Museums serve as anchors in their communities. Places to learn and play, to understand the past and imagine the future. But fulfilling that role means much more than opening the doors. How can museums embed their organizational values to welcome visitors from all walks of life? How do museums become spaces where every community member
New Initiative to Examine How Museums Engage the Communities They Serve Read More »
Key Takeaways Science News and the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) are launching a new partnership to connect ASTC member organizations with resources from Science News Explores, a science magazine for young people. ASTC members will have new ways to share Science News Explores with individual members, donors and groups. The partnership brings
Washington, DC — The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) announced today the recipients of the 2026 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awards. This year, two individuals and two organizations are recognized for their extraordinary achievements in advancing informal science learning, community engagement, and organizational innovation. The Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awards celebrate
ASTC Announces Four Recipients of the 2026 Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Awards Read More »
WASHINGTON, DC – The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) is pleased to welcome new members of its Board of Directors, who will assume their positions at the conclusion of the ASTC Annual Conference on September 19, 2026. The Board provides direction to ASTC, which represents organizations committed to public engagement with science, including
ASTC Announces 2026 Board of Elections Results Read More »
By Shannon Sullivan At Sacramento Children’s Museum, role models don’t just live on a wall or in a single exhibit. They’re built into the interactive ecosystem where children, caregivers, staff, and community partners experience STEM together. Deputy Director Meghan Toland says joining the IF/THEN® Champions Network has helped the museum create new ways to emphasize
Coloradans deliver new policy ideas to strengthen the workforce, leverage the economic benefits of emerging technology, and increase land, climate and energy resilience Washington, DC – With the shape of federal policymaking uncertain, and as midterm elections fast approach, states have a golden opportunity to experiment with policy and provide testing grounds for worthy policy
By Erica Kimmerling, Amanda Vernon, Cate Young (Federation of American Scientists), and Gil Ruiz (Federation of American Scientists) With draft guidance at the National Science Foundation (NSF) open for public comment, the potential reauthorization of NSF on the horizon, and a new report from the Office of Science and Technology Policy encouraging public impact and
An Opportunity to Focus NSF Grantmaking on Public Benefit Read More »
By Erica Kimmerling and Amanda Vernon The United States has historically been at the forefront of science and technology innovation. This leadership is in large part due to decisions to build an infrastructure that allows any motivated parties to engage in a merit-based funding process. This competitive process requires a significant upfront investment of time
With sadness, ASTC acknowledges the recent passing of Michele Lanzinger, visionary founder and director of Museo delle Scienze (MUSE), in Trento, Italy, from 2022 to 2024. Lanzinger’s work was cited in Sarah B. George’s 2015 Dimensions article “The Stuff of Museums: Collections, Interactivity, and a Call to Action,” as an exemplar of an institution that
In Memoriam: Michele Lanzinger Read More »
Nearly 9 in 10 U.S. parents worry poor air quality is affecting their families, but few know what steps to take A new, nationally representative survey of parents found that 87% are concerned about how air quality affects their own health and that of their family. Nearly two-thirds (63%) believe their children have already experienced
Seeding Action and iNaturalist are delighted to announce a new group of science centers, museums, and public engagement organizations selected to develop creative planetary health initiatives using iNaturalist, a free app that connects people and nature. With the generous support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Seeding Action and iNaturalist have partnered as part of a multi-year program designed to promote planetary health action through engagement with iNaturalist.
Seeding Action and iNaturalist Announce the Members of the 2026-2027 Cohort Read More »
The top of the calendar year means we turn to field-wide advocacy messages and policy priorities. We are pleased to share ASTC’s 2026 Advocacy Messages and Policy Asks. Developed in partnership with the scientific and cultural coalitions to which we belong, informed by member insights, and shaped by messaging that continues to resonate at the local, state,
ASTC’s 2026 Advocacy Messages and Policy Asks Read More »
ASTC and Sanofi are proud to announce a national cohort of 14 science centers and museums from across the United States participating in The Air We Share, a multi-year initiative designed to help communities better understand how environmental challenges like air pollution, wildfires, and extreme heat affect respiratory health, and the actions individuals and communities can take to