AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF LEARNING THROUGHPLAY

Annual Report 2007-2008 REFLECTING ON A SUCCESSFUL YEAR

Dear Museum supporter,

Minnesota Children’s Museum had a fantastic fiscal year in 2008, due in no small part to the support you’ve provided! The Museum’s numbers – from attendance to revenue to volunteer hours and to visitors who came at free or reduced admission – were at the highest levels in the institution’s history. We achieved this success by paying close attention to visitor service, delivering exhibits with wide learning appeal, and by continuing strong community partnerships.

In this year’s exciting special exhibits, children explored the concepts of disabilities and empathy; visited with old friends like Curious George™ and the monsters and Muppets of Sesame Street™; and found new ways to run, jump, and even fly. Improvements to favorite permanent galleries such as Habitot ®, Our World , and World Works helped keep children’s experiences both fresh and familiar at the same time. The Spark Cart is a popular Museum destination for many visitors and a recognizable Friends and partners – both old and new – continue to strengthen and expand the Museum’s symbol to the community of reach to more and western Wisconsin families than ever before. When we passed the a Museum visit. 430,000 visitor milestone, it was a direct result of these beneficial associations – allowing a record number of children to have fun and feel successful while learning through play.

Thank you for choosing to be a part of the Museum’s mission, and sharing in its vision. Without the involvement of community-minded partners like you, the Museum would not be able to serve so many children and touch so many families.

Sincerely,

Sarah Caruso Tom Abood President Chair of the Board Minnesota Children’s Museum Minnesota Children’s Museum

2 Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 Museum classes add concentrated focus to state standards during a St. Paul Public School field trip. Success by the numbers Some of the biggest numbers this museum has ever seen came in fiscal year 2008. Community members like you helped contribute to this record growth. % change % change FY08 # from FY07 FY08 # from FY07 Total attendance 430,233 +6% Total volunteer hours 15,928 +15% Access program Total volunteers 600 +20% Youth volunteers 79 volunteers +30% • Target Free 3rd Sunday 37,649 +15% By pretending to be a • Access members 2,184 +22% 3940 hours +8% doctor or nurse, children gain familiarity and • Passport to Play 12,960 +8% Interns 53 interns +103% confidence about Museum-to-Go classes 856 +18% 3691 hours +83% encounters with the medical community. Professional development 451 +106% Traveling exhibit attendees 1.6 million +18% Family Nights 5,136 +19% Member visits 127,632 +1% Program hours 6,439 +21% Visitors served through programs 340,039 +61%

Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 3 Children learn from scientists by exploring electricity. SMART PLAY AT WORK

The benefits of early childhood education have been backed up From early on, Minnesota Children’s Museum has been a leader again and again by research over the past several decades. This in exhibit production for itself and other children’s museums. A budding engineer creates a gear train by rearranging growing awareness has resulted in many new children’s museums Designing and developing some of the most respected and and turning magnetic gears opening across the nation. These children’s museums help the entire innovative traveling exhibits in the field, the Museum has earned on a newly-installed World Works component. field by exposing more families in more geographic locations to the renown among its peers and in the mainstream media. More than value of visiting these early childhood development centers. 7.7 million visitors across the continent have interacted with Minnesota Children’s Museum exhibits, maneuvering Curious George™ across a building front, visiting Clifford the Big Red Dog™ on Birdwell Island, and practicing math skills in Go Figure .

4 Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 A visitor assistant and his audience incorporate movement and everyday fitness into a Story Time book.

Making an impact on children’s lives every day

Thanks to ’ national funding, Minnesota Children’s During the exhibit’s first four months, more than 186,000 visitors Museum developers produced the first-ever fitness exhibit for had tried out “flycycling,” “snowboarding,” yoga and kung fu. The A young visitor works children. Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action ™ motivates children exhibit represented the launch of a new Museum focus area in health her way across the to find new ways to move and have fun. When children see physical and fitness. monkey bars while exploring Run! Jump! Fly! activity as something they want to do – rather than something adults Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action™’ s development was Adventures in Action ™. want them to do – they can become a leading force in shaping guided by some of the principles set forth by the Association healthy futures for America’s next generation. of Children’s Museum’s initiative, Good to Grow! This initiative promotes eating good foods in the right amounts; getting plenty of exercise; tracking computer and TV screen time; and connecting with the outdoors — all ingredients in healthy development and essential to sparking children’s learning through play.

Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 5 Students from a local school work together to create a city during a social studies-themed Museum class.

PARTNERSHIPS EXTEND OUR MISSION

Throughout the years, new initiatives have strengthened the materials for training staff members at museums across the Museum’s approach to visitor experience. In some cases, these new country. Since its online launch in January, a dozen children’s A young visitor gets an initiatives have helped fill a void in the service community and the museums have integrated the program into their own operations. up-close encounter with a real snake during a children’s museum field. ACM bestowed another award to the Museum in 2008. live animal program. A partnership between the Museum and Ramsey County The ACM and VSA arts Universal Design for Learning Award Department of Public Health created the three-year-old recognized the Minnesota Children’s Museum’s Accessible Play adaptation of the Wakanheza project. Designed to help Initiative. Funded by the Frey Foundation, this unique community prevent violence against children, the project assists partnership joins the Museum and organizations that directly serve individuals and organizations to be more open and children and families with disabilities in the Twin Cities metro area. receptive to the needs of families through empathy. The overall goal of the Accessible Play Initiative is to increase The partnership has helped organizations and these families’ participation with the Museum so they can individuals around the metro area interact positively comfortably experience its informal learning environment. In with parents. order to accomplish this goal, the Museum consulted with After winning a second award in as many years from disability specialists to enhance visitor programs and services, the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), the invested in staff training, and implemented a comprehensive Museum modified Wakanheza to a toolkit providing inclusion plan.

6 Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 A World Works visitor experiments with soap and bubble wands and learns about surface tension in the process.

Your support helps us build strong alliances As a nonprofit organization, Minnesota Children’s Museum has a long and rewarding history working with partners locally and nationally. These joint ventures help to strengthen communities in ways a single organization on its own could not. In recognition of these associations, Seagate Inventor’s Workshop the Museum expresses its respect and gratitude to its 2007-2008 partners. Day was a hair-raising experience for many visitors Achieve Academy (Hmong Spanish Charter School) Dakota, Carver Head Start Pillsbury Community Centers — Oak Park, when they encountered the Van de Graaff generator. All Around the Neighborhood — West Side, St. Paul Dunedin Public Housing — St. Paul Pillsbury — Waite House Angel Foundation Gillette Children’s Hospital Project for Pride in Living — Minneapolis Anoka-Washington Head Start Girl Scouts — Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys Ramsey County Department of Public Health ARC – Greater Twin Cities Greater Twin Cities United Way RAP Head Start Association of Children’s Museums Higher Ground Academy — St. Paul Resources for Child Caring CAP Head Start ISD #112 (ELL ECFE Program) — Chaska St. Paul Parks and Recreation (3 groups) — CAP-RW Head Start La Oportunidad — Minneapolis St. Paul Carver County Social Service Lake Phalen Elementary School St. Paul Public Schools Carver-Scott Educational Cooperative — Chaska Loring Bethlehem Community Center — Minneapolis Torre de San Miguel — West Side, St. Paul Cedar Riverside Community School — Minneapolis Minnesota Children’s Hospital and Clinics Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota CHAT Minnesota Department of Education Watertown Community Educations — Summer School Program Chicago Children’s Museum Minnesota Department of Human Services Westside Citizens Organization Common Bond — Skyline Tower Neighborhood House, West Side, St. Paul Women’s Lifework Planning Center — Mankato Community of Peace Academy — St. Paul New Beginnings (Teen Mom High School Yang Family — Rosemount Community School of Excellence — St. Paul at Carver/Scott Educational Cooperative — Chaska) YMCA — St. Paul Concordia University Pacer Center Courage Center PICA Head Start

Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 7 26 YEARS OF SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING

We thank all our donors for your generosity. Your support is essential as we work to spark children’s learning through play. Corporate, Foundation and Government Donors

$50,000 and above $10,000 - $24,999 $2,500 - $4,999 In-Kind Donors Foundation Hugh J. Andersen Foundation Athwin Foundation 3M Foundation General Mills Foundation Association of Children’s Museums Dellwood Foundation, Inc. Bachman's, Inc. Target Beckman Coulter Foundation Hardenbergh Foundation Bailey Nurseries Incorporated The Foundation Margaret H. & James E. Kelley Foundation, Inc. Sarah R. Caruso $25,000 - $49,999 The Curtis L. Family Foundation Malt-O-Meal Company The Consulate of Andersen Corporate Foundation Community Power Nordstroms, Inc. Martha Dayton Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation Delta Dental Margaret Rivers Fund El Restaurant Children’s Foundation Foundation Rosemount Inc. JRA Financial Advisors The Bush Foundation John Larsen Foundation Toro Company Minnesota Computers for Schools Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation Pentair Foundation The Foundation Minnesota Humanities Center Foundation RBC Wealth Management Foundation Star Tribune HealthPartners U.S. Bancorp Foundation $1,000 - $2,499 Travelers Foundation Lifetime Fitness Wells Fargo Foundation Minnesota Elmer L. & Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation Valspar Foundation The Medtronic Foundation Foundation Lillian Wright & C. Emil Berglund Foundation The Minneapolis Foundation Burdick-Craddick Family Foundation Corporate Matching Gifts The Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation $5,000 - $9,999 Edwin W. and Catherine M. Davis Foundation Services, Inc. Seagate Technology Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America Faegre & Benson Foundation Burlington Northern Santa Fe Foundation Financial for Lutherans Foundation Gordon and Margaret Bailey Foundation Great River Energy Callaway Golf Company Foundation Travelers Foundation Boss Foundation Heraeus Vadnais Inc Ecolab Foundation Education Minnesota The Hubbard Broadcasting Foundation General Mills Foundation H.B. Fuller Company Foundation Kopp Family Foundation HickoryTech Corporation Foundation Imation Corp. Little & Company Mainstreet Bank R C Lilly Foundation Mayo Clinic PepsiAmericas Foundation MAHADH Fund of HRK Foundation Opus Corporation RBC Wealth Management Foundation NFC Foundation () Pearson NCS Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Foundation Carl & Eloise Pohlad Family Foundation The Elizabeth C. Quinlan Foundation, Inc. Travelers Foundation Polaris Industries Partners LP Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community U.S. Bancorp Foundation Qwest Foundation for Education Sit Investment Associates, Inc. Wells Fargo Foundation Minnesota C.H. Robinson Worldwide Solutran The Richard M. and Sandra J. Schulze Family Fund Charles B. Sweatt Foundation Exhibit Sponsors of The Saint Paul Foundation General Mills - Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action™ Securian Foundation, supported by Securian Financial Tennant Foundation (National sponsor) Group and its affiliates, Minnesota Life, Advantus Thomson North American Legal/Thomson West HealthPartners - Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action™ Capital Management and Securian Trust VEE Corporation Lifetime Fitness - Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action™ SUPERVALU Foundation on behalf of 3M - Curious George™: Let’s Get Curious! SUPERVALU INC. and Cub Foods Government Support City of St. Paul Cultural STAR Program State of Minnesota

Children take on many different roles in the Our World gallery, including a customer shopping for groceries.

8 Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 Your gifts are an investment in the future of Minnesota’s children

Individual Donors Kathryn and Harold Dahl Martin and Esther Capp Family Fund Mara and Peter Ekberg Sustainer Sponsors - $5,000 Ann and Scott Dayton of The Saint Paul Foundation Dawn Epps Graves 601 Hotel $25,000 and above David and Vanessa Dayton Mae and Toby Dayton Litton and Anne Field Imation Thomas J. Abood Edward and Sherry Ann Dayton Peter Donahue P.J. and Linda Flynn LaSalle Bank / Bank of America Jim and Megan Dayton Shannon and Mark Evenstad Helen and Jim Franczyk Lazard Middle Market o $10,000 - $24,999 Julia W. Dayton Fred and Marie Friswold James and Joan Gardner McKinsey & Company The Angel Fund of The Saint Paul Jack and Claire Dempsey Fund Roger Griffith and Jean Taylor Todd and Kristen Gerlach PriceWaterhouseCoopers Foundation of The Minneapolis Foundation Nancy M. and Robert W. Hatch Corey and Kelly Gordon Travelers Michael and Cathy Lee Pat and Lisa Denzer Drs. Steve and Julie Henseler Jane and Ron Hall Martha and Bill Meyers Michael and Susan DeVoe Edwin and Elizabeth Hlavka Jack Hansen and Joan LeGare-Hansen Partner Sponsors - $2,500 Ann Simonds Doug and Katharine Donaldson Chuck and Mary Jungmann Colleen and Timothy Herold Richard and Beverly Fink Family Foundation Arthur and Martha Kaemmer Scott and Jamie Honour @ Home Apartments 4 $5,000 - $9,999 Michael and Elizabeth Gorman Kathryn Klibanoff and Jeremy Pierotti Cheryl Kedrowski and Victor Barocas Benfield, Inc. Sarah and Jerry Caruso Regina Groves LaFrenz Family Foundation Phil, Sue, Brit and Lauren Keithahn BMC Software Jim and Julie Graves Sara and Taylor Harwood LeJeune Family Foundation Wade and Renee Lau Brookfield Properties Andrea Kmetz-Sheehy and Robert Sheehy Joel and Emma Hutcheson Sarah and B. John Lindahl, Jr. Lesli Launer Hines and Michael Launer Carlson Bill and Amy McKinney Alexandra and Robert Klas Terry and Debra Lynner Tammy Lemke CarVal Investors Dick and Kit Schmoker Kim and Steve Koeppen Tippy and Todd Madden Charles Lodge and Katey Leitch Ecolab William and Cindy Schmoker Don and Maureen Kvam Andrea & Larry McGough Dana Lonn Exeter Realty Company Gina and Thomas Sprenger Lori Larson and David Yesnes Donor Advised Fund of the Teri McIntyre and Steve Sanders General Mills Terri Tersteeg and James Peterson John Lavander and Nancy Owen Catholic Community Foundation Mr. Forrest G. Moore Gray Plant Mooty, P.A. Sara and Stephen Zawoyski Mary and James Lawrence Michael J. Monahan and James and Kathy Morton M & I Bank Ilo and Margaret Leppik Molly E. O'Shaughnessy Thomas and Elinor Nicklawske Medtronic # $2,500 - $4,999 Peter Maritz and Charlene Jundt Katherine and John Morrison Robert and Megan O'Leary Nestlé Nutrition Anonymous Susan McNeely and Harry G. McNeely III Ford and Catherine Nicholson Bonita Ouradnik Pulte Homes Mark and Charlene Altman Michelle and Matthew Mesenburg Robert J. Owens Christy and Joby Novak TCF Foundation Martha and Bruce Atwater Katie and William Miller James and Donna Radford Pat Ricci Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. Craig Bentdahl and Stephanie Simon Rick and Lisa Noel Elizabeth M. Ringer Patrick Schuna and Nicole Patient Xcel Energy John and Lynn Clifford Scott and Peggy Oppenheimer Ritz Family Foundation Philip and Schele Smith Individual Table Sponsors - $2,500 Martha Dayton and Thomas Nelson Cassy and Philip Ordway Sanger Family Foundation Joe and Christina Sriver Tom Abood Bridget and Sean Ennevor John and Marla Ordway Sieff Family Foundation William J. Svrluga Craig Bentdahl and Stephanie Simon Steve and Aisha Friswold Charitable Lead Trust Tina and Arch Smith John Taft and Martha McPhee Martha Dayton and Tom Nelson Julia Ferguson and Richard Rinkoff Mr. and Mrs. John G. Ordway, Jr. Harriet and Edson Spencer Foundation Jon and Lea Theobald Amy Giovanini and Ben Ahrens Nevin and Marialice Harwood Katherine and Stephanie Jo Payne Ingrid and John Van Beynen David Upin Bill and Cindy Schmoker Lisa and Boyd Hesdorffer Cynthia and Philip Pillsbury Mark T. Webb Jeanne Vergeront and Andrew Dick Ann Simonds Gifts in Memory of Marilyn Hetue Philip W. Pillsbury, Jr. David and Betsy Weyerhaeuser Villafana Family Kim and Willard Hunnewell Larry and Terrie Rose Nancy and David Warner Media Sponsors The Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation Randall and Gail Ross Explorer $250 - 499 Jeff and Mary Werbalowsky Mpls. St. Paul Magazine John and Lois Rogers Hugh and Margaret Schilling Anonymous Alan and Dorene Wernke Star Tribune Robert and Amy Stolpestad Nora Slawik Abigail and Brett Alt Lori and Bob Wiese-Parks Twin Cities Business David J. Weiner Foundation Jeffrey and Helene Slocum Terry and Nancy Anderson Mr. and Ms. Frank S. Wilkinson, Jr. Robin and David Sternberg Sally and Peter Anson Ruth and Kenneth Wilson Décor Sponsor G $1,000 - $2,499 Terhuly Foundation Keri and Phillip Bahar Helen and J. Kimball Witney Macy’s Anonymous Jane and James Wiltz Peg Bailey Kari and William Alldredge Margaret and Angus Wurtele Peter Benson and Thanks also to… The Allegro Fund Carolyn Munson-Benson Gala Supporters LaSalle Parking of The Saint Paul Foundation Discoverer $500 - $999 Adam Breininger Linen Effects Sarah J. Andersen Anonymous Conley and Marney Brooks Benefactor Sponsors - $10,000 Julie Nelson James and Debra Arneson Carol Aegerter The Corey Group - in honor of our friends, Best Buy Phillips Distilling Company Paige and Mike Bingham Mr. and Mrs. Gerald C. Backhaus clients and business associates Target Showcore Alexandra O. Bjorklund Jo & Gordon Bailey Family Fund Gretchen and Bob Crosby Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Summit Brewery Dr. Meria J. Carstarphen and John Edgley of the Catholic Community Foundation Jon and Melissa Crow US Bank Trinchero Family Estates John and Gretchen Corkrean Sally Baker Ross and Hamilton Ross Douglas H. and Sarah J. Crowther Ultimate Resort William and Susan Costello Ann and Jay Boekhoff Kevin and Elizabeth Dooley Vomela

Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 9 FINANCIALS SUPPORT & REVENUE Statement of Financial Position June 30, 2008 Statement of Activity Year Ended June 30, 2008

Assets Support and Revenue Cash and Cash Equivalents ...... $1,274,348 Grants and Contributions ...... $2,246,159 Accounts Receivable ...... 83,371 Museum Admissions ...... 1,353,086 Pledges and Grants Receivable ...... 569,049 Memberships ...... 668,190 Prepaid Expenses ...... 206,387 Program Income ...... 974,913 Investments ...... 5,394,361 Investment and Other Income ...... 217,367 Land, Building and Equipment, Net ...... 8,112,751 Total Support and Revenue ...... $5,459,715 Total Assets ...... $15,645,267

Expenses I 41% Grants and Contrib utions Liabilities Program ...... $4,048,220 I 25% Museum Admi ssions I 18% Prog ram Income Accounts Payable & Accrued Expenses $345,831 Administrative ...... 1,353,030 I 12% Membe rships Deferred Revenue ...... 787,071 Fundraising ...... 431,081 I 4% Investment and Other Income Total Liabilities ...... $1,132,902 Total Expenses ...... $5,832,331 EXPENSES Net Assets Non-Operating Income ...... 150,000 Unrestricted — Undesignated ...... $1,309,913 Change in Net Assets ...... (222,616) Unrestricted — Designated* ...... 1,693,624 Temporarily Restricted ...... 7,347,075 Net Assets, Beginning of Year ...... 14,734,981 Permanently Restricted ...... 4,161,753 Net Assets, End of Year ...... 14,512,365 Total Net Assets ...... $14,512,365

Total Liabilities and Net Assets . . . . . $15,645,267

*Unrestricted-Designated Net Assets includes amounts designated by the Board of Directors for the following purposes:

Fixed Asset Replacement ...... $500,000 I 69% Program Expenses Cash Operating Reserve ...... 275,000 I 23% Administrative Expenses Endowment Cumulative Earnings ...... 918,624 I 8% Fundraising Expenses 10 Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 Three nature artists use paintbrushes, water and rocks to create a masterpiece at the Rooftop ArtPark.

02007—2008 Board of Directors

OFFICERS BOARD MEMBERS Children learn about the Thomas J. Abood • Chair of the Board properties of water through Kari G. Alldredge Reggie Groves Michelle Mesenburg experimentation and William C. Schmoker • Chair-elect Peg Bailey Taylor Harwood Geoffrey S. Michel repetition in World Works. Randall R. Ross • Secretary Peter L. Benson Maureen Kvam Cynthia Pillsbury Charlene J. Altman • Treasurer Craig Bentdahl Karen Larson Ann W. H. Simonds Meria Carstarphen Lori J. Larson Nora Slawik John P. Clifford, Jr. Michael T. Lee Gina Sprenger John Corkrean Peter Leppik Robin Sternberg Martha Dayton Bill McKinney Robert Stolpestad Susan DeVoe Susan McNeely Stephen Zawoyski Amy Giovanini

Minnesota Children’s Museum Annual Report 2007-2008 11 Mission Sparking children’s learning through play. Foundational Beliefs Early learning is the foundation for lifelong learning. Families are our children’s first teachers. All children deserve a time and place to be children. Diverse perspectives enrich children’s lives. Playing is learning.

10 West Seventh Street, St. Paul, MN 55102 • 651-225-6000 • MCM.org

PHOTOGRAPHY : BradDaniels.com • Tom Kingrey Photography • Minnesota Children’s Museum