St. Louis Science Center

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The James S. McDonnell Planetarium, thin-shell and hyperboloid structure by Gyo Obata, one component of the St. Louis Science Center campus

The Saint Louis Science Center is a science museum with its facilities in St. Louis, Missouri and the Association of Science and Technology Centers has rated the Saint Louis Science Center one of the top 5 science centers in the nation. It is among the largest of its type and, like all science centers, is intended to be a place of informal science education for all ages.

The Science Center campus is made up of four buildings. The James S. McDonnell Planetarium, found in Forest Park, a newer building (often called the main building) across Interstate 64 (Highway 40) at 5050 Oakland Avenue, the Exploradome, an air-supported building next to the main building, and the Taylor Community Science Resource Center at 4900 Manchester Avenue, 2 blocks south of the main building.

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[edit] History

The St. Louis Science Center was originally founded by an organization called the Academy of Science of St. Louis as the Museum of Science and Natural History in 1959 at a facility in Clayton's Oak Knoll Park.

In 1983, the museum chose to expand its facilities to the James S. McDonnell Planetarium, then owned by the City. After over a year of remodeling, on July 20, 1985, the Planetarium reopened as the St. Louis Science Center.

[edit] McDonnell Planetarium

The James S. McDonnell Planetarium was named after James Smith McDonnell, an aviation pioneer and co-founder of St. Louis-based McDonnell Douglas aerospace manufacturer. The Planetarium was designed by Gyo Obata of Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum and first opened in 1963. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Planetarium housed a Digistar 1 digital star projector, made by Evans & Sutherland. In January 2000, the Planetarium closed for renovations, and reopened on June 22, 2001 fitted with the world's fourth Zeiss Universarium Mark IX star projector.

Besides the star projector, the McDonnell Planetarium now contains the StarPort, designed to approximate what a space station might look like in the near future. This section is mainly dedicated to outer space and astronomy-related programs and exhibits.

[edit] The Main Building

Planetarium overpass

As part of a $34 million expansion, a new building opened across from the Planetarium south of highway 40/64 on November 2, 1991. The building, designed by E. Verner Johnson and Associates, includes the Omnimax, now called IMAX Dome, theater. A pedestrian overpass connects the two buildings and offers scientific insight into bridges, highways, and radar guns.

[edit] The Exploradome

On February 8, 1997, the Exploradome was added primarily for traveling exhibitions and hosting large group events. The current exhibit is MONSTERS! The Art & Technology of Animatronics. This exhibit ended September 1, 2008.

[edit] Taylor Community Science Resource Center

Located at 4900 Manchester Avenue, the Taylor Community Science Resource Center (TCSRC) opened in 2003, and is known by many as "the Taylor Building". The building was donated by Jack Taylor, founder of Enterprise Rent-A-Car and houses programs such as the YES Program, a mentoring program for urban teens. The TCSRC also houses administrative offices for several departments at the science center.

[edit] Science OFF Center

The Saint Louis Science Center has recently launched ScienceOFFCenter.com, a new, interactive website designed to extend the learning experience outside the classroom. Program participants can meet their instructors, see photos from their programs, get information about upcoming programs and much, much more. Students can log on to ask a scientist a question - for help with homework, or just for fun! Participants in ongoing programs, such as Homeschool Days, can log on to get homework to complete for the next class. Parents of summer campers can get questions to ask their camper and find relevant on-line activities to do at home.

[edit] Admission and exhibits

Energizer Ball Machine

Like its fellow museums in Forest Park, the Science Center offers free admission, a distinction held by only two science museums in the country. There is a charge for parking at the main building, but parking at the Forest Park lot at the McDonnell Planetarium is free. There are fees for special exhibits, such as Lego Mindstorms in Cyberville, Omnimax, Discovery Room, McDonnell Planetarium shows, and special exhibits and exhibitions. The Science Center is open every day except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The main building consists of four levels. The Ecology and Environment Gallery is located on the lower level along with meeting rooms, CenterStage (shows and a daily "Science Goes Splat" gravity drop as well as "Amazing Science Demonstrations"), birthday party rooms, Build-A-Dino, and May Hall (used as a banquet room and for special exhibits and talks) The first floor contains the Human Adventure Gallery, the MedTech Gallery the main entrance, ExploreStore gift shop, food court, Energizer human hamster wheel that powers the Energizer Ball Machine, and Exploradome entrance, and the up-and-coming Life Science Lab. On the second floor there is a computer gallery called Cyberville, the Structures Gallery, the Discovery Room for young children and their parents, the Flight! Gallery on the bridge/tunnel connection to the Planetarium, and the Omnimax Movie Theater. Wheelchair Omnimax access, Omnimax exit, and offices are located on the third. All three floors contain the Energizer Ball Machine which is also three stories high.

Click here to view a PDF map of the Saint Louis Science Center

[edit] Life Science Lab Gallery

The Life Science Lab opened October 2008. It is a new space dedicated to educational programming, offering unique and scientifically authentic educational experiences to the public in the areas of genetics, biotechnology, agriculture, medicine, and health. It took the place of the DNA Zone and Ecology and Environment on the first floor.

The Life Science Lab is divided into four parts: the Lab Classroom, the Artium, the Staff Workroom, and the Activity Benches.

[edit] SciFest 08

The Saint Louis Science Center will be hosting SciFest 08! St. Louis and the Saint Louis Science Center have won a national competition to host SciFest 08: International Science Festival/St. Louis. Festival organizers selected St. Louis from a list of cities that included New York City, Boston and San Francisco. Local experts predict the festival will bring an estimated 90,000 visitors to the city and $4.7 million in tourism revenue in its first three years.

"St. Louis' selection from such an impressive group of cities is a testament to the quality of scientific research and development happening in Missouri," said Doug King, President and CEO of the Saint Louis Science Center. "It's also a unique chance for our region's citizens to have a little fun with science and technology, talk to scientists on the cutting edge about what they are doing and why, and potentially impact scientific discoveries and policy at a national level."

SciFest 08 attendees can learn the science behind gambling tricks and tells at "Casino Royale: Using Science to Get Lucky," see the latest in wearable nanotechnology at the "Nano Fashion Show," and learn to decode what their boss is really saying at "The Truth Behind Body Language." The festival model is designed for dialogue, and attendees impact the shape of each event by asking questions, offering opinions, and challenging the presenters.

SciFest takes place October 9 - 13, 2008, at the Saint Louis Science Center.

[edit] Visitor Attractions

[edit] Kids Programs

[edit] Adult and Teen Programs

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 38°37′44″N 90°16′14″W / 38.628924°N 90.270667°W / 38.628924; -90.270667

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