EXPLORATORIUM

Description

Essentials about the Exploratorium in brief

Anyone who thinks that science museums are generally dry and boring will definitely be proven wrong at the Exploratorium. Not without reason did the New York Times title the San Francisco museum the most important modern science museum to open in the world since the mid-20th century.

The exhibitions in the Exploratorium

The special attraction of the Exploratorium lies in its interactivity. It is a unique hands-on museum whose more than 600 exhibits serve to impart knowledge in a playful and interactive way. This is especially popular with children, but adults will certainly not be bored in the Exploratorium either. Another aspect of the Exploratorium’s interactivity are the so-called “explainers” who are on duty instead of classic museum guides. These mostly young employees, recognizable by their orange vests, explain experiments and provide background information to visitors.

The Exploratorium’s exhibits are divided into the following thematic areas (with experiments on): Sight and Hearing (light and sound), Human Behavior (memory, emotions and judgment), Living Systems (evolution of organisms), Tinkering (electricity and magnetism), the Outdoor Gallery (weather phenomena) and the Bay Observatory Gallery (tides, oceanography and shipping). By the way, all exhibits and experiments are made by the in-house staff in the museum workshop – it’s definitely worth a visit.

The history of the Exploratorium

The Exploratorium was founded in 1969 by Frank Oppenheimer, an eminent nuclear physicist. Until 2012, the museum was housed at the Palace of Fine Arts. Since 2013, it has had a great new home at Pier 15 and 17 on San Francisco’s Embarcadero.