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THE CHILDRENS MUSEUM OF OSWEGO
OSWEGO, NY · EIN 462648553 · Form 990 · FY2022 · NTEE A52 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · cmoo.org
revenue
$648K
expenses
$574K
net assets
$33K
employees
26
volunteers
10
program ratio
67%
mission · from form 990

TO ESTABLISH A NON-PROFIT CHILDRENS MUSEUM IN THE CITY OF OSWEGO FOR THE BENEFIT OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND CAREGIVERS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE MUSEUM WILL HOUSE A VARIETY OF INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Children's Museum of Oswego (CMOO) is a nonprofit children's museum located in Oswego, NY, dedicated to fostering learning through play for children, families, educators, and caregivers. The museum features interactive exhibits such as a water table, Town Square role-play area, Big Blue Blocks, and Isaac’s Treehouse, designed to promote physical, intellectual, and social development. It also offers educational programs including Summer@CMOO camps and hosts birthday parties and private events.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Birthday Parties at CMOO
Hosted birthday celebrations with museum admission, private party rooms, food, and party favors; offered in General and Prime packages.
Interactive Exhibit Areas
Hands-on learning spaces including the water table, Town Square, Big Blue Blocks, and Isaac’s Treehouse that encourage play-based learning.
Museum Rental Events
Private rentals of the museum or party rooms for larger gatherings, including exclusive access to exhibits and event amenities.
Summer@CMOO Camp
Week-long themed summer camps combining science, art, engineering, and exploration for children to learn, create, and socialize at the museum.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Early Literacy Promotion 1 activity
    • Deliver on-site educational programs and daily activities
      The museum offers a range of daily and recurring on-site programs including weekly storytime sessions for children under five (such as Storytime with Miss Kristine), biweekly early childhood music classes via Music Together, weekly Slime Lab events, and sensory-friendly slime-making activities. These programs support early learning, creativity, and social engagement through play-based, interactive formats.
  • Children's Themed Birthday Parties 1 activity
    • Host birthday parties and private rentals
      The museum offers birthday party packages for up to 20 children, including private use of a party room, facilitated activities like sand art, food (pizzas, cupcakes), party supplies, and goody bags. Groups larger than 35 guests can rent the entire museum for up to two hours.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Host school field trips and classroom outreach programs
      The museum hosts weekday field trips for school groups, including full-day visits for third graders featuring interactive lessons on weather and climate, and has delivered hands-on science programming—such as Rube Goldberg machine design focused on energy, force, and motion—to every sixth-grade classroom in the Oswego City School District. It also brings mobile, standards-aligned STEAM exhibits directly into classrooms to enhance traditional lessons.
  • Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
    • Implement health, safety, and accessibility practices
      The museum follows cleaning protocols aligned with guidelines from the Association of Children’s Museums and the American Academy of Pediatrics, trains staff to identify illness symptoms, and issues complimentary passes to families who must leave due to illness. It ensures physical accessibility with an elevator, wheelchair-friendly restrooms, and noise-muffling headphones for visitors with sound sensitivities.
  • Library-Provided Cultural Access Passes 1 activity
    • Offer membership and family engagement benefits
      The museum offers annual memberships that provide unlimited admission for two named adults and all household children, discounts on camps and gift shop purchases, $25 off one birthday party per year, and reciprocal admission to over 200 museums nationwide through the ACM Reciprocal Network.
  • Children's Play and Motor Development Spaces 1 activity
    • Operate interactive children's museum with hands-on exhibits
      The Children's Museum of Oswego operates a physical indoor facility in Oswego, NY, open year-round and seven days a week during summer months, featuring interactive exhibits such as a water table, Big Blue Blocks, Town Square, Isaac’s Treehouse, and the Investigation Station with rotating STEAM activities. The museum provides a creative, structured play environment designed for children ages 0–12 to support physical, cognitive, and intellectual development through exploration and hands-on learning.
  • Museum-Based Educational Outreach 1 activity
    • Provide mobile museum outreach to schools and community events
      The Mobile Museum program brings interactive, hands-on STEAM exhibits and activities directly to schools, fairs, festivals, and family fun days in Oswego and surrounding communities. These outreach efforts include end-of-year school celebrations and public events, extending access beyond the museum’s physical location.
  • Summer Day Camp Programs 1 activity
    • Run drop-off camps and seasonal programs
      The museum offers full-day and evening drop-off programs for children ages 5–10, including Kids Night In, school recess camps, and themed week-long summer camps such as Shark Week, Dino Adventures, Fizz Pop Boom! Science Week, and Art Masterpiece Week. These programs feature interactive STEAM activities, movement, exploration, and social engagement, operating during summer and school breaks.
financials · form 990 · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$648K
Contributions & grants$455K70%
Program service revenue$187K29%
Investment income$1780%
Other revenue$7K
expenses
Total expenses$574K
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead33%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$193K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.74M
Cash$94K
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.71M
Net assets$33K
Liquid reserves2.0 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +610.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • MACKENZIE KJERSTAD — BOARD MEMBER
  • SARA BROADWELL — BOARD MEMBER
  • ZACHARY GOLD — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 26

Who they work with

  • Allanie White Partner — Play Facilitator
  • American Academy of Pediatrics Government — Aligns cleaning practices with guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
  • Association of Children's Museums Network — Participates in the ACM Reciprocal Network, offering member benefits across 200 children's museums.
  • Association of Children's Museums Network — Participates in the ACM Reciprocal Network, providing members with access to over 200 children's museums and science centers nationwide.
  • Association of Children’s Museums Network — Follows cleaning and safety guidelines set by the Association of Children’s Museums.
  • Cam’s Pizzeria Partner — Supplies pizzas for birthday parties at the Children's Museum of Oswego.
  • Cas Kuersteiner Partner — Play Facilitator
  • Children’s Museum of Oswego Partner — Hosts a summer bucket list challenge in partnership with local community attractions and events across Oswego County.
  • Christine Upcraft Partner — Treasurer of the Board of Directors
  • Constellation Partner — Generous sponsor that supports access to the Monthly Slime Lab, which is free with admission.
  • David Sargent Partner — Vice President of the Board of Directors
  • Debbie Ritskes Partner — Secretary of the Board of Directors
  • Donna Roberts Partner — Executive Director
  • Jaidyn Baum Partner — Operations Manager
  • Jill Voigt-Anzalone Partner — Museum Supervisor
  • Kristine Czirr Partner — Museum Educator
  • Leanna’s Mobile Art Room Partner — Provides face painting services as a discounted add-on for birthday parties at the Children's Museum of Oswego.
  • Lily Anzalone Partner — Play Facilitator
  • Lisa Sova Partner — President of the Board of Directors
  • Made From Scratch Baking Co. Partner — Supplies cupcakes for birthday parties at the Children's Museum of Oswego.
  • Music Together Partner — Collaborates to offer family music classes for children age 5 and younger at the museum.
  • Oswego City School District Partner — Partnered to deliver hands-on STEAM programming aligned with science curriculum for third and sixth grade students.
  • STEAM on the Scene Partner — Outreach initiative delivering hands-on STEAM experiences in partnership with schools and community organizations.
  • Samantha Treneer Partner — Museum Supervisor
  • Stewarts Shops Partner — Provides sponsorship support for the Monthly Slime Lab through the Stewarts Holiday Match Grant.
  • The Children’s Museum of Oswego Network — Operates as a nonprofit organization with public-facing services and membership model
strategies · 2

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Based Mobile Outreach to Expand Access
    methodology: community_based_outreach
    By bringing hands-on STEAM exhibits and programming directly to underserved communities and familiar public spaces, the museum increases engagement and equitable access because it reduces logistical barriers and meets families where they already gather.
  • Play-Based Learning for Holistic Development
    methodology: play_based_learning
    By using play-centered, hands-on experiences, the museum fosters cognitive, social-emotional, motor, and creative development in children because playful exploration naturally supports curiosity, experimentation, and discovery across developmental domains.