Madison Childrens Museum Inc

Education programming enriches the visitor experience through classes, drop-in activities, residencies, special events, and facilitation of the visitor experience in the museum's exhibit galleries. Programs provide deeper engagement for visitors in the museum's core initiatives of arts, science and innovation, culture and history, health, sustainability, early learning, and accessibility. The museum uses its programs to express its values, including play, integrity, creativity, collaboration, risk, inclusiveness, learning, and sustainability during fy2324, mcm served 190,000 children and families on site, and produced over 1000 programs. The mcm roadshow provided mobile outreach exhibits and programs throughout the region. Seventy locations in diverse, multi-lingual neighborhoods were served in fy2324. The museum strives to serve every child, regardless of ability, culture, or economic background. The museum's access for everyone programs provide access for nearly 1/3 of all visitors through free and low-cost admissions, memberships, outreach programming, and events. The museum increased its free admission hours in fy2324 by adding weekly free admission hours on thursday evenings beginning in january 2024

Marketing and communications programs help the museum meet its mission by developing and delivering information about exhibits, programs, and special events to constituents throughout south central wisconsin and further out. The museum uses a variety of communication methods to spread the word about museum activities, including its website, social media, email, media relations, advertising, and printed collateral materials . Exhibit signage and many museum publications include both english and spanish versions.the centerpiece of the year's advertising promoted the nice age trail, the museum's newest exhibit. An integrated marketing plan reached well over 100,000 people and resulted in visitation at a rate of 16% over the previous summer. Adding free thursday evening open hours also contributed to the increased attendance.the museum collaborates with organizations representing diverse communities and stakeholders in order to expand its reach through strategic partnerships. These organizations include the downtown business improvement district; greater madison chamber of commerce; greater madison convention & visitors bureau; and the black, latino, and lgbtq chambers of commerce.the department researched venue rental pricing and policies in the area and adjusted its own facility rental pricing and policies accordingly. Interest in the program has been increasing, though revenue lags due to accrual accounting. The department provides significant communications support to the museum's caretakers of wonder national leadership project and other sustainability initiatives. This work strengthens the project collaborative and allows partnering museums to address climate change in ways that support families in their community and model effective ways to make change.