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Pacific Science Center Turns 50: the History, Evolution and Impact of The The Informal Learning Review - No. 116. September– October. 2012 the history of the modern science center. What CONTENTS PACIFIC SCIENCE began as the highly popular US Science Pavilion at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair gave birth to the CENTER TURNS 50: nation’s first museum founded as a science and Elephants in THE HISTORY, technology center, housing not collections and Denver artifacts, but instead expansive halls filled with EVOLUTION AND hands-on exhibits, interactive demonstrations, Page 8 and staff and volunteers trained in inquiry-based IMPACT OF THE learning methods. The Science Center’s early How Museums leaders had the foresight to recognize the in- and Museum NATION’S FIRST credible potential and unique and essential role Exhibits can In- that non-collections based centers could play in HANDS-ON SCIENCE fostering lifelong interest in science and technol- fluence Behavior CENTER ogy. Seattle journalist and World’s Fair historian Page 11 Knute “Skip” Berger recently wrote in Cross- cut.com about Seattle’s love of science and Pa- David Haldeman and Crystal Clarity cific Science Center’s part in weaving science into Travels with an the region’s cultural fabric. Exhibition Introduction Page 13 “The [1962 Seattle World’s] fair's legacy would On October 22, 2012, Seattle’s Pacific Science th have been huge even if the Science Center was The Curiosity Center celebrated its 50 anniversary and the informal learning field celebrated a milestone in Corner “Pacific,” continued on page 2 Page 16 Reflections: Inte- SCIENCE SHOWS: PAST, usually credited with planting the seeds of mod- ern lecture-demonstrations and science shows. gration of New PRESENT AND FUTURE Technology Davy’s “shows” became popular with the public, Page 19 Graham J. Walker including high society and royalty (James 2002), st and embodied many elements still critical in 21 What is Science demonstrations have been around for a century science shows, including interaction with the audience. Selecting a volunteer to inhale Biodiversity? very long time indeed, and their popularity and ability to engage the public mean they will be, nitrous oxide is not likely to feature in today’s Page 20 well into the future. Perhaps it began with a pre- shows—“There was Respiration, Nitrous Oxide, human ape demonstrating the technique for and unbounded Applause. Amen!” wrote Davy New Extinct ‘fishing’ ants from a nest with a stick—a demon- on his early lectures (quoted in Holmes, 2008, p. Mammal stration still popular with chimps today. Most peo- 287)—though may get a laugh if it were. Page 21 ple, however, credit Britain’s Royal Institution (RI) for bringingpublic science demonstrations to the Davy had a major impact on science, discover- fore. These lecture-demonstration ‘shows’, de- ing many new elements and inventing devices Citizen Science signed for the lay-public as opposed to scientific like the miner’s headlamp, but he also shared – Growing peers, have evolved into today’s science shows. that science with the public and other scientific Expanding, disciplines—albeit with mixed results. According to the Chemical Heritage Foundation (2010), Contributing The RI’s efforts were built on those of The Royal Society in London in the late 17th century, where “His recommendation that nitrous oxide Page 24 John Keill gave public lectures on Newtonian (laughing gas) be employed as an anaesthetic in mechanics (Taylor 1988)–a subject still popular minor surgical operations was ignored, but in shows today. It was, however, the efforts dur- breathing it became the highlight of contempo- ing the 19th century of Humphry Davy and his rary social gatherings.” successor at the RI, Michael Faraday, which are “Shows,” continued on page 6 A PUBLICATION OF INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES, INC. COPYRIGHT 2012 INFORMAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES, INC. THE INFORMAL LEARNING REVIEW, Sept. – O c t . , 2 0 1 2 “Pacific,” continued from front cover water, arches and scintillating stone, it is The government recognized the potential as if the Gothic style had passed without of such an institution, and agreed to the only surviving pavilion — bigger than a break [through the ages]. It is as if Ven- lease the buildings to the newly-formed many a fair's contribution to civic life. The ice had just been rebuilt.” Yamasaki, committee for $1 per year, and the Science Center stands today as a secular along with the Pavilion’s iconic arches name Pacific Science Center was cho- temple to the truth and its pursuit; it and foundations, even made the cover of sen—the first institution in the world to teaches and engages our children, it Time magazine in 1963. call itself a “science center.” On October wows us with exhibits from robotic dino- 22, 1962, the day after the Fair’s closing, saurs to King Tut and even brings us Laser The inside was just as intriguing. It was the the United States Science Pavilion re- Floyd.” (Crosscut.com, Seattle’s Great Sci- first time a single exhibit of that size and opened as Pacific Science Center. ence Renaissance, September 27, 2012) scale had been devoted solely to science communication, and particularly, commu- The Beginnings nication of “the connotations, the textures, and the innate joy of science, rather than After the launch of the Sputnik satellite by its massive technology and often stagger- the Soviet Union in 1957, the United ingly complex findings.” Its theme did not States faced a choice: redouble its efforts dwell on one particular scientific discipline in science and technology or risk losing nor set of facts; instead it presented a story- the Space Race. This new sense of ur- line of humankind’s attempts to under- gency drove the United States to look for stand the universe, with the intention of bolder, grander, and larger-scale ways sparking a better understanding and ap- to inspire the public in science. They preciation of science as a whole. A visitor’s found one in a World’s Fair being experience began in what is now the PAC- planned in Seattle. CAR IMAX® Theater with a film by the legendary Charles and Ray Eames entitled Originally conceived in the mid-1950s as “The House of Science.” The remaining a “Festival of the West,” Sputnik buildings were then visited sequentially, prompted the World’s Fair to instead giving visitors a storyline of scientific pro- Historic Photo from Seattle Post-Intelligencer adopt science, aerospace and “the fu- gress and possibility throughout history, ture” as the major themes of the exposi- with exhibits titled “The History of Science,” In the early years, however, Dr. Ray’s tion. In hearings about the fair, civic lead- “The Spacearium” (now the Laser Dome), “great experiment” struggled. Financial ers stated that America's "very survival “The Methods of Science,” and “The Hori- support proved highly challenging for the during the next century depends upon zons of Science.” In total, 6,748,000 peo- fledgling institution, as much of the busi- how well we develop our scientific re- ple visited the U.S. Science Pavilion from ness and education community were sources." It was decided that one of the April 21st to October 21st, 1962. largely unaware of the need for the kind of cornerstones of the fair would be the supplementary science education offered United States Science Pavilion, a federally As the fair progressed however, there by Pacific Science Center. The institution’s -sponsored exhibit to inspire and encour- was the question of what would happen first few years saw continually mounting age young people to take up careers in to the buildings after the fair was over. debt, although state, county, and city assis- science. In appropriately futuristic fashion, The U.S. Government had a vision for tance along with grants from the National a radio impulse was transmitted from the Yamasaki’s quiet ponds, sweeping Science Foundation, the Seattle Foundation nation's capital in Washington, D.C., arches, gothic walkways and floral foun- and others helped keep the organization bounced off the moon, and then received tains: a storage facility. Seattle’s civic alive. Gradually momentum began to in Seattle as the signal to break ground leaders however, had another idea: build, and many of the financial elements on the Pavilion on February 21, 1961. familiar today took root. Admission, which “It should enrich the life of the com- was initially free, was charged (at $1 per Designed by Seattle-born architect Mi- munity. It should amuse, beguile, person), a membership program was put noru Yamasaki, the United States Science stimulate, inspire and inform. It should in place, and a store was opened. The first Pavilion was a massive success. Its archi- complement and supplement the inter- Festival of the Fountains was held in 1963, tecture alone prompted nearly universal ests and scientific resources of this and a “Science Circus” was held in De- praise at the time: the art critic for the area. […]The Pacific Science Center cember during school breaks, adding an New York Times wrote, “The hit of the should pioneer in a great experiment additional incentive for families to visit. Seattle World’s Fair is the United States designed to show that the essence, New exhibits and programs were added Science Pavilion, a dreamlike building aims and methods of science can be and expanded, lectures and events were before which people stand murmuring, widely appreciated in the general held, facilities were upgraded, and Pacific ‘beautiful.’” Journalist Alistair Cooke was population.” Science Center’s reputation—and atten- even more enthralled: “As you come dance—grew. closer and are surrounded by the con- –Dixy Lee Ray, Pacific Science Center’s crete surfaces everywhere, and the deli- first Education Coordinator and Director After laying the philosophical and pro- cate and rippling interplay of light and (1963-1972) grammatic foundations for Pacific Sci- 2 THE INFORMAL LEARNING REVIEW, Sept.
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