Programs

  • Program 1 [2021]

    SAN DIEGO CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE EDUCATIONAL AND ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCES IN SCIENCE, WORLD CULTURES, AND ARTS TO CHILDREN THROUGH AGE 10. OUR MISSION IS TO SPARK A LOVE OF LEARNING SO THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN DISCOVER THEIR WILDEST DREAMS.WE HAVE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, TWO PERFORMANCE STAGES, AN OUTDOOR MAKER/ART STUDIO, AND A VARIETY OF EXHIBITS, GARDENS, AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. WE OFFER EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND HANDS-ON EXHIBIT EXPERIENCES TO SCHOOL GROUPS BOTH ONSITE AT THE MUSEUM AND OFFSITE VIA OUR MOBILE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. OUR WORKSHOPS AND EXHIBITS INCLUDE CUSTOMIZED CURRICULUM FOR CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH GRADE 5 AND ALIGN TO CALIFORNIA COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS, NEXT-GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS, CALIFORNIA VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS STANDARDS, AND CALIFORNIA PRESCHOOL LEARNING FOUNDATIONS. WE ALSO OFFER AFTER-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT IN ALL 17 PUBLIC ESCONDIDO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS DURING THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR. IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, SDCDM SERVED 77 SCHOOLS IN 9 DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. TIME SPENT AT SDCDM DEVELOPS CRUCIAL SKILLS SUCH AS CURIOSITY, CONFIDENCE, AND CREATIVITY, ALL OF WHICH HELP CHILDREN EXCEL IN LIFE. INTERACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND GUIDED PLAY ARE CRUCIAL AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED ELEMENTS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT. RESEARCHERS HAVE DETERMINED THAT LEARNING OCCURS BEST WHEN CHILDREN ARE MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, ENGAGED, AND SOCIALLY INTERACTIVE, AND WHEN THEY BUILD MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS TO THEIR LIVES. GUIDED EDUCATIONAL PLAY, WHICH WE DESIGN INTO ALL MUSEUM EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS, ACTIVELY ENGAGES CHILDREN BECAUSE IT IS FUN, FLEXIBLE, AND SELF-DIRECTED. YOUNGER CHILDREN LEARN DIFFERENTLY THAN OLDER CHILDREN AND ADULTS; PLAY IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE, HIGH-QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION. AT SDCDM, CHILDREN ARE GUIDED BY CAREGIVERS AND MUSEUM EDUCATORS WHILE PLAYING WITH EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS AND ACTIVITIES TO ENSURE THEY ARE PROGRESSING WITH LEARNING GOALS. SDCDM IS THE ONLY RESOURCE OF ITS KIND IN THE AREA, PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS ACROSS THE REGION.SDCDM IS A PLACE WHERE EDUCATORS AND PARENTS CAN SEE THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE LEARNED IN SCHOOLS, AND WHERE CHILDREN CAN LEARN TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE WORLD AROUND THEM. OUR MUSEUM PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPLORATION OF REAL-LIFE TOPICS IN SCIENCE, WORLD CULTURES, AND ARTS. WHEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE WORLD THROUGH PLAY AND EXPLORATION, CHILDREN BEGIN TO MAKE IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS TO THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENT, ENCOURAGING THEM TO START TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR LIVES AND THEIR WORLD. THESE IMPORTANT INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES ARE A CRUCIAL STEP IN THE EDUCATION PROCESS, ALLOWING CHILDREN TO MAKE CONCRETE CONNECTIONS WITH THE INFORMATION THEY ARE LEARNING.SINCE OUR INCEPTION IN 2000, WE HAVE OUTGROWN TWO FACILITIES. IN LATE 2011 WE MOVED INTO A 13,500-SQUARE-FOOT SPACE IN DOWNTOWN ESCONDIDO THAT INCLUDES A 6,000-SQUARE-FOOT EXPLORATION AND EXPERIMENTATION ZONE AND A 7,500-SQUARE-FOOT OUTDOOR DISCOVERY GARDEN. SINCE MOVING INTO OUR CURRENT LOCATION, ATTENDANCE INCREASED FROM 15,000 IN 2011 (IN OUR PREVIOUS FACILITY) TO 180,000 ANNUALIZED (THROUGH ALL SERVICES) PRIOR TO MARCH 2020.INCLUDED IN THAT ANNUALIZED ATTENDANCE, SDCDM SERVED 6,500 CHILDREN AND THEIR CAREGIVERS VIA OUR MOBILE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. WE BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO SUPPORTIVE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES SUCH AS THOSE OFFERED AT OUR MUSEUM - REGARDLESS OF FINANCIAL ABILITY. WE DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO HANDS-ON LEARNING BY PROVIDING FIELD TRIP AND MOBILE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM SCHOLARSHIPS TO ABOUT 6,000 CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND TITLE 1 SCHOOLS; DISCOUNTED ADMISSION TO ABOUT 10,000 ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY AND VETERAN FAMILIES AND FAMILIES RECEIVING EBT, WIC, AND SNAP BENEFITS; DISCOUNTED ANNUAL FAMILY MEMBERSHIPS TO ABOUT 1,000 FAMILIES THROUGH OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS; AND ABOUT 300 MEMBERSHIPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR CHECK-OUT IN LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, SOME LOCAL AND ALL COUNTY LIBRARIES, AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTERS. WE PROVIDE THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN KEEPING WITH OUR ACCESS-FOR-ALL INITIATIVE. IN MID-MARCH 2020, THE MUSEUM FACILITY AND ITS MOBILE UNITS' USER-SITES WERE REQUIRED BY STATE AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT MANDATE TO CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WITH NO LIKELIHOOD THAT A VACCINE WOULD BE AVAILABLE NEAR TERM, AND PRIOR TO THE GRANTING OF LIMITED PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP) LOANS THROUGH THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION PURSUANT TO THE CARES ACT, CERTAIN EMPLOYEES RELATED TO OPEN FACILITY OPERATIONS WERE FURLOUGHED. AS SOON AS AVAILABLE, MUSEUM MANAGEMENT VIGOROUSLY PURSUED, AND IN APRIL 2020 THE MUSEUM WAS GRANTED, A PPP LOAN OF $201,023. A SECOND PPP LOAN WAS GRANTED IN FEBRUARY 2021 OF $202,929. IN TERMS OF FEDERAL FUNDS, THE MUSEUM ALSO SECURED THE EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX CREDIT OF $126,000, OF WHICH $55,000 HAS BEEN RECEIVED TO DATE. SEPARATELY, WITH GENEROUS DONOR SUPPORT, MUSEUM MANAGEMENT SUCCESSFULLY SERVED OUR MISSION WHILE WE WERE SHUTTERED THIRTEEN MONTHS UP UNTIL WE REOPENED OUR OUTDOOR GARDEN IN APRIL 2021. DURING THE LAST YEAR, TO ASSIST PARENTS IN NEED OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT WHILE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS AND PRESCHOOLS WERE CLOSED, WE ADAPTED OUR SCHOOL AND FAMILY PROGRAMMING TO VIRTUAL PLATFORMS. WE LAUNCHED SUCCESSFUL HANDS-ON LEARNING KITS WHICH EITHER WERE STAND-ALONE OR COMPLEMENTED VIRTUAL PROGRAMS; THESE KITS WERE SHARED WITH SCHOOL PARTNERS AND DISTRIBUTED ACROSS 27 SAN DIEGO LIBRARIES. IN TOTAL, WE DISTRIBUTED 3,200 HANDS-ON ACTIVITY KITS TO SUPPORT YOUNG FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY. DURING THE 2020/21 SCHOOL YEAR, THROUGH VARIOUS SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS (CARLSBAD UNIFIED, OCEANSIDE UNIFIED, ESCONDIDO UNION, AND SAN MARCOS UNIFIED), WE SERVED 4,378 CHILDREN (OF WHOM 88% WERE FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES) VIA VIRTUAL SCHOOL WORKSHOPS. HONORING OUR CORE VALUE OF 'ACCESS-FOR-ALL', OUR FREE ONLINE PROGRAMMING VIA OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS REACHED A TOTAL OF 900,000 VIEWS WORLDWIDE, EXTENDING OUR REACH TREMENDOUSLY. DURING THE TIME WE WERE CLOSED, WE LAUNCHED A FEW REVENUE-GENERATING PROGRAMS BUT THE MAJORITY OF PROGRAMMING WAS FUNDED THROUGH PRIVATE FOUNDATION, FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY GRANTS. WE REOPENED OUR OUTDOOR DISCOVERY GARDEN IN APRIL 2021 WITH 25% VISITOR CAPACITY AND OUR MAIN EXHIBIT HALL IN JULY 2021, AGAIN WITH MEASURED CAPACITY AND WITH TIMED-TICKETING SERVICES. VISITOR TRAFFIC HAS BEEN SLOW TO RESUME BUT WE HAVE SEEN SOME POSITIVE MOMENTUM WITH THE RESTART OF EARNED REVENUE.IN LATE 2020, THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, ALONG WITH THE SUPPORT OF MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS, EMBARKED ON A STRATEGIC-PLANNING PROCESS WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IDENTIFYING A NEW MISSION, VISION, CORE VALUES, AND STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES ALL WITH A VIEW OF CREATING A CLEAR AND WELL DEFINED GROWTH MODEL FOR THE NEXT 7-10 YEARS. THIS INITIATIVE WAS COMPLETED IN JULY 2021; WE CURRENTLY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF OPERATIONALIZING THE PLAN. ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES OF DEVELOPING AND GROWING THE BOARD ARE ALSO UNDERWAY, WITH A VIEW OF EXTENDED DIVERSITY (IN ETHNICITY, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE) AT A GOVERNANCE LEVEL. AS THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, THE MUSEUM PLANS TO RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATIONS INCREMENTALLY AND CAUTIOUSLY. DIGITAL PROGRAMMING WILL CONTINUE, AS OVER THE LAST YEAR IT HAS SUCCESSFULLY RAISED THE PROFILE OF THE ORGANIZATION BEYOND ITS IMMEDIATE COMMUNITIES. MOBILE OPERATIONS WILL RESUME ONCE SCHOOLS ARE READY TO RECEIVE PARTNERS ON CAMPUS. WE BELIEVE EARNED REVENUE WILL BE SLOW TO RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SOURCE AS MANY FEDERAL AND OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AS POSSIBLE TO HELP US NAVIGATE PAST THE PANDEMIC.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2020 – Jun 30, 2021
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $811.5K

  • Early Childhood Educational Enrichment

    FOR OVER TWO DECADES, SDCDM HAS SHARED OUR MUSEUM SPACE WITH ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, MANY OF WHOM WOULD HAVE LITTLE TO NO ACCESS TO SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCES WITHOUT US. THE MUSEUM'S 13,000 SQUARE FEET OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR VITAL GUIDED PLAY AREAS, HANDS-ON LEARNING ACTIVITIES, AND TWICE- DAILY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS CREATE AN IDEAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR DEVELOPING AND REINFORCING CHILDREN'S EARLY FOUNDATIONAL FLUENCIES AND STEM LEARNING. OUR MOBILE MUSEUM ADDRESSES DISPARITIES OF EQUITABLE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES BY BRINGING SUPPLEMENTAL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUNG CHILDREN WHERE THEY ARE. THE PROGRAM BUILDS OVER 50 FOUNDATIONAL FLUENCIES AND HELPS DEVELOP CHILDREN'S COGNITIVE SKILLS, SOCIAL ABILITIES, AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING FROM THE EARLIEST CHILDHOOD YEARS WHEN IT MATTERS THE MOST. MOBILE WORKSHOPS FOCUS ON STEM AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS AND ALIGN WITH PRESCHOOL LEARNING FOUNDATIONS. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHILDREN WHO ENGAGE IN HIGH-QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES LIKE THOSE OFFERED BY SDCDM ARE MORE LIKELY TO ACHIEVE POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN THE LONG RUN. SDCDM EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AIM TO HELP CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, PREPARE TODDLERS FOR KINDERGARTEN, REMOVE TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS, AND IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR ALL PARTICIPATING CHILDREN.OVER THE YEARS, SDCDM HAS COLLECTED TESTIMONIALS, FEEDBACK, AND SURVEYS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHICH CITE THAT OUR FUN, SAFE, AND INCLUSIVE MUSEUM HAS BEEN LIKE A SECOND HOME FOR LOCAL FAMILIES. RESPONDENTS FREQUENTLY MENTION THAT THEY ARE VERY IMPRESSED WITH OUR STAFF AND FEEL STRONGLY THAT SDCDM IS HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE, FOCUSED ON COOPERATIVE PLAY, AND CONTRIBUTES TO EARLY SKILLS AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. TEACHERS OFTEN EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE FOR SDCDM EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND NOTE THAT WITHOUT US, STUDENTS AT THEIR SCHOOLS WOULD NOT RECEIVE ACCESS TO MUCH-NEEDED STEM RESOURCES AND SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES.DURING AN ALREADY CHALLENGING TIME WHERE FAMILIES HAVE EVEN FEWER RESOURCES THAN EVER AND ARE AT GREATER RISK OF MARGINALIZATION, SDCDM SEEKS TO BRIDGE THE GAP IN EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND ACCESS BY PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH HIGH-QUALITY, HANDS-ON EARLY STEM ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCES.THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, THE MUSEUM SERVED OVER 80,843 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ONSITE AND OVER 10,393 CHILDREN THROUGH OUR MOBILE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. WE PROVIDED ACCESS FOR ALL ADMISSIONS OR MEMBERSHIP TO 15,376 PATRONS, HOSTED 46 ONSITE SPECIAL EVENTS, INCLUDING FUN ANIMAL FRIDAY, BABY STORYTIMES, SUMMER SERENADES, NATURE NIGHT AND KPBS KIDS' EVENTS, AND DISTRIBUTED 10,300 STEM ACTIVITY KITS. 2,109,865 PEOPLE WERE REACHED THROUGH DIGITAL PLATFORMS: 1,460,808 THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, 508,526 THROUGH WEBSITE INTERACTIONS, AND 140,531 THROUGH VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING. EIGHT NEW MOBILE AND ONSITE EXHIBITS WERE ADDED INCLUDING MONEY SENSE, TORTOISE HABITAT AND CATERPILLAR COURSE. ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR INCLUDE:-EXPANDED OUR MOBILE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM FLEET TO FOUR VEHICLES.-70 NEW AND EXPANDED COMMUNTY PARTNERS INCLUDING UNITED WAY OF SAN DIEGO, JACOBS & CUSHMAN SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK, RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AND INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES, INC.-HOSTED FIRST EVER STEMPOSIUM WITH 100 EDUCATORS AND THOUGHT LEADERS IN EARLY EDUCATION AND STEM FIELDS-SERVED 1,751 STUDENTS THROUGH ONSITE FIELD TRIPS -DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF SENSORY FRIENDLY MORNINGS OFFERED - OVER 2,000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE-GREATLY EXPANDED OUR MOBILE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM PROGRAM THAT BRINGS CURRICULA-LED STEM AND ART WORKSHOPS AND EXHIBITS TO CLASSROOMS AND THE COMMUNITY.-SERVED 5 GRADE LEVELS THROUGH 10 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PARTNERS: MAAC, ESCONDIDO UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOYS & GIRLS CLUB, OCEANSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MORE.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2022 – Jun 30, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.6M