The mission of Sci-Quest is to motivate children to discover and explore the wonders of science, mathematics and technology, and to correlate their interest to the existing career fields throughout Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley.
Sci-Quest Hands-on Science Center serves the Tennessee Valley (North Alabama and South Central Tennessee). Located in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama, Sci-Quest is situated in one of the nation's largest research parks and serves as a conduit for informal science education and workforce development.
Surrounded by corporations deeply rooted in space and biological research, aerospace engineering, space and missile defense and technology, Sci-Quest strives to develop children's interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related fields and to be a community resource for informal, hands-on science education.
Founded by a group of community volunteers who worked for nearly a decade to secure funding for the center, Sci-Quest was established as a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization in 1989. Governed by a volunteer board of directors, Sci-Quest opened to the public in May 1999. Sci-Quest's more than 100 interactive exhibits, special traveling exhibits and programs have hosted more than 500,000 visitors. Through the combination of funding from public funds, corporate sponsorships, grants and the revenue generated, Sci-Quest presents informal, hands-on STEM education experiences based on the National Science Education and Statestandards; and, thus is able to integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics into the imaginations of children throughout the Tennessee Valley.
In April 2008, Sci-Quest welcomed Cyndy Morgan as the new executive director. Morgan has developed plans for creating public awareness, attendance growth, program development and overall growth of the science center. In 2008, Sci-Quest saw its largest visitor attendance yet with 90,722 for the year.
The mission of Sci-Quest is to motivate children to discover and explore the wonders of science, mathematics and technology; and to correlate their interest to the existing career fields throughout Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley.
The Science Center's core values are creativity, excellence, integrity and interactivity. Those values define everything we do, and enable Sci-Quest to achieve its vision - that Sci-Quest will be a nationally renowned, community-based science center that will specialize in imaginative and interactive learning experiences for the children of North Alabama and South Central Tennessee.
Sci-Quest's interactive exhibits examine seven themed areas. PlayMotion®, one of the exhibits, demonstrates technology advancements as it allows visitors to interact directly with projectors to play fun and educational games designed to enhance the imagination. They can catch falling planets and learn facts about the planet, or build trees around their shadows or play beach volleyball - all on the wall of the Science Center. Sci-Quest engages it youngest visitors with the Early Childhood House. Children up to 7-years-old are introduced to basic sciences through highly interactive activities that encourage them to explore and learn. A music room introduces children to the sounds of the different types of instruments mounted on the wall, and they can dance across the piano keyboard in the floor. A scaled-down version of a kitchen allows children to use their imaginations to create a home environment while learning about nutrition. Other exhibit areas include elements of the human body, Earth sciences and electricity.
The Center's full-time educators have created more than 150 interactive, educational programs for groups of children. Programs are offered as weekend classes, day camps, school groups and home school classes, and sleepover events in the Science Center. In 2005, Sci-Quest educators began responding to requests to take their interactive teaching methods into the schools in outlying, rural areas. The outreach program has grown tremendously, and has reached thousands of children throughout the Tennessee Valley. In 2007, Sci-Quest introduced the Roaming Dome into the outreach program. This inflatable dome features digital presentations and movies designed to educate children about the solar system and atomic matter.
In 2008, more than 1,600 participants enrolled in Sci-Quest's summer camps. In 2009, more summer camps were added as Sci-Quest increased its programming for middle and junior high students. Camps were created in the fields of robotics, engineering, biotechnology, video gameproduction, cosmetic chemistry and veterinary sciences. The Science Center also added the Career Quest program, to help students connect their interests to careers. With the Career Quest program, Sci-Quest invites middle and high school students to meet with career professionals and learn about various STEM career fields. Some of the featured career fields include engineering, biotechnology, health care and advanced manufacturing.
Also in 2009, with the help of Huntsville/Madison County Leadership Connect Class 8, Sci-Quest was able to purchase and install distance learning equipment in the Jane K. Lowe Classrooms. This equipment will allow Sci-Quest to reach into schools throughout the Tennessee Valley and connect with scientists across the world to present informal programming in a cost-effective manner.
In addition to the hands-on exhibits and informal science programs, Sci-Quest is home to a unique, 3-D, immersive theater. The theater incorporates a moderator's teachings with the 3D/high-definition show and content on touch-screen computers. Using active 3D Technology, the state-of-the art, single projector set-up allows the theater to toggle from 2D to 3D in a matter of minutes, effectively offering visitors the ability to personalize their learning experience.
Virtual Vortex is a program created for Sci-Quest's theater through funding from the National Science Foundation and with the assistance of Digital Radiance. It is a 3-D experience that shows how severe weather forms, from tornados to storm clouds, and explains the physics of the weather. During the show, a moderator instructs and demonstrates for the audience how to use the touch screen monitors in front of them to gain a better understanding of the weather. At the end of the presentation, students are able to collaborate with a neighbor to create a tornado on their screen.
Along with Virtual Vortex, there are additional shows offered in the theater. The shows are from CineMuse Hi-Def Cinemas, and are 2D high-definition movies.
Sci-Quest continues to work to secure new exhibits and continue its growth in the Tennessee Valley. Sci-Quest and its directors and staff are working toward the goal of becoming a premiere Science Center in the Southeast.
