Igniting Curiosity Together
The Sciencenter is a hands-on science museum located in Ithaca, New York.
Mission
Cultivate an engaged community of curious, collaborative, critical thinkers.
Vision
A community where people use science as a way of understanding the world.
We Value
- Being a welcoming place that embraces a diversity of lived experiences.
- Our place in the community, which includes our story, our reputation, and our meaningful collaborations.
- Our team, both staff and volunteers, for their connections, adaptability, drive, and collaborative spirit.
- Science as a lens for learning about the world.
- Natural curiosity that leads to free-choice learning.
The Sciencenter is a nationally recognized museum, welcoming over 100,000 visitors in Ithaca each year and reaching over 1.5 million people worldwide through our traveling exhibitions and outreach programs.
At the Sciencenter, visitors can enjoy hands-on experiences related to science, technology, engineering, and math. The exhibits are designed to build science process skills and provide interactive experiences that explore topics such as the environment, climate change, astronomy, and the health of the oceans. Visitors can also explore the world around them with the help of live animals like reptiles and fish. Most of the exhibits are created in the Sciencenter’s fabrication shop by its team of exhibit developers.
The Sciencenter extends its reach by touring 11 traveling exhibitions to museums and cultural organizations across the U.S. and Canada, reaching several hundred thousand people. Through partnerships with rural and low-income communities, it serves 68,000 individuals annually by offering hands-on science education for all ages. A robust field trip program and summer camp engage children throughout the year.
The Sciencenter is an active member of national networks and shares best practices with other informal science education centers. As a founding member of the NSF-funded TEAMS exhibition collaborative, it helped create a model for developing hands-on exhibits for smaller museums. The Sciencenter is also a key partner for NISE Net (National Informal STEM Education Network) and is currently a partner institution on the development of a NISE science activity toolkit for museums across the country.
The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and is a member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) and the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM).
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
In 2024, Senator Lea Webb awarded the New York State Senate’s Empire Award to the Sciencenter, the State Senate’s highest honor for businesses and organizations making meaningful contributions to their communities.
The Sciencenter has also earned repeated regional recognition, winning gold for Best Museum in the Finger Lakes Favorites awards in both 2024 and 2025. In 2025, it was also named Best Place to Go on a Rainy Day in the Best of Ithaca awards.
As a partner with Kids Discover the Trail!, the Sciencenter welcomes all second-grade students in Tompkins County for curriculum-based field trips, promoting connections among students from different neighborhoods to build respect and understanding.
The Sciencenter is a vital partner in the National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Net) and is collaborating on a NISE science activity toolkit for museums nationwide. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the Sciencenter is also a proud member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) and the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM).
Community Reports
Strategic Framework
Our strategic framework is rooted in cultivating a community of curious, collaborative, and critical thinkers.