Great Lakes Museum Of Science Environment And Technology

TO MAKE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH COME ALIVE.

EDUCATION: THE GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER (GLSC) IS A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED, FORWARD-THINKING REGIONAL ASSET AND NORTHEAST OHIO'S LEADING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER, OFFERING A WIDE ARRAY OF INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING IN SERVICE OF ITS MISSION TO MAKE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) COME ALIVE. EACH YEAR, GLSC'S EDUCATIONAL WORK ENSURES VISITORS COME TO GLSC TO EXPERIENCE NEW DEMONSTRATIONS, LEARN ABOUT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND PARTICIPATE IN SEASONAL CAMPS, HOMESCHOOL, OUTREACH, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT TEACH, INSPIRE, AND DEMONSTRATE STEM'S RELEVANCE IN OUR DAILY LIVES. GLSC IS ALSO HOME TO THE 9TH GRADE CLASS OF CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT'S (CMSD) AWARD-WINNING MC2STEM HIGH SCHOOL.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TINKERING, IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS, AND TESTING, VISITORS FEEL CONFIDENCE ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO DO SCIENCE. IN 2021, GLSC WELCOMED 93,716 TOTAL VISITORS. IN ADDITION, GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER ENGAGED 4,367 STUDENTS VIA VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.IN MARCH 2021, THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES NAMED GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER ONE OF 15 MUSEUM FINALISTS FOR THE 2021 NATIONAL MEDAL FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICE. SELECTED FROM AMONG THE MORE THAN 35,000 MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES, THE MEDAL IS THE NATION'S HIGHEST HONOR GIVEN TO MUSEUMS. SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE AWARD MORE THAN 25 YEARS AGO, ONLY 105 MUSEUMS HAVE RECEIVED THE MEDAL. OUR SELECTION AS A FINALIST IS IN RECOGNITION OF GLSC'S WORK AS A VITAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND OUR COMMITMENT TO BEING CO-CREATORS WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL, CIVIC, AND WORKFORCE PARTNERS. OF SPECIAL NOTE WAS THE SCIENCE CENTER'S FOCUS ON COMMUNITY AND SAFETY WHILE REOPENING DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THE DEEP PARTNERSHIP WITH CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT, INCLUDING GROUNDBREAKING EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGY FOR 8TH GRADERS.GLSC OFFERS EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES WITH MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS AND OUTCOMES THAT ENCOURAGE CREATIVE EXPRESSION OF IDEAS, WHILE ALSO ENGAGING DIVERSE AUDIENCES IN STEM. GLSC'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR SCHOOLS ENGAGES STUDENTS IN ACTIVITIES THAT NOT ONLY ALIGN WITH OHIO'S ACADEMIC CONTENT STANDARDS, BUT ALSO BUILD 21ST CENTURY SKILLS AND HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP CRITICAL SKILLS SUCH AS CREATIVITY AND PERSEVERANCE. CORE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS INCLUDE: GROW UP GREAT WITH SCIENCE, GREAT SCIENCE ACADEMY, CLEVELAND CREATES 6 & 7, CREATING CONNECTIONS 8, AND CAMP CURIOSITY.GROW UP GREAT WITH SCIENCE REACHES PRESCHOOLERS FROM LOW-INCOME CLEVELAND HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH PROGRAMMING IN THE COMMUNITY. GLSC PROVIDES QUALITY STEM-BASED, IMMERSIVE EDUCATION EXPERIENCES AND ENGAGES STUDENTS, THEIR TEACHERS, AND CAREGIVERS TO FOSTER KINDERGARTEN-READINESS SKILLS. GROW UP GREAT WITH SCIENCE REACHES CHILDREN THROUGH CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, FIELD TRIPS TO GLSC, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS, SCIENCE DEMONSTRATIONS IN CLASSROOMS, FAMILY PASSES TO GLSC, AND MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS WITH SCIENCE ACTIVITIES TO FURTHER ENGAGE CHILDREN AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. TO SUPPORT CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT LIMITED ACCESS DURING THE PANDEMIC, OVER 1,000 EARLY CHILDHOOD KITS WERE DISTRIBUTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CLEVELAND FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION AND 75 SUPPLY KITS FOR STARTING POINT EDUCATION CENTERS. CLEVELAND CREATES 6 & 7 (CC6/CC7) CC6 WAS DIRECTLY REQUESTED BY CMSD BASED ON THE SUCCESSES OF CC7. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL PILOT, THE PROGRAM NOW SERVES ALL CMSD 6TH GRADE STUDENTS. MODELED AFTER THE EXISTING CC7 PROGRAM, CC6 USES INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING (IBL) AND INTERACTIVE PROJECTS THAT CHALLENGE STUDENTS AND ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY, EXPERIMENTATION, PERSEVERANCE, AND SELF-EFFICACY AMONG STUDENTS. CC6 ALIGNS WITH CLASSROOM CURRICULUM ON RENEWABLE ENERGY. GLSC EDUCATORS CHALLENGE THESE 6TH GRADE STUDENTS TO CONSTRUCT A WIND TURBINE USING THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS. CC7 COMBINES CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION WITH PRACTICAL DESIGN CHALLENGES AND EXPERIMENTATION TO TEACH THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS, REINFORCE STEM CONCEPTS, AND ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY, PERSEVERANCE, AND SELF-EFFICACY AMONG STUDENTS. USING IBL, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES STRUCTURED FIELD EXPERIENCES THAT ENGAGE CMSD 7TH GRADERS IN CHALLENGING, INTERACTIVE PROJECTS TO ENCOURAGE DEEP LEARNING AND TEACH PHYSICAL SCIENCE CONCEPTS. ALL CMSD 7TH GRADE CLASSROOMS VISIT GLSC FOR A CIRCUITRY WORKSHOP WHERE THEY BUILD WORKING FLASHLIGHTS MADE OUT OF POPSICLE STICKS, COPPER TAPE, A BATTERY, AND LED LIGHT. BOTH CC6 AND CC7 WORKSHOPS ALSO INCLUDE AN INTERACTIVE SCIENCE SHOW AS WELL AS A TAKE-HOME KIT TO BUILD, DESIGN AND REWORK THE PROJECT WITH THEIR SIBLINGS, FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS. FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE ALSO INVITED TO SPEND A DAY AT GLSC WHERE THEY PARTICIPATE IN A DESIGN CHALLENGE AND SPEND THE DAY VISITING THE GALLERIES.CREATING CONNECTIONS 8 (CC8) IN 2019-2020, GLSC LAUNCHED THE PILOT OF CC8 LEVERAGING OUR UNIQUE POSITION AS A STEM EDUCATION LEADER TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN CLEVELAND'S YOUTH AND THE OPPORTUNITIES OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. THIS NEW, MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE STEM EDUCATION IN THE AREAS OF BLOCKCHAIN, CODING, INDUSTRIAL INTERNET OF THINGS (IIOT), CYBERSECURITY AND DATA PROTECTION HAS GROWN ORGANICALLY FROM CONVERSATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH LEADING REGIONAL TECH-RELATED ECONOMIC DRIVERS AND THE SUCCESS OF SUPPORTING CMSD'S 6TH AND 7TH GRADERS THROUGH THE CLEVELAND CREATES INITIATIVE. THIS INTENSIVE STEM PROGRAM FOCUSED ON DIGITAL UPSKILLING WILL RAPIDLY ACCELERATE CLEVELAND 8TH GRADERS' SELF-EFFICACY WITH EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. STUDENTS USE TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS LINKBOT, MICRO BIT AND SPHEROS AMONG OTHER RESOURCES TO DEVELOP SKILLS VITAL TO MEETING THE NEEDS AND HIGH DEMANDS OF THE DIGITAL CAREER LANDSCAPE.CAMP CURIOSITY ENGAGES STUDENTS FROM K-8TH GRADE IN FUN, INQUIRY-BASED, ACTIVE LEARNING CENTERED ON THE INVESTIGATION AND RESOLUTION OF MESSY REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS. ALL CAMPS ARE SEPARATED BY AGE, AND CURRICULUM CONTENT IS TAILORED TO THE AGE GROUP. ONE-DAY CAMPS ARE OFFERED DURING SPRING AND WINTER BREAK WHILE SUMMER CAMPS PROVIDE WEEK-LONG IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES OF STEM FUNDAMENTALS. WHILE MANY OTHER CAMPS WERE SHUT DOWN IN 2020 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, CAMP CURIOSITY RAN SUCCESSFULLY FROM JUNE 7-AUGUST 20, 2021 SERVING OVER 1,500 STUDENTS WITH SAFETY AS A TOP PRIORITY DEMONSTRATED BY INCREASED SANITIZATION PROTOCOLS, INDIVIDUALLY PACKED SUPPLIES, AND REDUCED CLASSROOM CAPACITY. CAMPS ARE LED BY LICENSED LOCAL TEACHERS, OFFERED AT GLSC. FROM CHEMISTRY, TO PHYSICS, ROBOTICS, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, AND ENGINEERING, CAMPERS WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEE HOW STEM IS PART OF THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES.

EXHIBITS: IN ADDITION TO HUNDREDS OF HANDS-ON EXHIBITS AND TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS, GLSC IS THE HOME OF THE NASA GLENN VISITOR CENTER, THE STEAMSHIP WILLIAM G. MATHER, AND THE CLEVELAND CLINIC DOME THEATER. IN ADDITION TO EXHIBITS IN THE MUSEUM, SCIENCE UNDER THE SUN EXTENDED THE SCIENCE CENTER EXPERIENCE FOR GUESTS OUTDOORS FROM MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 2021 ENSURING SOCIAL DISTANCING WHILE PROVIDING ENGAGING, HANDS ON EXPERIENCES LIKE BUILD BIG BLOCK CREATIONS, WATER TESTING EXPERIMENTS, CAR AND PLANE TAKE-A-PARTS, AND RECYCLED MATERIALS REGATTA BOAT RACES.NASA GLENN VISITOR CENTER, CONGRESSIONALLY DESIGNATED AND ONE OF ONLY (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)11 NASA VISITOR CENTERS IN THE COUNTRY, ALLOWS VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE SPACE THROUGH IMAGES, INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS, FASCINATING ARTIFACTS, AND A VAST COLLECTION OF NASA MEDIA. IN ADDITION, THE NASA GLENN VISITOR CENTER APP USES VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY TO BRING IMPORTANT ARTIFACTS TO LIFE AND ALLOW VISITORS TO CONDUCT EXPERIMENTS AND CHALLENGES.SCIENCE PHENOMENA OFFERS MORE THAN 90 INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES THAT DEMONSTRATE THE WONDERS OF SCIENCE. VISITORS EXPLORE PHOTOLUMINESCENCE IN THE SHADOW ROOM, USE MAGNETS TO MOVE A PENDULUM, EXPERIMENT WITH SOUND IN AN ECHO TUBE, AND LIFT HEAVY LOADS WITH PULLEYS. EXHIBIT ELEMENTS INCLUDING THE AUTO CAR CARE CENTER, DERBY DASH AND PHYSICS PLAYGROUND WERE NEW ADDITIONS TO SCIENCE PHENOMENA IN OCTOBER 2019 FOLLOWING VROOM: A CAR ADVENTURE.BIOMEDTECH GALLERY PROVIDES INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS, VIDEOS, AND EDUCATIONAL DISPLAYS FOCUSING ON GENOMICS, STEM CELLS, PROSTHETICS, FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION (FES), AND MEDICAL IMAGING, HELPING STUDENTS UNDERSTAND HOW THESE TECHNOLOGIES ADVANCE HEALTH AND IMPROVE LIVES. THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE BIOMEDTECH GALLERY FOCUSES ON THE SCIENCE OF HAND WASHING AND HOW VACCINES WORK DIRECTLY RELATING TO CURRENT EVENTS.CLEVELAND CREATES ZONE INTRODUCES VISITORS TO MAKER EXPERIENCE AND THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING PROCESS THROUGH STEM 'DO IT YOURSELF' PROJECTS SUCH AS DESIGNING A PARACHUTE TO SAFELY LAND CARGO AND BUILDING AND EXPERIMENTING WITH CARS MADE OF LEGOS. EVALUATIONS SHOW THAT GUESTS HAVE THEIR MOST REFLECTIVE, EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES AT THESE EXHIBITS.POLYMER FUN HOUSE IS A SPECIAL AREA OF THE SCIENCE PHENOMENON GALLERIES THAT IS GEARED FOR OUR YOUNGEST GUESTS. IN THE FUN HOUSE, GUESTS AGE 7 AND YOUNGER HAVE THEIR OWN AREA TO EXPLORE BASIC SCIENCE PRINCIPLES THROUGH OPEN ENDED PLAY. THE AREA ALSO INCLUDES THE SEASONAL OUTDOOR EXHIBIT PORT POLYMER AND A SPECIAL INFANT AREA ADDED THIS YEAR FOR THOSE AGE 2 AND YOUNGER. THE INFANT AREA EXPLORES THE CONCEPTS OF FORCES, SORTING (MATH), AND LITERACY IN AN AGE-APPROPRIATE AND SAFE LOCATION ALLOWING CAREGIVERS TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE LETTING THEIR CHILDREN PLAY IN THEIR OWN DESIGNATED SPACE.STEAMSHIP WILLIAM G. MATHER GIVES VISITORS A GLIMPSE OF LIFE ON BOARD A WORKING GREAT LAKES FREIGHTER, THROUGH THE RESTORED 618-FOOT HISTORIC FLAGSHIP OF CLEVELAND-CLIFFS IRON COMPANY. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS, GLSC WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE MATHER UNTIL LABOR DAY WEEKEND IN 2021. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE REOPENING FOR THE FULL SUMMER IN 2022.

MEMBERSHIP AND MARKETING: GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER SERVED 2,168 MEMBER HOUSEHOLDS IN FY21, ACCOUNTING FOR 24,225 MEMBER VISITS TO THE SCIENCE CENTER. MEMBERSHIP IS SUPPORTED ACROSS THE MARKETING, DEVELOPMENT, AND GUEST SERVICES DEPARTMENTS. A KEY FINDING OF THE SCIENCE CENTER'S 2017-2021 STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN PROCESS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW ATTENDANCE AND ATTENDANCE-RELATED REVENUE BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF REPEAT VISITS BY MEMBERS. THIS FINDING IS FOUNDATIONAL IN REACHING OUR ATTENDANCE GOALS AND HELPED SPUR IMPROVEMENTS TO BOTH OUR MEMBER AND MARKETING PROGRAMS. AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IMPROVEMENTS TO MEMBER AND MARKETING EXPERIENCES THIS YEAR INCLUDED AN INCREASED NUMBER OF MEMBER EVENTS SUCH AS EXHIBITS AND (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)FILM PREVIEWS.EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO INSPIRE MORE FREQUENT VISITS FOR MEMBERS WITH ACTIVE-PROLONGED EXHIBIT EXPERIENCES, AND FREQUENT CHANGES TO EXPERIENCES. IN ADDITION, SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT GREW ACROSS ALL FIVE OF THE MAJOR PLATFORMS FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, AND LINKEDIN. WE REDIRECTED A PORTION OF OUR PAID MEDIA BUDGET TO OUR TARGET AUDIENCE VERSUS A BROAD DEMOGRAPHIC AUDIENCE. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OUR PRIMARY TARGET AUDIENCE AS PARENTS WITH CHILDREN AGE 2-12 LIVING OR VISITING THE NORTHEAST OHIO EIGHT-COUNTY REGION, AND OUR SECONDARY AUDIENCE AS GRANDPARENTS WITH GRANDCHILDREN AGE 2-12 IN THE SAME GEOGRAPHIC REGION.

COMBINATION OF OMNIMAX AND GUEST SERVICES.