural History: American Museum of Natural History is a large-scale natural history and science museum in Manhattan offering exhibits, school programs, and public programming. Overlaps with SMLI on science education mission and school field trip audience but operates at much larger scale and scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sciencemuseumli
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sciencemuseumoflongisland5854
• Facebookfacebook.com/sciencemuseumli
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sciencemuseumli
• Instagraminstagram.com/sciencemuseumli

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Science Museum Of Long Island