Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History

What Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History does

The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History (CCMNH), founded in 1954 and headquartered at 869 Route 6A in Brewster, Massachusetts, is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the only natural history museum on Cape Cod. The museum anchors an 80-acre site abutted by 320+ acres of town and conservation land (including Stony Brook Valley Preserve and Wing Island), and in 2024 expanded to a second location in Sandwich via acquisition of the Thornton W. Burgess Society/Green Briar Nature Center & Jam Kitchen. Core attractions include an aquarium (ranked 10th most beautiful public aquarium in America by Aquarium Store Depot), a seasonal Butterfly House & Pollinator Path, an Osprey Cam with year-round live streaming, a Science Rocks! interactive exhibit, a Mud Kitchen, the Naturescape Gallery, and a network of nature trails.

The museum runs a diversified portfolio of educational programs: KidSummer day camp for ages 4-15 (June 29-August 14), STEAM-aligned school visits and teacher-training workshops (including with IFAW), and paid programs such as Mudflat Mania, Amazing Animal Ambassadors, Aquarium Feeding Frenzy, Wildlife Heroes, and the walk-through gray whale and 44-foot inflatable humpback whale exhibits. Conservation programming includes a horseshoe crab Head Start program and the Wing Island Bird Banding Station (62,000 birds banded since 2000, data reported to USGS). Technology is limited to a CMS-based website (built by Dative Inc. in 2022), Simpletix online ticketing, payment processing via Stripe/PayPal/Square, and live-stream cameras; no proprietary software, APIs, or AI capabilities are disclosed.

Revenue is generated from a mix of one-time admissions ($7-$20 per special program, paid atop museum entry), annual memberships ($60-$1,000 personal, $100-$500 business), Science Shop retail sales, donations and planned giving, foundation/corporate grants (e.g., Eddy Foundation $25,000), and program fees. The museum employs 15-20 paid staff supplemented by 180-200 volunteer docents managed by a Volunteer Coordinator. It serves approximately 55,000 visitors per year, with bulk traffic during the summer season, targeting families with children, school groups aligned to Massachusetts curriculum standards, nature enthusiasts, and Cape Cod tourists. Marketing runs through the museum website, a bi-monthly "Tidings" newsletter, local press, TV/radio features, Google and Facebook remarketing, and active volunteer recruitment.

Name

Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History

Legal name

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History

Website

https://ccmnh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit natural history museum in Brewster, MA, operating an aquarium, butterfly house, nature trails, and STEAM education programs. It serves 55,000 annual visitors — primarily families, school groups, and Cape Cod tourists — through admissions, memberships, donations, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum and Nature Education Center

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Museums (712110), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG), Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Wildlife Sanctuaries, Conservation Parks & Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAAAG), Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

Keywords

• Natural history museum
• Nature education programs
• Public aquarium
• Wildlife conservation center
• STEAM curriculum programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brewster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Museum Admission: Admission fees for museum entry and special attractions like butterfly house visits and feedings
2. Memberships: Personal memberships ranging from 2-person ($60) to Unlimited ($1,000), and Business memberships from Good Neighbor ($100) to Corporate Benefactor ($500). Includes free admission, 10% shop discount, newsletter subscription, and program discounts.
3. Donations: One-time and recurring donations to support animal care and educational programs. Tax-deductible as 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
4. Planned Giving: Bequests, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, gifts of life insurance and IRAs, memorial giving, estate planning support.
5. Science Shop Sales: Retail sales of nature-related merchandise including sunscreen, insect repellent, pails, shovels, nets, and other science-themed items.
6. Program Fees: Fees for special programs including KidSummer, school visits, Mudflat Mania, Aquarium Feeding Frenzy, Amazing Animal Ambassadors, and Wildlife Heroes programs.
7. Grants and Sponsorships: Support from foundations (Eddy Foundation $25,000 grant), corporate sponsors (Ocean Edge, Wild Birds Unlimited, Crocker Nurseries), and government cultural councils.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History operates a nature education center featuring a public aquarium, seasonal butterfly house, live osprey webcam, interactive exhibits, and 80+ acres of nature trails. It delivers STEAM-based educational programs for children and school groups, summer day camps (KidSummer), guided naturalist experiences, and conservation initiatives including bird banding and horseshoe crab head-start programs.

Product overview

The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History operates as a unified nature education center combining physical attractions, educational programs, and conservation initiatives. Core attractions include the Aquarium (ranked 10th most beautiful in America), Butterfly House & Pollinator Path, Osprey Cam, and Nature Trails across 80+ acres. Educational programs include KidSummer day camp for ages 4-15, STEAM education, school visits, and specialized programs like Mudflat Mania, Wildlife Heroes, Amazing Animal Ambassadors, Aquarium Feeding Frenzy, and the Biomimicry exhibit. Conservation programs feature the Horseshoe Crab Head Start and Wing Island Bird Banding Station. The museum offers membership tiers for individuals and businesses, plus volunteer and internship opportunities. The museum acquired the Thornton W. Burgess Society/Green Briar Nature Center in Sandwich, expanding its footprint.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KidSummer: Outdoor nature and science day program for children ages 4-15 running from late June through mid-August.

Products and services

• Aquarium
• Butterfly House and Pollinator Path

Quantifiable outcome

• 55,000 visitors annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• Thornton W. Burgess Society/Green Briar Nature Center & Jam KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024The museum expanded through acquisition of the Thornton W. Burgess Society/Green Briar Nature Center in Sandwich, MA by unanimous vote of both boards. Founded in 1976, the center sits on 2.5 acres surrounded by 57 acres of protected land with springs, hills and walking trails. The union brings together two of the most accomplished nature writers - Burgess and John Hay.
• Oregon Museum of Science and IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Oregon Museum of Science and Industry for development of state-of-the-art biomimicry exhibit. OMSI brings expertise in science and technology museum exhibit design.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration with IFAW for STEAM-based teacher training programs with emphasis on natural history education.
• Brewster Conservation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint stewardship of Stony Brook Valley Preserve. Museum trustees gave conservation restriction on land to Brewster Conservation Trust. Organizations work together to maintain trails, protect wild areas from invasive species, and consider joint projects in education, research, and habitat enhancement.
• The Compact of Cape Cod Conservation TrustsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated with Compact of Cape Cod Conservation Trusts on habitat study for bird species.
• Harwich Conservation TrustminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated on study of Stony Brook Valley Preserve lands for bird species habitat.
• New England AquariumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with New England Aquarium in Boston for aquarium operations and marine animal care knowledge sharing.
• Maria Mitchell AquariumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with Maria Mitchell Aquarium on Nantucket for marine conservation and education programs.
• Woods Hole Science AquariumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Collaboration with Woods Hole Science Aquarium for marine animal care and education.
• NASAflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Museum selected as only Cape Cod Community Host for events celebrating James Webb Space Telescope launch. Events include speakers, trainings, Webb lithographs, posters, decals, and educational materials.
• Dative, Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2022Website development company that built new museum website launched July 2022. Based on Cape Cod, specializes in custom website design, development, and support for non-profits and educational institutions. Met tight 6-week deadline for summer season launch.
• Web Excellence AwardsminorOthers · 1 January 2022International interactive web awards competition that recognized museum website with award in Website-Museum category.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Leading bird research and citizen science institution that hosts similar bird banding programs and birding education. Comparable in ornithology programming and citizen science engagement, though much larger and research-focused.

Regional players

• Woods Hole Science Aquarium: NOAA-operated public aquarium on Cape Cod focused on local marine species. Direct peer in aquarium scope and regional educational mission, but operated as a federal facility with different funding model.
• New Bedford Whaling Museum: Large New England museum with marine mammal exhibits, hands-on family programs, and school field trips. Comparable in mission (marine education) and family programming, but with a more historical, larger-institution focus in a different region.
• Maria Mitchell Aquarium: Nantucket-based aquarium operated by the Maria Mitchell Association, with which CCMNH collaborates on marine conservation and education. Direct peer in size, regional aquarium focus, and nonprofit natural history mission, but on a different island geography.
• Provincetown Museum at the Pilgrim Monument: Cape Cod museum and visitor attraction. Comparable as a regional nonprofit cultural/educational institution on Cape Cod competing for tourist visitors and school field trips, but with a historical rather than natural history focus.

Broad incumbents

• New England Aquarium: Major Boston aquarium that the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History explicitly collaborates with for marine animal care knowledge sharing. Significantly larger, urban, and year-round, making it a broad incumbent rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• The Trustees of Reservations: Massachusetts nonprofit that owns and stewards 120+ properties including conservation land and historic houses. Comparable in operating conserved outdoor spaces, family programming, and Cape Cod regional presence.
• Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary: Adjacent Cape Cod nature sanctuary with trails, conservation land, and education programs targeting families and schools. Closest direct competitor for Cape Cod nature-based family programming and school field trips.
• Buttonwood Park Zoo: Mid-sized New England zoo and aquarium offering family programming, school visits, and conservation exhibits. Most directly comparable in size, regional scope, and mix of live animal exhibits plus education programs.
• South Shore Natural Science Center: Norwell, MA nonprofit nature center with live animal exhibits, trails, school programs, and summer camps. Very direct peer in mix of aquarium/reptile exhibits, STEAM education, family programming, and small-staff nonprofit model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cape-cod-museum-of-natural-history

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Cape Cod Museum Of Natural History