The Muse of Knoxville

Name

The Muse of Knoxville

Legal name

Muse Knoxville

Website

https://themuseknoxville.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Science Museum & STEAM Education Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

Keywords

• Children's science museum
• STEAM education programs
• Hands-on exhibits
• School field trips
• Planetarium shows

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Admission: Daily admission fees for walk-in visitors, children and adults. Free admission for teachers with valid school ID.
2. Memberships: Annual family memberships including standard memberships and Family Access Memberships ($35 for EBT/WIC/TennCare recipients). Member benefits include unlimited visits, discounts, and exclusive events.
3. Field Trips: School field trip programs including planetarium shows and classroom experiences. Student cost $7, general admission $12 for others.
4. Outreach Programs: In-school STEAM programs delivered by certified educators. $110 per program plus mileage during school year, $95 during summer.
5. Birthday Parties: Three-tier party packages (Basic $325, Premium $450, VIP $475) plus add-ons. Private venue rental with optional food and activities.
6. Family Engagement Nights: STEAM nights at schools for families. Flat fee of $360 including programming, educators, and materials for up to 150 people.
7. Donations & Sponsorships: Charitable contributions from individuals, corporate sponsors, and foundations. Tax ID: 23-7039472, 501(c)(3) organization.
8. Team Building: Corporate team building programs at $200/hour for up to 50 people, with discounts for schools and nonprofits.
9. Mobile Planetarium Rentals: Portable planetarium rental at $325 for first class, $150 for additional same-day classes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Muse of Knoxville operates a children's science museum delivering hands-on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) learning through interactive exhibits, a public-access planetarium, school field trips, outreach programs delivered across 24 East Tennessee counties, summer camps, birthday party rentals, corporate team building, and youth workforce development programs. Revenue is generated from admissions, memberships, program fees, private event rentals, corporate sponsorships, and charitable donations under its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

Product overview

Muse Knoxville is a children's science museum offering a unified portfolio of hands-on STEAM educational experiences centered around its core museum facility at Chilhowee Park. The museum provides diverse programs including school field trips with planetarium shows, outreach programs bringing STEAM education to classrooms across 24 East Tennessee counties, summer camps for ages 4-10, and specialized programs like Family Engagement Nights, Sensory Nights, and Rhythm & Muse music sessions. Key exhibits include Weather Wonders, Stellar Playground, Mini Food City, and the Mobile Planetarium. Additional offerings encompass birthday party rentals, team building corporate programs, the Muse Apprenticeship Program (MAP) for youth workforce development, and the Ambassadors program for students with disabilities. The museum operates Family Access Memberships providing subsidized access for families on government assistance and hosts monthly Free Family Nights. An expansion into the Jacob Building is planned for 2028.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Muse Knoxville Museum Experience On-site children's science museum offering hands-on STEAM exhibits, planetarium shows, and play-based learning for children and families at Chilhowee Park.
• School Field Trips Curriculum-aligned STEAM field trips for PreK-5th grade including planetarium shows and classroom experiences, available Monday-Friday during the school year. $7 per student, $12 general admission.
• School-Based Outreach Programs In-school STEAM programs delivered by certified educators across 24 East Tennessee counties, meeting National and State curriculum science standards. $110 per program (school year), $95 per program (summer), plus mileage.
• Camp Muse (Summer Camp) Multi-week summer day camp for ages 4-10 featuring coding, engineering, space science, forensics, and energy exploration themes. 8:30AM-2:30PM, age groups 4-6, 6-8, 8-10.
• Planetarium (Public Access) Knoxville's only public-access planetarium offering full-dome shows for children age 4 and older covering space exploration, dinosaurs, and STEM topics.
• Mobile Planetarium Portable 19-foot diameter dome planetarium that deploys to schools and events, seating up to 30 children. $325 first class, $150 additional same-day classes.
• Family Engagement Nights (STEAM Nights) School-based STEAM nights with 2 hours of thematic programming for up to 150 people, five activity stations, Muse Outreach Educators, and volunteer training. Flat fee $360.
• Sensory Nights Inclusive play events for children with special needs, autism, or sensory processing differences and their families, with reduced noise, dimmed lighting, and sensory-adapted environment.
• Family Access Membership Reduced-cost year-long membership ($35) for families receiving EBT, WIC, or TennCare benefits. Includes two adults and four children with unlimited museum access, event discounts, and camp benefits. Each additional child $5.
• Standard Memberships Annual family memberships with unlimited museum visits, discounts, and exclusive events. Includes Member Morning access.
• Birthday Parties Private party rentals at museum with three tiers: Basic ($325 for 25 people), Premium ($450 for 50 people), and VIP ($475 for 35 people, private use of museum). Saturdays, Sundays, and Friday evenings.
• Team Building Corporate team-building programs focused on communication, problem solving, and leadership through play-based STEAM experiences. $200/hour for up to 50 people; off-site adds $75.
• MAP (Muse Apprenticeship Program) Internship program for high school youth providing behind-the-scenes museum experience with pathways in Business, Education, and STEAM while developing leadership skills and career connections. 927 MAP & Ambassador service hours logged.
• Ambassadors Program Workforce development initiative for high school and post-secondary students with disabilities, providing individualized skill development in partnership with local advocacy groups and schools.
• Homeschool Programs 16-week STEAM curriculum for homeschool families with age-grouped K-5th grade sessions featuring themes like Ocean Odyssey, Code Quest, Math Madness, and Guardians of the Garden. Family Labs at $9 non-members / $7.20 members.
• Muse Pop! Annual summer-long pop-up outdoor programming event featuring weekly rotating themes with activities and special themed programs at 2PM daily.
• Free Family Nights Monthly free admission events held on the fourth Friday of each month from 5-7PM at Chilhowee Park, including free planetarium shows.
• Rhythm & Muse Weekly interactive music and movement program for children and caregivers supporting early learning through rhythm, sound, and motion activities including line dancing and musical storytelling.
• Tech Time Weekly technology-focused program exploring the T in STEAM with activities including coding robots and circuits, led by playologists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served nearly 140,000 children and caregivers in FY24-25
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and minor.

• City of KnoxvillecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Historic partnership with City of Knoxville including landmark lease agreement for the Jacob Building (valued at $33 million). Expansion project projected to open in 2028. Shared commitment to investing in children, education, and Knoxville's future.
• Food CitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to design and install Mini Food City children's grocery store exhibit. Community partner in exhibit development.
• Space GrantsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram sponsor for MAP (Muse Apprenticeship Program).
• Empower KnoxsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram sponsor for MAP (Muse Apprenticeship Program).
• Knox County GovernmentsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram sponsor for Ambassadors disability workforce program.
• UT FUTURE ProgramsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability-based advocacy partner for Ambassadors program.
• Our Place ArtsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability-based advocacy partner for Ambassadors program.
• East Tennessee Pediatric DentistrysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for Healthy Smiles Station in Healthy Kids Clinic exhibit.
• One Knoxville Sports ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEAM at the Stadium event partnership at Covenant Health Stadium.
• CharterUPminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGroup transportation option for field trips. Bus rental referral partnership.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Adventure Science Center: Nashville-based children's and family science museum with a public planetarium and school outreach programs operating in the same Tennessee market; comparable in mission, STEAM programming, and field-trip/offerings to Muse Knoxville.
• McWane Science Center: Birmingham, AL hands-on science museum with IMAX theater, school field trips, and outreach across the Southeast; comparable in scale, mission, and educational programming targeting families and PreK-5 students.
• Creative Discovery Museum: Chattanooga, TN children's museum offering hands-on STEM/STEAM exhibits and school programs across East Tennessee's broader catchment; comparable in scale, audience (families and PreK-5 schools), and nonprofit museum model.

Direct peers

• Kidspace Children's Museum: Pasadena, CA children's museum focused on hands-on STEAM exhibits, early childhood programs, and school partnerships; comparable in audience (PreK-5 families), programming, and nonprofit operating model.
• Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT science center with planetarium, school field trips, memberships, and corporate team-building; comparable in revenue mix (admissions, memberships, programs, corporate) and STEAM programming model.
• National Children's Museum: Washington, D.C. children's museum delivering STEAM experiences, school programs, and accessibility initiatives; comparable in mission, programming breadth, and emphasis on serving low-income families.
• Da Vinci Science Center: Allentown, PA science center focused on STEAM exhibits, school programs, and family memberships; comparable in operating model, programming mix, and capacity-driven expansion strategy.
• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh children's museum with maker-space exhibits, school programs, and inclusive programming for children including those with disabilities; directly comparable in hands-on STEAM mission, accessibility focus, and exhibit development approach.
• Discovery Place: Charlotte, NC children's science museum and planetarium with school field trips, outreach, memberships, and birthday-party rentals; operates the same integrated mix of admissions, memberships, and education programming as Muse Knoxville.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Largest children's museum in the U.S. with broad STEAM programming, school outreach, and exhibit partnerships; comparable in mission and product category but operates at significantly greater scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4b-RIBm744vaDDlWX55pyQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/museknoxville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-muse-of-knoxville
• Instagraminstagram.com/museknox

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles27 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 Muse of Knoxville