ASTC members Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington; Bootheel Youth Museum in Malden, Missouri; and Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City, New York, were among the 10 libraries and museums selected by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to receive the 2012 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The National Medal […]
ASTC members EdVenture Children’s Museum in Columbia, South Carolina, and the Madison Children’s Museum in Madison, Wisconsin, were among the 10 libraries and museums selected by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to receive the 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor for museums
During a day trip to New York City on March 29, U.S. President Barack Obama made an unscheduled stop at the American Museum of Natural History to tour the New York Science and Engineering Fair—his third science fair visit in recent weeks. As he examined projects including a bamboo bicycle and an exhibit on human-robot
President Obama visits New York science fair Read More »
Communities around the world are starting to notice climate changes that may affect their cultures, lifestyles, and economies. This year, Heureka, The Finnish Science Centre, Vantaa, and The Wild Center, Tupper Lake, New York, have brought members of their communities together to exchange experiences and discuss community learning and action on energy saving, climate issues,
The Wild Center and Heureka participate in environmental exchange Read More »
On February 21, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand—the second major earthquake to hit the city in six months. ASTC-member Science Alive, damaged in the first quake on September 4, 2010, suffered additional damage to its building, but all staff and visitors were evacuated safely. CEO Neville Petrie reports: “Science Alive withstood the quake
Science Alive staff and visitors uninjured in earthquake Read More »
The current political unrest in Egypt has taken a toll on a number of public buildings across the country. In a testament to its role in the community as a promoter of open reform and civil liberties, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina was protected from any damage by local youth, who formed a cordon around the facility.
Bibliotheca Alexandrina Safe During Egypt Unrest Read More »
ASTC-member MadaTech—Israel National Museum of Science, Technology, and Space, located in Haifa, is working to help those affected by the fire that broke out in the nearby Carmel Forest on December 2. The fire raged for four days, killing more than 40 people, displacing 17,000 residents, and destroying 10,000 acres of forest. Ronen Mir, MadaTech’s general director and
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Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum, Albuquerque, New Mexico, was presented with a 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service by U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama at a White House ceremony. The award is given annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to museums and libraries in recognition of their extraordinary
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On November 15, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Education announced that it has awarded Environmental Literacy Grants totaling more than $8 million to 17 institutions, including seven ASTC member museums, to engage the public in science education activities that improve understanding and stewardship of the local and global environment. “NOAA is
ASTC members awarded NOAA Environmental Literacy Grants for science education Read More »
On September 4, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand. No fatalities have been reported, but there is extensive damage to homes and businesses in the region, including ASTC-member Science Alive. Earlier this week, the Science Alive building was deemed safe and key staff returned to work. With no damage to exhibits, they had hoped
Science Alive closed after New Zealand earthquake Read More »
April 22, 2010, marks the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day, and science centers are joining the celebration with their own festivals, service projects, and even musical performances. The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, is kicking off the week with their Earth Day Festival, April 17–18. Among the many activities offered, visitors will be
On February 23, 2010, Anne-Imelda M. Radice, the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) director, and Susan Sher, U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama’s chief of staff, presented the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries, at a Washington, D.C., ceremony. The National Medal is
ASTC members receive National Medal for Museum and Library Service Read More »
On January 12–13, the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM), St. Paul, participated in a two-day symposium, “A New National Dialogue on Race,” in Washington, D.C. The event, co-sponsored by the American Anthropological Association (AAA) and the Congressional Black Caucus, consisted of four panels of experts from academia, civil rights organizations, and museums, designed to look
Science Museum of Minnesota participates in "A New National Dialogue on Race" Read More »
On September 26, the Museum of Science, Boston, was one of hundreds of sites in 40 countries that participated in the Danish Board of Technology’s World Wide Views on Global Warming (WWViews). Each site hosted a group of citizens who spent the day responding to questions about global warming and outlining what they expect global
Fostering dialogue on climate change Read More »
On September 17, the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, unveiled a new permanent sculpture by world-renowned artist Maya Lin. The sculpture is one component of Lin’s last memorial, “What is Missing?”—a multi-sited, multimedia artwork dedicated to raising awareness about the current crisis surrounding biodiversity and habitat loss. Rethinking the traditional stationary monument, “What is
Where Art Meets Science Read More »
Are firefly populations declining? Last year, the Museum of Science, Boston, in partnership with Tufts University and Fitchburg State College, developed Firefly Watch, a citizen science project, to help find out. The museum is asking volunteers to check their backyards for fireflies, one evening a week for 10 minutes throughout the summer, and to report
On June 10, the Carnegie Corporation of New York—Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) Commission on Mathematics and Science Education kicked-off a national mobilization to achieve much higher levels of math and science learning with the release of its report, The Opportunity Equation: Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for Citizenship and the Global Economy. The report
Transforming Science Education Read More »
After three years of planning, Around the Americas, an ocean voyage organized by Pacific Science Center, Seattle, and Sailors for the Sea, is underway. On May 31, Ocean Watch, the project’s scientifically equipped sailboat, launched from Seattle to begin its 24,000-mile circumnavigation of the North and South American continents. During the 13-month journey, the boat
Science centers regularly incorporate sustainable practices into their operations, educational programs, and exhibits. This week, the Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, is planting a BayScapes Garden on its front lawn, making landscaping and maintenance a greener process while at the same time creating a new outdoor exhibit that visitors can explore. The garden, developed in
How green does your garden grow? Read More »
Science centers regularly provide their communities with science news and promote dialogue on current science issues. As concerns over the H1N1 virus continue to grow, ASTC members are serving as places where visitors can learn more about the virus and share information with others, both on-site and online. Adventure Science Center, Nashville, Tennessee, and the
Science centers as news centers Read More »