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.
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
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
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
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,
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
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
By Christine Reich From Dimensions November/December 2012 Science museums hold great promise for engaging learners of a broad range of abilities and disabilities in informal science learning. As institutions known for their interactive and self-directed activities, science museums already exhibit many of the principles of universal design for learning that
IN THIS ISSUE November/December 2012 In recent decades science museums have made significant progress in meeting the needs of visitors with a range of disabilities—physical, cognitive, and behavioral. But much more remains to be done for the inclusion of people with disabilities to become the norm. In this issue, we
This is an extended discussion of the question that appeared in the Viewpoints department of the November/December 2012 issue of Dimensions magazine. My ideal museum experience is memorable. It requires only one cool exhibit experience where I spend significant time, engaged in a way that taps into previous interests and
This is an extended version of an article that appeared in the September/October 2012 issue of Dimensions magazine. Science center and museum professionals from around the world share ways that they are engaging visitors in hands-on innovation. In July 2012, the Exploratorium launched its Global Tinkering Studio Initiative at