SAN ANTONIO CHILDRENS MUSEUM
San Antonio's Museum for Kids
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Children in the United States are facing a STEM crisis on a local and national scale. While the necessity for jobs in STEM fields is increasing, very few students are being adequately prepared in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Studies have shown that teachers report spending 60 minutes or less per week on science in elementary grades, while 16% of teachers in this study reported spending no time at all on science. With San Antonio students consistently underperforming in STEM-related subjects, their future success and our community economic development efforts will be impacted.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Strengthening Schools & Families
Proven to strengthen relationships among teachers, caregivers and students, Strengthening Schools and Families is a series of educator professional development and family learning engagements at both The DoSeum and schools. During the 2019-2020 school year, almost 700 children and their families were served through the Strengthening Schools and Families program before service interruption due to COVID-19.
Field Experiences
The DoSeum seeks to provide joyful hands-on learning experiences to kids on-site at The DoSeum, in ways that promote problem solving and critical thinking. During our Field Experiences, children are taken on a guided exploration of our exhibits and interact in a formal investigation in a classroom space; this investigatory time is based on themed topics that correlate with State standards in the subject area. In 2019, we served 14,014 students through Field Experiences. This program serves as a model of exceptional inquiry-based learning experiences.
Camps
Camps teach and reinforce Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) content in order to combat the learning loss that occurs during school breaks. In 2019, nearly 900 campers participated in our on-site programs, with over 40 campers attending through our DoSeum for All scholarship program.
STEM Afterschool
STEM Afterschool sessions run for 10 weeks per semester at each of our Title I partner schools. During these times, students engage in hands-on STEM activities designed to encourage inquiry and design thinking. Each year we serve over 100 students in our STEM Afterschool program.
STEM Teacher Cohort
Now in its fifth cycle, the STEM Teacher Cohort strengthens teachers’ knowledge and skillsets in delivering a nationally-recognized curriculum- Engineering is Elementary, developed by the Museum of Science, Boston- while building a community of practice to support continued growth and fuel student learning. The program includes monthly educator workshops, a two-week summer practicum at The DoSeum, multiple classroom visits from DoSeum staff to support instruction and all necessary supplies and materials.
Where we work
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of free participants on field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Field Experiences
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2020, Field Experiences underwent a service level interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains to be seen when schools will resume field trips.
Number of paid participants on field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Field Experiences
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Field Experiences were discontinued after March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains to be seen when schools will resume field trips.
Maximum number of participants allowed on field trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Field Experiences
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Each group is divided in to smaller sizes on site, and focus on interactive play through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), which we integrate with literacy and creative arts concepts.
Total number of fields trips
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Related Program
Field Experiences
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Field Experiences underwent a service level interruption in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains to be seen when schools will resume field trips.
Total number of paid admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Family relationships
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
With 104,000 sq ft of space for children to explore, The DoSeum has been so honored to host many families and friends, and continuously look for ways to improve our guest experience as we grow.
Total number of free admissions
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Free Family Nights are available once a month to the public.
Number of SNAP, WIC, and/or Pandemic-EBT families served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people, Children and youth, Adults, Families, Caregivers
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Families served through SNAP, WIC, and/or Pandemic-EBT nutrition program are eligible for $3-each general admissions pricing through the nationwide program Museums for All.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
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.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
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.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
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.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
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.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Children ages 0-11, their caregivers, educators, and other non-profit organizations.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Community meetings/Town halls,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
Our staff, Our board,
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
SAN ANTONIO CHILDRENS MUSEUM
Board of directorsas of 3/3/2022
Mrs. Tinsley Smith
Zachry Group
Term: 2021 - 2022
Megan Rooney
H-E-B
Kim Lewis
Community Volunteer
Tinsley Smith
Zachry Group
Carla Brozovich
Community Volunteer
Jeff Brouillard
Wells Fargo
Kathy MacNaughton
Masters Leadership Program
Angelica Palm
The Bank of San Antonio
Chris Quinn
Valero Energy Corporation
Chris Cho
NuStar Energy
Arturo Burgueno
Everest Retirement Planners
Anna Ziegler
Risk Management
Philip Kang
USAA
David Akright
CAPTRUST
Mayerland Harris
H-E-B
Dawn Walker
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 06/29/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.