The Connecticut Science Center has served more than 4 million visitors in the past 15 years.
And with many improvements to the store, including new exhibits and attractions, as well as infrastructure improvements to the building, millions more will likely visit in the next 15 years.
“Fifteen years is a real milestone for us at the Connecticut Science Center,” said center CEO Matt Fleury. “We think very carefully about our future and are proud of the fact that we have served more than 4.3 million people in our existence at the center.”
The changes begin on December 14 when CSC will unveil a new Exploring Space exhibit.
“The new exhibit will welcome people to have a conversation about space in a dramatic and experiential way,” Fleury said.
“We are only a small part of the vastness of the universe and we explore outer space with space technology that includes the International Space Station and the Mars Rover and the potential for the future occupation of Mars,” he said.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun and just an exciting hands-on environment that makes you feel like you’re in space pushing levers and buttons. You’ll learn all the amazing things about the world around us.”
Fleury has been at the center since the CSC building was constructed.
Next spring, The Science Behind Pixar will come to Hartford as a traveling exhibit throughout the summer. The 13,000-square-foot exhibit was created by the Science Museum, Boston, in collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios.
“It’s going to be really exciting for the legion of fans of Pixar and movies like Toy Story,” Fleury said. “Impressive technology is used with amazing voices that bring those characters to life on screen.”
Fleury said the Science Center’s 10-year vision has six key points:
- Create an exemplary science center visitor experience
- STEM engagement, learning and careers
- Digital engagement to connect and serve
- Deepening and expanding the mall visit with integrated online experiences to learn, transact and connect
- Inspiring generations to sustain the planet
- Social and governance, building financial strength.
“We’re thinking about the world around us and we’re continuing to evolve,” Fleury said. “We need to be an exciting, interactive and hands-on destination for our community. We also need to make sure people can use or services at home with the latest digital technology.”
Private and public partnership
The State of Connecticut has approved $10.7 million in funding, and to date, the Science Center has raised an additional $5.06 million toward a combined goal of $20 million.
“The science center was created largely by the state, which created it as a nonprofit,” Fleury said. “But since the beginning it has been supported by private and public partnerships with the state of Connecticut and our donors and supporters. The state legislature and governor included $10.7 million for these projects in the fiscal budget. We will raise money through private donors and private foundations. People love the Science Center.”
The plan also includes an expanded KidSpace exhibit, which is geared toward younger visitors, and a new attraction, KidSpace Outdoors, an outdoor science playground that will be located next to the popular indoor water play area.
“It’s been 15 years since a robot launched our grand opening, and the Connecticut Science Center has become a beloved landmark in Hartford and a constant in the lives of Connecticut families,” said Len Wolman, a founding donor, trustee and now the board. chair. “Those first curious young minds graduate from high school, their experiences here shape their futures and fuel their passion for STEM. As we approach our 25th year, our vision remains the same: to make science, technology, engineering and mathematics accessible and engaging for everyone.”
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CSC is also planning new exhibits focused on environmental sustainability and energy. Each exhibit has a focus on STEM careers and related trades, including a planned exhibit on advanced manufacturing and a new physics exhibit using simulators and race car icons to demonstrate and explain forces in motion. It is titled “Forces in Motion: Speed.”
The Science Center’s on-site offerings will also be increasingly supported by a new digital platform to make it easier to visit and connect and expand STEM engagement at home, Fleury said.
With a new website and app, the mobile-oriented platform will aim to make planning and purchasing visits, services and memberships easier. It will also enable augmented reality to select exhibits and provide personalized panels for families to participate in science at home.
“We’ve decided on a vision for the next 10 years of the Science Center,” Fleury said. “By then, we’ll be here a quarter of a century. During that time, we’ll be adding new exhibits and new features. We also replace exhibits that have reached the end of their useful life. We will install the new exhibits one by one, spread out, to give new experiences to each visit.”
“We’ve become a popular attraction,” he said. “Families bring family members from out of town to show them one of the best things we have to offer here in Connecticut…We get constant reaffirmation of the importance of our work from the people we serve every day and by seeing the smiles in our showrooms every day.”
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