1. family and parenting
2. children

2011–12
Annual Report
The children’s museum that no one outgrows
Dear Madison Children’s Museum Members and Supporters,
W
e’re pleased to introduce the 2011–12 annual report
of Madison Children’s Museum (MCM), our first full
year at 100 N. Hamilton Street. If our opening year was
characterized by overwhelming crowds, this subsequent year was
marked by a “settling in” to our new home, with a growing appreciation
of how we can serve so many people beyond children and their
caregivers. Inspired by this potential, our Board of Directors adopted a
new vision for MCM:
To be the children’s museum that
no one outgrows.
Our dream is that no one outgrows their personal connection to
Madison Children’s Museum, regardless of age or background, because
we’ve explored the full range of opportunities to be relevant to all.
You’ll see in this report how we’ve become an essential resource
not only for kids, but also teens, young adults, seniors, and everyone
Board of Directors Chair Diane
Ballweg explores the Wildernest
with her three grandchildren.
in between! The biggest thrill of all was having this commitment
recognized through receipt of the 2011 National Medal for Museum
and Library Service, the “Olympic gold” of the museum world awarded
for outstanding community engagement.
This honor would not have been possible without you, our faithful
members and donors. We hope you never outgrow your love of
lifelong learning through play at Madison Children’s Museum—where
we seek to deliver the unexpected and are rewarded by the greatest
honor of all, your smiles and support!
Executive Director Ruth Shelly and her
daughter, Maggie, enjoy the museum’s
Pie in the Sky exhibit.
Gratefully,
Diane K. Ballweg
Ruth G. Shelly
Chair, Board of Directors
Executive Director
Thank you to our volunteer photographers whose work appears
in this report, and who give so generously of their time:
Austin Lentz, Tom Miller, Ka Lok O, and Jane Qualle.
Board of Directors
Diane Ballweg
Chair
Margaret “Peggy” Pyle
Vice-Chair
Jenny Krueger
Secretary
Dan Millmann
Treasurer
Kristine Sperling
Officer-at-Large
Anne Arnesen
Susan Bakke
Nathan G. Brinkman
Bill DeAtley
Penelope Gialamas
Elizabeth Norweb Greer
Tim Heinrich
Paul B. Higginbotham
Jeffrey Hirsch
Nick Jackson
Toya Whitaker Johnson
Tony Langenohl
James Laudon
José Madera
Tom Martorana
Adriana Mateus
Michelle Reddington
Sandra Schettl
Kristin Shadman, M.D.
Linda Slepica
Shelly Sprinkman
Mary C. Turke
Andy Wallman
Stephen Zanoni
Ruth G. Shelly
Executive Director
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org 2011–12 Annual Report
1
Bringing the National Medal to Wisconsin
I
n 2011, Madison Children’s Museum received a
once-in-a-lifetime honor—the 2011 National
Medal for Museum and Library Service. Only
five museums are selected each year, and we are
proud to be the first to bring the award home to
the state of Wisconsin.
Funds received from the award have been used
to support Access for Everyone, a program that
affords all individuals the opportunity to visit the
museum regardless of economic, physical, or other
barriers.
Given by the Institute of Museum and Library
Services, the National Medal is the nation’s highest
award for museums and libraries for extraordinary
civic, educational, economic, environmental, and
During a ceremony in Washington, D.C.,
Executive Director Ruth Shelly and Visitor
Services Associate Ben Perreth were on hand
to receive the 2011 National Medal award from
journalist and author Cokie Roberts and IMLS
Director Susan Hildreth. The medal was the
first won by any Wisconsin library or museum.
social contributions. Thanks to our members,
staff, sponsors, and donors for
making this extraordinary
achievement possible.
221,674
Fiscal year
attendance
2
2011–12 Annual Report MadisonChildrensMuseum.org Creating SPARK! for Seniors
O
ver the past year, SPARK! has provided
programming at MCM for more than 200
area older adults affected by Alzheimer’s
disease and other types of memory loss. MCM is
part of a regional SPARK! consortium with nine
other museums in Wisconsin and Minnesota working
together to help museums effectively welcome and
serve elders in their communities.
In 2011, SPARK! programming provided hands-on art
and gardening activities to area seniors with memory
loss, made possible by the Helen Bader Foundation.
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org 2011–12 Annual Report
3
Providing a Strong Start with SAPAR
D
uring the spring 2012 semester, Madison Children’s Museum
provided parent education programming to students in
Madison Metropolitan School District’s School Age Parent
Program (SAPAR). Teen mothers visited the museum with their infants
each week for play time and workshops focused on early childhood
development.
Each student received a
complimentary one-year
family membership
enabling them to continue
to use museum resources
and become part of the
MCM family.
Sapar’s 2011 educational activities for teen moms and their
children were made possible with assistance from the Robert &
Isabelle Bass Foundation.
4
2011–12 Annual Report MadisonChildrensMuseum.org Providing Access for Everyone
I
n 2011, Madison Children’s Museum held an Access
for Everyone fund drive, raising over $47,502. With
donations as small as a dollar, kids gave to help
other kids. These donations were essential in helping
the program continue to provide more than $214,000
in free and discounted admissions, memberships, and
school visits so that every child is able to visit and enjoy
the museum.
24,434
Access for Everyone
attendance
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org 2011–12 Annual Report
5
Diving in to Adult Swim
E
xhibit maker workshops, “nerdy” science talks,
sauerkraut-making—why should kids have
all the fun? During the past year, Madison
Children’s Museum played host to six Adult Swim
events for ages 21 and up, plus the first “Seniors Night”
for older adults in the community. These events
opened the museum to new audiences—including
many first-time visitors—and welcomed over 3,500 to
play and learn.
“Steampunk” and other themed Adult Swim
events helped bring in more than $40,000
in earned revenue to support museum
operations.
6
2011–12 Annual Report MadisonChildrensMuseum.org A Home for Living Lab Research
R
eplicating a model developed
by the Museum of Science
in Boston, the museum’s
new Living Lab is giving cognitive
scientists the opportunity to conduct
experiments at the museum, and then
talk with parents about their research.
One experiment researches whether
children can read body language to
see who is in charge. Another studied
how children decide with whom to
share. This research not only advances
understanding of how children learn,
but also offers graduate students from
the University of Wisconsin’s Waisman
Center professional development
opportunities to work in an alternative
research setting.
87
Program
collaborating
organizations
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org Early Learning Coordinator Cheryl
DeWelt demonstrates a “research
toy” that started as a Living Lab
experiment and now has been
adapted as a new play experience
for the museum’s Wildernest.
2011–12 Annual Report
7
Exhibit Projects
Growing UP on the Rooftop
Following an extensive visitor evaluation, the Rowland Rooftop Ramble
had major exhibit expansions during fiscal 2011–12. In addition to
redesigning the water feature to create a more dynamic waterfall and
adding a stone spiral maze at the rooftop’s entrance, the museum added
two climbing structures, the Acorn Climber and the Crow’s Nest.
For the winter months, the new Toddler
Ice Pond skating rink created a delightful,
seasonal element to the rooftop. On chilly
days, visitors can borrow outerwear from
the Cultural Coat Closet, and learn about
worldwide clothing traditions.
The new Crow’s Nest brings an
engaging lookout to the rooftop,
complete with a magnifying
viewer and colorful ship flags that
can be raised and lowered.
Designed in the shape of its
namesake, the Acorn Climber
allows for open-ended gross
motor activity for children of
all ages.
Possible-opolis™ Takes Off
In the past year, Madison Children’s Museum
collaborated with SONY and nuVibrations to
develop the Rock-It exhibit, a space aged rocket
ship that combines sound mixing and music making
to create out-of-this-world fun!
8
2011–12 Annual Report MadisonChildrensMuseum.org Community Concourse on Display
The DeAtley Community Concourse hosted nine separate exhibit changes
throughout the past year. Local artists John Hitchcock, Bird Ross, Zhou Hang
Tao, and Laurie Rossbach showcased their work in the Sidewalk Surprise exhibit
space. The popular Windows on the Past dress-up location featured four
seasonal changes of historical Montgomery Ward fashions. In addition, Madison
Children’s Museum collaborated with Middleton Alternative Senior High School
students to create Neighborhood Lens, a digital media exhibit designed to
explore the local arts and culture of Middleton-Cross Plains.
Only Local
As part of the Promising Practices Replication Award from MetLife Foundation and
Association of Children’s Museums, the museum’s exhibits team developed the
Only Local Toolkit website (greenexhibits.org/local). The new site helps children’s
This Neighborhood Lens
case incorporates interactive
QR codes to further engage
museum visitors.
museums around the globe develop strategies to work locally and sustainably in
their operations, exhibits, and programming.
StoryCorps
As part of our National Medal award, Madison Children’s Museum hosted
StoryCorps for three days in spring 2012. Thirty-six participants from all aspects of
the museum’s development retold their stories about the history of the museum,
from founders to staff to board and community partners.
Off-site Exhibit Services Launched
Infusing learning and fun into the community
while helping create revenue to support the
museum, a new Creative Services Division
kicked off in early 2012 with several offsite exhibitions for community clients. The
division’s inaugural exhibit was literally
launched at the Madison Mallard’s baseball field
with the Chicken Chucker.
The Chicken Chucker, a 600-pound steel crossbow,
lets local baseball fans test their precision by
flinging rubber chickens as far as 130 feet.
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org 2011–12 Annual Report
9
Donors
Each year, Madison Children’s Museum continues to connect children to their families, community,
and their wonder-filled world. Thankfully, this vision has been shared by individual, corporate, and
foundation supporters. Madison Children’s Museum is grateful to our committed donors for their
generous support in fiscal year 2012.
Corporate, Foundation,
Government, & Individual
*We thank these Annual Leaders
who have made multi-year pledges
of $5,000 or more to our annual
operating fund.
$25,000 and above
The Estate of Bonnie Berman
Institute of Museum and
Library Services
$10,000-$24,999
Robert and Isabelle Bass
Foundation, Inc.
Anne Bolz
Jan & William DeAtley
Google
Carroll Heideman*
Lois Krantz*
Jack Lussier
Madison Gas & Electric Foundation, Inc.
Charles & Sally Miley*
Monsanto Fund
Amy & Jerry Nickles*
Peggy & Tom Pyle
Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation
Jane & David Villa
Wells Fargo Bank
$5,000-$9,999
American Family Insurance
American Girl
Anonymous (2)
Berbee Technology Education
Foundation
Eliot Butler & Sara Cotton
Craig & Lea Culver Family and Culver’s
VIP Foundation
Dane Arts
Dean & St. Mary’s
Jane Doughty & David Wood
Walter A. & Dorothy Jones
Frautschi Trust
Aris & Marta Gialamas
10
2011–12 Annual Report The Gilkison Family Foundation
Richard Goldberg & Lisa Munro
Hausmann-Johnson Insurance, Inc.
J.H. Findorff & Son Inc.
The Madigan Family
Madison Avenue Worldwide, LLC
Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP
Middleton Tourism Commission
Dan Sidney & Naomi Chesler
Standard Process
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Sylvia & James Vaccaro
Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin
and the National Endowment
for the Arts
$2,500-$4,999
Alliant Energy Foundation
American Transmission Company
Benjamin Appen & Leslie Chang
Jim & Susan Bakke
BMO Harris Bank
CUNA Mutual Group
Nick & Rebecca Curran
Dentistry for Madison
Valerie & Dan Drye
Endres Manufacturing Company
John J. Frautschi Family Foundation
W. Jerome Frautschi
The Great Dane Pub & Brewing
Company, Inc.
Great Wolf Resorts, Inc.
Ho-Chunk Madison
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Al Lozier & Ann Schwede
The Madison Concourse Hotel
and Governor’s Club
Shawn & Colleen McGuire
Pam Murphy & Randy Grobe
Park Bank
Triumph Wealth Management, LLC
Uniek, Inc.
Urban Land Interests
US Bank
US Bankcorp Foundation
Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C.
$1,000-$2,499
Academy for Little Learners Inc.
Anonymous (2)
Anne Arnesen
Atterbury, Kammer & Haag, S.C.
Norman Bassett Foundation
Bell, Moore & Richter, S.C.
Boardman & Clark LLP
Buttonwood Partners, Chris Bugg & Greg Rademacher
Sue & Rich Clack
CN
Complete Mobile Dentistry, Inc.
Cresa
Marjorie Devereaux & David Hall
Andrew Engel
Penelope & Thomas Gialamas
The Gialamas Company, Inc.
Elizabeth & Jim Greer
Mary & Carl Gulbrandsen
Jana Gyurina & Glen Bever
Terry L. Haller
Katie & Matthew Hargrove
Curt & Dawn Hastings
Ideal Builders, Inc.
K-Line Trucking, Inc.
Terry & Mary Kelly
Knupp & Watson & Wallman
The Laufman Weinbach Group
José Madera & Kim Santiago de Madera
Thomas & Audrey Martorana
Adriana Mateus
McGladrey & Pullen, LLP
Dawn & Matthew Meier
Dan & Pam Millmann
Richard Moll
Monona Plumbing and
Fire Protection, Inc.
Mortenson Investment Group, LLC
Stephen Morton
Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Parks
Sherrie & Jerome Mullins
Murphy Desmond, S.C.
The Noel Group
Oak Park Dental
Optimist Club of
Downtown Madison, Inc.
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org Donors
Physicians Plus Insurance Corporation
Placon Corporation
Robin Provost
The QTI Group
Barb & Ben Scharpf
Marv & Judy Siegert
Mike & Linda Slepica
Daniel & Kristine Sperling
Shelly & Trey Sprinkman
St. Mary’s Hospital
Subway
The Suby Group
TJK Design Build, Inc.
UW Health
Jeff Venden
Vennsys LLC
WEA Trust
Webcrafters-Frautschi Foundation
Wegner LLP, CPAs & Consultants
Theran & Julie Welsh
Welton Enterprises
West Bend Mutual Insurance Company
WIPFLi LLP
Catherine Zdeblick
Jennifer & Bill Zorr
$500-$999
Matt & Samantha Apter
Amy Arenz
Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP
Heidi & John Bollinger
Jack & Marian Bolz
Peter & Gretchen Brown
Cheri & Brian Buckner
Cost Cutters of Madison
Karen & Alan Crossley
Dane County Environmental Council
John & Amy Dean
Jan Eddy
Engineered Construction, Inc.
EZ Office Products
Eve & Marc Galanter
Claire Gervais
Gingras, Cates & Luebke, S.C.
Gordon Flesch Company
Patricia Hackworthy
Paul & Vanessa Hees
Perry & Virginia Henderson
Donna & Jim Katen-Bahensky
Valerie & Andreas Kazamias
The Keller Family Charitable Trust
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org Herbert H. Kohl Charities
Ron & Deborah Krantz
Jenny & Jeffrey Krueger
Matt Kutz
Law Advisors, S.C.
Sandra & Allan Levin
Jay & Laura Liebe
Griff & Mary Beth Madigan
Madison South Rotary Foundation
Edward Meachen
Paul & Judith Moriarty
Dana Mosling
The North Central Group
Julie & Gerald Pavelich
Greg Pfluger & Connie McElrone
Marija & Jim Pientka
Rusty & Teresa Raatz
Gordon & Janet Renschler
The Roman Candle
James & Carol Ruhly
Jane & Robert Salinger
Leesa & Jesse Schlimgen
John & Mary Schroeder
Mary Ellyn & Joe Sensenbrenner
Ann & Lee Sensenbrenner, David &
Deborah Penn
Kristin & Shawyon Shadman
Ruth & Kevin Shelly
Weber L. Smith
Denes & John Tobie
John & Carol Toussaint
Nikki & Phil Tucker
Tim & Karen Weltzin
Wisconsin Distributors LLC
Pam & Clint Woodman
John & Linda Wright
Stephen & Dawn Zanoni
$250-$499
Suresh & Deborah Agarwal
Greg Anderson & Laura Peck
Anonymous
Richard & Alice Appen
Jeff & Debbie Armstrong
Todd & Dana Asmuth
Jessica Bartell & William Ehrhardt
William & Sylvia Beckman
Lisa M. Bender
Sandi & Louis Bernhardt
Jessica & Steven Beyler
Lilly & John Bickers
Christie Bourne & Jonathan Koch
Heidi & Howard Bregman
Julianne & Chad Brickl
Benjamin & Susan Brooks
Carole & Christopher Brown
Colleen & Ryan Burke
Peter & Colleen Chase
Heather Clefisch
Anne & Tim Connor
Megan & Nick Correll
Betty Custer & J. Corkey Custer
Timothy Deering & Diane MicalDeering
DEMCO, Inc.
Jane Englund
Debbie & Dale Evans
Mary Ann Fahl
Michael & Jane Ferris
Amy Flesch
James Flood
Gary M. Frings
Deirdre Wilson Garton
Leonard & Terrie Goren
James & Michelle Hackworthy
Thomas Haig
Wayne & Cindy Hammer
Lisa & Chad Hanmer
Jeff & June Hausmann
Kate & Patrick Heaney
Corrine & Kevin Hendrickson
Michelle & Justin Herman
Paul & Cora Higginbotham
Mark Hill & Sue Dentinger
Jeffrey Hirsch
Riley & Scott Hoselton
Jaclyn Hoveland
Hype Communications
Jennifer & Herb Ilk
Nick & Kristin Jackson
Amanda & Dan Jackson
Jeffrey John
Ben Johnson & Courtney Lenz
Cedric Johnson
Barbara Karlen
Matthew D. Karls, Ph.D.
Norma Tirado Kellenberger & Kevin
Kellenberger
Lissa Koop
Amy & Andy Kramer
Stacey & Sharon Kuipek
Amy & Mark Lanham
2011–12 Annual Report
11
Donors
Mary Carr Lee
Jim Lins & Patricia McKinney-Lins
Elizabeth Tucker Long & Christopher
Long
Kirstin & Joseph Lukasik
Marilyn & Guy Martin
Jeff Masciopinto & Sarah Groessl
Joe McCormick
Meyer Family Foundation
Donald Moynihan & Pamela Herd
Mona Muldowney
Brian & Amanda Mullen
Murphy Insurance Group
Gregory Nemet & Linda Briesemeister
Fawn & Jeremy O’Brien
Barbara Olson
Bonnie Orvick
Ted & Julia Peterson
Perry & Bethney Pickhardt
Holly & Michael Pomraning
Jason & Heather Potter
Kelly Prescott & Matt Prescott
Anna Purnell & Greg Smith
William A. Raabe
Tracy & Ross Radel
Sheryl Renslo
Sverre Roang
Jonathan Rozenfeld & Jill Korey
Leah & William Sandholm
Karthikeyan Sankaralingam
Stephanie Schanel
Sandra & Steven Schettl
Susan Schmitz & Gary Peterson
Todd Schwanke
Sekelsky Family Fund
Pete & Audrey Shay
Joyce Siefering
Eric Siegal & Jeanne Howard
Dennis Lund & Cynthia Spencer
Sprinkman Real Estate
Bambi & John Statz
Ken Strasma & Karisa Johnson
Anne N. Stoelting
Terra Experience
Rebecca Thousand & Eric Anderson
Ann & Russ Tieman
Chad Torkelson & Sarah Evans
John & Sharon Torrens
Amy & Shane Tracy
Mary C. Turke
12
2011–12 Annual Report Michael Urso
Homer & Elaine Vick
Carol Viviani
Ellen & Arnold Wald
Jim & Mary Wartinbee
Kimberley & Michael Waterfield
Patricia Baer-Watts & Jerry Watts
Faith Windsor-Leonard
Kari Wisinski
James & Mary Yeager
Sansun Yeh
Carmine Zarlenga
Tom & Marykay Zimbrick
Jonathan & Jennifer Zuk
In-Kind Contributions
Ale Asylum
American Girl
American Girl Benefit Sale Volunteers
American Printing
The AT&T Real Yellow Pages
Backflip Films
Ballweg Automotive Group
Bauch Wealth Management
Bishops Bay Country Club
The Bull at Pinehurst Farms Golf Course
First Choice Dental Group
Nancy Forster
Google
The Great Dane Pub & Brewing
Company, Inc.
Chulee Hallick
Hamilton Wood Type & Printing
Museum
Gordon P. Hanson
Harbor Athletic Club
Paul & Cora Higginbotham
Intercontinental Milwaukee
Johnny Delmonico’s
Kollege Klub
Learning Shop
John & Holly Madigan
The Madison Concourse Hotel and
Governor’s Club
Madison Gas & Electric Foundation, Inc.
Madison Handymen
Madison Mallards
Mansion Hill Inn
Maple Bluff Country Club
Middleton Fire Department
Milwaukee Bucks
Nakoma Golf Club
Nutzy Mutz & Crazy Catz
Oak Park Dental
Odana Hills Dental
Pepsi-Cola of Madison
Prairie Athletic Club
The Roman Candle
Joyce Siefering
Matthew Sintchak & Melissa Reiser
Mike & Linda Slepica
Steep & Brew
Subway
Roy Vivian
Wisconsin Distributors LLC
yp.com
Zander’s Interiors, Inc.
Tribute Gifts
Drew Buan
Ted & Virginia Cardon
Roland DuPuis
Candy Gialamas
Richard Read “Nick” Graebel
Rozelle Henkel
Jackson & Truman Mankowski
Melvin & live Moore
Laura Mueller
The Ness/Rafferty Family: Peter, Jill, Truman,
and Baxter
Ted & Sande Richards
Dean & Carol Schroeder
Harrison Straka
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org Fund for the Future
We thank the following who contributed to our Fund for the
Future Endowment for their leadership and commitment.
Their gifts will be invested in perpetuity and the investment earnings will be used to
create innovative programs and exhibits to inspire children and adults of all ages to
explore, create, discover and learn in the years to come.
The DeAtley Family Foundation
Diane K. Ballweg
W. Jerome Frautschi
Anonymous
Jim & Sue Bakke
Madison Community Foundation
Peggy & Tom Pyle
Sylvia & James Vaccaro
Joe & Mary Ellyn Sensenbrenner Family
Joyce Siefering
Fun with Numbers
805
Education
programs
1,400
Eggs laid by
rooftop chickens
86
Adult artists
that exhibited in
the Art Gallery
8,270
Estimated
off-site
program visitors
375
School
groups
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org 21,423
Volunteer
Hours
300
Varieties of
vegetables and herbs
grown
and tasted on
the roof
2011–12 Annual Report
13
Income and Expenses
TO
TO
TA L
9, 7
I N CO M E : 3 , 0 1
76
, 75
TA L
EXPENSES: 3,818
7
Complete 2011-12 audited financial statements are available at MadisonChildrensMuseum.org.
14
2011–12 Annual Report MadisonChildrensMuseum.org Help us bake a bigger pie!
I
f you look at the pie charts on
the preceding page, you’ll notice
that expenses exceed income by
$781,981. That shortfall was caused, in
part, by depreciation and other noncash expenses detailed in our audit.
However, our income pie was still not
large enough, and $410,325 remains as
an operating deficit for 2011–12.
The good news is that Madison
Children’s Museum’s Board of
Directors approved a 2012–13
operating budget surplus to offset
the 2011–12 deficit, resulting in a net $0
budget over two fiscal years.
Won’t you help us reach our fundraising goals?
Your contributions are essential in advancing our vision to be the children’s museum that no one outgrows.
Whether we’re serving a toddler, student, young adult, or senior, your gift ensures that lifelong learning will
continue at Madison Children’s Museum for many years to come.
Consider making a small regular donation through our convenient monthly giving program. Attend and
bring your friends to our festive special events, or make a significant impact through our Circle for Children
and major donor initiatives.
For more information about our range of giving opportunities, please call 608.354.0534, or donate online at
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org.
Thank you!
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org 2011–12 Annual Report 15
July 2011-June 2012 Awards
2012 AIA Wisconsin Design Merit Award
2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service
from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Madison Magazine’s Best of Madison Gold Award
for Best Museum
Wisconsin American Institute of Architects 2012
Owner Award
Wisconsin Art Education Association’s Celebrating
Youth Art Month Award
Connecting children with their families,
their communities, and the world beyond
through discovery learning and creative play
100 N Hamilton Street, Madison, WI 53703
608.256.6445
MadisonChildrensMuseum.org