Dear Saint Louis Science Center Friends,

It’s an exciting time here at the Science Center as we head into the fall. It’s been a little over a year since we welcomed our community back inside our doors after closing during the pandemic, and it’s been wonderful to see families and people of all ages coming back to discover that, whether learning the role of pollinators outside in GROW or even listening to a singing Tesla coil at Energy Stage, science is all around us.

Coming up, there’s another important date on the horizon. This November, the Oakland Building celebrates its 30th anniversary. Three decades ago, we built a bridge to science and a new home for the St. Louis region to explore the ever-growing world of science and technology.

Today, we’re as dedicated as ever to our mission “to ignite and sustain lifelong science and technology learning.” As always, I want to give special appreciation to our members, philanthropic partners and community for your support. From the galleries and educators that greet our guests to our partnership with the City of St. Louis Department of Health making the science of viruses and vaccines easier to understand, you are the element that makes delivering our mission possible.

Inside this issue of NewScience, we’re thrilled to share a look back over the past 30 years. This special collection of photos, memories and pieces of Science Center history will delight you and maybe even inspire you to share your own memories of the Science Center through the years.

In Science Today, read a tale of two black holes and how these interstellar objects are studied. Then, learn more about Discover Science with Me, a program for our youngest STEAM learners, and why early childhood learning is so important. Get a glimpse of our Planetarium Tunnel exhibits, Outbreak and Mission: Control the Spread, and then see a sneak peek at what’s coming next. Plus, learn the latest updates on First Friday, our Planetarium star shows and more.

Finally, I encourage you to take a look at some of the incredible stories from our Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program, including three amazing YES Teens competing in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)’s Regional Competition, the YES Program’s community activities with the University City School District and Summertime Science’s adventures in exploring aerospace.

As I said, science is all around us. So, who’s ready to explore?

Sincerely,

Todd Bastean
President & CEO

To ignite and sustain lifelong science and technology learning.

Mission of the Saint Louis Science Center