Iowa Childrens Museum

TO INSPIRE EVERY CHILD TO IMAGINE, CREATE, DISCOVER, AND EXPLORE THROUGH THE POWER OF PLAY.

THE IOWA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM HAS ESTABLISHED FIVE EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES FOR ALL PROGRAMS AND EXHIBITS THAT INCLUDE "SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATH" (STEM), FINANCIAL LITERACY, SCHOOL READINESS, HEALTHY KIDS, AND ARTS & CULTURE. THE ACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE INITIATIVES EMBODY BEST PRACTICES OF INFORMAL EDUCATION AND ADVANCE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS. IN 2021, THE MUSEUM CONTINUED TO REBOUND FROM THE PANDEMIC, REBUILDING ITS BUSINESS MODEL AND MEMBERSHIP BASE SERVING MORE THAN 100,000 VISITORS OVER THE COURSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR. SOME SPECIFIC COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS ARE AS FOLLOWS:STORYTIME STEM: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BAYER FUND, THE ICM COMPLETED HIGH-IMPACT STEM-BASED CODING PROGRAMS WITH HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS IN RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS SURROUNDING THE MUSEUM. THIS WAS OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE TO THE DISTRICTS COMPLETED VIA A CIRRICULAR PROGRAM CALLED STORYTIME STEM, WHICH FOCUSES ON BUILDING BOTH LITERACY AND COMPUTER SKILLS FOR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 2ND GRADE. THE ICM HOPES TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM IN THE COMING YEARS.STEM SMART PROGRAMS: STEM SMART ENCOURAGES LITERACY AND HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING PROGRAMS THAT ALLOW CHILDREN TO APPLY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE WORLD WORKS WITHIN THE AREAS OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH. THIS WORK IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING FAMILY FREE NIGHTS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAM WAS EXPANDED IN 2021-22 TO FEATURE A NEW "STEM IN THE COMMUNITY" PROGRAM, THROUGH WHICH ICM EDUCATORS WORKED WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOOS, FURTHERING OUR ACCESSIBILITY OBJECTIVES.ICM2GO: THIS PROGRAM CONNECTS ICM'S "PLAY TO LEARN" MODEL WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON-SITE THROUGHOUT THE EASTERN IOWA CORRIDOR. IT PROVIDED AN IMPORTANT PIVOT POINT FOR THE MUSEUM DURING THE PANDEMIC, ALLOWING THE ORGANIZATION TO MAXIMIZE ITS COMMUNITY IMPACT IN A TIME OF GREAT NEED. FOLLOWING THE MUSEUM'S SUCCESS WITH SUMMER SHORTS IN 2021, MUSEUM LEADERS HAVE BRANCHED OUT FURTHER WITH AN EVEN BROADER ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORK, SERVING THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE PROCESS.ICM FOR EVERYONE: THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES FREE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS TO ECONOMICALLY VULNERABLE FAMILIES. THE 20-YEAR-OLD INITIATIVE REMAINS A BIG PART OF THE ICM'S IDENTITY AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. MOST NOTABLY, THE PROGRAM IS EXPANDING TO ENCOMPASS THE NATIONAL MUSEUMS FOR ALL PROGRAM, WHICH WILL LOWER THE BAR TO ACCESS EVEN FURTHER. FAMILIES SIMPLY NEED TO INDICATE THAT THEY ARE ENROLLED IN ONE OF THE APPROVED STATE OR FEDERAL AID PROGRAMS, MAKING ADMISSION FREE EACH AND EVERY TIME THEY VISIT, WITHOUT THE NEED TO COMPLETE MEMBERSHIP PAPERWORK.JACK SPLAT: THIS FUN COMMUNITY EVENT WAS HELD IN THE MUSEUM FOR MANY YEARS, MOVING TO A DOWNTOWN IOWA CITY PARK IN 2021 AS A MEANS OF INCREASING ACCESS. THE ICM AND VARIOUS PARTNERS INVITE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BRING THEIR COMPOSTABLE JACK-O-LANTERNS TO THE PARK, WHERE THEY ARE DROPPED FROM THE FOURTH FLOOR OF A LOCAL PARKING RAMPLE FOR EVERYONE'S ENJOYMENT! JACK SPLAT IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE MANY FREE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS WHICH THE MUSEUM SPONSORS AND/OR PARTICIPATES IN EACH YEAR.