Science Centers as a Clearinghouse for Citizen Science Opportunities

Founded in 1949, Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is a leader in educating South Florida residents about science and nature. Its Museum Volunteers for the Environment (MUVE) Program engages local residents in... [ view full abstract ]

Founded in 1949, Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is a leader in educating South Florida residents about science and nature. Its Museum Volunteers for the Environment (MUVE) Program engages local residents in restoring coastal habitats and gathering scientific data to determine the success of these restoration efforts. Since 2007, over 5,000 volunteers have restored over 15 acres of urban coastal habitat. MUVE is based on the Museum’s principle of Act, Learn and Engage and serves to bring the Museum’s mission of learning about science directly to the populace. By participating in MUVE, South Florida residents learn about the environmental stresses we face, engage themselves and their peers in making a difference, and act by restoring native coastal habitats.

The museum is undergoing a move to a 250,000ft2 state-of-the-art museum and aquarium, scheduled to open in 2016. The three-story aquarium, called the Living Core, will feature modular, interactive exhibits to educate visitors about South Florida habitats. On the top floor of the Living Core, visitors will see a microcosm of habitats such as mangroves, sea grass and tropical forests. These exhibits will utilize video, social media and digital sign ups to direct visitors to relevant local restoration and citizen science efforts. This way they can participate firsthand in restoration and data collection efforts whether coordinated by MUVE or other local environmental/research agencies.

Our new $300 million new museum is expected to draw up to 600,000 visitors, making the museum a clearinghouse for directing visitors to relevant conservation and citizen science opportunities. Further, data collected by new citizen scientists can be displayed within these same exhibits. This presentation will explore how science centers can play a pivotal role in engaging visitors in citizen science as a way of expanding their knowledge.