Eugene Science Center facts for kids
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| Location | 2300 Leo Harris Parkway Eugene, Oregon |
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| Type | Science Museum |
The Eugene Science Center is a super cool place in Eugene, Oregon. It's a science and technology center for kids, families, and school groups. You can find it in Alton Baker Park, close to Autzen Stadium. This museum is about 10,000 square feet in size.
It has awesome interactive exhibits that change all the time. You can also enjoy exciting planetarium shows and fun camp programs. The center hosts special events and other science education programs too. The Eugene Science Center is a non-profit group. It is run by a team of volunteers. Their main goal is to get kids excited about science. They want to inspire a lifelong love for learning. They also want to help kids use science to make their communities better. This center is the only science museum in Lane County and nearby areas.
Contents
Discovering the Eugene Science Center's Past
How the Science Center Began
The Eugene Science Center started a long time ago in 1961. It was first called the Southwest Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (SWOMSI). At first, it got help from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland. But soon, it became its own independent museum. A group of local teachers helped lead it.
SWOMSI first opened in the Oregon Electric Railway Station. This building is now the Oregon Electric Station restaurant. In its early days, SWOMSI had exhibits and classes. It also showed planetarium shows in the Spitz Planetarium. This planetarium was run by OMSI.
Moving to a New Home
By 1973, the old railway station was not big enough. The Spitz Planetarium was also getting old. So, SWOMSI's leaders asked Lane County for space. They wanted to build a new museum in the new Alton Baker Park. After this, SWOMSI became the Willamette Science and Technology Center (WISTEC).
Many groups helped pay for the new museum. These included Lane Community College and the University of Oregon. WISTEC also put $50,000 from selling the old railway station into the new building.
The Center Grows and Changes Names
The WISTEC building and a new planetarium were built from 1978 to 1979. WISTEC opened at its current spot in 1980. The planetarium was separate from the museum at first. It later became the responsibility of the Lane Education Service District. The planetarium closed in December 2002 because of money problems.
In January 2002, WISTEC changed its name to The Science Factory. In 2003, the planetarium became part of The Science Factory. It was then called the Science Factory Children's Museum & Planetarium. The name went back to Science Factory in 2016. Then, in January 2018, it officially became the Eugene Science Center.
Exploring the Exhibits
The Eugene Science Center has a planetarium and a big exhibit hall. This hall has both permanent and changing exhibits.
The Planetarium Experience
The Eugene Science Center Planetarium has been owned by the museum since 2002. It can seat 70 people. It uses a digital Minolta series llB star projector. This projector shines stars onto a 40-foot Astro-Tec dome.
The planetarium offers live and pre-recorded digital shows. You can see them on Friday mornings and all day on weekends. They are also open every day during the summer. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can even enjoy laser shows!
In March 2017, the digital projector stopped working. After months of raising money, a new, super modern projector was put in. This happened in August 2018. The new equipment uses laser technology. It shows amazing, high-contrast, 4k resolution images across the whole dome.
Exciting Temporary Exhibits
A big part of the Eugene Science Center's Exhibit Hall is for temporary exhibits. These are exhibits that travel from other places. Some cool past exhibits included "Yesterday's Tomorrows" and "Brain Teasers." Others were "The Sound of Science" and "Tech City."
The Tot Spot
The Tot Spot is a special room for kids aged five and younger. It's a safe and fun place for them to explore and play.
Community Room
In 2017, the Eugene Science Center turned its meeting room into a Community Room. This room is open to everyone during museum hours. It has a vending machine and a community board. There are also tables and chairs where visitors can eat snacks or lunch.
Learning and Education
The Eugene Science Center mainly helps children from birth through 8th grade. They offer special programs, summer camps, and field trips. They used to have programs like Girls' Science Adventures. This program helped young girls explore careers in math, science, and technology.
The center also has programs like YES!YEA! Days. This program combines reading, art, and science. It works with the Young Writer's Association. They also have "Tot Discovery Days" once a month for toddlers. Over the years, the museum has added special learning areas. These include a computer lab, a library, and an upgraded classroom. The planetarium was also upgraded in 2010.
