Children's Imaginarium - A Museum For Kids

What Children's Imaginarium - A Museum For Kids does

Children's Imaginarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum operating out of a 10,000+ square foot facility at 195 N. 2nd Street in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin, founded in Fall 2023 by community members Maggie Gordon and Tammy Szekeress. The core offering is hands-on STEM-focused interactive exhibits including the Drip Drop Discovery gallery (water physics), the Air Gallery (flying object design), a STEM Lab, and the STEM Tree Slide, supplemented by weekly STEM programs (Magic Makers, Food is Fuel, STEM Beats), summer camps (Farm to Fork, Marble Maze, Robot Racers, Science of Softball, Science of Baseball, Squishy Science), field trips, and birthday party rentals.

The business model blends transactional and recurring revenue streams: daily admission tickets, tiered annual memberships ($150 for up to 4 members up to $235 for ACM reciprocal membership covering 200+ museums), e-gift cards via Square, summer camps and programs, and signature annual fundraising events including the Rubber Duck Regatta ($20/duck, capped at 1,000 ducks), Construct It Kids, and the adults-only Fire & Ice evening. An Access for All scholarship program offers $4 admission and a $50 membership discount to families enrolled in FoodShare, WIC, or BadgerCare Plus within a 60-mile radius, supported by donations and corporate sponsorships from Prevail Bank, NTC, Lemke, Ahlstrom, Greenheck Group, and others.

Operations are run by a small team of 1-10 employees under Executive Director Julie Bollmann, supported by Director of Operations Amy Forst, STEM Programs/Outreach Coordinator Allison Stoffel, Finance Specialist Pam Loudy, STEM Lab Coordinator Leesa Hoeft, and Imagineer/Field Trip Coordinator Michele Seager, with a Board of Directors of 12 members. Third-party SaaS platforms (Gymdesk for memberships, Square for gift cards, Zeffy for event ticketing) handle transactional infrastructure; there is no mobile app, public API, or proprietary digital product. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the organization has not raised outside funding rounds.

Name

Children's Imaginarium - A Museum For Kids

Legal name

Children's Imaginarium

Website

https://childrensimaginarium.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Children's Imaginarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin, operating 10,000+ square feet of hands-on STEM exhibits, weekly programs, summer camps, and signature fundraising events serving families and schools across central Wisconsin since Fall 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Museum

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE)

Keywords

• Children's museum services
• STEM education programs
• Interactive exhibits
• Summer camp programs
• School field trips

Headquarters

HQ city

Wausau

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Daily Admission: Pay-per-visit tickets for museum entry
2. Annual Memberships: Recurring family memberships offering unlimited admission. Options include Family Memberships (up to 4 people at $150, Family of 5 at $175, Family of 6 at $200), Flex Membership ($175), and ACM Membership ($235) with reciprocal museum discounts.
3. Birthday Parties and Room Rentals: Private event bookings for celebrations and gatherings
4. Camps and Programs: STEM-focused summer camps and educational programs for children. Pricing varies by program duration and activities.
5. e-Gift Cards: Digital gift cards redeemable for admission, memberships, and room rentals
6. Donations: Charitable contributions supporting Access for All scholarship programs and general operations. Includes corporate sponsorship opportunities.
7. Special Events: Fundraising events including Rubber Duck Regatta tickets ($20 each, $100 for 6 ducks), Construct It Kids sponsorship opportunities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Children's Imaginarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin, operating over 10,000 square feet of hands-on STEM-focused interactive exhibits open to the public via daily admission or annual memberships. It also delivers weekly STEM programs, multi-day summer camps, school field trips, birthday party room rentals, and signature community fundraising events (Rubber Duck Regatta, Construct It Kids, Fire & Ice), supported by donations, corporate sponsorships, and an Access for All affordability program.

Product overview

The Children's Imaginarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children's museum that opened in Fall 2023 in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin. It offers a unified family experience centered around its 10,000+ square foot interactive exhibit space with hands-on STEM exhibits (Drip Drop Discovery, Air gallery). The museum generates revenue through daily admission, annual memberships, and special programming including camps, STEM programs, and signature events (Rubber Duck Regatta, Construct It Kids, Fire & Ice). Additional revenue streams include e-gift cards, field trips, and birthday party rentals. The Access for All program provides subsidized admission for families facing financial barriers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Daily Museum Admission
• Annual Museum Memberships
• Birthday Parties
• Summer Camps & Clinics
• Weekly STEM Programs Recurring weekly STEM programs for children, including Magic Makers: Recycled Art (Tuesdays), Food is Fuel (Wednesdays), STEM Beats music program (Thursdays), and periodic STEM Saturday events. Targeted at families seeking recurring STEM enrichment beyond a single visit.
• School Field Trips
• Rubber Duck Regatta
• Construct It Kids
• Fire & Ice
• e-Gift Cards

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 square feet of interactive exhibits
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CI Pediatric Therapy CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContent partnership featuring educational blog articles on child development and play-based learning. Blog post authored by Emilie Orozco, CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor on 'Supporting Your Child's Play' topic.
• LemkeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier sponsor of the 3rd Annual Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• AhlstromminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremier sponsor of the 3rd Annual Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Wood TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLogoed sponsor of the 3rd Annual Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Eye Clinic WIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLogoed sponsor of the 3rd Annual Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• IntegrityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNamed sponsor of the 3rd Annual Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Greenheck GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNamed sponsor of the 3rd Annual Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Brokaw Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNamed sponsor of the 3rd Annual Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Rocket IndustrialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNamed sponsor of the 3rd Annual Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Wausau Fire DepartmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity supporter for the Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• REI EngineeringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity supporter for the Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Wausau Whitewater ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent venue partner for Rubber Duck Regatta at 200 River Drive, Wausau, WI.
• Wausau Police DepartmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity supporter for the Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Wisconsin Public ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity supporter for the Rubber Duck Regatta 2026.
• Construct It Kids SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship opportunities available for Construct It Kids 2026 event (October 3, 2026) focusing on construction and skilled trades through hands-on play and STEM exploration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Impression 5 Science Center: Lansing, Michigan-based hands-on science museum focused on interactive STEM learning for children and families. Comparable as a peer nonprofit science/children's museum with exhibit-based STEM programming, memberships, and camps.
• Please Touch Museum: Philadelphia-based children's museum focused on interactive, hands-on learning through play for young children. Comparable as a peer nonprofit children's museum with similar exhibit-based educational programming and membership model.
• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh-based nonprofit children's museum featuring interactive, hands-on exhibits including a dedicated Makeshop for STEM/STEAM learning. Directly comparable as a peer museum with similar exhibit-and-program structure, memberships, and community focus.
• Marbles Kids Museum: Raleigh, NC-based children's museum with hands-on exhibits including a dedicated STEM-focused area and educational programming. Comparable as a peer children's museum with similar exhibit philosophy, membership model, and family programming calendar.
• Children's Discovery Museum (Normal, IL): Normal, Illinois-based children's museum with hands-on exhibits focused on STEM, art, and culture for young children. Comparable as a peer small/mid-size nonprofit children's museum with similar exhibit-and-program model and community-based operations.
• Betty Brinn Children's Museum: Milwaukee-based children's museum with hands-on STEM and early-learning exhibits. Directly comparable as a Wisconsin nonprofit children's museum with a similar mission, exhibit-based learning model, and reliance on memberships and admissions.
• Madison Children's Museum: Wisconsin-based children's museum offering hands-on exhibits and educational programming. Directly comparable as a peer nonprofit children's museum operating in the same state and serving similar family audiences with interactive, play-based learning experiences.

Others

• Association of Children's Museums (ACM): Industry association that operates the reciprocal membership network the Children's Imaginarium participates in via its ACM membership tier. Relevant as an ecosystem/infrastructure peer enabling the museum's reciprocal benefit program.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Museum of Indianapolis: The largest children's museum in the world, operating extensive STEM and educational exhibits. A broad incumbent serving the same end market (families seeking children's educational experiences) but at a vastly greater scale and geographic reach.

Regional players

• Discovery World: Milwaukee-based science and technology center with hands-on interactive exhibits and educational programming. Comparable as a regional Midwest science/children's museum competing for the same Wisconsin family audience with similar STEM programming and field trip offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/thechildrensimaginarium
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ChildrensImaginariumWausau
• Facebookfacebook.com/thechildrensimaginarium
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/children-s-imaginarium-a-museum-for-kids
• Instagraminstagram.com/childrensimaginarium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 →

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