1875 El Prado San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 238-1233
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Volunteer Orientation Handbook 1875 El Prado San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 238-1233 www.rhfleet.org The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center seeks to inspire lifelong learning by furthering the public understanding and enjoyment of science and technology. Welcome Welcome to the Volunteer and Internship Programs at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. We thank you for your interest in helping our organization inspire lifelong learning in our community. We sincerely hope that your experiences here will be rewarding, educational and fun! Volunteers and interns play an integral role in the operation of the Fleet and its programs. Our team is made up of over 200 dedicated volunteers and interns (and roughly 100 employees) serving in a multitude of roles, all helping to spark a better understanding and enjoyment of science and technology by the public. We would like to express our sincere appreciation for your interest in our volunteer and intern programs. We couldn't do any of this without your support. THANK YOU for sharing your time and talent with us! General Information Mission Statement: The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center seeks to inspire lifelong learning by furthering the public understanding and enjoyment of science and technology. Physical Address: 1875 El Prado (at the intersection of Park Blvd. & Space Theater Way) San Diego, CA 92101 Mailing Address: PO Box 33303 San Diego, CA 92163 Telephone: (619) 238-1233 Website: www.rhfleet.org Hours: Open every day, including holidays! We open every day at 10:00 a.m. (exception: 11:30 a.m. on Christmas day). Closing times vary—check our website for updates. Contacts Volunteer Programs & Training Manager: Tanja Schroeder ext. 835 [email protected] Museum Ambassador Supervisor: Sienna Rowden ext. 762 [email protected] Exhibits Volunteers Supervisor: Mary French ext. 834 [email protected] Volunteer Program Assistant & Interns (Volunteer Station): [email protected] General Schedule Change Requests: [email protected] The Fleet in a Nutshell The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center (“the Fleet”) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring lifelong learning by furthering the public understanding and enjoyment of science and technology. With exhibits to touch, IMAX® films to experience and planetarium shows to watch, the Fleet offers an educational and entertaining experience for visitors of all ages. Located at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, the Fleet features seven exhibit galleries with more than 100 fun hands-on science exhibits, including major traveling exhibitions. The Fleet is home to the world’s first and Southern California’s only IMAX Dome Theater, presenting the biggest films on the planet. Its unique configuration wraps the audience in images and provides the illusion of being suspended in space. Film topics take audiences from outer space to under water and every place in between, and are generally suitable for all ages. San Diego’s only giant Dome Theater showing fantastic IMAX films also plays host to planetarium shows, including the monthly Sky Tonight show, which is led by an astronomer and followed by outdoor telescope viewing, courtesy of the San Diego Astronomy Association (weather permitting). The Fleet is also home to “Kid City,” a colorful, interactive space designed especially for preschool-age children (ages five and under). The Nierman Challenger Learning Center offers the experience of living and working in space. The Fleet Science Center offers public programs and workshops throughout the year including Saturday Science Club for Girls (2nd Saturday each month), Senior Monday lectures and films (1st Monday each month), DNA Day, Nano Day, Green Day and more. Our ongoing Educational Programs bring visitors face-to-face with today’s leading scientists, astronauts and technology innovators. Find unique educational toys, games, books, IMAX DVDs and more in the North Star Science Store. Enjoy sandwiches, salads and healthful treats in Galileo’s Café. The Fleet is open daily at 10:00 a.m., closing times vary. Admission to the exhibit galleries and one IMAX film: Adults: $17, Seniors (65+): $15, Juniors (3-12): $14. For information regarding current admission prices, hours, theater shows and more, please call (619) 238-1233 or visit our website at www.rhfleet.org. Museum Terms: An Exhibit is a visitor experience that may take many formats such as a display of objects or interactive components; it may include graphic panels or multimedia components. A group of themed exhibits makes up an Exhibition. A Gallery is an exhibition room or space. Reuben H. Fleet Science Center History 1957 On March 20th, a group of San Diegans met and proposed building a museum of science and industry with a planetarium as the major attraction. In August, they formed the San Diego Hall of Science, which is now known as the San Diego Space and Science Foundation. 1965 Two employees of General Dynamics, Dr. Edward Creutz (the first director of research for General Dynamic’s Atomic Division), and James Crooks, Jr. (an electronics engineer and early Atlas program pioneer) developed and unveiled a model of a planetarium with a revolutionary new concept for the proposed science museum. Departing from tradition, the new concept featured a seventy-six foot dome tilted at a twenty-five degree angle away from the audience. This was to give the illusion of being suspended in space. In addition to facilitating the sensation of space travel for the planetarium shows, the tilted dome also served as the screen for a new motion picture system which was developed for this theater. OMNIMAX (now IMAX) is still the largest motion picture projection system in the world. 1969 The City and County of San Diego, in a Joint Powers Agreement, established the San Diego Planetarium Authority to oversee the issuance of $3 million in revenue bonds for the development of the Planetarium and Exhibits Galleries. In addition, through the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation and members of the Fleet family, $1 million was provided for special equipment in the Space Theater and development of exhibits for the Galleries. 1973 Originally named the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center, the facility opened to the public on March 10th. This was overseen by the San Diego Space and Science Foundation. 1997 On February 4th, ground was broken on an expansion to the Fleet Science Center. 1998 The new facility opened in May 1998 and has 95,000 square feet of floor space, more than twice the size of the original Fleet Science Center. It also included expanded space for educational services including the Nierman Challenger Learning Center, the Fleet Inquiry Institute, and a renovated IMAX Dome theater. 2008 The City of San Diego honored the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center as “Recycler of the Year” in their Waste Reduction and Recycling Awards Program (we also won this award 2009-2010 and the Director’s Recycling Award in 2011). Also in 2008, the Dome Theater was remodeled with sharper images and a specially-designed surround sound system. The theater was dedicated to Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff. 2009 The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center became the first museum in the United States to offer monthly Spanish-language IMAX film screenings. The new program, “IMAX EN ESPAÑOL,” made its debut with a screening of WILD OCEAN. The shows take place during the third Sunday of every month. 2010 The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center received a LEED Silver Certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, from the U.S. Green Building Council through its efforts to dramatically reduce energy and water consumption. The Fleet now consumes less energy today than it did prior to its 1998 expansion, which doubled the size of the facility. 2012 The Heikoff Dome Theater premiered its state-of-the-art, giant dome screen digital GSX™ system with the show “Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity.” This technology allows for a more immersive and pixel-perfect experience on the new NanoSeam™ screen. Reuben Hollis Fleet Major Reuben H. Fleet was a pioneer American aviator and earned his pilot’s wings in 1917. He was also commissioned by President Woodrow Wilson to establish the US Air Mail Service. In 1922, he left the Army and a year later founded Consolidated Aircraft in New York. In 1935, he relocated to San Diego and during World War II his business prospered selling seaplanes and Liberator bombers to the US government and its Allies. Reuben H. Fleet and his family made the essential gift which brought into being this Science Center and, hence, is the namesake of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. Fleet Volunteer Positions Museum Ambassador: An integral part of Guest Services, Museum Ambassadors ensure that guests enjoy their visit and have an excellent overall experience at the Fleet. Ambassadors welcome and greet guests, answer visitor questions, collect tickets, monitor theater shows and galleries, staff the information podium at the entrance, facilitate school groups, and more. Volunteers are asked for a minimum service commitment of six months, with 12 or more hours per month, weekdays or weekends based on volunteer availability. Gallery Facilitator: Assist visitors in Exhibition Galleries with the goal of piquing curiosity, excitement and interest in our many hands-on exhibits. Gallery facilitators will serve as gallery monitors, science demonstrators, activity leaders, and much more! Through initiating informal conversations with visitors with the goal of increasing their understanding and interest of science, Gallery Facilitators will learn and utilize the inquiry method to engage visitors. Volunteers are asked for a minimum service commitment of six months, with 12 or more hours per month, weekdays or weekends based on volunteer availability. Tinkering Studio Activity Volunteer: Help create an environment where visitors can engage in extended building, experimenting, and an ever-changing array of fun activities designed to spark curiosity and foster creative activity.