Event Details

Join us on February 10, 2024 from 6-9pm for our second annual Night at the Museum event to experience a "Wisconsin State of Mind" at Explore Children's Museum! Night at the Museum is our nonprofit's biggest fundraiser of the year - an opportunity for our community to fund our mission to provide meaningful opportunities, inspire participation in purposeful play, and promote lifelong learning. Night at the Museum is a fun and fabulous adult-only evening of socializing with friends, old and new, at Explore Children's Museum where adults have fun playing too! This year's Night at the Museum will feature Wisconsin trivia with The Traveling Cheesehead, a silent auction, paddle raise, heavy hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, and a specialty cocktail - brandy Old Fashioneds of course! 

Explore Children's Museum serves children, their caregivers and our community. Our mission is to provide meaningful opportunities, inspire participation in purposeful play, and promote lifelong learning. To accomplish our mission we create opportunities for individuals to take an active role in learning environments that inspire creativity, exploration, engagement, shared learning, collaboration, communication, critical thinking skills and fun.

 “The first five years have so much to do with how the next 80 turn out,” said Bill Gates. Early educational opportunities are critical in shaping outcomes for our children. Federal, state and local governments invest so little in early childhood education, so the nonprofit sector tries to fill the gap. Explore Children’s Museum was created to do just that. Intended for children under 9 years old, a crucial window in childhood development, our space offers 15 permanent and rotating interactive exhibits that cover a wide range of interests and skill sets. Each exhibit helps children develop executive function, problem solving, collaboration, creativity, self confidence, independence, and self-regulation. These are critical for lifelong success and must be intentionally developed.

Accessibility is a priority. We welcome all visitors. We use a need-based fee system for daily admission and membership for visitors with financial constraints. We have a quiet room to support visitors that experience sensory overload, an adult-sized changing table in the bathroom, and Accommodation Kits with headphones and sensory tools for visitors who need support to enjoy the museum. 

Explore Children's Museum charges $8/person for admission, but spends $11/person to operate. As a nonprofit organization created to fill a gap, we hesitate to raise rates on our earned income from admissions, membership fees, parties, field trips and programming to fully support our operating expenses. Raised rates would put undue pressure on families and groups who rely on access to the museum. We were developed and remain fully committed to the principle that early childhood education is critical for academic readiness and success, physical and mental health, and the development of children into adults who are prepared to meet the challenges they will face. 

All children should have access to opportunities to thrive. Our children are our collective future and we serve them, and our communities, best when we invest in them early in childhood.

Event Sponsors

We are SO grateful to our wonderful sponsors!

Night at the Museum Presenting Sponsor

Night at the Museum Silver Sponsors