Kingman Museum, Inc.

What Kingman Museum, Inc. does

Kingman Museum, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit natural history institution founded in 1871 and based in Battle Creek, Michigan. It connects community members to natural history through rotating exhibits, hands-on educational programming, community science initiatives, and digital tools — operating today without a permanent building while the historic Kingman Memorial Museum Building undergoes stabilization by the City of Battle Creek. Programs are delivered through partnerships with the Battle Creek Regional History Museum, Art Center of Battle Creek, and Leila Arboretum Society (72-acre botanical garden host with 40,000+ annual visitors). Core customer segments are children and families (ages 7-13), K-12 schools and educators, academic researchers, community science participants, and adult learners/donors in Southwest Michigan.

The museum has built a distinctive digital product layer uncommon for its scale: Eddie, an AI-powered autonomous grant discovery agent that scores opportunities against mission areas; Kingman Attend, an event-tracking platform that auto-generates grant-ready reports; the Specimen Explorer, which integrates with the Natural History Museum London open Data Portal (2.7M+ specimens); the Live from the Field widget powered by iNaturalist's API; the Zooniverse-based 'Classifying the Collection' citizen science project; and the in-development Kingman Adventure Club mobile app with gift shop badge redemption. Collections are managed in PastPerfect, with Microsoft 365 integration (Outlook, Teams) as the operational backbone.

The revenue model is donation- and grant-driven with no publicly disclosed admission pricing. Streams include GiveButter-based donations, fundraising galas and seasonal events, an artisan-centered gift shop (30% B Corp-sourced / 70% local artisan consignment), and active pursuit of federal, state, foundation, and corporate grants. The go-to-market combines event-driven programming (Summer Science Saturdays, Experts in Residence, Great Kingman Race), community-led volunteer advocacy, and a developing sales motion through the Educator Collection Portal targeting Southwest Michigan schools with pre-populated grant applications.

Name

Kingman Museum, Inc.

Legal name

Kingman Museum, Inc.

Website

https://kingmanmuseum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kingman Museum is a 1871-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit natural history institution in Battle Creek, Michigan, connecting families, schools, and community scientists to natural history through exhibits, educational programming, citizen science partnerships, and custom digital tools including an AI grant discovery agent.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)

Keywords

• Natural history exhibits
• Science education programs
• Citizen science research
• Museum collections management
• Community cultural programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Battle Creek

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Museum sustains operations through donor receptions, themed galas, seasonal festivals, community celebrations, and direct giving campaigns including GiveButter platform.
2. Event-Based Revenue: Fundraising events featuring local partners, food vendors, live entertainment. Revenue supports exhibits, educational programming, collection care, and expanded community access.
3. Gift Shop Sales: Artisan-centered gift shop model with 30/70 split - 30% traditionally sourced products (preferring B Corp suppliers) and 70% handcrafted local artisan goods. Majority of retail price retained by makers through equitable consignment agreements.
4. Grant Funding: Active grant-seeking through AI-powered discovery tool Eddie. Museum pursues foundation, government, and corporate grants for exhibits, education, collections preservation, and operational sustainability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kingman Museum operates as a community-powered natural history museum delivering exhibits, educational programs, and citizen science experiences grounded in a 155-year-old regional collection. It complements physical programming with a custom suite of digital tools — Eddie (AI grant discovery), Kingman Attend (event tracking), the Kingman Adventure Club mobile app, the Specimen Explorer (2.7M NHM London specimens), and the Educator Collection Portal — while sustaining operations through donations, fundraising events, and gift shop sales.

Product overview

Kingman Museum of Natural History operates as a community-centered natural history institution offering both physical museum programs and a suite of purpose-built digital products. The core product portfolio centers on custom AI and data tools — Eddie (AI grant discovery agent), Kingman Attend (event tracking), and the Kingman Adventure Club mobile app — complemented by digital access platforms including the Specimen Explorer (connecting to NHM London's 2.7M records) and the Educator Collection Portal (artifact lending for classrooms). Physical offerings include rotating and traveling exhibits (Voices of Kingman, Edward Brigham's Cabinet of Curiosities, The Wildlife Picture Series), the Experts in Residence lecture series, Summer Science Saturdays, and the Kingman Community Science Network. The museum's digital infrastructure is integrated with Microsoft 365, iNaturalist (API), and Zooniverse. The museum's holdings are managed via PastPerfect and made accessible through PastPerfect Online. The Kingman Museum News newsletter and a mission-aligned gift shop (30% B Corp sourced, 70% local artisan) extend the museum's reach into the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eddie Brigham's Kingman Adventure Club A youth science program and mobile app for ages 7-13 that turns museum visits and the outside world into hands-on science missions. Kids check in at museums, photograph nature finds, log structured observations using real scientific methods, complete discovery challenges, and earn badges redeemable for real prizes at the gift shop.
• Specimen Explorer (NHM London Collection) An interactive digital explorer providing direct access to the Natural History Museum London's 2.7 million catalogued specimens across five collections. Users can search by organism, mineral, or fossil type; filter by collection or country of origin; and view full taxonomic detail with specimen photography.
• Educator Collection Portal A digital platform for K-12 educators, afterschool programs, and informal learning providers to browse Kingman's digitized collection, assemble custom artifact lending kits, and request pre-curated educator packages bundled with pre-populated grant applications, lesson plans, and student materials aligned to Michigan learning standards.
• Kingman Community Science Network A citizen science initiative connecting Southwest Michigan residents to ongoing biodiversity and environmental research through guided field programs, partnerships with iNaturalist, eBird, GLOBE Observer, and Zooniverse, youth programming, and BioBlitz events.
• Kingman Community Science: Help Classify Our Collection A Zooniverse-powered citizen science project inviting the public to help classify objects from Kingman's collection — animals, rocks, fossils, and cultural artifacts — to improve museum records and support exhibits and research.
• Experts in Residence Lecture Series A public lecture series connecting the community with scientists, historians, educators, and researchers who share their work on natural history, science, and culture through accessible, engaging presentations with Q&A.
• Summer Science Saturdays Hands-on science programming for kids hosted at the Battle Creek Regional History Museum, featuring interactive activities, experiments, and guided exploration around natural history, fossils, wildlife, weather, space, and everyday science.
• The Wildlife Picture Series Exhibit A curated exhibit of Edward Morris Brigham Jr.'s original photographs, film footage, and lecture materials from the Wildlife Picture Series (originally launched 1943), presenting wildlife imagery and narrated insights to reconnect audiences with the museum's pioneering educational legacy.
• Voices of Kingman Exhibit An immersive exhibit telling the museum's story through artifacts, personal accounts, and moments of exploration — inviting visitors to connect with Kingman's history and see themselves as part of its continuing story.
• Edward Brigham's Cabinet of Curiosities Exhibit An exhibit recreating the 19th-century collecting spirit of Edward Brigham Sr., featuring diverse specimens, artifacts, and unusual finds that reflect when science, exploration, and storytelling were deeply intertwined.
• Kingman Museum Gift Shop A values-driven gift shop operating on a 30/70 model: 30% traditionally sourced items from B Corp suppliers and 70% handcrafted artisan goods made by local Battle Creek makers whose work engages with natural history and science themes; majority of retail price is retained by makers through equitable consignment agreements.
• Kingman Museum News Newsletter A newsletter tradition originally created by Edward Brigham Jr., providing museum updates, educational content, and stories that inspire curiosity in readers of all ages.
• PastPerfect Online Collections Database Kingman's collections management system and online public access catalog (powered by PastPerfect software) used to catalog, document, and provide online access to specimens and artifacts across natural history, geology, paleontology, zoology, and regional history holdings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000+ annual visitors to Leila Arboretum
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Natural History Museum LondoncoreTechnology or IntegrationKingman Museum offers direct access to NHM London's scientific collections through an interactive Specimen Explorer on its website. The tool provides access to 2.7 million catalogued specimens across five major collections: zoology, botany, mineralogy, palaeontology, and entomology. Specimen data is provided via NHM London's open Data Portal.
• Battle Creek Regional History MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBattle Creek Regional History Museum hosts Kingman's collections and exhibits during its transition period. This partnership has ensured continued care and accessibility of Kingman's collections. The two institutions are working together alongside Battle Creek Community Foundation to secure the collection's future.
• Leila Arboretum SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKingman Museum sits on the grounds of Leila Arboretum, a 72-acre sanctuary. The society stewards over 3,000 trees and welcomes 40,000+ visitors annually. This co-location creates an integrated natural history experience connecting living landscape with preserved collections. Programming regularly engages the arboretum's landscape.
• Art Center of Battle CreekminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArt Center hosts Kingman's traveling exhibits including Characterful Creatures, Works of the WPA, and Things that Fly. Also provides space for Kingman's gift shop. Located at 265 E. Emmett Street.
• City of Battle CreekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Battle Creek owns the Kingman Memorial Museum Building and is currently working to stabilize it. The museum is developing a capital campaign (A Place for Wonder) to fund interior buildout for returning to the historic building.
• Lawson PrintersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrimary printing partner for exhibit panels, fundraising collateral, and printed materials. Recognized for maintaining union labor standards and fair working conditions.
• iNaturalistcoreTechnology or IntegrationCitizen science platform powering the 'Live from the Field' digital exhibit feature displaying verified wildlife observations within 25 miles of Battle Creek. iNaturalist is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing community for nature enthusiasts.
• Google Arts & CulturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKingman Museum is developing a proposal to join Google Arts & Culture as an official partner. Goal is to bring the 155-year-old collection to a global digital audience through collection digitization, virtual gallery access, and metadata infrastructure. If accepted, thousands of items would be publishable on the platform.
• Detroit BikesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDetroit Bikes crafts custom limited-edition bicycles for Kingman's volunteer recognition program. Volunteers who reach 500 hours receive a numbered, branded bike in King's signature gold and navy.
• Team ActiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBattle Creek-based partner providing personal fitting services for the custom volunteer recognition bicycles built by Detroit Bikes.
• Kellogg Community CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTargeted as primary university research and academic partnership. Part of initiative to establish formal memoranda of understanding, research access agreements, and sponsored position frameworks for collection management, curatorial research, and museum management internships.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Cranbrook Institute of Science: A Michigan natural history and science museum with exhibits, educational programs, and community engagement. Comparable to Kingman in audience segments (families, schools) and subject area (natural history, STEM) within the same state.
• Michigan State University Museum: A Michigan-based natural and cultural history museum with active collections, research, and university partnerships. Comparable to Kingman through its natural history focus, academic partnership model, and role in preserving regional specimens.

Broad incumbents

• Field Museum: A world-class natural history museum with deep collections in zoology, botany, paleontology, and anthropology. Comparable in subject area to Kingman but operates at a dramatically larger scale, with global research reach and a permanent building.
• American Museum of Natural History: One of the largest natural history museums globally, with research-active collections in the same five domains Kingman accesses through NHM London (zoology, botany, mineralogy, paleontology, entomology). Broad incumbent in the same space.
• Cincinnati Museum Center: A multi-discipline museum complex including natural history exhibits, family programming, and educational outreach. Comparable through natural history content and education focus, though at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Kalamazoo Valley Museum: A Southwest Michigan museum focused on science, history, and technology with strong educational programming for families and schools. Similar to Kingman in regional footprint, community-orientation, and emphasis on hands-on natural history and STEM learning for youth.
• Grand Rapids Public Museum: A Michigan-based community museum offering natural and cultural history exhibits, educational programs, and rotating special exhibitions. Closely comparable to Kingman in mission, scale, and regional focus, both serving West Michigan communities with broad natural history and local history programming.
• Cleveland Museum of Natural History: A regional natural history museum with comparable collections in zoology, botany, paleontology, and programming for families and schools. Similar in operating model and audience to Kingman, though at a larger scale.
• Leila Arboretum Society: A co-located 72-acre botanical garden that hosts Kingman Museum on its grounds. Directly comparable as a complementary natural history institution in Battle Creek sharing foot traffic, volunteer networks, and programming.

Others

• iNaturalist: A citizen science platform integrated into Kingman's 'Live from the Field' exhibit. Not a direct competitor but a key ecosystem partner and adjacent platform for community science engagement in natural history.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KingmanMuseum
• Instagraminstagram.com/kingmanmuseum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kingman-museum-battle-creek-mi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Kingman Museum, Inc.