The Sciencenter in Ithaca, New York, has spent the past 30 years fostering curiosity through interactive learning experiences. Visitors engage with over 250 hands-on exhibits that encourage exploration, laughter, and discovery. Unlike traditional educational settings that often rely on passive observation, the Sciencenter promotes active participation, creating a unique environment for learning.
Inside the Sciencenter, the absence of screens and passive activities is striking. Instead, the space buzzes with the sounds of children interacting with a two-story kinetic ball machine and exploring various exhibits. For instance, children reach for rubber ducks and the soft scales of a rainbow boa, immersing themselves in tactile experiences that spark their curiosity. Sierra Coathup, the Sciencenter’s volunteer program manager, recalls a memorable moment in the Saltonstall Animal Room. A child exclaimed, “See, I told you it was real!” as they rushed toward the axolotl tank, showcasing a natural curiosity that the Sciencenter expertly nurtures.
The Sciencenter’s mission is clear: to cultivate an engaged community of curious, collaborative, critical thinkers. Unfortunately, such environments are becoming increasingly rare as formal education often shifts from exploration to memorization. According to Professor Chris Schaffer from Cornell University’s Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, curiosity tends to diminish after middle school when science education becomes more about facts than engagement. “Until the end of middle school, science is, on average, everybody’s favorite subject,” Schaffer noted. He emphasizes the importance of interactive environments to sustain curiosity through active exploration.
Research supports this approach. A 33-year study tracking a national sample of individuals from Generation X found that early exposure to hands-on science activities significantly shaped their lifelong interests and engagement with the subject. The Sciencenter’s success in creating these crucial experiences stems from years of audience research, prototyping, and testing. Each exhibit represents the culmination of a meticulous five-year process involving evaluation, surveying, and refining.
A prime example of this rigorous work is the Bridges to Bioengineering project, a collaboration between the Sciencenter and Cornell University. This bilingual traveling exhibition, available in both Spanish and English, aims to connect complex biomedical engineering concepts with public understanding. Adrienne Testa, the director of exhibitions, explained that the process begins with “front-end evaluation.” The team conducts interviews with professionals, students, and parents to gauge their knowledge and perceptions of biomedical engineering.
In the second year of development, the team focused on “proof of concept” prototyping, testing the exhibit’s ability to capture attention and communicate its scientific message clearly. Currently, in the Sciencenter’s basement workshop, the third phase is underway. Here, the exhibition is being built and adjusted based on observations from public prototyping. Schaffer elaborated, “We’re monitoring and evaluating how the children interact. Did they seem to have fun? What knowledge did they take away?”
Over the next two years, project teams will refine the design to create an experience that encourages visitors to actively participate in science, fostering an environment where inquiry and play can thrive. In 2025, the Sciencenter’s 11 completed traveling exhibitions are expected to reach 14 states and two Canadian provinces, engaging hundreds of thousands of people. Plans are even in place for an exhibition to travel to a children’s science museum in Chengdu, China, broadening the reach of this innovative model across cultural and geographic boundaries.
At the Sciencenter, curiosity is viewed as a quality worth preserving. Through the dedication of staff, researchers, and thousands of volunteers, the institution ensures that discovery remains accessible, hands-on, and enjoyable. As children stand in front of aquarium tanks, confidently declaring, “See? I told you it was real!” the Sciencenter demonstrates its commitment to transforming how we learn about the world around us.
