Association of Science and Technologies Centers

A Science Center and a Community: Cultivating Hope and Resilience in Medellin

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By Claudia Aguirre From Dimensions January/February 2016 Today’s science centers are becoming more aware of changes in their local contexts and are concerned about playing a role in building and contributing to society. The Mechelen Declaration, resulting from the Science Centre World Summit 2014 held in Mechelen, Belgium, clearly expresses this commitment with two of […]

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A New Era for Marketing at Science Centers

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By Douglas Young From Dimensions November/December 2015 In the 1980s in the United States, the traditional science center business and mission models worked well. Science centers were the most prominent source for informal science learning with financial support from governments and donors and a quasi-monopoly on IMAX films, science store merchandise, and interactive exhibits. A

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The Fine Line Between Creating Curiosity and Creating Controversy

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By Jason Bosher From Dimensions November/December 2015 You’ve probably heard the adage, “There is no such thing as bad publicity.” A study published in Marketing Science concluded, “Although negative publicity is not always a good thing, in some cases, negative can actually be positive” (Berger, Sorensen, & Rasmussen, 2010). As a science center, you want

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Dwell on This

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By Anthony (Bud) Rock A collective mass of youthful exuberance pulses through our science centers and museums on any given day. As I visit our ASTC-member institutions around the world, I find it extremely rewarding to watch all that energy being transformed into focused, intense contemplation of specific topics or experiences. I have always been

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Dimensions, September/October 2015—Addressing Global Issues

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IN THIS ISSUE September/October 2015 As this issue of Dimensions goes to press, world leaders are preparing to convene at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in New York City to formally adopt the post-2015 development agenda, committing to 17 ambitious new Sustainable Development Goals. So many of the critical issues facing our planet—from climate change

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If you could go back, what advice would you give yourself when you first started your museum or informal education career?

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This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the September/October 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.   Before my first nonprofit management position (in England), I wish I could have coached my newbie self: learn about spreadsheets, practice daily meditation and stretching, and schedule physical exercise and play time

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Q&A with Annick Desjardins: Using Polio to Kill Cancer

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Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in the September/October 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine. When neurologist Annick Desjardins first heard about an experimental therapy that uses the polio virus to attack cancer cells, she admittedly thought it was an off-the-wall idea. In the 12 years since then, however, Desjardins—now associate professor of neurology at

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The “Stuff” of Museums: Collections, Interactivity, and a Call to Action

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By Sarah B. George From Dimensions July/August 2015 People love stuff. It speaks to them; it reminds them of special moments or people in their lives. They collect it and they love to tell stories about it and show it off. Museums’ deepest roots are in the stuff of collections. But over the last 200

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How do you envision 3D printing finding a place in science centers and museums? Do you already use or have plans for 3D printing?

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This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the May/June 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.   “. . . 3D printing and design can electrify various literacies and creative capacities of children in accordance with the spirit of the interconnected, information-based world.” —V. Kostakis, V. Niaros, and C.

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Appreciating the Dynamic Process of Scientific Advancement

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By Anthony (Bud) Rock A recent report of the (U.S.) Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee contains federal nutritional recommendations indicating that there is now insufficient evidence to substantiate the recommended 300 milligram-per-day limit on cholesterol intake. While the conclusions were met positively by the “foodies” who have struggled to work around such dietary limitations, some characterized

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Our Boards in Action: Ann S. Bowers on the Noyce Leadership Institute

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Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in the March/April 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine. From Apple and Intel to San Francisco’s Exploratorium and San Jose’s Tech Museum of Innovation, Ann S. Bowers has witnessed the importance of leadership in all facets of Silicon Valley. She pioneered human resources management in high-growth startups before turning

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Do you think science centers and museums should use crowdfunding resources (like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo) to raise funds for exhibits and events?

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This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the March/April 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.   Denver Zoo recently completed its first crowdfunding initiative for a veterinary device for our giraffes. We feel crowdfunding was a useful tool to market this project and get more than 40 first-time

Do you think science centers and museums should use crowdfunding resources (like Kickstarter or IndieGoGo) to raise funds for exhibits and events? Read More »

Brain Teasers

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This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the January/February 2015 issue of Dimensions magazine.   We asked exhibit developers: What was the biggest challenge you faced in developing your brain exhibit or exhibition, and how did you address it? Here’s what they told us.   Our biggest challenge: realizing that it

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When Heureka Went Crazy

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By Heidi Rosenström From Dimensions January/February 2015 Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre, in Vantaa, developed a traveling exhibition that aims to decrease the stigma connected to mental health problems and encourage visitors to take care of their mental health. Called Heureka Goes Crazy, this award-winning interactive exhibition was developed in cooperation with Pavilion of Knowledge–Ciência

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