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BROOKLYN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM CORPORATION
BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 112495664 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A520 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Large ($10M-$50M) · brooklynkids.org
revenue
$10.9M
expenses
$7.8M
net assets
$7.1M
employees
116
volunteers
37
program ratio
77%
mission · from form 990

CREATES EXPERIENCES THAT IGNITE CURIOSITY, CELEBRATE IDENTITY & CULTIVATE JOYFUL LEARNING.

profile · synthesized from sources

Brooklyn Children's Museum creates hands-on, interdisciplinary learning experiences that ignite curiosity and celebrate identity for children and families. Founded in 1899, it serves 300,000 visitors annually through exhibits, school programs, and community events rooted in visual arts, natural science, and world cultures. The museum operates in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, offering free and low-cost access to promote joyful learning and civic engagement.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $1.80M
    EDUCATION:THE MUSEUM'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS SERVED APPROXIMATELY 30,000 STUDENTS AND CHAPERONES DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025 THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 1,100 SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS AND SCHOOL-BASED VISITS. THE MUSEUM ALSO PROVIDED FREE AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMMING FOR APPROXIMATELY 145 CHILDREN FROM CENTRAL BROOKLYN FAMILIES. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT CURRICULUM-ALIGNED LEARNING, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND CREATIVE EXPLORATION THROUGH HANDS-ON, MUSEUM-BASED EXPERIENCES. A SMALL TEEN ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM SERVED APPROXIMATELY 100 PARTICIPANTS DURING THE YEAR AND WAS CONCLUDED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
  2. #2 $1.04M
    EXHIBIT:IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, BROOKLYN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM SERVED OVER 275,000 VISITORS THROUGH GENERAL ADMISSIONS AND EXHIBIT-BASED PROGRAMMING. THIS REPRESENTS A MODEST INCREASE FROM APPROXIMATELY 270,000 VISITORS SERVED IN FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM APPROXIMATELY 240,000 VISITORS SERVED IN FISCAL YEAR 2023. THE MUSEUM'S PERMANENT EXHIBITS INCLUDE WORLD BROOKLYN, A RECREATED STREET FEATURING CHILD-SIZE REPLICAS OF REAL BROOKLYN STORES; NEIGHBORHOOD NATURE, AN EXPLORATION OF BROOKLYN'S ECOSYSTEMS; COLLECTIONS CENTRAL, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS OBJECTS FROM THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION THROUGH ROTATING THEMED EXHIBITIONS; TOTALLY TOTS, AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SENSORY LEARNING SPACE; AND COLORLAB, A HANDS-ON ART AND STEM-FOCUSED STUDIO HIGHLIGHTING BLACK ART AND ARTISTS.DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE MUSEUM PRESENTED IN THE WORKS, A TEMPORARY VISITING EXHIBITION CENTERED ON CONSTRUCTION, COLLABORATION, AND CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, WHERE CHILDREN ENGAGED IN HANDS-ON BUILDING ACTIVITIES USING REAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS IN A SUPERVISED ENVIRONMENT. IN ADDITION TO EXHIBIT-BASED EXPERIENCES, THE MUSEUM EXPANDED PUBLIC PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, INCLUDING SPECIAL EVENTS CELEBRATING THE MUSEUM'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY, EXTENDED MOVIE SCREENINGS IN THE MUSEUM'S AUDITORIUM, AND THE CONTINUATION OF SEASONAL ARTRINK PROGRAMMING. THESE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED THE MUSEUM'S MISSION BY PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE, PLAY-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Community Access Thursdays
Weekly free admission hours in partnership with Amazon, increasing access for local families
Education Programs
School field trips, "Field-Trip-in-a-Box" kits, and curriculum-aligned visits serving approximately 30,000 students and chaperones annually
Exhibit-Based Programming
Permanent and temporary exhibits including World Brooklyn, Neighborhood Nature, Totally Tots, and ColorLab, offering sensory-rich, interactive learning experiences for children and families
Free After-School and Summer Camp
Free programming for approximately 145–200 children from Central Brooklyn families, focusing on creative exploration and social development
Special Events and Festivals
Events such as Celebrate the Caribbean, Black Future Festival, and PAW Patrol Dino Takeover that highlight culture, performance, and play
Youth Engagement
Programs serving around 100 teens annually, including workforce development and civic engagement initiatives
activities · 11 groups

What they do

  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Deliver school and educational group programs
      Hosts school trips for classroom groups and provides educational programming for students and chaperones. In fiscal year 2025, served approximately 30,000 students and chaperones through around 1,100 school field trips and school-based visits.
  • Children's Play and Motor Development Spaces 1 activity
    • Host interactive exhibits and play sessions for children
      Operates permanent interactive exhibits such as Totally Tots, World Brooklyn, and the NEST kids’ climber, offering sensory play and exploration to support children's social, emotional, and physical development. Regular play sessions include miniature shop displays and hands-on activities.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
    • Host live animal encounter programs
      Offers interactive sessions where participants observe, photograph, and handle live insects and invertebrates, as well as programs featuring turtles, lizards, snakes, and other animals led by expert animal maintainers.
  • Children's Themed Birthday Parties 1 activity
    • Host themed events and character meet-and-greets
      Hosts special events such as PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie-themed experiences and Gabby's Dollhouse-inspired activities, featuring character meet-and-greets, rooftop dancing with DJ Catnip, themed art and play activities, and timed photo opportunities with costumed characters.
  • Community Art Education Workshops 1 activity
    • Offer guided art and STEM workshops for families and children
      Provides daily guided art workshops in the ColorLab family art studio and hands-on STEM projects in the Nature’s Engineers makerspace during museum operating hours. These activities are also offered during weekly Community Access Thursdays.
  • Library-Provided Cultural Access Passes 1 activity
    • Offer museum memberships and birthday programming
      Provides annual memberships that grant unlimited free admission to museum events and exhibits, and offers dedicated birthday celebration programming for children at the museum.
  • Community Makerspace Access and Training 1 activity
    • Present temporary and special exhibitions
      Curates and presents temporary exhibitions such as "In the Works," which focuses on construction, collaboration, and creative problem solving through supervised hands-on building activities using real tools and materials.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Provide free community access and public festivals
      Offers free admission every Thursday afternoon from 2 PM to 5 PM, including access to exhibits, art-making, STEM activities, and performances. Hosts annual public festivals such as One Crown Heights and Carnival celebrations featuring music, dance, food, and cultural programming.
  • After-School Academic and Enrichment Programs 1 activity
    • Run after-school, summer camp, and teen engagement programs
      Provides free after-school and summer camp programming for approximately 145 children from Central Brooklyn families, and operated a teen engagement program that served about 100 participants before concluding in fiscal year 2025.
  • Community Space Provision 1 activity
    • Support community-based organizations through space and resource sharing
      Provides space and shares resources with other Brooklyn-based community organizations to support local programming and collaboration.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Expand public programming and facility partnerships
      Expanded public offerings including 125th anniversary events, extended movie screenings, and seasonal Artrink programs. Opened a 6,500 square foot Brooklyn Public Library branch and a 175-seat auditorium and movie theater in fiscal year 2023.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$10.85M
Contributions & grants$7.99M74%
Program service revenue$1.69M16%
Investment income$313K3%
Other revenue$861K
expenses
Total expenses$7.78M
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$4.39M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$11.15M
Cash$5.99M
Investments$2.76M
Liabilities$4.09M
Net assets$7.06M
Liquid reserves13.5 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +44.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 5
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ATIBA EDWARDS PRESIDENT & CEO 40 $295K
HANA ELWELL VP OF EXHIBITS AND EDUCATION 40 $171K
MICHAEL HUXFORD DIRECTOR-DEVELOPMENT 40 $145K
MACK GRAHAM FMR DIRECTOR-BUILDING OPERATIONS 40 $138K
MICHAEL G WILLIAMS COO 40 $32K
board members · 20
  • ADAM FREED — TRUSTEE
  • ALLISON MARITZA LASKY — TRUSTEE
  • ALYCIA ZIMMERMAN — TRUSTEE
  • AMANDA NICHOLS — CO-CHAIR
  • ANGELA TRIBELLI — TRUSTEE
  • BONNIE CAMPBELL — TRUSTEE
  • BRENDAN REYNOLDS — TRUSTEE
  • CARA S FRIEDLANDER — TRUSTEE
  • COREY BAYLOR — TRUSTEE
  • CRISTIN FRODELLA — TRUSTEE
  • DANA POUWELS — SECRETARY
  • DARIAN FUTRELL — VICE CHAIR
  • FREDERIC GOLEN — TRUSTEE
  • FREYA ZAHEER — TRUSTEE
  • GEORGE SAMPAS — TRUSTEE
  • HUMAYUN KHALID — TRUSTEE
  • JAMISON DIVOLL — TRUSTEE
  • JESSICA SCHUMER — TRUSTEE
  • JIM SINCLAIR — TRUSTEE
  • JOSE ROLON — TRUSTEE
relationships · 19

Who they work with

  • Amazon Funder — Sponsors the free Community Access Thursday hours during which the Animal Encounters program takes place.
  • Amazon Funder — Supports programs at Brooklyn Children's Museum through funding.
  • Amazon Partner — Collaborates on Community Access Thursdays, previously branded as Amazon Free Hours.
  • Association of Children’s Museums Partner — Presented in partnership for Gabby’s Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Days.
  • Bloomberg Philanthropies Funder — Corporate and foundation supporter of museum programs
  • Brooklyn Artists Partner — Collaborates with Brooklyn artists for live music and dance performances at the One Crown Heights festival.
  • Brooklyn Public Library Partner — Collaborated to open a 6,500 square foot branch within the museum facility
  • Dr. Aaron Rodriques Partner — Entomologist and scientist who leads interactive insect and invertebrate programs.
  • DreamWorks Animation Partner — Presented in partnership for Gabby’s Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Days.
  • Kadeem Alston-Roman Partner — Dance instructor leading the 'Dancing Through the Decades' workshop
  • Municipal Union DC 37 Government — Represents maintenance and facilities staff at the museum
  • New York City Council Government — Supports programs at Brooklyn Children's Museum through partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Partners with Brooklyn Children's Museum to support programs, in collaboration with the New York City Council.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Public funder in partnership with the New York City Council
  • New York City Department of Youth and Community Development Government — Public funder of museum programs
  • New York State Council on the Arts Government — Public funder with support from Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature
  • PAW Patrol Partner — Collaborates with PAW Patrol to host a themed event featuring characters from the franchise.
  • The LEGO Foundation Funder — Corporate and foundation supporter of museum programs
  • West Indian American Day Carnival Association Partner — Collaborates on the Celebrate the Caribbean event.
strategies · 5

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.

  • Civic Engagement Through Identity Empowerment
    methodology: civic_engagement_education
    By helping children see themselves as agents of community change, we foster long-term civic engagement because early identity formation around agency increases future participation in democratic and community life.
  • Experiential Learning Through Play
    methodology: experiential-learning-through-play
    By engaging children in hands-on, interactive play within age-appropriate exhibits, we foster social, emotional, and cognitive development because direct sensory and physical experiences deepen learning and retention.
  • Inquiry-Based, Multidisciplinary Exploration
    methodology: inquiry-based_learning
    By grounding learning in museum collections and interdisciplinary inquiry, we encourage children to explore the world from multiple perspectives because structured curiosity fosters deeper understanding and critical thinking.
  • Integrated Creative and STEM Development
    methodology: integrated-creative-and-stem-education
    By combining free play with structured creative and STEM activities, we support holistic child development because integrating imagination with analytical thinking nurtures adaptable, well-rounded learners.
  • Intergenerational and Cultural Engagement
    methodology: intergenerational_engagement
    By designing shared experiences such as intergenerational dance and cultural celebrations, we strengthen family and community bonds because co-participation across ages and cultures deepens connection and belonging.