Annual Report 2022

2022 ANNUAL REPORT

PLEASE TOUCH MUSEUM

A LETTER FROM MUSEUM LEADERSHIP Dear Friends of Please Touch Museum, I think I can—I think I can—I think I can…

This familiar phrase from the classic children’s tale The Little Engine that Could just may have been the unspoken mantra of Please Touch Museum during fiscal year 2022.

With each passing month, we witnessed the return of visitors who were seeking learning experiences for their children whose childhoods and social-emotional development opportunities were interrupted during the pandemic. Our dedicated team worked tirelessly to expand programs and opportunities for families to learn through play together — a hallmark of Please Touch Museum.

We made investments in exhibits, immersive programming, public health and education, and access, assuring all children can experience the magic and wonder of Please Touch Museum.

• We reopened the supermarket exhibit, doubling its size so children can learn about the journey of food from source, to store, to home, to community.

• We activated school field trips.

• We welcomed over 80,000 visitors to the Museum for free or reduced admission with Community Days, First Wednesdays, and Play Without Boundaries, our program for families with neurodiverse children.

• We launched our Kindergarten Readiness Program to support social-emotional skill development for children entering kindergarten.

• We increased our cultural programming to celebrate the vibrant communities and families in Philadelphia and beyond.

The resiliency of the Museum, and our commitment to changing a child’s life as they discover the power of learning through play, would not be possible without the passion of our PTM team and the generosity of individuals, funders, and the philanthropic community who continue to recognize the importance of investing in early childhood learning opportunities for all children, as we work towards a brighter tomorrow.

Thank you for joining us in our journey.

Yours In Play,

Patricia D. Wellenbach President & CEO

Christine Campbell Chair, Board of Trustees

INVESTMENTS IN EXHIBITS:

A GIANT Reimagination!

After 18 months of planning, development, and construction, Please Touch Museum reopened one of its most beloved exhibits on December 15, 2021.

Food & Family, brought to you by GIANT, expanded the traditional children’s museum grocery store experience to increase multigenerational visitor engagement and approach learning through play in an entirely new way.

In the reimagined exhibit, children explore an open-ended learning landscape. Through three interconnected zones, children discover the journey of food from source to gathering place and its importance in cultures, communities, and traditions. The experience inspires children to be part of a multicultural community while using their imagination through creative role-playing opportunities.

In addition to “shopping” the aisles in the grocery store, children can also become “employees” in the store, wearing specially marked aprons and providing customer service as a stock person, checkout cashier, or working in the in-store pizzeria.

With food “purchased” in the grocery store, children work together in a hybrid home and industrial kitchen to prepare food to share with others in the festival area. There, friends and neighbors come together for a block party — complete with a grilling station, a food vendor cart, and game tables with tic-tac-toe and checkers.

After all, food is more festive when we enjoy it with friends.

$1.3M INVESTMENT

3,650 SQUARE FEET

3,500 PROPS ROTATE IN THE EXHIBIT

Food & Family was made possible by a $1.2 million gift by The GIANT Company and $100,000 from Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr.

INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITY:

Public Health Event Series

What began as a simple idea — to host COVID-19 vaccine clinics at the Museum — quickly grew into a full-fledged public health event series impacting nearly 10,000 people.

4

FREE COMMUNITY DAYS NEARLY

10,000 VISITORS

20

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

52%

COVID-19 VACCINES TO CHILDREN UNDER AGE 5

In the summer of 2022, PTM hosted Ready, Set, School, a series of four free community days designed to support families in getting their children prepared to learn in the fall.

Sponsored by Independence Blue Cross, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation, and Keystone First, the Museum partnered with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to serve as the official vaccine partner, which administered 276 COVID-19 vaccines.

Each Community Day offered a vaccine clinic and centered on a wellness theme: Eating for Energy, Healthy Smiles, Understanding Feelings, and Bust a Move. Twenty community partners supported the public health event series, providing engaging programming, access to vital health-related resources and information, and offering giveaways to families in attendance.

Visitors engaged in programming on the importance of exercise and good nutrition; learned how to express feelings through art-making; practiced mindfulness meditations; participated in storytimes facilitated by child therapists; and discovered how food provides energy for the body so children can be ready to learn in school.

{Stats in sidebar}

INVESTMENTS IN KINDERGARTEN READINESS:

Early Pilot Results

$1 Million in Federal Funding

•

55% - 78% increase in school-readiness skills

•

88% participants reported creating a reading nook at home

•

94% caregivers read allowed to children a few times per week

“ It’s never too early to start preparing our youngest minds for the future, and that’s exactly what the Please Touch Museum is doing.”

UNITED STATES SENATOR BOB CASEY, JUNE 2022

After meeting with families participating in the final cohort of the Museum’s pilot Kindergarten Readiness Experience (KRE), a research-based program that partners with families to help young children develop social-emotional skills needed to navigate the transition to kindergarten, Senator Casey announced a $1 million investment to advance strategic priorities for the program from 2022-2024.

The Kindergarten Readiness Experience addresses several crucial issues facing families with young children in Philadelphia, including the lack of socialization opportunities before entering formal learning environments and access to high-quality early childhood learning programs. Foundational to the program’s development was recognizing the adult caregivers — parents, grandparents, foster parents, or other parental figures — as their child’s first teacher and celebrating them for the critical role they play in their child’s future.

The initial research and pilot program for KRE in 2019-2021 was made possible through support of Vanguard’s Strong Start for Kids Program. The $1 million in federal funding through a U.S. Department of Education grant will support the Museum’s Phase 2 expansion, which includes external research and evaluation. The funding also supports deepening and expanding PTM’s partnerships with Philadelphia schools and teachers.

This transformational federal funding will allow the Museum to continue its work as the third place for learning, where families can gather to grow and learn together.

EARLY PILOT RESULTS

5578%

INCREASE IN SCHOOLREADINESS SKILLS

88%

PARTICIPANTS REPORTED CREATING A READING NOOK AT HOME

94%

CAREGIVERS READ ALOUD TO CHILDREN A FEW TIMES PER WEEK

INVESTMENTS IN PROGRAMMING AND EXPERIENCES:

The Importance of Learning through Play

FY22 VISITATION

265,173 TOTAL VISITORS

30%

FREE OR REDUCED ADMISSION VISITORS, EQUALING $1.6M IN COMMUNITY BENEFIT

6,167

TOTAL MEMBER FAMILIES

8,046

FIRST WEDNESDAY VISITORS

As more families returned to the Museum after its extended closure in 2020-21, PTM increased its programming for fun, for learning, and for all.

Traveling exhibits explored cherished memories from the past and modern classics of today. The Wizard of Oz Educational Exhibit opened in October 2021, exploring themes of bravery, kindness, and personal character.

In February 2022, things became wonderfully wacky as visitors manipulated crazy chain-reaction contraptions built to complete simple tasks in overcomplicated ways inspired by the work of Rube Goldberg, in Rube Goldberg: The World of Hilarious Invention! exhibit.

In June 2022, children wore lab coats and wielded stethoscopes as they cared for the animals in the Toy Hospital while learning about health habits, compassion, and nurturing care as part of Disney Junior’s Doc McStuffins: The Exhibit.

The Museum welcomed the return of school groups for its guided field trip programs, along with First Wednesdays sponsored by TD Charitable Foundation, when the Museum extends its hours into the evening with $2 admission after 4 pm.

Throughout the year, the Museum celebrated the diversity of cultures and communities. Special programming featured artists, performers, and storytellers, who provided engaging learning experiences, recognizing Black History Month, Lunar New Year, Holi, Pride, Juneteenth, and more.

FINANCIAL REVIEW The Museum was open six days a week during FY 2022 and saw a 327% increase in visitation over FY 2021.

PTM’s Community Benefit program, offering free or reduced Museum admission through free Community Days, Museums For All/ACCESS, First Wednesday, Play Without Boundaries, and Blue Star, saw an increase of 336% over FY 2021, accounting for 30% of Museum visitation in FY 2022.

Earned revenue in FY 2022 covered 63% of operating expenses — compared to only 38% during FY 2021.

The Museum spent $400,000 in education, programming, and exhibits costs during the year.

Cash and equivalents were $6.6M in FY 2022, compared to $7.3M in FY 2021. The Museum also received $319K in employee retention tax credits (ERTC). The Museum received grants and contribution pledges of $1.6M and a second Paycheck Protection Program loan was forgiven.

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FY 2022

Revenue & Support, Expenses, and Assets MUSEUM REVENUE & SUPPORT

31% 49%

Revenue & Support $9,717,788

FY21

Admissions

$3,035,413

$998,270

Memberships

$982,098

$288,207

Fees for Special Events

$706,893

$496,998

$8,247

$124,134

COVID Related Funding

$733,942

$718,814

Investment Income

$(543,943)

$570,864

Donated Goods/Services

$24,669

–

Grants & Contributions

$4,770,469

$1,642,506

Total Revenue

$9,717,788

$4,839,793

Other Items

10% 8%

FY22

7%

MUSEUM EXPENSES

5% 17%

Program Service

$7,134,966

$4,784,435

Management & General

$1,553,585

$1,051,194

$491,002

$410,493

Total Expenses

$9,179,553

$6,246,122

Change in Net Assets Before Other Items

$538,235

$(1,406,329)

Fundraising

Expenses $9,179,553 78%

NET ASSETS

Beginning of Year

$31,968,315

$33,374,644

End of Year

$32,506,550

$31,968,315

PLEASE TOUCH MUSEUM

FY 22 Donors

INDIVIDUAL DONORS Our sincere gratitude for the contributors who supported Please Touch Museum between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022.

$100,000+

$5,000-$9,999

$1,000-$4,999

Anonymous Patricia D. Wellenbach and Lawrence G. McMichael

Angeline Arumainayagam David M. Davis Samantha Funk and Christian Hampson Judith and Scott Hartzell Arianna O. and Nicholas Lewko Lisa and Greg Millhauser Beth and Edgar Miranda Cathy and Henry Nassau Christyn L. Rossman and Jason Poore Tracey and Chris Santilli Matt Simon Portia Hamilton-Sperr The Tevah Fund, Judy and Ken Weinstein Jessica and Gabriel Weissman

Willo Carey and Peter A. Benoliel Harris T. Bock Sharon and Kevin Coghlan Robert Cohen Ashley Davis Mary and Howard Hurtig Kate and Julian Jiggins Carol Johnson Maggie and Alan Kaplan Harsinie Panditaratne and Matthew Morgan Martha and Duncan Pitcairn Meagan and Osman Sheikh Mengmeng Shen Julie Sloan Ivy Silver and Steven Leshner Shanna and Tyson Sowell Sally and Lee Stetson The Vincent Family Education Fund, Margaret O. and Fred C. Vincent Virginia “Ginny” Palmieri Family Fund Waterman Family Foundation, Joe and Jolly Waterman Lisa and Paul Yakulis Pamela Zimmerman

$25,999-$99,999 Beth Rohlfing and Richard L. Tewksbury

$10,000-$24,999 Chris Campbell and Bill Massa Karen Griffith Gryga Carole Haas Gravagno Kristen and David Han Meghan and Benjamin Johnson Christine and Brian Lobley Aisling Murphy Family of Portia Sperr Tina and Shawn Tuli Jennifer and Timothy Vecchiarelli

$500-$999

$100-$499

Anonymous Elinor and James Buck Sarah Burke and Takanori Ishizuka Petersen Curt and Kirsten Johnson Jane and Vincent Firth Samantha Gibb Roff Karla Leavens and Robert Lee May and Ray Massa Bruce Meyer Jacqueline Morrill and Samuel Donahue Charlene Palmisano Gregory Parson Mimi Sweeney Jihye Tahk and Matt Thomas Michael Walker Valerie and Roger Wood

Mary S. and Peter Austen Pablo Azar Barry Becker Scott Berger Elisa and Jeffrey Bowley Joanna Brinton John Bunzel Elizabeth Carmalt Karen and Francis Ciccarino Lucia Rose and Michael Colvin Kirk Dorn Muhammad Durrani Karen Elinich Aletheia Fin Barry and Carlos Friswold-Colon Susan and Glenn Fuir Joyce and Sidney Gamburg Colby Garber Laura Geller and Matthew Courtin Ravi Gill

Patrick Grecco Joe Heck Katherine H. Hovde and Kenneth M. Kulak Sarah Kloss and Hari Palaiyanur Nancy and Roy Kolb Gail and Jeffrey Krimstock Kate Loesch Kate Malgieri and Jennifer Lorenzon Mindy and Larry Nadel Sara Nerken Nicole Ochroch Susan W. and Robert Peck Shelly Power Adam Rom Emily and Suby Ross Ralph R. Smith Laura and Andrew Sparks Corinne Stahl Danielle Sutherland Sarah Vahlstrom

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT $250,000-$499,999

$10,000-$24,999

$1,000-$2,499

The Albert M. Greenfield Foundation The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage

AmerisourceBergen Service Corporation Bassetts Ice Cream Company The Benevity Community Impact Fund The Blackbaud Giving Fund Bloomberg Philanthropies Five Below Keystone First PNC Bank, National Association Schwab Charitable Fund TD Bank Tierney

BBD, LLP Bellevue Strategies, LLC Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath Financial Communications Society IBM Corporation Jim Roche Real Estate Team Kaplan Partners Kevin Luchko Lending Team Major Media LLC The Philadelphia Foundation Philadelphia Zoo Tompkins Insurance Agencies, Inc. United Way of Alabama USI Insurance Services Vanguard Charitable Vanguard Group Foundation Visit Philadelphia

$100,000-$249,999 National Endowment for the Humanities

$50,000-$99,999 Bank of America Independence Blue Cross Independence Blue Cross Foundation

$25,000-$49,999 Bimbo Bakeries USA PECO Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission TD Charitable Foundation

$2,500-$9,999 Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Core Paricipant Network Deloitte & Touche LLP Dilworth Paxson LLP Fidelity Charitable Fulton Bank The GIANT Company The Glenmede Trust Ladies Aid Society of the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center Osage Industries Inc. Philadelphia Eagles Signature 57 Talcott Administration Services Company

BOARD OF TRUSTEES & COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL

October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022

Board of Trustees Christine Campbell, Chair Shawn Tuli, Vice Chair Kristen D. Han, Secretary Donna Saul Millen, Treasurer & COO Patricia D. Wellenbach, President & CEO MEMBERS Angeline Arumainayagam David M. Davis Samantha Funk Karen Griffith Gryga Arianna Orpello Lewko Amy Lim Greg Millhauser Christyn L. Rossman Tracey Santilli Matt Simon Richard (Dick) Tewksbury, Jr. Timothy Vecchiarelli Gabriel (Gabe) Weissman EMERITUS Elizabeth B. Cartmell Sharon Coghlan, Esq. Anne Hamilton Gie Liem Portia Sperr, Founder, Please Touch Museum

Community Advisory Council Ron Allen Shakia Boulware Mike Burch Robert Buscher Cathy Cahill Roberta & Alfonzo Connor Calla Cousar Ruby Davis Evon Delee Julia Diggs Pam Evans Lorraine Gomez Cass Green

Falena Hand Monica Harmon Tina Harris Rachel Honore Lucinda Hudson John Jordan Charlene Mills Pastor Joe E. Nock Deion Payton Derrick Pratt Chris Spahr Kelly Thomas Dwayne Walker Alice Wright Yuka Yokoyama

4231 Avenue of the Republic Philadelphia, PA 19131 PleaseTouchMuseum.org

Please Touch®, Please Touch Museum®, The Children’s Museum of Philadelphia, Where Learning is Child’s Play and Science All Around Us are registered trademarks of Please Touch Museum.

A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylavnia Department of State by calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1.800.732.0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. Please Touch Museum® is a non-profit organization and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. © Please Touch Museum