Museum of Science Fiction facts for kids
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| Established | April 2013 |
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| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Type | Science Fiction Museum |
The Museum of Science Fiction (MOSF) is a special kind of museum called a nonprofit organization. It is planned to be in Washington, D.C.. Greg Viggiano and 22 volunteers started it in 2013. Their big goal was to create the world's first complete science fiction museum.
Since 2016, the museum has published a journal called MOSF Journal of Science Fiction. In 2017, they released their first "take-home exhibit." This was a book of stories called Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers: Women of Science Fiction.
Contents
Building the Museum
The Museum of Science Fiction planned to open a smaller "preview" museum first. This was going to happen in 2015. It was a step towards opening the full museum in 2018.
The preview museum was designed to be about 4,000 square feet. It would be near a DC Metro station. The idea was for it to be open for four years. After that, it could travel to other cities around the world. This would help share the museum's mission.
The preview museum would change its exhibits often. This would encourage people to visit many times. It would also help the museum get feedback from early visitors. The space could also host special events. These included dinners, presentations, and movie screenings.
In 2014, the museum held a contest for the design of its first home. They looked at locations in D.C. and northern Virginia. They hoped to open the preview museum in 2015. The full 50,000 square-foot museum was planned for 2018.
The full museum plans to have seven main galleries. These galleries will explore the question, "What if?" They will show how science fiction has influenced science and technology. The planned galleries include:
- The Creators
- Other Worlds
- Vehicles
- Time Travels
- Aliens, Creatures, and Altered Life
- Computers and Robots
- Technology
The museum also held a contest for exhibit designs starting in 2014. These designs would be used in the preview museum.
Museum Activities
The MOSF Journal of Science Fiction
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Abbreviated title (ISO 4)
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MOSF J. Sci. Fict. |
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| Discipline | Science fiction studies |
| Language | English |
| Edited by | Aisha Matthews |
| Publication details | |
| Publisher |
Museum of Science Fiction (United States)
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Publication history
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2016-present |
| Frequency | Triannual |
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Open access
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Yes |
| License | Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 |
| Indexing | |
| ISSN | 2474-0837 |
| OCLC no. | 957987943 |
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The MOSF Journal of Science Fiction is an academic journal. It focuses on science fiction studies. The museum has published it three times a year since 2016. It is an open access journal, meaning you can read it for free online. Aisha Matthews is the main editor.
The journal publishes articles and reviews about science fiction. It aims to explore many different parts of science fiction. Each issue usually has 3 to 4 academic articles.
Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers: Women of Science Fiction
In 2016, the Museum of Science Fiction started a campaign to fund its first "take-home exhibit." This was a collection of stories called Catalysts, Explorers & Secret Keepers: Women of Science Fiction. The campaign was successful.
The digital (eBook) version of the book came out in November 2017. Hardback and paperback versions were released later that year.
Julie Dillon created the cover art for the book. The editorial team was led by Monica Louzon. The book includes new poems by Jane Yolen. It also features new short stories from authors like Seanan McGuire and Sarah Pinsker. Many other great writers also have stories reprinted in the book.
Museum Partnerships
The museum works with the John Eaton Elementary School in Washington D.C. They bring fun STEAM programs to local students. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. The museum uses science fiction to teach these subjects.
They work with teachers to create workshops for students. These activities include storytelling, writing, and art. They also do many science projects. The museum has also partnered with the Science Channel and AwesomeCon.
In 2016, the museum worked with the Maryland Science Center. They displayed a model of the Orion III spacecraft there. This model was part of the museum's "Future of Travel" exhibit in 2015. That exhibit was held at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Museum Events
The Museum of Science Fiction hosts many events. They also partner with others for events. One popular event is their monthly science fiction movie screening. They do this with the District of Columbia Public Library.
They also have traveling exhibits. One of these is an Architectural Design Competition Exhibition.
Escape Velocity Convention
From July 1 to 3, 2016, the museum held its first big event. It was a convention called Escape Velocity. It was like a small futuristic world's fair. The goal was to promote STEAM education using science fiction. It combined the fun of comic cons with science and engineering.
The convention featured guests who were experts in both science and science fiction. There was also a gallery with original props, models, and costumes. These were from famous science fiction works. It gave visitors a peek at what the permanent museum would show.
The second Escape Velocity was in September 2017. Its theme was Robotics, Computers, AI, and Drones. Guests included Thomas Dolby and Joe Haldeman.
The event continued in May 2018 and May 2019. These years featured the Cosmic Encounter Experience. This included panels and demonstrations of the board game Cosmic Encounter. Escape Velocity 2019 even hosted the first Cosmic Encounter Galactic Championship Tournament. It also brought together the original game designers for the first time in many years.
CubeSat Competition
In October 2015, the Museum of Science Fiction announced a CubeSat Competition. They partnered with NASA and Cornell University. High school students from all over the world could enter. They had to submit ideas for space missions. The winning ideas would be built and sent into space on a future NASA mission!
The White House recognized this competition in October 2015. The winning teams were announced in May 2016. They were from:
- Bowie High School in El Paso, TX, USA
- Ithaca High School in Ithaca, NY, USA
- Dulwich School in Suzhou, China
Deep Ocean Robotics Competition
In October 2016, the museum announced another competition. This was a Deep Ocean Research and Robotics Competition. They partnered with Cornell University again.
The winning team was announced in May 2017. It was from the 1st Junior High School of Papagou, Greece.
Costume Design Competition
In September 2017, the Museum of Science Fiction announced a Costume Design Competition. It also included a Fashion Show. The competition ran until April 2018. The final judging took place at Escape Velocity 2018.
