Gateway Program
Every child can engineer—but not every child has access to the types of opportunities The Works Museum provides. Gateway provides subsidized access to all of our programs for schools and families, ensuring that every child can engineer with us, regardless of the resources available to their school or family.
Gateway is about increasing equity in elementary education.
Since 2003, Gateway has provided over 200,000 children and families with high-quality STEM learning opportunities. With tightening school budgets and growing demand, this work is more critical than ever.
Join us in bridging the opportunity gap—fund a program or use Gateway to access programs for your school or family.
Our Impact:
26,908 people participated in our education programs with support from Gateway in 2024—43% of our total audience and a 31% increase from the previous year!
Gateway makes a real difference for schools and families. As one partner shared:
“Within our community 68% of our families qualify for free or reduced lunches. Many of our families do not have the means to access the kinds of enrichment opportunities that The Works supplies. By bringing workshops to [us], all of our students have access to these quality STEM experiences.”
To learn more about becoming a Gateway supporter or sponsoring camps or programs for schools and community partners, please contact giving@theworks.org.
Current Gateway Partners
Flint Hills Resources
CenterPoint Energy Foundation
Donaldson Foundation
Cummins Foundation
Nordson Corporation Foundation
Xcel Energy Foundation
nVent Foundation
Sensata Foundation
H.B. Fuller Company Foundation
Ecolab Foundation
Learn More About Accessing Gateway For Your Family
Children and families with demonstrated financial need can receive discounted admissions, memberships, and camp. Read below to learn more about eligibility and details.
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Children and/or families that receive free/reduced price lunch at school, or assistance from SNAP, TANF, MFIP, WIC, SSI, Section 8 housing, Medical Assistance or Medicaid Care, Minnesota Care or Basic Sliding Fee Childcare Assistance are eligible for discounted admission, memberships, and camps.
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Once you demonstrate your eligibility at the front desk, you can choose to purchase $6.50 per person discounted daily admission price (regular admission is $13.00 per person) or $25 family membership (regular price is $90). NOTE: Families must show physical proof of eligibility (in one of the programs listed above) at the front desk.
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To apply for a scholarship, complete this scholarship form and return it to The Works Museum. Pre-registration is required for camp and it is recommended to sign up as soon as possible as camp space is limited and often fills quickly.
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Gateway is funded through support from foundations, corporations, and private individuals. We thank all of the funding partners who help make this program possible.
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Camps are limited to two half day camps and one Friday Fun Day per child. Museum admission is unlimited. The number of scholarships we’re able to provide annually depends the total pool of funding available for Gateway.
“The activities [The Works Museum] brings are highly engaging, relevant to STEM, collaborative in nature, creatively challenging- while still being accessible for all, and of course- they are fun! Simply put, our partnership with The Works truly checks all the boxes.”
“[The Works Museum’s] interactive sessions have been instrumental in bringing curriculum concepts to life, enabling students to apply their knowledge practically. This mode of learning not only deepens their understanding of the subjects but also fosters a sense of curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.”