Our Story
The Children’s Creativity Museum (originally Zeum) was founded through a downtown San Francisco community development effort in the 1990s. Our 25+ years operating at the cross-section of art, design, and innovation infuses a “look - and please touch!” experience rarely found in traditional museums. By providing a safe environment for children to engage in play-based learning, explore their curiosities, and tackle hands-on design challenges, we build essential creative confidence and collaboration skills.
We serve as a gathering place for families from diverse backgrounds and our Yerba Buena neighborhood is one of California’s 14 cultural districts (SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District). When our community gathers to play, creativity and collaboration follows regardless of race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, or income.
Our Mission
The mission of the Children's Creativity Museum is to nurture creativity and collaboration in all children and families. We believe that creative expression, innovation, and critical thinking are core to fostering the next generation.
We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3), community-based organization. Our Tax ID is 94-3178735.
Our Educational Philosophy
We infuse all of our educational programming with our “Imagine-Create-Share” creativity cycle. Our staff faciliate deeper learning that promotes engagement and collaboration through playful learning. From animation, crafting, and theater games to science experiments and design challenges, our suite of play experiences encourages children to explore their passions, express their emotions, problem-solve, work together in teams, and develop their own sense of agency to support lifelong learning.
Our theory of change (shown below) nurtures children’s creative confidence through thoughtfully-designed activities, interactions with caring adults using open-ended inquiry, and sufficient time (20+ minutes per activity) to get into creative “flow.” We can't wait to Imagine-Create-Share with you on your next visit to the Children's Creativity Museum!
