ScienceWorks Museum (Ashland, Oregon) facts for kids
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| Established | 2001 |
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| Location | Ashland, Oregon, United States |
| Type | private: science, industry |
| Visitors | 55,000 visitors per year |
The ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland, Oregon, is a fun science museum. It was started in 2001 by a small group of families. Their big idea was to turn an old 26,000 square foot building into an exciting place. They wanted to create an interactive science center. This center would help schools in the area with their science learning.
The museum built over 100 hands-on exhibits. Many of these were made right in the museum's own workshop. Volunteers also helped a lot to create them. ScienceWorks offers many cool programs. These include field trips for students and exciting summer camps. They also have live science shows and special weekend events.
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What is ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum?
ScienceWorks is a place where you can learn about science by doing things. It's not just about looking at exhibits. You get to touch, try, and explore. The museum helps people of all ages discover how science works in the world around them. It's a great spot for families and school groups.
How Does ScienceWorks Help Schools?
ScienceWorks has special programs for schools. These programs reach 16 counties and 24 school districts. They serve areas in Southern Oregon and Northern California. The museum offers field trips and also brings science activities to classrooms.
Many of the schools they help are in low-income areas. About 78% of the students are from rural places. For example, in 2017-2018, all 1,000 third-graders from the Medford School District visited ScienceWorks. Each year, over 9,000 students benefit from these school programs.
Creating Awesome Exhibits
ScienceWorks doesn't just show exhibits. They also design and build them! These exhibits are displayed at the museum. Some of them even travel to other museums. This means more people can enjoy them.
Some popular exhibits they have created include "Take Flight" and "Sportsology." They also made an exhibit called "Noise!" Their newest exhibit is "Pterosaurs: Ancient Rulers of the Sky." This one was built right in the museum's own workshop.
Who Leads ScienceWorks?
Erin Endress is the Executive Director of ScienceWorks. This means she is in charge of running the museum. She has a degree in museum studies. This degree teaches people how to manage museums. Erin has been working at ScienceWorks since 2018.
