The Tacoma Children's MuseumHistory and Life Cycle ReviewThe Tacoma Children's Museum, founded in 1985, has been a Tacoma icon for twenty-five years. Over the next ten years, the Museum recorded successes in terms of memberships, attendance and funding. During its first ten years of existence, the Children's Museum saw an increase in attendance, eventually leading the fire department to impose capacity limits forcing patrons to form lines waiting for entry. In 1996, the Museum entered initial phase two of its life cycle with the first change in leadership (Male, ND). Tanya Andrews, the new interim executive director hired to fill the vacancy left by the original ED, immediately led the museum's move to its new digs in 1997. With the move complete and business back to normal, the board promoted Andrews to its permanent full-time location. ED, signaling the organization's transition into the middle stages of its life cycle (Male, ND). The move provided additional space and allowed the Museum to install rotating thematic displays alongside the children's approved permanent displays. In 2003, attendance at the Children's Museum reached over 30,000 visitors per year. The Museum's notoriety had increased, its programming and exhibitions rotated on an annual schedule, and financial partners were established. The Tacoma Children's Museum life cycle had entered the next phase of Phase Two (Male, ND). The Museum began designing exhibits with the assistance of a Seattle-based nonprofit research institute focused on early brain development, and the Museum began collaborating with other local institutions. One of the first collaborations was with the Tacoma Art Museum and their Eric Carl exhibit. The Child......middle of paper......the Museum looks forward to taking advantage of the opportunities presented. As an organization in the institutional phase of its life cycle (Male, ND), the Tacoma Children's Museum has community support, a history of successful annual campaigns with a large donor base, and the funding capacity to go forward with its own development campaign .ReferencesTacoma Children's Museum, . (2007). Learn. Retrieved from http://www.childrensmuseumoftacoma.org/learnMale, R. (2003). Religious financing in America. Grassroots Fundraising Journal, September/October. Retrieved May 8, 2008, from http://www.grassrootsfundraising.org/magazine/feature22_5.html.MindTools, . (ND). SWOT analysis. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_05.htmWeinstein, S. (2002). The Complete Guide to Fundraising Management (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.