Science Museum of Minnesota

Museum experiences:the Science Museum's Mississippi riverfront location offers 370,000 square feet of intentionally interactive and dynamic space that holds several world-class permanent exhibitions, a 10,000-square-foot temporary exhibit gallery, and one of the only imax digital laser domed theaters in the world. The Museum also serves as a producer of interactive exhibits for museums around the globe.the Museum's recovery from multiple pandemic-related closures in 2020 and 2021 continues. Hundreds of thousands of visitors attended smm onsite programs and events in 2022, participating in programming around climate change, dinosaurs, space, engineering, and much more, with an ongoing focus on amplifying underrepresented voices in stem. In addition, hundreds of thousands of visitors engaged with smm-produced experiences at museums around the country. Science Museum continued its investment in its digital platforms in 2022, as well - a practice it leaned heavily into during its pandemic closures. At smm.org, on its various social media platforms, and via its email newsletters, smm shares tools and resources with audiences around the world - from at-home Science activities to spotlights on some of the objects in the Museum's collection to video interviews with professionals who contribute to widening participation in stem, and more.

Science:the Science Museum doesn't just champion the value of Science - it does Science. The staff of professional scientists in its center for research and collections have expertise in biology, paleontology, anthropology, collections management, global change, water quality. And crc scientists are not only conducting research - they're committed to sharing it. Museum scientists, including an experienced team of water researchers at the st. croix watershed research station, are conducting original research and also informing and influencing state and national policies on climate change, water usage and quality, and conservation. Museum scientists engage with scientists and researchers all over the world, and they conduct field work and education outreach throughout Minnesota and across the uniter states.smm is also home to a carefully-curated collection of nearly two million objects and specimens that represent the fields of anthropology, biology, and paleontology. The Museum is committed to making items from its collection available for public viewing by incorporating them into regular Museum programming, engaging with audiences via social media, and digitizing the collection to share online. These items are also used for research and study by Museum professionals, students, and visiting scientists.

Stem equity & education:the Science Museum of Minnesota seeks to break down barriers in education and help everyone realize the power of Science to make lives better. The Museum is committed to creating pathways to success for those historically left out of stem careers, developing a stem-ready workforce, and better preparing our society to make informed and educated decisions about topics that impact our lives and the world around us. In 2022, smm resumed its in-person outreach programs to students and educators across Minnesota. Prior to the pandemic disruption, field trip and outreach programs consistently reached schools in all 87 Minnesota counties each year. Science Museum summer camp programs served more than 1500 campers in both virtual and in-person formats in 2022. The Museum is also home to the kitty andersen youth Science center, an out-of-school time center with a 25+ year history of engaging youth from groups that are historically underrepresented in stem fields. 75% of participants are from low-income families, 60% are girls, and 90% are youth of color. In the program, these young people build leadership skills and career readiness, and they gain confidence in using stem to solve problems in our communities. For two decades, the Science Museum of Minnesota has been a leader in professional development for educators, helping them change the way they understand and deliver stem content to inspire all students to recognize the relevance of stem in their lives. The ideal center is the evolution of that work, specializing in transformative leadership development training through the lens of equity. The ideal center's transformational trainings have helped its participants create equitable communities not only in their professional capacities, but in their personal lives, as well.

Other program services include unallocated costs including communications and marketing, volunteers, and evaluation and other activities to support Museum members and visitors.