ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

To take a more philosophical look at the topic.

The interesting thing that Rothstein raises in his articles is the on- 
going human desire for the new… and it's various manifestations.   
Clearly, humans are great at "throwing stuff at walls" and making  
something of it––be it food ingredients that make up a recipe, various  
cultural practices and religious notions, architecture, ways of  
learning and teaching, science, social structures, or making "order"  
out of chaos, etc. etc.  And, I venture to say that what we create is  
usually "better," and more effective than that which preceded it.   
Change is an integral part of our "modern" outlook on life.

The truth be known, things aren't always better and new isn't always  
"good," and order is ultimately illusory.

It's not true that Frank Oppenheimer discovered a new way of teaching  
or presenting experiments in museum's for that matter, but he  
certainly popularized and broadened its accessibility, and in doing so  
connected science to everyday human existence,––and we like doing it  
(well at least enough of us do).

Charlie
On Apr 1, 2010, at 11:14 AM, Chuck Howarth wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Ed Rothstein wrote another in the NY Times last November on a  
> similar theme, comparing the new Cal Academy to the Exploratorium.
>
> He says of the Exploratorium, "Oppenheimer created a palace of  
> experiments, a conceptual playground in which it is impossible not  
> to be engaged, amazed, frustrated or amused. You learn principles  
> but are not told how you must use them. You are given a sense of  
> interconnected phenomena, but are not directed to behave in a  
> certain way. You are forced to think in the middle of play."
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/arts/design/04museum.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Exploratorium&st=cse
>
>> I'm interested in reactions & comments to this NY Times article  
>> mentioned in
>> latest ASTC Scans.
>>
>> The Thrill of Science, Tamed by Agendas
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/18/arts/artsspecial/18SCIENCE.html?sq=museums
>> %20special%20section&st=cse&scp=2&adxnnlx=1270036850-sM/ 
>> C0CWl7aQLLyiRfjunYA&
>> pagewanted=all
>>
>>
>> Dana
>>
>
> Chuck Howarth, Vice President
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Charles Carlson
Senior Scientist
exploratorium
3601 Lyon St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
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Tel:   415-561-0319
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For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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