case study
Delaware Museum of
Nature and Science
Formerly the Delaware Museum of Natural History, the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science (DelMNS) is a natural science museum featuring permanent exhibits on Earth’s biomes, Delaware’s native flora and fauna, dinosaurs, and deep-sea ecosystems, as well as an extensive collection of shells, fossils, and bird eggs. With rotating special exhibitions, educational programming, and private event rentals, it draws school groups, families, and curious visitors year-round. In 2022, DelMNS completed a major renovation and rebrand. To support its relaunch and reach new and returning audiences, the museum partnered with First Ascent to raise awareness, spark curiosity, and drive visits through targeted digital marketing campaigns.
Scope of Work
- Social Media Advertising
- Search Engine Marketing
- Display/Programmatic Advertising
- Local Media Advertising
- Google Grants Management
- Video Advertising
- Email Marketing Strategy
Data-Driven Strategy That Digs Deeper
We helped DelMNS maximize Google Grants, an in-kind program that gives eligible nonprofits up to $10,000/month in free Google Search ads. After seeing strong results there, they brought us in to help manage additional paid advertising, including display, social media, and video campaigns to expand their reach even further. Since museum visitation follows seasonal patterns influenced by the school calendar, weather, and special programming, we developed a flexible, data-driven approach with an adaptive budget plan. This allows us to conserve resources during slower periods and maximize impact when traffic is at its highest. As the partnership continues, we monitor trends, track competitor strategies, and evolve campaigns in step with DelMNS’s changing priorities, keeping each initiative fresh and effective throughout the year.
Dino-Sized Gains Powered by Digital Marketing
DelMNS has reached a wider audience through our digital campaigns, generating over 8 million impressions and nearly 144,000 clicks. That visibility supports their mission to spark curiosity and make science education accessible to more children and families across Delaware. As one of the region’s few natural science museums, DelMNS offers affordable, hands-on experiences that connect people to nature and science in meaningful ways. Our work helps grow awareness of the museum’s exhibits, events, and essential role in the community. We’re especially proud to support the annual Wine & Dinosaurs event as both a sponsor and a marketing partner, helping to amplify its reach and celebrate the museum’s unique programming. As DelMNS expands its impact, we’re honored to support their vision and ongoing success.
8M
impressions
144K
clicks
389K
meta accounts
reached
“The First Ascent team is the perfect mix of creative and analytical, serving as an extension of our team and providing additional brains and hands for digital advertising and communications initiatives. Through their efforts, we’ve significantly expanded our social media marketing as well as our Google search reach, bringing new customers in the door. They’re also a lot of fun to work with!“
Jennifer Acord
Director of Advancement, Delaware Museum of Nature & Science
