About Us

About the Sciencenter

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


The Sciencenter staff is available to help make your visit a pleasant experience and we look forward to speaking with you.


Sciencenter Staff

Name/Email Title Ext.
Cass Barbour
cbarbour@sciencenter.org
Cass Barbour Project Manager x155
Emily Belle
ebelle@sciencenter.org
Emily Belle Education Program Coordinator, Animal Keeper x147
Gabi Cohen
gcohen@sciencenter.org
Gabi Cohen Museum Greeter x121
Giulia DiMarino
gdimarino@sciencenter.org
Giulia DiMarino Development and Communications Coordinator x118
Chris Fagan
cfagan@sciencenter.org
Chris Fagan CFO and VP of Administration x130
Patricia Flery
pflery@sciencenter.org
Patricia Flery Museum Greeter x121
Lucas Fredericks
lfredericks@sciencenter.org
Lucas Fredericks Exhibit Fabricator x146
Lauren Garnese
lgarnese@sciencenter.org
Lauren Garnese Director of Development & Communications 133
Annie Gordon
agordon@sciencenter.org
Annie Gordon Education Program Coordinator x123
Kimberly Griffiths
kgriffiths@sciencenter.org
Kimberly Griffiths Volunteer Program Manager 149
Ali Jackson
ajackson@sciencenter.org
Ali Jackson Director of Programs & Partnerships x144
Michelle Kortenaar
mkortenaar@sciencenter.org
Michelle Kortenaar Executive Director (Bio) x124
Kathy Krafft
kkrafft@sciencenter.org
Kathy Krafft Exhibit Fabricator x125
Kethry Larsen
klarsen@sciencenter.org
Kethry Larsen Museum Greeter x121
Peter Leipzig
pLeipzig@sciencenter.org
Peter Leipzig Education Program Coordinator x145
Dominic Matras
dmatras@sciencenter.org
Dominic Matras Museum Greeter x121
Colin Meeks
cmeeks@sciencenter.org
Colin Meeks Curator of Live Exhibits x132
Mike Napierski
mnapierski@sciencenter.org
Mike Napierski Facilities Manager x142
Ryan Opila
ropila@sciencenter.org
Ryan Opila Grants Manager x111
Sandy Pedersen
Animal Keeper
Sandy Pedersen animalkeeper@sciencenter.org n/a
Julian Pompilio
jpompilio@sciencenter.org
Julian Pompilio Exhibit Fabricator x143
Marcel Richardson Villenas
mvillenas@sciencenter.org
Marcel Richardson Villenas Museum Greeter x121
Sharon Smallwood
ssmallwood@sciencenter.org
Sharon Smallwood Traveling Exhibitions Manager x128
Adrienne Testa
atesta@sciencenter.org
Adrienne Testa Director of Exhbits & Facilities x135
Cori Thompson
cthompson@sciencenter.org
Cori Thompson Director of Guest Relations x116

Sciencenter Board of Trustees

  • Shawn Wilczynski, Chair
  • Eric Rosario, Vice Chair
  • Mickie Sanders-Jauquet, Secretary
  • Jason Sanford, Treasurer
  • Laurie Robinson, Past Chair
  • Brian Bauer
  • John Birmingham
  • Michael Britt
  • Chantal Champagne
  • George Gull
  • Seth T. Hiland
  • Andrea Ippolito
  • Carrie Jubran
  • Costa Lambrou
  • Ed Malone
  • Sunny Miller
  • Mary Opperman
  • Daisy Rosas Vargas
  • Jessica Schaber
  • Eric Toftegaard
  • Qi Zhang

Sciencenter Advisory Board

John Alexander, Warren Allmon, William Bassett, Walt Cottrell, Sarah Davidson Evanega, Ann Druyan, Jennifer Engel, David Fernandez, Michael Goldstein, Mary Grainger, Janet Hawkes, Lindsey Hayes, Carolyn Horner, Laurie Johnston, Denise Lee, Deborah Levin, Ilma Levine, Bruce Lewenstein, Robert McGuire, Susan Mittler, Lorraine Moynihan Schmitt, Svante Myrick, John Neuman, Michael Nolan, William Nye, Thomas O’Rourke, Mason Peck, Nancy Potter, Richard Prybyl, Martha Robertson, Franklin Robinson, Tacie Saltonstall, Helene Schember, Lynette Scofield, Arthur Shull, Blixy Taetzsch, Jennifer Tavares, Bruce Thompson, Marguerite Uphoff, Thomas VanDerzee, Charles Walcott, Sean Whittaker, Amy Yale-Loehr, Gene Yarussi

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Get Involved Press Resources
Sciencenter
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Find us

Sciencenter 601 1st Street Ithaca, NY 14850
Google map directions

Contact us

Museum & Store Hours

  • Tuesday, 10 am - 5 pm
  • Wednesday, 10 am - 5 pm
  • Thursday, 10 am - 5 pm
  • Friday, 10 am - 5 pm
  • Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm
  • Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm

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