Monday, November 25, 2013

The Exploratorium

Amsterdam has Nemo, Singapore has Science Center, and San Francisco has The Exploratorium at Pier 15, just minutes away between Fisherman's Wharf and the Ferry Building.

It is a museum which mission is to change the way the world leans. It set up by Frank Oppenheimer, brother of J. Robert Oppenheimer of Manhattan Project, in 1969.

As he was blacklisted from academia due to his involvement in his brother's project, he helped out Science projects of local high school students which led him later on to set up a public museum to supplement science curricula at all levels.

There are over 600 exhibits, not as much as its Singaporean counterpart which has over 1000, divided into 6 galleries. The exhibits cover subjects: human perception, life sciences, physical phenomena, local environment and human behavior.

If it wasn't for the screaming kids, I would have stayed there all day long as it was fascinating trying out all the exhibits. Actually, the exploratorium has an adult only opening every first Thursday evening of the month, which I couldnt make it.

Apparently, for each exhibit they try it out with several teachers first, should they respond positively, the exhibit then will be put on display, if not then they re-adjust or start again.

I wish we have something like this in Indonesia, so we can entice kids into science.

3 comments:

colson said...

Interesting as this is (if by a strike of luck I happen to land there I know where to go with my grandchildren :)), I was pretty confused after reading; is this a well described memory ( I guess it is) or are you actually over there?

And by the way: You can't stand screaming kids? Really? To me their noise usually is even better than Händel :).

TA said...

It's based on memory of being there and loving it. Let's face it I'm nerdy and I like it.

If it was only two or three kids for an hour it's ok.. but it was about 2000 kids, squealling happily about science for 3 hours, it's a bit too much eventho it's good that they like science so much.

colson said...

Okay, I see. 2000 kids is way too much like 2000 exquisite meals is way too much: to throw up or explode.