Saint Louis Science Center
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St. Louis, Missouri, United States | |
Coordinates | 38°37′44″N 90°16′15″W / 38.6289°N 90.2708°W |
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Public transit access | MetroBus |
Website | www |
The Saint Louis Science Center, founded as a planetarium in 1963, is a collection of buildings including a
James S. McDonnell Planetarium
Funding for the first structure of the current campus began in 1955, with $1 million of a $110 million city bond issue specified for the construction of a planetarium. Two years were spent surveying locations. The first proposed site, on the northern side of Forest Park near the Jefferson Memorial Building at Lindell and DeBaliviere, was scrapped because of restrictions on subdivisions. The location was changed to the southern part of the park, on the site of the old mounted police station, which was demolished in 1960. The plan was to build a planetarium, science museum, and natural history museum.[2]
The Planetarium was designed by
The McDonnell Planetarium is home to a ZEISS UNIVERSARIUM Mark IX Star Projector. Installed in 2001, this machine is one of only three in the United States and thirteen in the world. The unusual request for an "open" planetarium theater called of the extremely bright stellar projections, a challenge outstandingly mastered by ZEISS fiber-optic projectors.[3]
Science Center
In 1972, the
One of the most recognizable features of the St. Louis Science Center is the five-story domed OMNIMAX theater, which shows a variety of educational films and documentaries year round. Occasionally, the theater features feature films as they are released, such as Star Wars. In 2019, the OMNIMAX theater underwent its first major renovations since opening in 1991, becoming the fourth OMNIMAX theater to use the IMAX with laser projection system. Other improvements include new state-of-the-art sound technology, a NanoSeam screen for a more uniform screen surface, and upgraded and wider seating.[7]
Exploradome and GROW
On February 8, 1997, an air-supported building was added to the main building, the Exploradome. With an additional 18,000 square feet (1,700 m2), it was intended as a temporary facility for traveling exhibitions, additional classrooms, and to host large group events. Notable exhibits have included shows on the
In 2016, the museum’s largest major addition in 25 years was completed. The new exhibit space was designed by St. Louis-based design firm Arcturis with Gyo Obata brought on as a consultant. Called GROW, the project’s centerpiece is a 5,000 square foot permanent pavilion that has a flexible, open floor plan that houses ever-changing exhibits and events.[10] Its primary focus is the story of agriculture and the many ways technology is shaping the agricultural landscape.[11]
Exhibitions
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The Mcdonnell planetarium
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Lower level exhibits
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Creative commons area
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Missouri map
WeatherReadyFest
The 2018 WeatherReadyFest event was held at the St. Louis Science Center featuring talks, demonstrations and displays from the National Weather Service and other government and private agencies.[12]
Washington University in St. Louis CCSN Outreach
Washington University students participating in the Cognitive, Computational and Systems Neuroscience (CCSN) pathway have created a series of exhibitions displayed at the St. Louis Science Center in an outreach program since the pathway's inception in 2008.[13][14]
See also
- X Prize Foundation
- Erik Lindbergh
- List of science centers
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-85759-340-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-9638298-0-7.
- ^ "ZEISS Planetarium Installations". www.zeiss.com. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
- ^ "History of the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District". Archived from the original on 2010-01-25. Retrieved 2009-12-17.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-9796054-1-3.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-933370-16-3.
- ^ "OMNIMAX Theater / IMAX with Laser". Archived from the original on 2020-10-01. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
- ^ "Star Trek: The Exhibition opened at Saint Louis Science Center". Saint Louis Science Center. September 22, 2011. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
- ^ "St. Louis Science Center Deflates Exploradome To Make Way For Expansion". June 24, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
- ^ "Grow Pavilion". www.architectmagazine.com. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
- ^ "GROW Pavilion and Gallery". Saint Louis Science Center. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
- ^ "Free WeatherReady Fest at Science Center". St. Louis American. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
- ^ "Highlight: Outreach between the Washington University brain science community and the Saint Louis Science Center". www.igert.org. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
- ^ "A+ in outreach: Neuroscience students share enthusiasm about brain science | The Source | Washington University in St. Louis". The Source. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2019-08-10.