Science Museum Of Minnesota

THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA ENVISIONS A WORLD IN WHICH EVERYONE HAS THE POWER TO USE SCIENCE TO MAKE LIVES BETTER. THE MUSEUM IS ONE OF THE STATE'S OLDEST AND BEST-KNOWN CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, WITH A HISTORY DATING BACK TO 1907. THE MUSEUM SERVES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH YEAR WITH A COMBINATION OF HIGH-QUALITY STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES, HIGHLY-REGARDED SCIENCE AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS THAT SPAN THE GLOBE, AND A WORLD-CLASS COLLECTION OF NEARLY TWO MILLION FOSSILS, ARTIFACTS, AND CULTURAL OBJECTS THAT SPAN BILLIONS OF YEARS OF EARTH'S HISTORY. THE MUSEUM'S MISSION IS TO TURN ON THE SCIENCE: INSPIRE LEARNING, INFORM POLICY, AND IMPROVE LIVES.

MUSEUM EXPERIENCES:THE MUSEUM'S CURRENT LOCATION ALONG THE BANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER OFFERS 370,000 SQUARE FEET OF INTENTIONALLY INTERACTIVE AND DYNAMIC SPACE THAT HOLDS SEVERAL WORLD-CLASS PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS, A 10,000-SQUARE-FOOT TEMPORARY EXHIBIT GALLERY, AND ONE OF THE ONLY IMAX DIGITAL LASER DOMED THEATERS IN THE WORLD. THE MUSEUM ALSO SERVES AS A PRODUCER OF GIANT SCREEN FILMS, EXHIBITS, AND LIVE THEATER SHOWS AND DEMONSTRATIONS FOR MUSEUMS AND THEATERS AROUND THE GLOBE.AFTER CLOSING ON MARCH 13, 2020 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE MUSEUM WAS ABLE TO RE-OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ON AUGUST 22, 2020 WITH REDUCED HOURS, TIMED ADMISSIONS, AND CAPS ON DAILY ATTENDANCE. HOWEVER, THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO DISRUPT OUR ONSITE EXPERIENCE OFFERINGS AS THE MUSEUM BUILDING WAS CLOSED FOR A SECOND PERIOD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 15, 2020 AND FEBRUARY 26, 2021. THE MUSEUM EXPERIMENTED AND INNOVATED IN RESPONSE TO THE WAYS THE PANDEMIC LIMITED FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS AND THERE WERE 1.3 MILLION SELF GUIDED ENGAGEMENTS THROUGH ONLINE CHANNELS IN FY21.

STEM EQUITY & EDUCATION:NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE A SCIENTIST, BUT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE. THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA SEEKS TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS IN EDUCATION AND HELP EVERYONE REALIZE THE POWER OF SCIENCE TO MAKE LIVES BETTER THROUGH INNOVATIVE AND TIME-TESTED PROGRAMS. THE MUSEUM IS COMMITTED TO CREATING PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS FOR THOSE HISTORICALLY LEFT OUT OF SCIENCE CAREERS, DEVELOPING A STEM-READY WORKFORCE, AND BETTER PREPARING OUR SOCIETY TO MAKE INFORMED AND EDUCATED DECISIONS ABOUT TOPICS THAT IMPACT OUR LIVES AND THE WORLD AROUND US.SMM REACHED 52 OUT OF 87 MINNESOTA COUNTIES AND 17 STATES WITH ITS SCHOOLS-FOCUSED PROGRAMMING THIS YEAR. NEARLY ALL PROGRAMS WERE OFFERED VIRTUALLY. NATIONAL REACH IN VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING WAS ACHIEVED THROUGH INVOLVEMENT WITH VIRTUAL TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES.THE MUSEUM IS ALSO HOME TO THE KITTY ANDERSEN YOUTH SCIENCE CENTER, AN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME CENTER WITH A 20+ YEAR HISTORY OF ENGAGING YOUTH FROM GROUPS THAT ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM FIELDS IN A PATHWAY FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITH A FOCUS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE. THE KAYSC HAD 1,653 FACILITATED ENGAGEMENTS DURING THE YEAR AND 268 YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE SCIENCE MUSEUM SERVED 10,046 THROUGH ITS EQUITABLE ACCESS PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE TICKETS TO INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES FACING ECONOMIC BARRIERS.FOR TWO DECADES, THE SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA HAS BEEN A LEADER IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS, HELPING THEM CHANGE THE WAY THEY UNDERSTAND AND DELIVER STEM CONTENT TO INSPIRE ALL STUDENTS TO RECOGNIZE THE RELEVANCE OF STEM IN THEIR LIVES. THE IDEAL CENTER IS THE EVOLUTION OF THAT WORK, SPECIALIZING IN TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING THROUGH THE LENS OF EQUITY. THE IDEAL CENTER'S TRANSFORMATIONAL TRAININGS HAVE HELPED ITS PARTICIPANTS CREATE EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES NOT ONLY IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAPACITIES, BUT IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES, AS WELL.

SCIENCE:THE SCIENCE MUSEUM DOESN'T JUST CHAMPION THE VALUE OF SCIENCE - IT DOES SCIENCE. ITS STAFF OF PROFESSIONAL SCIENTISTS - WITH EXPERTISE IN BIOLOGY, PALEONTOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY, COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT, GLOBAL CHANGE, WATER QUALITY, AND INFORMAL LEARNING - IS COMMITTED TO SHARING ITS RESOURCES AND KNOWLEDGE WITH FELLOW RESEARCHERS AND THE PUBLIC ALIKE. THE MUSEUM IS HOME TO A CAREFULLY-CURATED COLLECTION OF NEARLY TWO MILLION ARTIFACTS AND SPECIMENS THAT REPRESENT THE FIELDS OF ANTHROPOLOGY, BIOLOGY, AND PALEONTOLOGY. THE MUSEUM IS COMMITTED TO MAKING ITEMS OF ITS COLLECTION AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING BY INCORPORATING THEM INTO REGULAR AND ROTATING MUSEUM PROGRAMMING. THESE ITEMS ARE ALSO USED FOR RESEARCH AND STUDY BY MUSEUM CURATORS, AS WELL AS VISITING SCIENTISTS. THE MUSEUM ACCESSIONED OVER 1,100 ITEMS, AND DIGITIZED NEARLY 8,500 RECORDS.MUSEUM SCIENTISTS, INCLUDING AN EXPERIENCED TEAM OF WATER RESEARCHERS AT THE ST. CROIX WATERSHED RESEARCH STATION, ARE CONDUCTING ORIGINAL RESEARCH AND ALSO INFORMING AND INFLUENCING STATE AND NATIONAL POLICIES ON CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER USAGE AND QUALITY, AND CONSERVATION. IN TURN, MUSEUM VISITORS GET AN UP-CLOSE, REAL-TIME, HANDS-ON LOOK AT THE EVOLUTIONARY FORCES OF WATER, HUMAN CONNECTIONS TO WATER THROUGH CULTURAL EVOLUTION, AND CURRENT ISSUES AFFECTING OUR REGIONAL WATER RIGHT HERE AT THE HEADWATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES. MUSEUM SCIENTISTS CONDUCTED 23 FIELD EXPEDITIONS THIS YEAR AND THE SCIENTISTS AT THE SAINT CROIX WATERSHED RESEARCH STATION PROCESSED OVER 1,300 WATER AND SEDIMENT SAMPLES AND STUDIED 31 BODIES OF WATER.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE UNALLOCATED COSTS INCLUDING COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING, VOLUNTEERS, AND EVALUATION AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT MUSEUM MEMBERS AND VISITORS.