Overview:

The Organization

For almost 50 years, Omaha Children’s Museum (OCM) has engaged the imagination and created excitement about learning. This cherished institution is a special place where children can challenge themselves, discover how the world works, and learn through play. Since 1976, when a group of Omahans filled a station wagon with art supplies and traveled to events to offer educational programming to area children, OCM has been community-driven. Today, it is one of the most visited museums in the State and welcomes around 300,000 guests from across the region each year, about a quarter of whom reside outside Nebraska. In 2023, nearly 342,000 people experienced OCM’s hands-on exhibits, workshops, programs, presentations, and special events that help children understand their ever-changing world. 

Building on this legacy of impact and community support, Omaha Children’s Museum is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year by starting construction on a vibrant new building at Omaha’s river front. This new museum represents a vital investment in Omaha's future. It will be shaped by best practices in early childhood development, providing enriching tools and environments during the crucial first years of life. To this end, OCM is partnering with Heritage Omaha on a $110 million capital campaign through the Omaha Children’s Trust to design, build, and fully activate a purpose-built space at The RiverFront. Project exploration, schematic design, and fundraising are on track, with nearly $50 million already pledged. Additional prospect meetings are underway, and requests have been submitted to secure the remaining funds. Groundbreaking for the site’s structural foundation is set to begin this December.

Designed by Snøhetta in collaboration with local leader Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, the planned 75,000-square-foot building will increase OCM’s space by 25% and prioritize sustainability. Attendance and income are also expected to rise, with 325,000 annual visitors anticipated and a 31% revenue boost projected for 2028. OCM will continue to operate its current location during construction, transitioning to the new site in late 2027. This engaging location will feature inclusive exhibits and programming that spark joy, curiosity, and connection. The Museum’s comfortable spaces will give children the agency to explore and play safely without rigid constraints. Thoughtfully designed for young children and their caregivers of various physical and intellectual abilities, developmental stages, and cultural backgrounds, it will also honor Omaha by celebrating OCM’s legacy, the city’s neighborhoods, and Nebraska’s landscape, wildlife, community life, and art. An exciting time lies ahead.

The Opportunity

In this moment of promise and potential, Omaha Children’s Museum seeks a Chief Executive Officer to provide strategic and visionary leadership as the organization builds its future. OCM is a place of fun and inspiration for Omaha’s children; its current location is across from a public elementary school and close to Omaha’s only children’s theatre. In the heart of the business district, the current museum offers the only grass-covered playground accessible to neighboring residents. The new site at The RiverFront will enable OCM to expand its impact, evolve its play-based learning model, and enhance its efforts toward accessibility and affordability through intentional and inclusive building and experience design, operations, and community partnerships. The CEO is accountable for creating optimal conditions for fundraising success in the ongoing capital campaign, ensuring project achievement. Specifically, this advocate will build alignment throughout the organization and serve as a compelling and strategic storyteller, generating excitement among sophisticated donors about various projects and initiatives. The Museum’s connection with Omaha is crucial, and the next leader will utilize existing relationships and work to establish new ones. To enhance community awareness of the Museum’s initiatives, the CEO will nurture partnerships with various organizations and individuals to expand impact and improve Omaha's early childhood educational and enrichment opportunities. This represents a remarkable chance for an experienced and visionary civic leader enthusiastic about educational and economic equity, creative models of impactful learning, and investing in the region’s future.