about providence children's museum
DESCRIPTION
A quick look at Providence Children's Museum's history, mission, values, audience, programs and more.TRANSCRIPT
Come play, come learn!
Museum History1975Children’s Museum, Inc. incorporated inPawtucket, RI.
1977Children’s Museum, housed in the Pitcher-Goff House in Pawtucket, opened to thepublic.
1979Janice O’Donnell joins the staff asadministrative assistant.
Named changed to Children’s Museumof Rhode Island.
198236,000 visitors
Museum participates in AAM’s MuseumAssessment Program (MAP); assessor calls it“one of the finest in the genre and a leaderamong small children’s museums nationally.”
1983Grandparents Guild founded
First annual campaign – raises $37k
Huestis marionettes accepted
1984First annual golf tournament
1985First director Jane Jerry leaves for new children’s museum in Houston;O’Donnell appointed director.
1986Museum on Wheels created – brings traveling exhibit You Who?! to schoolsand festivals
40,000 visitors to Museum, another 20,000 reached by Museum on Wheels
1987Museum celebrates 10th anniversary.
Museum membership up 42% to 853 families.
1990Visitationtops 55,000
1992FamiliesTogetherlaunched
1993Museum identifies Providence as futurehome; city support secured
1994Museum purchases 100 South Street
Capital Campaign begins
1995Capital Campaign achieves 50% of$3 million goal
Awarded grants from NationalEndowments of Arts andHumanities
1996Construction at 100South Street begins
Kresge Foundationissues $300,000challenge grant
1997Museum relocates to Providence
Capital Campaign tops $3 million
Museum welcomes first AmeriCorps team
1998114,000 visitors
Learning Clubs and Head Start/Good Startbegin
Providence Preservation Society Award forAdaptive Reuse
1999Free at 5 on Friday begins
Annual Campaign raises $204k
Arts & Business Council Award forInstitutional Excellence
2000Children’s Garden created
ACM/MetLife Promising Practice Award
Philanthropy and Strategic OperatingPlans
200225 years of wonder anniversarycelebration
2003Families Together top finalist forInnovation in American Government Award
2004Annual Campaign raises record $310,500
6,800 people in 1,900 families and groups are members
Marketing Study finds visitation is 36% market share
2006One-millionth visitor to Providence location
Families Together wins MetLife/ACM PromisingPractice Replication Award
2007Play Works capital campaign launched
American Academy of Pediatrics proclaims play isessential to healthy child development
2008Interior and exterior building renovationsincluding new windows
Major new exhibit – Play Power – opens
Museum blog launched
Play Works campaign halfway to $1.5 million goal
2009Museum wins New England MuseumAssociation Leaders in Innovation Award
Mortgage on 100 South Street paid off
Record numbers – 162,356 visitors, 8,082members
2010The Climber and Underland open in TheChildren’s Garden
Play Works campaign exceeds goal – raises$1.8 million
Numbers of visits and members continue togrow plus 12,000 served off-site
Museum provides training and professionaldevelopment for a dozen partner organizations
The Museum welcomes children and adults of all backgrounds and from allcommunities. Its focus is on serving southern New England children, ages 1to 11, and the adults who care for them by:
• Presenting hands-on, play-filled exhibits and programs that explore the arts,culture, history and science.• Fostering children’s cognitive, social, emotional and physical development byembracing a wide range of abilities, learning styles and forms of creative expression.• Creating environments in which visitors share with and learn from one another, aswe learn from them.• Being accessible and responsive to all families - culturally, physically andeconomically.• Working in partnership with other organizations to meet the needs of childrenand families.• Increasing awareness and knowledge of the ways in which children and familieslearn.
The mission of Providence Children's Museum is to inspireand celebrate learning through active play and exploration.
• Respect for children, their caregivers,each other and the differences among us
• Life-long love of learning
• The vital role of play in learning andcreativity
• The quality and beauty of our learningenvironment
• Accessibility for all people
• Integrity in all we do
The shared values of Providence Children’s Museumstaff and volunteers include:
• 162,614 visitors in 2010
• 28% visit for free
• 23% of all general visitors live in low-income neighborhoods
• 26% of visits are made by over 2,300member families
• Most (89%) visit in family groups
• Most live within 30 miles – 67% areRhode Islanders
Audience
• Families Together – a collaborationwith the state’s child welfare agency– brings court-separated familiestogether at the Children’s Museum
• The Museum is an AmeriCorps site.AmeriCorps members serve inner-city children through Head Start andLearning Clubs
• The Museum provides professionaldevelopment training to Head Startteachers, childcare workers andsocial workers.
Programs & Partnerships
• 20 full time and 15 parttime staff members
• 13 AmeriCorps members
• Over 250 volunteers,interns and college work-study students serve morethan 11,000 hours annually
• 30-member Board ofDirectors
Volunteers & Staff
Organizational Chart
• $2 million operatingbudget
• 44% earned
• 31% government grantsand contracts
• 25% private donations
Financials