The digital publication of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)
The ASTC Dimensions Resource Library provides peer-reviewed guides, articles, and insights written by science engagement colleagues about topics relevant to science centers and museums and other organizations committed to engaging the public in science and technology. Interested in contributing to the resource library? Learn more about our quarterly submission cycle and our submission guidelines.
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The organizational and contributor characteristics reflect the ways that ASTC classifies member organizations and individuals in our data collection and reflect categorization at the time the article was originally published.
By Christine L. Goforth, Julie M. Urban, and Julie E. Horvath From Dimensions May/June 2014 At the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS), Raleigh, we’ve made citizen science a priority, because we recognize its power to teach people about the natural world and the role of science in their
This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the May/June 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. Many people think that cities, especially ones as large and stereotyped as Los Angeles, are devoid of nature, and certainly devoid of any nature worth studying. Scientists at the Natural History Museum
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the May/June 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. Making and tinkering are not fads. Their presence in science centers and museums may be a fad for many, but “making” is a human biological imperative. We are
By Conchi Quintana From Dimensions March/April 2014 According to current forecasts, world agricultural production will have to increase by 70% by 2050 to meet the food demands of a world population of over 9 billion. The good news is that there is no need to invent anything new to respond
IN THIS ISSUE March/April 2014 Inspired by the International Year of Family Farming 2014, this issue of Dimensions examines how science centers and museums are addressing the diverse, complex, and sometimes controversial issues surrounding agriculture. We all depend on agriculture—whether we live in a rural or urban area, in a
IN THIS ISSUE January/February 2014 Exhibits are central to the work of science centers and museums, and to the experience of our visitors. This issue of Dimensions draws upon the wisdom of our field, compiling practical tips and guidelines from exhibit professionals working in a variety of museums and companies
These case studies complement the article Inside the Process: Three Exhibit Development Case Studies, which appeared in the January/February 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. Innovation Labs in Indian Science Centers To promote national competitiveness in the 21st century, the president of India declared the present decade (2010–20) as the “decade
This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the January/February 2014 issue of Dimensions magazine. On building interactive exhibits to last I am convinced that small and seemingly insignificant parts can make the difference between an exhibit that will last for years with almost no maintenance and
By Kathy Krafft and Harry White From Dimensions January/February 2014 If you say that visitors can do anything they like—and we do say that—then you can’t be surprised at anything they actually do. At-Bristol, in the United Kingdom, has 250 exhibits and receives 250,000 visitors per year. If each exhibit
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