IN THIS ISSUE November/December 2008 In 2009, science centers and museums will celebrate the Year of Science, Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday, and the International Year of Astronomy. Every year, many institutions plan programs around global initiatives like Earth Science Week and international holidays like World Environment Day. New celebrations such as NanoDays and the Cambridge... Read More
By John Durant and P.A. d’Arbeloff From ASTC Dimensions November/December 2008 Recipe: Take one science city. Carefully extract the juiciest parts, making sure to retain all the most enthusiastic graduate students, and as many superstar researchers and Nobel Laureates as you can find. Mix thoroughly with generous quantities of actors, artists, broadcasters, critics, curators, entrepreneurs,... Read More
IN THIS ISSUE September/October 2008 In April, ASTC committed to a new strategic direction, recognizing the responsibility of science centers to address critical societal issues locally and globally. The Toronto Declaration, presented at the Fifth Science Centre World Congress in June, underscored ASTC’s new focus, proclaiming that science centers can be “a powerful force for... Read More
By Lesley Lewis From ASTC Dimensions September/October 2008 In April, representatives of the ASTC Board, Committee Chairs, and Governing Members met in Birmingham, Alabama, to review the organization’s purpose and strategic directions. As a group, we were truly representative of ASTC members, with both small and large institutions at the table. We all left enthusiastic... Read More
IN THIS ISSUE July/August 2008 In today’s economy, science centers faced with shrinking resources are challenged to find innovative ways of doing more with less. How can science centers save money without sacrificing content or mission? In this issue, directors, chief executive officers, directors of operations, and other staff share their successes with strategies such... Read More
By Jim Spadaccini From ASTC Dimensions July/August 2008 As the Internet continues to evolve, it seems like I hear about a new web site or software service just about every day. The vast majority of these are free to use. Many of these sites or software packages are produced by start-ups looking to gain first-time... Read More
IN THIS ISSUE May/June 2008 Science centers regularly collect data about exhibits and programs, documenting how visitors respond to what the institution offers to public audiences. But once the report is filed, what happens to this knowledge? Is it used to inform daily practice, influence future planning, or demonstrate to a funding organization that the... Read More
By Randi Korn From ASTC Dimensions May/June 2008 At museum conferences these days, people are talking about accountability, public impact, and relevance. These ideas are not new. A decade ago, in a 1997 keynote address for the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums’ 50th anniversary, the late Smithsonian scholar Stephen Weil spoke of the “in-your-face, bottom-line, hard-nosed... Read More
IN THIS ISSUE March/April 2008 Is membership the key to moving “beyond the gate”? Should we be building deeper relationships with our most loyal customers? In recent years, ASTC Dimensions has examined such audience segments as early learners, female visitors, teachers, and adults aged 50+. In this issue, we focus on a group often taken... Read More
By Paul Tatter and Kristin Leigh From ASTC Dimensions March/April 2008 “This is a wonderful atmosphere. Can I live here?” (Visitor comment card) At Explora we think of membership as a sense of belonging. “Belonging” comes from an old English word meaning a close and secure relationship. Relationships of belonging are personal. They are about... Read More
