Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$9,579,088

Total expenses

$5,229,726

Contributions and grants received

$9,421,888

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$157,200

Other revenue

$0

Total assets, end of year

$18,534,778

Total liabilities, end of year

$1,562,367

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$16,972,411

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$3,477,367

Management and general expenses

$1,084,688

Fundraising expenses

$667,671

Program service expenses (Part III)

$3,477,367

Program services were 66.5% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2023

• 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 TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE WAYS OF KNOWING THE NATURAL WORLD, AND THE UNIQUE WAYS OUR VARIED CULTURES EXPRESS THIS INNATE MYSTERY WITH JOY, AWE AND WONDER. THE EXHIBIT EXPLORES NATURE'S BIOLOGICAL RHYTHMS WITH A SENSE OF MAGIC AND FLOW AND DIGS DEEPER INTO THE WAY CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD REPRESENT THIS INNATE SENSE OF TIME INTO EXPRESSIVE ART FORMS. THE NICE AGE TRAIL CONNECTS CHILDREN TO NATURE IN PROFOUND WAYS, WHEN THEY LEARN THAT EVEN PLANTS 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, NATURAL RHYTHMIC CONNECTIONS. THROUGH HANDS ON EXPERIENCES IN A RICH AND IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENT, CHILDREN WILL EXPLORE THE SHARED NATURAL RHYTHMS, BETWEEN HUMANS, ANIMALS, AND PLANTS, 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 AND THE CULTURES OF THE WORLD. THE NICE AGE TRAIL IS ORGANIZED BY THE FOUR SEASONS, WITH EACH SEASON REPRESENTED BY A DIFFERENT CULTURE, THE EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS CULTURAL CUSTOMS AND RITUALS AROUND NATURE'S RHYTHMS WHILE EXPLORING BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND HOW THEY AFFECT EVERY PART OF LIFE. THE EXHIBIT FOCUSES ON BOTH BIOLOGICAL WAYS OF KNOWING AND TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE ROOTED IN INNATE UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF ALL LIVING THINGS. WITH THE WONDERGROUND EXPANSION IN FY2223, 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".

  Expenses $1,463,863

• 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

  Expenses $561,670

• 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.

  Expenses $1,451,834

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• MADISON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM FOUNDATION INC

  501(C)(3) · SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION OF MADISON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, INC. · WI · controlled entity

  Directly controlled by MADISON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM INC

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2023

Filed

17 March 2025

IRS schema version

2023v6.0

Source object

202530849349301318

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