Former CEO of Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena, Michael Shanklin, will take the helm at kidSTREAM Children’s Museum in Ventura County.
From Building Community to Building a Museum
Over the past three years, kidSTREAM Children’s Museum has reached over 30,000 children and families across Ventura County through county-wide outreach and pop-up events at the museum’s future home. Since 2018, the organization has been in terms with the City of Camarillo to purchase the former library building on two-acres of land, where a portion of the space has been converted into a vision room where exhibits are prototyped and tested through hands on play by children during kidSTREAM’s pop up events. “The near-term plan for kidSTREAM would be to transition from a ‘pop up’ model into an operational children’s museum,” Michael Shanklin shared his interest in the project, “We are hoping that growing into an operational plan, or a phase two, will be an effective strategy for growth, and it’s a model that’s been used by many larger children’s museum as they grew in the same way.”
Shanklin Brings Experience and Expertise
While in Pasadena, Michael Shanklin led his team on a $13M capital campaign to rejuvenate the museum, significantly increasing attendance, earned revenue, and access for low to moderate income families. He held leadership positions with The Discovery Science Place and was on the senior leadership team for the $29M expansion of the Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum. Michael involves himself deeply in local and national causes, having served on the Association of Children’s Museum Board, the California Association of Museums, and the Smith County Child Welfare Board. He also volunteers his time as an American Alliance of Museums Peer Reviewer for the Museum Assessment Program.
“Michael has been part of kidSTREAM since we first incorporated as a nonprofit over three years ago,” said Kristie Akl, Board President at kidSTREAM. “We are thrilled to have someone of his stature and experience launching kidSTREAM into the next phase of development. This is not only a win for kidSTREAM, it’s a huge win for the children and families of Ventura County.”
For more information or to schedule a chance to meet Michael Shanklin and to see the vision for kidSTREAM, visit www.kidstream.org.
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