KIDSCOMMONS COLUMBUS COMMUNITY CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC

What KIDSCOMMONS COLUMBUS COMMUNITY CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC does

kidscommons is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum (EIN #35-2033887) operating a single three-floor facility at 309 Washington Street in downtown Columbus, Indiana. Founded as a pilot in 1998 and relocated to its current five-times-larger permanent home in October 2005, the museum serves children from infants through age twelve, accompanied by caregivers, plus K-6 school groups and SNAP/EBT-eligible families. The core product is a portfolio of hands-on interactive exhibits including ExploraHouse (featuring a world-famous giant toilet), a 17-foot climbing wall, Bubble-ology, Kids-At-Art, Early Childhood Garden, Our House-Japan, and the outdoor-inspired camp kidscommons.

Underlying technology is mechanical and experiential rather than digital: climbing structures, bubble chambers, role-play environments, and multi-sensory installations designed by local architect Louis Joyner with exhibit designers from Maryland and consultation from the Cincinnati Children's Museum. The museum is fully wheelchair accessible via ramps and elevator across all three floors. There is no mobile app, no disclosed API, and no AI/ML components in the technology stack.

The business model blends earned and contributed revenue. Earned streams include session-based timed-entry general admission tickets, annual and monthly memberships (recurring subscription, non-transferable), per-student school program fees ($5 exploration, $7 with facilitated program), outreach programming priced per session plus mileage ($100 + $0.58/mile), summer camps, birthday party rentals, and ticketed special events such as Wizard's Homecoming ($18-$24) and Carnivale Cosmic Encounters. Contributed revenue flows through tax-deductible donations (designated to general fund, camp scholarships, third-floor exhibits, or education fund), Kroger Community Rewards (org code VE469), Museums for All/IMLS subsidized admissions ($3 for up to 4 individuals), and corporate sponsorships. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the on-site facility, online storefront, school partnerships (notably BCSC's third-grade architecture program), and community events including Ethnic Expo.

Name

KIDSCOMMONS COLUMBUS COMMUNITY CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC

Legal name

KIDSCOMMONS COLUMBUS COMMUNITY CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC

Website

https://kidscommons.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

kidscommons is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum in Columbus, Indiana, operating a three-floor interactive exhibit facility serving children from infants through age twelve, plus K-6 school groups and low-income families, funded through admissions, memberships, school programs, donations, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum and Educational Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAE

Children’s Museums

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYTHAJAKAO

Kids & Family Learning Workshops (Family Crafts, Junior Maker Classes)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Workshops & Classes (Arts, Crafts, Skills & Local Lessons)

SECONDARYMPAGAFAH

Family, Kids & Education Fairs

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Exhibitions, Fairs & Expos (Consumer/Public)

Keywords

• Children's museum
• Interactive exhibits
• Educational programs
• Family memberships
• Summer camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Gift Shop: Online gift card and merchandise sales through the museum's web store.
2. Admission Fees: Visitors purchase session tickets for timed entry slots. General admission fees apply to non-members, with free admission for members.
3. Memberships: Annual and monthly payment plan memberships provide unlimited visits for families, with tiered benefits. Memberships are non-transferable and non-refundable.
4. School Programs: School groups pay per-student fees for museum exploration and educational programs. Outreach programs to classrooms are priced per session plus mileage.
5. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donors can designate gifts to specific funds such as camp scholarships, third floor exhibits, or education fund.
6. Special Events: Special ticketed events such as Wizard's Homecoming generate revenue with separate pricing for members and general public.
7. Summer Camps: Multi-day camp programs offered during summer months for additional revenue.
8. Parties and Rentals: Private event bookings for birthday parties and facility rentals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

kidscommons operates a three-floor interactive children's museum in Columbus, Indiana, with hands-on exhibits (ExploraHouse, Early Childhood Garden, Bubble-ology, Kids-At-Art, camp kidscommons) for children from infants through age 12 and their caregivers. The museum sells timed-session general admission tickets, annual memberships, summer camps, birthday party rentals, and special ticketed events, while delivering school field-trip programs and classroom outreach for K-6 schools. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the museum is supported by charitable donations, sponsorships, and Kroger Community Rewards fundraising.

Product overview

kidscommons is a children’s museum offering hands-on interactive exhibits and educational programs for children from infants through age twelve. The museum operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and features three floors of exhibits including ExploraHouse (with world-famous giant toilet), Early Childhood Garden, Bubble-ology, Kids-At-Art, and camp kidscommons. Revenue programs include general admission tickets (session-based), annual memberships, birthday party rentals, and donations/sponsorships. Educational offerings encompass school programs (outreach and on-site), summer camps, and community outreach. The museum partners with Museums for All for income-based accessibility and Kroger Community Rewards for fundraising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Session Tickets Time-session tickets for one of two daily admission slots (10AM-1PM or 2PM-5PM Tuesday-Saturday; 2PM-5PM Sunday) with limited capacity per slot; advance online registration highly recommended; free for infants under age 2.
• Annual Memberships Tiered annual memberships providing unlimited visits for families, with optional monthly payment plans; non-transferable and non-refundable; not valid for field trips or birthday parties.
• Summer Camps Seasonal multi-day camp programs offered during summer months for additional revenue; children must be able to use the restroom unassisted; no food provided; personal water bottles recommended.
• School Programs Educational outreach programs for grades K-6 covering electricity, insects, bubbles, LEGO robotics, visual arts, recycling, and architecture; available both on-site at the museum and as in-classroom outreach. Pricing tiers include Museum Exploration at $5/student, Museum Exploration + Program at $7/student, and Program Outreach at $100/program plus $0.58/mile, with a 20-student minimum.
• Community Outreach Hands-on learning programs bringing educational content to children across the community through local festivals (e.g., Ethnic Expo) and school partnerships.
• Birthday Party Packages and Facility Rentals Private rental of museum space for birthday celebrations and other private events; reservations required through online calendar.
• Museums for All Program Income-based admission program under IMLS offering $3 admission for up to 4 individuals from families presenting a SNAP/EBT card; ID verification required at museum.
• Wizard's Homecoming Special Event Harry Potter-themed ticketed event with wands, potions, and sorting hats designed for ages 4+. Member rate $18 child/$9 adult; general admission $24 child/$12 adult; nonrefundable registration.
• Carnivale Cosmic Encounters Special Event Special ticketed event featuring cosmic/space-themed activities at the museum; promoted as a flagship community event for kidscommons.
• Corporate Sponsorships Corporate sponsorship opportunities at various levels to support museum operations and programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free programming provided at Ethnic Expo to serve Columbus' diverse community
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Museums for All (Institute of Museum and Library Services)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerkidscommons participates in the Museums for All program under the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), offering reduced admission of $3 for up to 4 individuals from SNAP/EBT eligible families. This partnership eliminates cost barriers for low-income families to access cultural and educational experiences.
• Bartholomew County School Corporation (BCSC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerkidscommons partners with BCSC to provide an Architecture program for every third grader in the local school district. The program includes transportation to the museum and reduced-rate programming, ensuring all local children have access to educational museum experiences.
• Ethnic Expo (Columbus, Indiana)minorGTM or Marketing Partnerkidscommons provides free programming booths at the Ethnic Expo, Columbus' annual cultural festival celebrating the community's diverse population. This partnership extends the museum's reach to underserved and culturally diverse community members.
• KrogerminorGTM or Marketing Partnerkidscommons participates in the Kroger Community Rewards Program, allowing Kroger shoppers to designate the museum (organization code VE469) to receive a percentage of their qualifying purchases, providing ongoing fundraising support.
• Local Bartholomew County OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development Partnerkidscommons partners with various local Bartholomew County organizations to provide educational programming opportunities accessible to children throughout the community, including booths at local festivals and events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cincinnati Children's Museum (now Cincinnati Museum Center): A regional children's/educational museum referenced directly in kidscommons' founding history. Comparable as a hands-on learning museum for children, but materially larger in scope and geography.
• The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The largest children's museum in the world and the dominant Indiana competitor. Directly comparable mission (interactive exhibits for kids) but a vastly larger scale and broader geography.
• Louisville Science Center (Kentucky Science Center): A larger, broader science/children's museum in nearby Louisville. Comparable interactive children's exhibits program but operates at a larger civic scale with broader STEM programming.

Direct peers

• WonderLab Museum of Health, Science, and Technology: A small, hands-on children's science/health museum in Bloomington, Indiana. Closely comparable scale, mission, and exhibit-based interactive model serving a similarly sized Midwestern community.
• Terre Haute Children's Museum: A small Indiana children's museum offering hands-on interactive exhibits and educational programs. Closely comparable in size, mission, and community-museum operating model.
• Children's Discovery Museum of Central Illinois: A small community children's museum in Normal, Illinois with hands-on exhibits and educational programs. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and rural/Midwestern community context.
• Kohl Children's Museum: A suburban Chicago children's museum offering interactive exhibits and educational programming for young children. Comparable in target age range, exhibit-led model, and membership/school revenue streams.
• The Children's Museum of Oak Ridge: A small community children's museum with hands-on exhibits and educational programs. Directly comparable in scale, nonprofit/government-supported funding model, and exhibit-based programming.

Emerging players

• Conner Prairie: An Indiana-based interactive history and nature park with strong educational programming for children. Comparable as a hands-on learning destination in Indiana but with a broader outdoor/historical lens.

Regional players

• Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science: A regional Indiana museum combining arts, history, and science exhibits with a children's focus. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary museum with children's programming in a similar Midwestern community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kidscommons

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 KIDSCOMMONS COLUMBUS COMMUNITY CHILDRENS MUSEUM INC