COSI (an acronym for Center of Science and Industry) is a science museum and research center located in Columbus, Ohio in the United States. Originally opened in 1964, COSI was relocated to a 320,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki along a bend in the Scioto River in the Franklinton neighborhood in 1999. COSI features more than 300 interactive exhibits throughout themed exhibition areas.[1]
A science museum is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of subject matter and introduced many interactive exhibits. Many if not most modern science museums – which increasingly refer to themselves as science centres or "discovery centres" – also emphasize technology, and are therefore also technology museums.
A research center is a facility or building dedicated to research, commonly with the focus on a specific area. There are over 14,000 research centers in the United States. Centers apply varied disciplines including basic research and applied research in addition to non traditional techniques. However, a research center should not be confused with a research institute. Many universities have established research centers to focus on a particular area of research. Numerous research centers can be established in a single university.
Columbus is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a population of 892,533 as of 2018 estimates, it is the 14th-most populous city in the United States and one of the fastest growing large cities in the nation. This makes Columbus the third-most populous state capital in the US and the second-most populous city in the Midwest. It is the core city of the Columbus, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses ten counties. With a population of 2,078,725, it is Ohio's second-largest metropolitan area.
As a “center of science and industry” (rather than a standalone “science center”),[2] COSI established embedded partnerships with local organizations. WOSU@COSI (Central Ohio’s NPR member station and Public Broadcasting Service public media station) maintains a digital media center and offices; OSU maintains a center of research as well as health & medicine laboratories staffed by medical residents; and Columbus Historical Society maintains offices and exhibit space.
WOSU — branded 89.7fm NPR News — is a National Public Radio news and talk radio station licensed to Columbus, Ohio and serving the Columbus metro area. It is owned by The Ohio State University. The station has multiple repeaters throughout the U.S. state of Ohio, making the station a multiple transmitter station.
National Public Radio is an American privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization based in Washington, D.C. NPR differs from other non-profit membership media organizations, such as AP, in that it was established by an act of Congress and most of its member stations are owned by government entities. It serves as a national syndicator to a network of over 1,000 public radio stations in the United States.
The Ohio State University (OSU), commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a large public research university in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and the ninth university in Ohio with the Morrill Act of 1862, the university was originally known as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College. The college originally focused on various agricultural and mechanical disciplines but it developed into a comprehensive university under the direction of then-Governor Rutherford B. Hayes, and in 1878 the Ohio General Assembly passed a law changing the name to "The Ohio State University". The main campus in Columbus, Ohio, has since grown into the third-largest university campus in the United States. The university also operates regional campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark, and Wooster.
COSI also operates the largest outreach education program of any science museum in the United States through COSI in the Classroom, 21st Century Lab field trip experiences, international distance education Interactive Video Conferencing programs, and COSI On Wheels traveling outreach program.[3] As well, COSI originated the Camp-In overnight program for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts in 1972 – a concept that is now commonplace in museums nationwide. Since 1964, COSI has engaged with nearly 30 million unique visitors through on-site and outreach programs.[1]
Distance education or long-distance learning is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school. Traditionally, this usually involved correspondence courses wherein the student corresponded with the school via post. Today it involves online education. A distance learning program can be completely distance learning, or a combination of distance learning and traditional classroom instruction. Massive open online courses (MOOCs), offering large-scale interactive participation and open access through the World Wide Web or other network technologies, are recent developments in distance education. A number of other terms are used roughly synonymously with distance education.
Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized after Low met Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, in 1911. Upon returning to Savannah, Georgia, she telephoned a distant cousin, saying, "I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight!"
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 2.3 million youth participants and about one million adult volunteers. The BSA was founded in 1910, and since then, about 110 million Americans participated in BSA programs at some time in their lives. BSA is part of the international Scout Movement and became a founding member organization of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1922.
As a not-for-profit organization, COSI is supported by ticket sales, a network of community and statewide partnerships (including relationships with a variety of donors and sponsors), a volunteer program supported by 10,000 volunteers annually, and nearly 20,000 member households.[4] In 2008, COSI was the named the #1 science center in the United States for families by Parent Magazine.[5]
COSI’s Vision and Mission
The museum's Foucault pendulum, located at the facility's west entrance.
To engage, inspire, and transform lives and communities by being the best partner in science, technology, and industry learning.[6]
Exhibit areas
Upon relocating to its new home in 1999, COSI was developed with large, self-contained, themed atria, each dedicated to a single topic (similar to the style of world’s fair pavilions) and designed as immersive theatrical “learning worlds.” As of 2018, COSI contains seven main exhibit areas: Ocean, Energy Explorers, Space, Progress, Gadgets, Life, and the American Museum of National History Dinosaur Gallery.[7] Hallways between each learning world are filled with hands-on exhibits and displays.
Theming refers to "the use of an overarching theme...to create a holistic and integrated spatial organization of a consumer venue.” A theme is “a unifying or dominant idea or motif”, so theming is the process of designing and constructing an object or space so that “the particular subject or idea on which the style of something is based” is made clear through the “synthesis of recognizable symbols with spatial forms.”
Ocean
The Ocean exhibit is divided into two realms. Accessed via an “underwater cave” through a crashed shipwreck, the cavern path splits as guests pass to the right or left. The pathway to the right leads to a docked submarine laboratory where hands-on exhibits explore the realities of ocean research, submersibles, SCUBA, water pressure, and remote-operated vehicles. Lilypad Lab focuses on drainage basin and Central Ohio wildlife. The path forking left from the shipwreck leads to the Temple of Poseidon, an “ancient” stone chamber built around a 30-foot tall statue of Poseidon with waterfalls, fountains, and water jets. This second realm focuses not on the study of water, but on the properties of water and the stories it inspires – laminar flow, whirlpools, erosion, water bells, and mythology.
Energy Explorers
Energy Explorers, which opened in 2013, allows visitors to choose an avatar (computing) character that follows the guest to the Home Zone, Transportation Zone, and Product Zone of a town, making decisions via computer kiosks to balance energy efficiency and cost.
Space
The Space exhibit area features a replica space station pod to tour, a recreation of John Glenn's Friendship 7 spacecraft from the Mercury-Atlas 6, remote-operated vehicles, balance tests, and other hands-on experiments that deal with space flight trajectory, gravitational pull, and simulated rover landings. Space was originally located on Level 2 in its own enclosed atrium exhibit area, entered via a "black hole" spinning funhouse hallway meant to disorient guests. The exhibit itself - like Ocean or Adventure - was in a dark, immersive, themed area, stylized after the 1969 moon landing of Apollo 11. Under starry skies, guests interacted with "retro" stylized monitors and exhibits with a matching wood-panel / brushed metal motif that was reminiscent of the era and united in style. The exhibit even included a 1960s living room (including shag carpeting) where guests could watch the recorded landing.
When the south end of COSI's building was closed due to lost levies in 2004, the Space exhibit was cut off. As such, it was relocated from Level 2 to an empty gallery on Level 1. In 2012, that area underwent construction to become Energy Explorers, necessitating yet another location switch. Some of the Space exhibit's displays moved to the Mezzanine Level while much remained in storage. With the re-opening of COSI's Planetarium in November 2014, the location of Space on the Mezzanine leading toward the Planetarium's lobby was reinforced by the return and refurbishment of the rest of Space's exhibits. However, Space still remains the only one of COSI's seven learning worlds to not have its own dedicated, theatrical, immersive atrium, instead being located on the bright Mezzanine bridge, open to the Atrium and entryway. The original home of Space is now Gallery 3, available for traveling exhibits and special event rentals. Gallery 3 still contains the Galaxy Theater, fittingly still painted with murals of planets and stars left over from its time as a live theater for Space.
Progress
The Progress exhibit (modeled after the “Streets of Yesteryear” exhibit at COSI’s original location) traces the hopes and fears of a small town called Progress in 1898, just as electricity, horseless carriages, and canned food become available. The recreated town (specifically, the shops, homes, and restaurants at the corner of Hope Street and Fear Street) includes a telegraph office, livery, stable, grocer, apothecary, and clothiers. After visitors walk through Progress in 1898, they turn the corner enter the same intersection of the same town 64 years later in 1962, where a new set of hopes and fears have arisen.
In 1962, the town of Progress includes an appliance store, working TV studio, radio station (where the telegraph office was), department store, diner, and gas station (replacing the livery). At the exit, the exhibit challenges guests to consider how the streets of the village of Progress might look today, and to question why the concept of progress deserves as much weight in scientific study as that of oceans, space, or energy.
Gadgets
The Gadgets exhibit area contains many classic science museum hands-on experiments, such as pulleys, wind tunnels, plasmaglobes, magnets, light bulbs, engines, and counterweights. As well, Gadgets contains the ‘Gadgets Café’, where families are seated and given a “menu” with quick science experiments to choose from. A “take-apart” menu allows visitors to disassemble donated phones, computers, clocks, and other electronic devices, which are recycled afterward.
Life
Life explores humanity through three separate areas dedicated to mind, body, and spirit. The Mind area contains optical illusions, physical illusions, an anechoic chamber, and a posable zoetrope. Spirit discusses the concept of birth and death and how human cultures understand them. Body features interactive health stations where visitors can record their weight, flexibility, and heart rate, then compare their statistics to that of COSI visitors and national averages. Life also contains the Labs in Life, three working medical research pods staffed by OSU Health & Medicine students and staff.
Dinosaur Gallery
On November 19 of 2017, COSI, in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History, opened a permanent Dinosaur Gallery. In addition, a traveling special exhibition gallery opened in Spring of 2018. Together, they will occupy 22,000 square feet on the first floor.[8]
Other features
The building also contains an interactive “little kidspace” area designed for children up through first grade, the National Geographic Giant Screen Theater (the largest digital screen in Ohio), and an outdoor Big Science Park. On November 22, 2014, COSI reopened its 60-foot diameter, 220-seat Planetarium (Ohio’s largest) with all new digital projection. In addition, there is a History of COSI exhibit.
The building also includes three large Galleries for traveling exhibits and special event hosting, a Dive Theater in Ocean, the Galaxy Theater in Gallery 3 (its name a remnant of when Gallery 3 was once the Space exhibit), the Gadgets Stage, the Atomic Cafe, the Science2Go! retail store, and five meeting rooms utilizing refurbished areas within the former Central High School, which the new COSI location was built around.
History
Historic Central High School is now part of COSI
COSI opened on March 29, 1964, as a venture of the Franklin County Historical Society. COSI is a founding member of the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative (SMEC) and a long-standing member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC).
From its 1964 opening, COSI was housed in Memorial Hall, a Columbus landmark constructed in 1906. COSI closed at the Memorial Hall location on East Broad Street on September 6, 1999, and re-opened two months later on November 6, 1999, at its new location on the Scioto riverfront in downtown Columbus. The new, 320,000 square foot facility is one of the largest modern-built science centers in the world. The building was designed by internationally renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, who designed an elliptical, geometric, "blimp" shaped structure composed of 159 curved concrete panels.[9] COSI is designed to appear progressively futuristic from the neighborhood of Franklinton, while from downtown Columbus it uses the exterior of the original Central High School to blend into the city.[9]
COSI's Holiday Science of the Season Celebration annually from the day before Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve.
Shortly after the move to the riverfront, the museum experienced a shortfall of funds. With an initial construction budget of over $210 million, high maintenance costs of the new facility, "six figure" utility bills, and "lower-than-expected" ticket sales, COSI's reliance on admission revenue proved to be an unsuitable long term plan.[10] In 2004, the museum spearheaded an effort to assess a property tax levy, chaired by former NASAastronautJohn Glenn. The levy would have imposed a property tax on residents of Franklin County, who would receive free admission in return. The levy failed. As a result, the south wing of COSI's "blimp" structure was closed.
As part of the reconfiguration of the museum following the loss of the levy in 2004, COSI opened only five days per week instead of seven. Many of the museum's exhibits were announced to close permanently (though many have re-opened in stages in the years since).[11] Two of the original exhibit areas were closed permanently (called i|o and SimZone, the spaces they formerly occupied are now Gallery 1 and Energy Explorers, respectively).
Closures from 2004 that have since been reversed include Space (relocated to Level 1 in 2005, then to the Mezzanine in 2012), the original Gallery 1 (space reused as WOSU@COSI in September 2006[12]), Adventure (re-opened as an additional-charge experience in September 2010[13]), CityView (still off limits to the public; now available for special events), and the Planetarium (re-opened in November 2014 as the final piece of the building to come back online[14]).
In April 2006 Dr. David Chesebrough, former president and CEO of the Buffalo Museum of Science, became COSI's new president and CEO. He replaced former NASA astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan, who transitioned to a new role as COSI science advisor on a volunteer basis while serving in her new role as the Director of Ohio State University's Battelle Center for Mathematics and Science Education Policy.
Since then, COSI has integrated additional-cost traveling exhibits as part of its funding model. The museum has hosted EINSTEIN, An Exhibition on the Man and his Science (2007), Animation featuring Cartoon Network (2007), Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics (2007), Bob the Builder: Project Build It (2007), Goosebumps! The Science of Fear (2008), CSI: The Experience (2008), Adventures with Clifford the Big Red Dog (2010), Geckos: From Tail to Toepads (2011), Dinosaurs: Explore. Escape. Survive. (2011), Dora and Diego - Let's Explore! (2011), RACE: Are We So Different? (2012), WATER (2012), LEGO Castle Adventure (2012), BODYWORLDS and The Brain (2012), MindBender Mansion and Amazing Mazes (2013), MythBusters: The Explosive Exhibition (2013), Curious George: Let's Get Curious! (2013), and Sherlock: The Exhibition (2014). As well, COSI developed its own traveling exhibit, Lost Egypt: Ancient Secrets, Modern Science (2009) in cooperation with the Science Museum Exhibit Collaborative, built by the Science Museum of Minnesota. Lost Egypt now travels the nation to other museums.
In January 2016, Dr. Chesebrough announced that he planned to retire at the end of 2016. A executive search firm was contracted, and an advisory committee formed, to identify candidates to succeed him as president and CEO.[15]
On August 23, 2016, the Capitol South Community Redevelopment Corp. announced the approval of a $37 million plan to replace the 600-spot parking lots on COSI's west side with an underground parking garage topped with an 8-acre green space and programmatic park as a compliment to the larger Scioto Peninsula green space along the Scioto River. The construction project is expected to be completed in spring 2018.[16]
On September 16, 2016, COSI announced a partnership between the city of Columbus and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City to build a $5 million permanent Dinosaur Exhibition Gallery and a dedicated AMNH Traveling Exhibition Gallery replacing the WOSU and Adventure exhibits. The WOSU exhibit has since relocated; however, the Adventure exhibition closed permanently on January 1, 2017.[17][18]
On November 10, 2016, the COSI board of trustees announced the selection of Dr. Frederic Bertley as COSI Columbus' new president and CEO, effective January 1, 2017. Dr. Bertley was previously senior vice president for science and education at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.[19]
On January 1, 2017, the Adventure exhibit permanently closed to make room for COSI's Dinosaur Gallery.[18]
The Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, (VITM), Bangalore, India, a constituent unit of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, was established in memory of Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya. The building, with a built up area of 4,000 m2 (43,000 sq ft), was constructed in Cubbon Park. It houses various scientific experiments and engines, and was inaugurated by the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on 14 July 1962. The first gallery set up at VITM, on the theme of 'Electricity', was opened to the public on 27 July 1965.
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