This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the January/February 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. Good examples of technology gone bad can often be traced to poor design. Does the design of an interactive cause visitors to isolate from others, or does it support social engagement? Does the […]
By Eli Kuslansky and Gregory Peduto From Dimensions September/October 2013 Science centers: bastions of fun and exploration, destinations where children can let loose, providers of hands-on learning to spark a lifelong love of science. However, when children grow into adulthood in our technologically accelerating society, are they still called to science centers to satisfy their
Reimagined and Rebranded: Science Centers for the 21st Century Read More »
By Mary Ann Wojton From Dimensions September/October 2013 Student field trips to COSI in Columbus, Ohio, attract approximately 75,000 visitors annually. We wanted to understand how teachers perceive our science center and field trip offerings in order to better serve them and to represent ourselves to them in the most positive and relevant way. Therefore,
Field Trips: What Teachers Told Us Read More »
We asked public relations (PR) professionals from science centers and museums around the world to send us their best practices, guidelines, practical tips, and pieces of advice. Here’s what they told us. (This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the September/October 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine.) Thanksgiving Point is currently in
Best Practices in Public Relations Read More »
Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in the September/October 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine. How can a child follow the paths of a musically inclined mother and a science-oriented father? Chevy Humphrey, president and CEO of the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix, managed to do both. She worked with the Houston and Phoenix symphonies
Q&A with Chevy Humphrey Read More »
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the September/October 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine. Evaluation is a powerful tool for providing visitors with a voice, which then enables us to stay relevant to their needs and motivations. The goal of any exhibit or program is to engage
ASTC recently partnered with the Afterschool Alliance to explore and promote STEM in afterschool programming. On August 8, 2013, we presented a webinar on how afterschool programs and science centers can work together. You can view the webinar in its entirety here: Are you interested in afterschool programs, but unsure how to connect with programs
Afterschool Programs and Science Centers Partnering To Serve Youth Read More »
By John Fraser, Martin Weiss, Beverly Sheppard, and Kate Flinner From Dimensions July/August 2013 Educators at science centers, zoos, and other informal science education institutions (ISE) work in distinct traditions. Yet, funders often lump them into a single class of ISE environments. Even science centers and zoos themselves may imagine that they compete for funds
Science Center and Zoos: Creating Public Value Through Complementary Strengths Read More »
By Laura Huerta Migus From Dimensions July/August 2013 “It is diversity that drives innovation: a diversity of perspectives, of industries, of cultures. When we bring together these different perspectives, we have a far better chance of breaking new ground.” —Frans Johansson, author of The Medici Effect Over the past two decades, the United States and
Recruiting for Inclusion and Innovation Read More »
IN THIS ISSUE May/June 2013 Free-choice learning is the hallmark of science centers and interactive museums. But many institutions are taking this idea a step further by exploring strategies for personalizing the visitor experience—before, during, or after the visit. Some approaches are high tech, like compiling a visitor’s on-site experiences onto a personalized webpage. Others
Dimensions, May/June 2013—Personalizing the Visitor Experience Read More »
By Jennifer Jenkins From Dimensions May/June 2013 WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology in Bloomington, Indiana, strives to be not just a destination, but also a valuable community asset. Open since 2003 in its current downtown location, WonderLab is a small museum—7,600 square feet (700 square meters) of gallery space—with fewer than 15 full-time
Personalizing Visitor Service in a Small Museum Read More »
By Keith Ostfeld From Dimensions May/June 2013 Society has reached a point where everyone desires customized services and products—from coffee to computers to museum experiences—that meet their needs, expectations, and aesthetics. With today’s easy access to phenomenal computational power through personal mobile technologies (PMTs) like smartphones and tablets, we have new avenues to customize museum
21-Tech: Engaging Museum Visitors Using Mobile Technologies Read More »
When the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced the 10 recipients of this year’s National Medal for Museum and Library Service, two ASTC-member institutions—Boston Children’s Museum, Massachusetts and Discovery Science Center, Santa Ana, California—were among those recognized. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to
Boston Children’s Museum, Discovery Science Center receive National Medal Read More »
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the May/June 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine. Scitech has been running adults-only nights twice a year since 2009, the year we turned 21. We started doing these evenings as we realized that there must be an increasing number of young
This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the May/June 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine. Science center and museum professionals from around the world share their experiences using technology—including smartphones, barcodes, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags—to personalize the visitor experience. The National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath) opened in New York City in
A Custom Fit: Personalizing Experiences Using Technology Read More »
By Margaret Glass From Dimensions March/April 2013 Today’s youth grow up in a digitally networked world. With cell phones, laptops, and tablets, via social media platforms, videos, and podcasts, they connect to each other and to their world like never before. Yet with only a few exceptions, the digital signal gets dropped at the door
Learning Labs: Transforming Youth from Digital Consumers to Creators Read More »
Interviewed by Joelle Seligson This interview appeared in the March/April 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine. Whether it’s the world’s biggest wardrobe malfunction or MacGyver meets Survivor, Ainissa Ramirez knows that generating interest in science requires a hook. A professor at Yale University, Ramirez prefers the title “science evangelist”—in her words, a person who “takes the
Q&A with Ainissa Ramirez Read More »
By Lucilla Minelli From Dimensions January/February 2013 Water is critical for sustainable development and indispensable for human health and well-being. With this in mind, and to accelerate the implementation of internationally agreed goals relating to water, the UN General Assembly declared 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation (IYWC). The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and
Building Peace and Sustainable Development Through Water Cooperation Read More »
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the January/February 2013 issue of Dimensions magazine. “If they had more special exhibitions, then we’d get a membership and come more often.” —Science Museum of Minnesota visitor, August 2011 Our most recent audience survey, conducted in 2011 (n=830), suggests that