The Sciencenter, a non-profit hands-on science museum in Ithaca, New York, grew out of a volunteer-run science program at a local elementary school. Founded in 1983, the Sciencenter operated from storefronts for nearly a decade. In 1993, the museum opened the first phase of its permanent home. Phase II opened in 1996 and provided additional program space. Phase III, which opened in 2003, expanded the Sciencenter to 32,000 sq. ft. During the decade from 1992-2002, 3,400 volunteers donated 50,000 hours of time to construct the Sciencenter. In 2010, the Sciencenter acquired an additional 8,000 sq. ft. building to support its growing traveling exhibition program.
Today, the Sciencenter is a nationally recognized museum, hosting 100,000 guests in Ithaca each year and reaching over 1.5 million guests worldwide through our traveling exhibitions and outreach programs.
The Sciencenter is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and is a member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) and Association of Children’s Museums (ACM).
Sciencenter mission: Cultivate a broad community of curious, confident, critical thinkers.
Sciencenter vision: A world where people explore, connect, and create through science.
Download our complete history overview
Download our 2019-2023 Strategic Framework
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