With a focus on arts and STEM education, child health and wellness, emerging language and literacy, and environmental sustainability and stewardship, Kidzu Children’s Museum inspires children and the adults in their lives to learn through creative, purposeful play.
Kidzu’s vision is to be a national model of excellence as a community-centered children’s museum. That is, to effectively serve, celebrate and reflect the community through unique, play-based experiential exhibits and programs that promote 21st century skill-building and family engagement.
Kidzu’s Core Values
Creativity
Kidzu is built on the premise that nurturing a child’s creativity will build confidence, lead to innovative problem-solving, and position a child for adult success.
Collaboration
Kidzu believes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and that collaboration results in bolder impact. We encourage collaboration through the design of our activities, and we practice collaboration internally and externally in all of our work.
Community
Kidzu believes that a children’s museum serves as an integral community hub for children, families and those who care about them. Children’s museums level the playing field, with inclusivity at the core of their philosophy. At Kidzu every child is valued, every family is welcome and diversity is celebrated.
Sustainability
Kidzu is committed to an agile and sustainable infrastructure while meeting museum goals and the changing needs of the community we serve. Our business model and organizational culture reflect a dedication to service and to sound financial stewardship.
Play as Lifelong Learning
Kidzu is founded on the premise that through play, children learn. The learning process is infinite, and we believe that age is irrelevant when it comes to discovery, engagement and enjoyment. No matter what your age, there is always something interesting and new to explore at Kidzu.
Research + Best Practices
Kidzu embraces research as a guiding tool to create our visitor experience and to inform our community on everything related to the healthy development of the whole child. We invest time and resources to ensure the implementation of the museum best practices in all that we do.
Kidzu Children’s Museum employs over 25 full-time and part-time staff members, and several volunteers and interns. We partner with more than 100 community organizations who provide our visitors access to a realm of sensory experiences. Kidzu Children’s Museum wouldn’t be here without the support of our friends and neighbors. The museum has always relied heavily on students from UNC Chapel Hill and area high schools to keep Kidzu running on a day to day basis. Kidzu prides itself on being a starter job for young people to help prepare them for entry into the workforce after college.
Annual Reports
Kidzu Children’s Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Recent Press Releases
May 9, 2023 | Kidzu invites your whole family to celebrate the possibilities of the museum’s expansion
March 27, 2023 | Kidzu Children’s Museum leads families through interactive reasoning games at March 31st “Let’s Talk About It” session
February 24, 2023 | Kidzu Children’s Museum is celebrating its 17th birthday with a museum-wide party on March 5th, 2023
November 22, 2022 | Kidzu Children’s Museum officially opens its new early learning environment, The Nest, designed for children ages 0-3 and their caregivers
November 7, 2022 | Kidzu Children’s Museum celebrates GivingTuesday, joining millions around the world participating in the global generosity movement on November 29, 2022
Kidzu in the News
CBS17
Awards
Best Museum | Chapel Hill Magazine Readers’ Favorites (2021 – 2023)
Best Place to Host a Children’s Birthday Party | Chapel Hill Magazine Readers’ Favorites (2021 – 2023)
Best Summer Camp | Chapel Hill Magazine Readers’ Favorites (2023)
#1 Best Children’s Museum Near Heather Glen, NC | Zaubee.com (2023)
3rd Place: Top Places to Take Kids in the Research Triangle | KidsOutAndAbout.com (2022)
The History of Kidzu
We are planning to expand to a much larger site in the next few years. Read on to learn more about where we’ve been, what we’re up to, and where we’re headed.