As adults, many of us recall exploration and play as our earliest teachers: the thrill of climbing a tree while a parent stood close by, searching for shells and lost treasures on a beach, or watching in fascination as potato bugs rolled and ants marched in a line. For the Milwaukee area’s youngest children, the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum (BBCM) offers that same kind of hands-on, exploratory learning through interactive exhibits designed to fuel their imaginations while helping them develop essential skills.
While many children’s museums had modest beginnings as traveling experiences or located in tucked-away spaces like post office or schoolhouse basements, BBCM has called Milwaukee’s downtown lakefront home since opening its doors in 1995. Looking ahead, museum leaders have envisioned a larger site as the organization’s next chapter – one that can better serve children through expanded programs, exhibits, and administrative space. With the museum’s lease from the Milwaukee Art Museum set to expire in 2032, early planning for the transition has begun. That work has included consultant studies to identify visitor preferences and branding opportunities, research, and consultation with other children’s museum leaders.
This study was commissioned by BBCM to provide insight on potential paths forward in the areas of children’s museum exhibits, programming, capital campaigns, building relocations and renovations, and sustainable financial access practices. Our research examines how BBCM’s visitor numbers and demographics, programming, exhibits, operating budget, and revenues compare with peer institutions nationally. We also explore how peer institutions have developed new or expanded facilities in recent years, how they raised the capital funding to do so, and spatial characteristics of the buildings they developed.
Our analysis examined quantitative and qualitative information from BBCM and six peer institutions from across the United States that were selected based on criteria such as visitor numbers, recent relocation or major renovation experience, and population demographics. The peer institutions included museums in Buffalo, NY; Denver, CO; Pittsburgh, PA; Madison, WI; New Orleans, LA; and Kansas City, MO. Research was conducted in 2025 and drew on museum websites, interviews, annual reports, audited financial reports, and other information provided by the participating institutions.
Milwaukee County has a vibrant arts and culture scene that could be further enriched by a children’s museum with expanded offerings and broader regional appeal. An enhanced museum could also serve as a strategic partner in early childhood learning for families and educators. We hope this report is useful to BBCM leaders and stakeholders as they chart their next phase.