SAN ANTONIO CHILDRENS MUSEUM

Studies indicate that integrating STEM in the early years is crucial to fostering a passion for science in children (Nurturing STEM Skills in Young Learners, PreK-3, 2014). Even so, research suggests this exposure often needs to occur outside of the formal education environment. This is where The DoSeum comes in, as we aim to serve as a premier educational resource by developing innovative thinkers capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century.

The DoSeum is proud to address this community need for literacy in STEM subjects through thoughtfully designed, STEM- focused programming. We provide a valuable informal learning space for children to gain critically important knowledge (and passion!) that will stay with the students through school and into the workforce. At the heart of our mission is a focus on underserved populations and our expanded programming was developed to ensure all children and families in our community have the ability to experience The DoSeum.

Our Primary Strategies include:

Out-of-School Time - The DoSeum offers quality Out-of-School Time programming that includes: Camps, Field Experiences, Free Family Nights, Museums for All accessibility effort, and Public Programs such as Beyond Limits (programming providing sensory friendly accommodations).

Outreach - We engage children and their caregivers and educators in thoughtful, often intensive programming that takes place both at The DoSeum and at off-site locations (primarily the campuses of our school partners). Examples include: STEM Afterschool programs, Strengthening Schools and Families, and Summer Outreach. In 2018, over 12,500 kids benefited from our outreach programs.

Educator Professional Development - We provide STEM-focused professional development opportunities to educators from across San Antonio, with a focus on those working in Title I schools. To add more depth to our content delivery, we bring the educators’ students to The DoSeum to put their learning into context through hands-on, problem solving activities.

Through the construction of our beautifully designed, 104,000 square foot museum, we have been able to increase our impact in the community. We now offer six permanent galleries (Imagine It!, Spy Academy, Sensations Studio- Playing with light and sound, Explore, Innovation Station, and Little Town) and an expanded suite of programs geared towards engaging children, caregivers, and educators with age appropriate content. From our Out-of School time to Field Experiences, The DoSeum has impacted San Antonio and Bexar County residents.

The DoSeum is continuously pursuing innovative ideas to better serve our community through these programs. Each year, in addition to our permanent exhibits, we offer two traveling exhibits focused on deepening STEM knowledge in our young guests. Most recently, our summer exhibition called Going Places provides a fun STEM experience that immerses visitors in the science of getting around over land, sea, air, and space.

As the only museum in San Antonio solely focused on children 0-11 years old, The DoSeum's innovative strategy to engage children in STEM discovery and learning makes it a celebrated model. We continuously strive to provide excellence in our operations and evolve programming to meet the highest needs in our community. Since 2015, we have welcomed over 2 million guests and provided joyful discovery and connection moments for children and caregivers, while our community programming has served thousands of early learners, parents and educators. We will continue to build strong community partnerships, ensure access to high-quality exhibits, and seek to engage underserved communities through our Out-of-School Time, Outreach, and Professional Development programming. The DoSeum was the first San Antonio organization to join the nationwide Museums for All discount program for families served through SNAP or WIC nutrition programs (2018) and we intentionally added Pandemic-EBT cards as a qualifier for the discount in 2020 and 2021. As a result, The DoSeum has seen increased attendance from high poverty zip codes.