The Health Museum

What The Health Museum does

The Health Museum is a Houston-based nonprofit science museum founded in 1969 in response to the polio epidemic, operating continuously for 55+ years and serving more than 2.5 million cumulative visitors. Located at 1515 Hermann Drive in Houston's Museum District adjacent to the Texas Medical Center, the museum operates permanent exhibits including the Amazing Body Gallery (approximately 30 interactive video and audio kiosks), the DeBakey Cell Lab (the only bilingual science lab museum exhibit in the United States, named after Dr. Michael E. DeBakey), and the 6,000 sq ft Sue Trammell Whitfield Gallery for traveling exhibits. Rotating special exhibitions include The Journey to End Cancer (5,000 sq ft, co-developed with MD Anderson Cancer Center and the National Cancer Institute), Quiet Wonders, and The Fatherhood Effect.

The museum runs a diversified educational programming portfolio targeting families, K-12 school groups, teens, scouts, and community organizations. Core programs include Discovery Camps ($350-$475), school field trips with differentiated Title I pricing ($5/student), Doc Dissections ($25-$110), the Global Teen Medical Summit ($1,950 with University of Houston dorm hosting and Texas Medical Center access), Scouts BSA workshops, Healing Arts programming, and mobile outreach. Revenue is generated across five streams: general admission ($12-$15), annual memberships ($40-$150 across four tiers including a Smithsonian Family Max tier), structured educational programs, venue rentals ($4,000-$4,500 for full museum), and donations/grants via annual giving, Fellows Circle ($1,000+), and named sponsor partnerships. Distribution operates through Blackbaud-powered online ticketing, a JotForm-based reservations system for groups of 10+, and institutional partnerships with the Smithsonian Institution, ASTC, MD Anderson, Houston Methodist, University of Houston, H-E-B, and the Joe Barnhart Foundation.

Name

The Health Museum

Legal name

The Health Museum

Website

https://thehealthmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Health Museum is a Houston-based nonprofit science museum offering interactive health, medical science, and human body exhibits plus educational programs for families, K-12 schools, teens, scouts, and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Health science museum
• Interactive medical exhibits
• STEM education programs
• Hands-on science learning
• Museum venue rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Revenue from individual and family visitors purchasing day passes. Adults $15, children ages 3-12 and seniors $12. Includes discounted parking and free Thursday afternoons.
2. Membership Program: Annual membership tiers providing free admission, discounts, and exclusive benefits. Individual $40, Dual $80, Family $120, Smithsonian Family Max $150. Membership pays for itself in as little as two visits.
3. Educational Programs: Revenue from structured educational offerings including Discovery Camps ($350-$475), field trips ($5-$12/student), DeBakey Cell Lab add-ons, Doc Dissections ($25-$110), and the Global Teen Medical Summit ($1,950).
4. Venue Rentals and Event Services: Corporate events, weddings, birthday parties, and facility rentals. Full museum rental up to $4,500 standard / $4,000 nonprofit. Birthday parties $600-$850+. McGovern Theater rental $2,000.
5. Donations and Grants: Nonprofit funding through annual giving campaigns, major gifts (Fellows Circle $1,000+), grants, and capital campaigns. The museum was established with a $9.5 million capital campaign in 1989.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Health Museum is a nonprofit interactive science museum located in Houston's Museum District that operates permanent and rotating exhibits focused on health, medical science, and the human body. It sells admission tickets, memberships, and supplementary educational programs including hands-on labs, summer camps, school field trips, scout workshops, dissection classes, and a teen medical summit. It also generates revenue by renting its facilities for corporate events, weddings, and birthday parties.

Product overview

The Health Museum is a nonprofit science museum offering a unified portfolio of interactive health and medical science exhibits, educational programs, and event services. Core offerings include permanent exhibits (Amazing Body Gallery), rotating special exhibits (The Journey to End Cancer, Quiet Wonders, The Fatherhood Effect), and hands-on programs (DeBakey Cell Lab, Discovery Camps, Field Trips, Scouts, Global Teen Medical Summit, Doc Dissections). The museum also provides venue rental services, birthday party packages, and annual memberships. The DeBakey Cell Lab is the only bilingual science lab museum exhibit in the country, and the Global Teen Medical Summit offers immersive healthcare career exploration. Revenue comes from admissions, memberships, programs, venue rentals, and donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Amazing Body Gallery
• The Journey to End Cancer: From Cause to Cure
• Quiet Wonders
• The Fatherhood Effect
• DeBakey Cell Lab
• Discovery Camps
• Global Teen Medical Summit
• Field Trips
• Doc Dissections
• Scouts Program
• Healing Arts Program
• Outreach Programs
• Your Body Your Air Mobile exhibit exploring four common types of air pollutants and their sources in the Houston area, and how they affect bodies and communities.
• Birthday Parties
• Venue Rental
• Membership Program
• General Admission

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.5 million visitors served since founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Houston MethodistcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Partner for Quiet Wonders photography exhibition featuring works by Houston Methodist employees, physicians, and volunteers. Exhibition extends the Center for Performing Arts Medicine's Healing Arts Series beyond hospital walls to the museum.
• H-E-BminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026Local sponsor of The Journey to End Cancer exhibition, providing funding support for the local Houston presentation of the national touring exhibition.
• MD Anderson Cancer CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Presenting sponsor of The Journey to End Cancer exhibition. MD Anderson provided expertise, content development, and co-production of the 5,000 sq ft cancer education exhibition exploring groundbreaking research, advanced medical technologies, and promising new therapies.
• National Cancer Institute (NCI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Collaborating partner in the production of The Journey to End Cancer exhibition. NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health and provided scientific oversight and content validation for the exhibition.
• Body WorldscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025International traveling exhibit from Body Worlds hosted at The Health Museum in August 2025, featuring plastinated human bodies for anatomical education.
• University of HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Host venue for Global Teen Medical Summit dorm accommodations at UH Main Campus. Provides medical school tours and connections with Texas Medical Center professionals for the week-long immersive program.
• Smithsonian InstitutionflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Smithsonian Affiliate partnership providing reciprocal membership benefits including free admission to Smithsonian Affiliate museums, Smithsonian Magazine subscription, and Folkways discount. Exclusive Smithsonian Family Max membership tier offered.
• Association of Science & Technology Centers (ASTC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024ASTC Passport program partner allowing members of participating ASTC museums free admission at The Health Museum. Reciprocal benefit extends museum's reach to families traveling through ASTC network.
• METRO (Houston Metro Transit Authority)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Transit partnership providing Metro riders 50% off general admission and 20% off at the Amazing Body Store when presenting Metro card.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Exploratorium: San Francisco-based interactive science museum focused on hands-on learning across science, art, and human perception. Comparable as a science-focused museum with member-driven revenue, school programs, and ticketed general admission.
• California Science Center: Los Angeles science museum with permanent and rotating exhibits (including body-focused exhibits), school programs, and free/low-cost admission tiers. Comparable in exhibit operations and science education focus.
• Discovery Place: Charlotte-based science center and children's museum operating permanent exhibits, IMAX, school programs, camps, and memberships. Comparable as an interactive science museum with similar programming mix.
• Carnegie Science Center: Pittsburgh science center combining permanent and traveling exhibits, planetarium, school programs, and memberships. Comparable scope of interactive science exhibits and educational programming.
• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI): Portland-based science museum with hands-on exhibits, special traveling exhibitions, school programs, and a museum store. Directly comparable operating model focused on interactive science and STEM education.
• COSI (Center of Science and Industry): Columbus, Ohio science center with permanent exhibits, special exhibitions, camps, school programs, and a gift shop. Comparable as a multi-program science museum with similar revenue mix and educational mission.
• Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago: Large interactive science museum featuring rotating temporary exhibits, permanent themed galleries, school field trip programs, and memberships. Directly comparable in exhibit-led science education and venue rental operations.
• Franklin Institute: Philadelphia science museum with interactive exhibits, special exhibitions, IMAX, school programs, and memberships. Comparable as a science-focused museum with multi-stream revenue and event rentals.
• Houston Museum of Natural Science: Local Houston Museum District peer operating permanent and traveling exhibits, planetarium, school programs, and memberships. Originally housed The Health Museum when it launched in 1969; direct geographic and category competitor for science-focused visitors in Houston.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian Institution: National museum complex and Smithsonian Affiliate network operator. Comparable because The Health Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate, and Smithsonian membership tiers replicate many benefits across a broader portfolio of institutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thehealthmuseum1515
• Facebookfacebook.com/thehealthmuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thehealthmuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/thehealthmuseum
• TikToktiktok.com/@thehealthmuseum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 The Health Museum