THE IOWA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

THE IOWA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM (THE ICM) HAS FIVE EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES THAT INFORMS THE CREATION OF ALL PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS. THESE INCLUDE STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATH), FINANCIAL LITERACY, SCHOOL READINESS, HEALTHY KIDS AND ARTS & CULTURE. THE ACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE INITIATIVES EMBODY BEST PRACTICES OF INFORMAL EDUCATION AND ADVANCE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS. IN FY25, THE MUSEUM SERVED MORE THAN 190,000 INDIVIDUALS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. SOME OF THE MUSEUM'S SPECIFIC COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:25TH ANNIVERSARY AND "POTENTIAL SPACE" EXHIBIT: DURING FY25, THE ICM CELEBRATED ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY AT CORAL RIDGE MALL. THE COMMEMORATION OF THIS MILESTONE INCLUDED A GATHERING OF FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS AT A RIBBON CUTTING FOR A TRAVELING EXHIBIT. "POTENTIAL SPACE" IS A PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION CREATED BY CALIFORNIA-BASED ARTIST NANCY RICHARDS FARESE. THE EXHIBIT FEATURES A RANGE OF FRAMED PHOTOGRAPHS, BANNERS, FLOOR DECALS AND VINYL WALL ART DEPICTING CHILDREN PLAYING IN MORE THAN A DOZEN COUNTRIES. THE EXHIBIT WAS ON DISPLAY FOR SEVEN WEEKS -- MADE AVAILABLE TO REGULAR VISITORS ON A DAILY/WEEKLY BASIS AND TO SPECIAL GUESTS DURING HOSTED GALLERY HOURS. SCHOOL READINESS GRANT AND NEW FESTIVAL: THE ICM COMPLETED ITS MULTI-YEAR SCHOOL READINESS GRANT PROJECT THROUGH THE INSTITUTE FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES (IMLS) AND BOSTON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. THIS PROJECT HELPED SOLIDIFY AND ADVANCE THE YEARSLONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE MUSEUM AND THE CORALVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY. THE FINAL YEAR OF THE GRANT SAW THE ORGANIZATIONS COLLABORATING ON A PERMANENT BOOK WALK IN NORTH RIDGE PARK AND THE LAUNCH OF A FAMILY-FOCUSED MUSICAL FESTIVAL CALLED "PLAYING IN THE PARK."COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: DURING FY25, THE ICM CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A STRONG LEADER AND COLLABORATOR -- BOTH LOCALLY AND AT THE STATE LEVEL. THE ORGANIZATION ADVANCED ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NASA IOWA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM, LAUNCHING A LIBRARY-BASED "SPACE STATIONS" PROGRAM AND HOSTING A CONSORTIUM SUMMER INTERN FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE MUSEUM'S EXCECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS SELECTED TO SERVE AT THE STATEWIDE ARTS CAUCUS, WHILE CONTINUING TO LEAD "ARTS & CULTURE" DAY FOR THE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND SERVE ON THE BOARD OF THE LOCAL CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU. IN CONJUNCTION WITH ITS NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED A COMMUNITY-WIDE SURVEY, GARNERING MORE THAN 450 RESPONSES, LEADING TO A SERIES OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS LATER IN THE YEAR. STEM SMART PROGRAMS: STEM SMART ENCOURAGES LITERACY AND HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW CHILDREN TO APPLY AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE WORLD WORKS WITHIN THE AREAS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH. THIS WORK IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FAMILY FREE NIGHTS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS. THIS YEAR, THE MUSEUM CONTINUED ITS "STEM IN THE COMMUNITY" PROGRAM WITH LOCAL PARTNERS, WHILE GREATLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PARTICPATING IN THE "TECH TREK DROP-OFF INITIATIVE AND LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW IN-MUSEUM PROGRAM CALLED "AFTERSCHOOL STUDIO."ICM FOR EVERYONE AND ICM2GO: THE MUSEUM CONTINUED WITH A RANGE OF ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, WITH MORE THAN 42,000 FREE AND REDUCED MUSEUM ADMISSIONS BEING OFFERED. THE ICM2GO PROGRAM CONNECTS ICM'S "PLAY TO LEARN" MODEL WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON-LOCATION THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN IOWA CORRIDOR. MORE THAN 19,000 PEOPLE WERE SERVED THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, WITH MORE THAN 8,000 LOCAL/REGIONAL STUDENTS COMING TO THE MUSEUM FOR FIELD TRIPS. NEARLY 3,000 FAMILIES HAD MUSEUM MEMBERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. MOVE IT! DIG IT! DO IT! AND JACK SPLAT: THESE TWO LARGE-SCALE, FREE, OUTDOOR COMMUNITY EVENTS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE ICM A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY. FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR, JACK SPLAT WAS HELD IN A DOWNTOWN IOWA CITY PARK AS A MEANS OF INCREASING ACCESS. THE ICM AND VARIOUS PARTNERS INVITE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BRING THEIR COMPOSTABLE JACK-O-LANTERNS TO THE PARK, WHERE THEY ARE DROPPED FROM THE FOURTH FLOOR OF A LOCAL PARKING RAMP FOR EVERYONE'S ENJOYMENT. MOVE IT! DIG IT! DO IT! CONTINUED ITS GREAT RUN OF SUCCESS IN FY24 WITH AN ESTIMATED 5,000 PEOPLE GATHERING IN THE MALL PARKING LOT FOR A ONE-OF-A-KIND OPPORTUNITY FOR LEARNING AND FAMILY FUN.