MADISON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM INC

EXHIBIT ENVIRONMENTS CREATE THE CORE EDUCATIONAL AREAS AND PLAY SPACES WITHIN THE MUSEUM SETTING, PROVIDING INTERACTIVE, ENGAGING PLAY OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, ALONG WITH THEIR ADULT CAREGIVERS. EXHIBITS ARE INTERDISCIPLINARY AND WEAVE TOGETHER THEMES FROM OUR CORE EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES: ART, HISTORY, CULTURE, SCIENCE, PHYSICAL, AND INNOVATION.THE NICE AGE TRAIL OPENED IN JUNE 2024, CREATING AN IMMERSIVE NEW PLAY SPACE FOR MCM VISITORS. THE NICE AGE TRAIL IS A RICH INTERACTIVE AND HANDS ON EXHIBIT FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT EXPLORES THE SCIENCE BEHIND LIFE'S NATURAL RHYTHMS. THE NICE AGE TRAIL CONNECTS CHILDREN TO NATURE IN PROFOUND WAYS, WHEN THEY LEARN THAT THEY HAVE NATURAL SLEEP AND WAKING CYCLES, OR THAT ANIMALS ADAPT TO THE SEASONS AND TIMES OF DAY, JUST LIKE THEM. THE GOAL OF THE NICE AGE TRAIL IS TO INSPIRE WONDER AND CREATE EMPATHIC CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CHILDREN AND OTHER LIVING BEINGS, THROUGH EXPLORING THE SIMILARITIES WE HAVE WITH OTHER SPECIES, WHILE LEARNING ABOUT THE UNIVERSE AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND OUR SHARED CONNECTIONS. THROUGH HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES IN A RICH AND IMMERSIVE WORLD THAT GUIDE OUR DAILY LIVES, ROUTINES, RITUALS, AND EXPRESSIONS. THIS STEAM-RICH EXHIBIT INFUSES WONDER AND CURIOSITY ABOUT THE WORLD INTO EVERY EXHIBIT EXPERIENCE, WHILE INTRODUCING CHILDREN TO CORE STEAM CONCEPTS ABOUT EARTH SCIENCE, ASTRONOMY, BIOLOGY, MATHEMATICS, MUSIC, ART, WITH THE WONDERGROUND EXPANSION IN FY22/23, EXHIBITS NOW OCCUPY MORE THAN 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACE - DESIGNED AND FABRICATED BY A WISCONSIN WORKFORCE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITYINCLUDING MORE THAN 130 LOCAL ARTISTSAND FEATURE THE USE OF LOCALLY OBTAINED MATERIALS. EXHIBIT AREAS PROMOTE LEARNING THROUGH PLAY FOR AGES 5 AND UNDER IN THE WILDERNEST AND URB GARDEN EXHIBITS, BOTH OF WHICH ARE CONSTRUCTED OF NATURAL AND REPURPOSED MATERIALS. THE FOLLOWING AREAS ENGAGE CHILDREN UP TO AGE 12: THE TWO-STORY HODGEPODGE MAHAL CLIMBER AND HUMAN-SIZED GERBIL WHEEL FOR WHOLE-BODY EXERCISE; AND THE ART STUDIO FOR CREATIVE EXPRESSION. AN ACCESSIBLE GREEN ROOF, THE ROOFTOP RAMBLE, ENABLES FOUR-SEASON EXPLORATION OF NATURE IN A "PARK IN THE SKY; AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT ABOUT LAKES AND WATER QUALITY CALLED SEYMORE'S ADVENTURE; AND AN HISTORICAL EXHIBIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CHILDREN'S SEWING CIRCLES CALLED "A STITCH IN TIME".

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 FY24/25, MCM SERVED 195,000 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON SITE, AND PRODUCED OVER 1000 PROGRAMS.THE MCM ROADSHOW PROVIDED MOBILE OUTREACH EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. EIGHTY-FOUR EVENTS, AT FIFTY-SIX LOCATIONS IN DIVERSE, MULTI-LINGUAL NEIGHBORHOODS WERE SERVED IN FY24/25. WE SERVED 2,932 PEOPLE DIRECTLY WITH OVERALL ATTENDANCE OF ALL COMBINED EVENTS AND POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO APPROXIMATELY 10,000 PEOPLE.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 FY23/24 BY ADDING WEEKLY FREE ADMISSION HOURS ON THURSDAY EVENINGS BEGINNING IN JANUARY 2024, AND WELCOMED MORE THAN 10,000 VISITORS ON FREE THURSDAY NIGHTS.