Eugene Science Center

About the Organization

Organization category

Public Charity

Mission

Eugene Science Center inspires scientific curiosity and fosters critical thinking about the universe and our place in it.

Programs or services

Summer Camps - Elementary School ages
Field Trips - All grades
Educational Workshops - All ages
Tot Discovery Days - Ages 1 to 4
Sensory Sensitive Evenings - Neurodiverse
Girls Science Adventures - Middle School girls
Planetarium Shows - All ages
Hands-on science exhibits - All ages

Detailed programs

Hands-on, informal, inquiry-based, STEM education is at the core of all we do. In addition to the Exhibit Hall, Discovery Room, Outdoor Science Park, and Planetarium shows, we offer a variety of educational programming and accessibility programs that remove barriers to accessing science education.

Museums for All: MfA supports underserved communities by offering a deep discount on admission to families using SNAP/EBT. By showing a valid Oregon Trail Card, visitors are admitted to the exhibit hall at $1/each and receive a 50% discount to planetarium shows. MfA provides a discount to Tot Discovery Days and some special programming days throughout the year. In 2024, over 12% of museum guests were admitted through this program.

Field Trips: Our School Field Trip Program provides STEM education for K-12 schools, preschools, and community services/programs for underserved/low-income youth, with a focus on K-6. The goal is to reinforce and extend classroom learning in science through hands-on exhibitions, enrichment labs, and planetarium shows. Our scholarship program for school groups benefits between 4,000 and 6,000 students in grades Pre K-12, primarily from Lane County. A majority of school groups visiting ESC receive a partial or full scholarship. School groups visit ESC from as far away as Portland, Oakridge, Klamath Falls, Medford, and Coos Bay. The majority are K-6.

Summer Camps: Led by experienced educators, our camp program provides hands-on lessons, experiments, activities, and crafts that integrate STEM learning with social-emotional development. Each week features a real-world STEM theme, such as chemistry, anatomy, engineering, and environmental science, helping young scientists engage with and explore real-world challenges. Weekly planetarium shows align with the session’s theme, enriching the learning experience. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all families, ensuring that children from diverse backgrounds have access to engaging STEM learning opportunities.

Tot Discovery Days: Geared for ages 1-4, "Tot Days" are casual, drop-in mornings with an offering of labs and experiences. These mornings include Tot Time tales with stories about science.

Sensory Sensitive Nights: Free events held after hours for families withe a neurodiverse member. A subdued environment includes soothing planetarium images, equipment to reduce stimulus, and sensory labs provide engagement.

No School-Day Workshops: When school is not in session, we are open and offer full day workshops to keep young minds engaged.

Girls Science Adventures: 6 sessions held in Spring and Fall provide in-depth STEM education for girls in grades 6-7. At a time when interest in science begins to diminish, these sessions are led by women in STEM from the University of Oregon and beyond as a way to offer mentorship and inspiration to choose careers in STEM. Grants provide full scholarships to each cohort.

Target Audience

Youth and their families or teachers, Lane County, Oregon / Statewide

Geographic Focus

Located in Eugene, Oregon, our largest audience is from Lane and surrounding counties.

Current projects

Outdoor Science Park - Due to be completed in Fall 2026. This project doubles our exhibit footprint which has not changed since 1980.
Early Education "Tot Space" - We are working on plans to transform our current lobby and store into an early education "Tot Space" and enclose our outside entry to become a new lobby and store.
Building upgrades - Our building is in need of a new roof, HVAC, and electrical upgrades.

Organization goals

In the short term, we aim to increase our footprint to provide more exhibits and hands-on learning.
In the long term, we envision a scientifically literate and creative community building a sustainable future.

Leadership

Executive Director: Tim Scott
Community Engagement Director: Stefani Roybal
Administrative Director: Angela Ward
Guest Relations and Operations Director: Mollie Dean
Board Chair: Andrew Moreland

Strategic priorities

Expand local corporate relationships to support programming
Increase fooprint of exhibit space
Increase staffing
Expand outreach to include rural communities

Funding Needs

Funding needs

General operating
Staffing
Accessibility programs (discounts, scholarships to remove financial barriers)
Building upgrades

Impact & Recognition

Success stories

Twins, Johsua and Benjamin, grew up visiting Eugene Science Center as kids. They participated in summer camps and robotics workshops, eventually taking on leadership positions as they got older. Their scientific curiosity was sparked by participating in our programs. Benjamin says "I liked that people working on the floor at ESC often responded to my questions with more questions for me to think about. This encouraged me to think through the scientific process and helped me in general to develop my critical thinking and problem-solving skills." Joshua holds a BA in Computer Science, a BA in Engineering, and is completing his Masters in Mechanical Engineering. Joshua says "I believe it's critical for people in democracies to have a good science education so they can understand and choose policies that will benefit people's health and the health of our planet."

NASA Astronaut, Stan Love, spent his childhood years learning coding in our computer lab and credits Eugene Science Center as part of his formation to choose aeronautics.

Major funders

Woodard Family Foundation - 2007-2025 $77,000 planetarium
Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation - 2007-2026 Total $57,500 Museums for All
Children's Legacy Foundation Network - 2016-2026 Total $28,000 Field Trip and Camp scholarships
Chambers Family Foundation - 2006-2025 $60,000 education programs and Museums for All
Autzen Foundation - 2016-2025 $20,000 Museums for All
Three Rivers Foundation - 2015, 2023, 2026 - $21,500 Summer Camp scholarships, planetarium, educational programming
Siletz Tribal Charitable Fund - 2017-2019, 2023 - $$29,385 Exhibits and educational outreach/portable planetarium

Partnerships & Collaborations

University of Oregon Women in Graduate Studies: Partner with Eugene Science Center to deliver Girls Science Adventures as instructors and mentors
University of Oregon Insights Research Lab: Students run tests and make observations on Eugene Science Center's communication strategies
Connections Northwest: Collaborates on Sensory Sensitive Evenings

Website & Social Media