Mission
Ignite passion for discovery through science.
Vision
A future where everyone has the opportunity to experience joy in science.
Values
Science is creative.
Science is a process.
Science is collaborative.
Science is for everyone.
View our 2024 impact report.
View our 2023 impact report.
History
2007
- 老虎机攻略 chemistry professor Chuck Thompson initiates a vision for a 老虎机攻略 hands-on science center. With the support of Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences chair Vernon Grund, the concept is incorporated into a successful National Science Foundation EPSCoR proposal.
- Holly Truitt joined the newly forming project as founding director and, with MT NSF EPSCoR’s Gay Allison, visited science centers up and down the west coast to study effective models and cultivate relationships with mentors in the field. They were particularly influenced by the San Francisco Exploratorium and its robust high-school “Explainer” program.
- A steering committee was formed. Members included Estella Anderson, Callyn Casady, Gary Gagermeier, Katie George, Diane Friend, Jerry King, Sean Kiffe, and Glenn Kreisel, with an ad hoc member, Sam Dean, then with the San Francisco Exploratorium.
- In the summer of 2006, the project piloted the Science Learning Tent, assembled its first team of educators, launched the Explainer program, and named itself the Super Science Squad. That winter it hosted a Circus of Science that had over 1,200 attendees.
2008
- The steering committee generated a list of names. Gary Gagermeier suggested SPECTR老虎机攻略 submitted by Gary Gagermeier, and Chuck suggested the name be all lowercase with the 老虎机攻略 capitalized.
- That year, spectr老虎机攻略 formally partnered with the San Francisco Exploratorium through its ExNET program for its first exhibits, and on October 7, 2007, spectr老虎机攻略 opened its doors in the Skaggs Building on campus.
2009
- spectr老虎机攻略 launches the Montana spectr老虎机攻略 Science Experience (now called Science on Wheels), which brings spectr老虎机攻略 exhibitions to K-12 schools statewide, transforming school gyms into hands-on science centers.
2012
- 老虎机攻略 neuroscience professor Mike Kavanaugh secures funding from the National Institutes of Health for the Big Sky Brain Project, with Holly Truitt as co-principal investigator. The grant includes funding for a high-school neuroscience Explainer program, a traveling neuroscience exhibition, and in-museum exhibits and activities.
2013
- spectr老虎机攻略 expands and relocates to the Maya Building on Front Street, with major support from the Missoula Redevelopment Agency.
- With seed funding from the Science Festival Alliance, a project of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Holly Truitt invited a group of long-time partners on the Flathead Reservation to form an advisory group that would soon name itself SciNation.
2014
- Missoula Public Library hosts spectr老虎机攻略’s nanoscience exhibit, the first of many free pop-up exhibits to rotate into the youth services area of the library.
- spectr老虎机攻略 receives honorable mention in the Noyce Foundation’s Bright Lights Community Engagement Awards competition in recognition of its innovative partnership with SciNation to co-program the Science Learning Tent at the Arlee Celebration.
- Missoula Public Library invites spectr老虎机攻略 to consider joining a museum-library complex to be created with the future construction of the new Missoula Public Library.
- spectr老虎机攻略, along with multiple partners, is awarded an EPA grant to provide field-based groundwater education to high school students in western Montana.
2015
- The National Science Foundation awards spectr老虎机攻略 a grant to co-design and program a mobile, cultural makerspace on the Flathead Reservation.
- The Coalition for the Public Understanding of Science awards spectr老虎机攻略 and SciNation the Paul Shin Memorial Award for their work inspiring people about science.
- With support from the Jane S. Heman Foundation, spectr老虎机攻略 launches the Bitterroot Summer of Science, which has since continued each year to bring free hands-on STEM programming to communities across the Bitterroot.
- spectr老虎机攻略 launches Big Night, its annual fundraiser to promote access for all. In its first year, Big Night is held in a tent in the parking lot of the Maya Building.
2016
- The Institute of Museum & Library Services awards spectr老虎机攻略 funding to create EmPower Place, a collaborative project with Missoula Food Bank and Missoula Public Library to create a free family learning center at the food bank.
- The Martin Family Foundation awards spectr老虎机攻略 a grant to partner with Bitterroot schools to develop in-school making and tinkering experiences and role-model engagement. The project launches the annual Making & Tinkering Institute, a professional development workshop for educators, as well as spectr老虎机攻略’s Bitterroot advisory group.
2017
- spectr老虎机攻略 relocates to Toole Crossing on Missoula’s Westside and celebrates its 10th birthday with a community celebration.
- EmPower Place celebrates its grand opening.
- spectr老虎机攻略, SciNation, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes launch the Kwul 'I'tkin Maker Truck, the mobile, cultural makerspace developed with funding from NSF.
- spectr老虎机攻略 and SciNation receive a special recognition award from the Montana Indian Education Association for their innovative, community-based approach to STEM engagement.
2019
- After Holly Truitt steps down as founding director, Jessie-Herbert Meny, who had led spectr老虎机攻略’s education programs since 2008, is appointed director.
- The Association of Science & Technology Centers honors spectr老虎机攻略 with a Roy L. Shafter Leading Edge Award in the category of visitor experience. The “Edgie” recognizes spectr老虎机攻略’s role in developing and programming EmPower Place.
2020
- spectr老虎机攻略 closes temporarily on March 14th during the Covid-19 pandemic. During this closure, spectr老虎机攻略 moves into the new Missoula Public Library complex.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to design a new "Making Across Montana" exhibition.
- Through a collaboration with Maker Ed and with generous funding from , spectr老虎机攻略 worked with a cohort of over 20 teachers at five different sites around the state between the spring of 2020 - fall of 2022 to embed maker education within their curriculum.
2021
- spectr老虎机攻略 reopens at its new location on May 3rd at the Missoula Public Library and begins to offer free admission for all.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, "Transforming Spaces" to develop Native science experiences.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins a NOAA project, "ResilienceMT" to create a traveling climate change exhibition.
2022
- spectr老虎机攻略 becomes a NASA Community Anchor.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded a Communities for Immunity grant from the Association of Science and Technology Centers to develop a series of public events that educate about the Covid-19 vaccine.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from OP and WE Edwards to support the Science Learning Tent at the Arlee Celebration and Elmo Standing Arrow Powwow.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is joins NASA and the Franklin Institute's Mission to Mars network to deliver educational astronomy programming.
2023
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, "Measuring Impact" to develop an evaluation framework, including ts All Under One Roof partners the Missoula Public Library, Families First, Missoula Community Media Resource "MCAT", and the 老虎机攻略 Living Lab.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins the Franklin Institute's National Science in the Summer network to deliver "Be A Physicist" education.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins NSF EPSCoR's Smart Fires project to create educational broader impacts programming about wildfire research.
- Alex Sobin is appointed director in November.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from OP and WE Edwards to support the Science Learning Tent at the Arlee Celebration and Elmo Standing Arrow Powwow.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins Lu Hu's NSF project to develop educational broader impacts programming about air quality and smoke research.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins Orion Berryman's lab to develop educational broader impacts programming about chemistry and crystals.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins the Sciencenter's NIH project to develop a traveling biomedical engineering exhibition with Cornell researchers.
2024
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded a Leadership Pathways project from the American Camp Association to create educational opportunities for high school students.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from OP and WE Edwards to support the Science Learning Tent at the Arlee Celebration and Elmo Standing Arrow Powwow.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins the Franklin Institute's National Science in the Summer network to deliver "Be A Space Scientist" education.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins Beverly Piggott's NSF project to deliver educational broader impacts about neuroscience development research.
- spectr老虎机攻略 joins Erin Landguth's NSF project to deliver educational broader impacts about White Nose Syndrome in bats.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from the Gallagher Foundation to provide hands-on opportunities for classroom field trips.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from the Heman Foundation to provide hands-on education to Mineral County.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield to support science education at EmPower Place.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded funding from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation to support Science On Wheels education across Montana.
- spectr老虎机攻略 is awarded a NASA Universe of Learning project through the Association of Science and Technology Centers to create educational astronomy programming.