Museum Of Science And Industry Inc

OPERATION OF A MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

MOSI CONTINUED TO BE A BEACON FOR STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS, AND MATHEMATICS) LEARNING IN TAMPA BAY WITH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS REACHING MORE THAN 126,000 STUDENTS EACH YEAR. ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS IS PART OF OUR CORE IDEOLOGY. MOSI CONTINUED TO COLLABORATE WITH A CORE GROUP OF PARTNERS (HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, AND STEM COMPANIES ACROSS FLORIDA) TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT, FOSTER AND ENRICH ONE OF ONLY 98 STEM LEARNING ECOSYSTEM COMMUNITIES IN THE WORLD. BY OFFERING A VARIETY OF PROGRAM FORMATS THAT INCLUDE: FIELD TRIPS, WORKSHOPS, LABS, ASSEMBLIES, SIMULATIONS, CAMPS, OUTREACH EXPERIENCES, FIELD EXPEDITIONS, OVERNIGHTS, TEAM-BUILDING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MENTORING, TRAINING, AND VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, WE EXPANDED THE STEAM KNOWLEDGE AND INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR WORK WITH YOUTH, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, GUESTS, CORPORATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, SCOUTS AND ADULTS. AS PART OF OUR MISSION TO BE THE INTERSECTION OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, MOSI HAD NEARLY 75,000 YOUTH VISIT THE MUSEUM IN EITHER SCHOOL GROUPS, HOMESCHOOL PROGRAMS OR SCOUTING GROUPS. OVER 51,000 PEOPLE WERE IMPACTED BY MOSI IN MOTION OUTREACH PROGRAMMING THAT INCLUDES GOING TO SCHOOL SITES AS WELL AS COMMUNITY EVENTS. MOSI'S STEAM EDUCATION PROGRAMMING CONTINUED OVER THE SUMMER WHERE MORE THAN 1,300 YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN MOSI SUMMER SCIENCE CAMPS INCLUDING 99 UNDERREPRESENTED YOUTH THAT ATTENDED CAMPS FOR FREE THROUGH MOSI SCHOLARSHIPS. IN ADDITION, 36 HIGH-FUNCTIONING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) SUCCESSFULLY PARTICIPATED IN MOSI'S INTEGRATED, SENSORY-FRIENDLY STEAM CAMPS HELD AT MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.MOSI PROVIDED FREE COMMUNITY STEAM PROGRAMMING THROUGH OUR MONTHLY SKY WATCH ASTRONOMY EVENTS. MOSI INVITED CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO COME AND STARGAZE USING THE MOST POWERFUL MOSI TELESCOPES. GUESTS LEARN ABOUT ASTRONOMY, ASK QUESTIONS, AND GET ASSISTANCE SETTING-UP AND USING THEIR OWN TELESCOPES FROM MOSI'S EXPERT STAFF ASTRONOMERS. OVER 960 PEOPLE ATTENDED SKY WATCH EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. MOSI ALSO PARTICIPATED IN COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS THE ST. PETE SCIENCE FESTIVAL AND UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA ENGINEERING DAYS, AND SERVED AS COMMUNITY JUDGES IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STEM FAIR COMPETITION AS WELL AS PROVIDED MOSI ADMISSION TICKETS TO ALL SCHOOL SITE WINNERS.MOSI CONTINUED TO BE A RESOURCE FOR SCHOOLS CHALLENGED BY COVID-19. MOSI'S EDUCATION TEAM CREATED AND POSTED ACCESSIBLE STEAM EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS ON THE MOSI YOUTUBE CHANNEL, AND OFFERED VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING IN ORDER TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN SCIENCE CONTENT OFFERINGS, INCLUDING HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES THEY COULD DO FROM THE SAFETY OF THEIR OWN HOME. THE MOSI EDUCATION TEAM PARTNERED WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SCIENCE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP HANDS-ON ACTIVITY STEAM KITS FOR FIFTH GRADE TITLE 1 STUDENTS TO TAKE HOME TO REINFORCE WHAT THEY LEARNED VIRTUALLY OR IN CLASS. THE KITS INCLUDED ALL MATERIALS, QR CODE LINKS TO A STEAM VIDEO CREATED BY THE MOSI EDUCATION TEAM,AND PROCEDURES FOR THE STUDENTS TO PERFORM THE ACTIVITY AT HOME. MOSI PROVIDED AND HOSTED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR OVER 200 TAMPA BAY TEACHERS ON THE STEAM TOPICS SUCH AS: CODING, DRONES, LEGO, ROCKETS, SPACE, ROBOTICS, ASTRONOMY, VR TECHNOLOGY, AND SCIENCE PROBES. MOSI CONTINUED TO OFFER STUDENTS SCIENCE-BASED CAMPS TO CORRESPOND WITH EXTENDED PUBLIC SCHOOL BREAK PERIODS SUCH AS: FALL BREAK, WINTER BREAK, SPRING BREAK, AND SUMMER BREAK. MOSI HOSTED TWO FAMILY STEAM NIGHTS FOR OVER 375 FAMILY MEMBERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS TITLE I STUDENTS. THE FAMILY NIGHTS GAVE UNDERSERVED FAMILIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME TOGETHER EXPLORING MOSI AND LEARNING THROUGH HANDS-ON STEAM ACTIVITIES TOGETHER.

MOSI OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF HANDS ON EXHIBITS AND ACTIVITIES TO KEEP GUESTS ENTERTAINED AND HAVING FUN WHILE LEARNING AND EXPLORING. GUESTS CAN GO TO THE MOON AND HELP OPERATE A LUNAR COLONY IN MISSION MOONBASE, SEE THE STARS FROM ANY POINT IN TIME-PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE IN THE SAUNDERS PLANETARIUM, COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE FUTURE USING NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CONNECTUS, AND LEARN SCIENCE THROUGH SPORTS WITH A VISIT TO SLIPPERY SCIENCE, AN EXHIBIT PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE 2020 AND 2021 STANLEY CUP CHAMPION, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING, WHICH TEACHES FRICTION, PHYSICS, AND THE SCIENCE OF HOCKEY. OTHER EXHIBITS, INCLUDING DINOVATIONS LAB, MIND MYSTERIES AND GEOLAB FURTHER ENHANCE THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WHILE INFORMALLY LEARNING.THE MOSI EXHIBIT PATH SAW A FOCUS ON REPAIRS, UPGRADES, ADDITIONS, AND COSMETIC CHANGES IN 2021. SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL UPGRADES AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE TO SEVERAL EXHIBITS. THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES' COVID-19 RECOVERY, MOSI SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A MUCH NEEDED FAMILY GETAWAY AND CREATED A NEW EXHIBIT, VIDEO GAME REVOLUTION (VGR). OUR 2021 SUMMER EXHIBIT TURNED INTO A WIDELY POPULAR EXPERIENCE, SIGNIFICANTLY DRIVING OUR ATTENDANCE GATE. MANY OTHER EXHIBITS SAW IMPROVEMENTS TO CREATIVE VISUAL ELEMENTS AS WELL AS VIDEO CONTENT AND DURABILITY. ALL UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS WERE PERFORMED DURING CLOSING TIMES AS TO NOT INTERFERE WITH GUEST EXPERIENCE. THE MOONBASE EXHIBIT HAD SEVERAL MONITORS AND TOUCHPADS REPLACED THAT WILL PROVIDE A BETTER GUEST EXPERIENCE THROUGH INCREASED USABILITY AND DURABILITY. NEW ADDITIONS WERE MADE TO THE MOONBASE EXHIBIT AS WELL, INCLUDING A NEW INTERACTIVE VIDEO GAME REQUIRING GUESTS TO LAND A CAPSULE ON THE MOON. WHILE A FUN AND ENGAGING GAME, IT INFORMALLY TEACHES PLAYERS ABOUT TRAJECTORY, INERTIA AND PROBLEM SOLVING! MOSI CONTINUES TO EVOLVE, MODIFY, AND IMPROVE EXHIBITS TO PROVIDE GUESTS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AND PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THE INFORMAL, IMMERSIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE ON THE EXHIBIT PATH.MOSI CONTINUED TO INTEGRATE ART INTO ITS STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART, AND MATH) FOCUS THROUGHOUT THE EXHIBIT PATH. MOSI MAINTAINED AN ARTIST IN RESIDENCE TO CREATE DAILY ART IN THE ART FACTORY LOCATED ON THE EXHIBIT FLOOR. MOSI MAINTAINED ITS COLLECTION OF IF/THEN ART LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTING WOMEN IN THE STEAM FIELDS. MOSI ALSO CURATED SEVERAL EXHIBITS ON THE STEAM ART WALL WITH THE TT ART COLLECTIVE, A LOCAL ART PURVEYOR CONNECTED TO THE EPICUREAN HOTEL. THE CURATING PARTNERSHIP ALLOWED FOR THREE DRAMATIC ART ROTATIONS IN THE EXHIBIT, ALL FEATURING LOCAL TAMPA BAY ARTISTS. THIS WAS A FOCUSED EFFORT TO ALSO HELP PROMOTE THE LOCAL ART COMMUNITY THAT WAS DEEPLY IMPACTED BY COVID IN 2020. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PARTNERSHIP, MOSI HOSTED TWO SHOWCASE EVENTS FOR ARTISTS CALLED "NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM". THIS EVENT ALLOWED ARTISTS FEATURED IN THE MOSI GALLERY TO DISPLAY THEIR WORK TO THE PUBLIC IN A MUSEUM AND PROMOTE THEIR WORK. MOSI INCREASED MOMENTUM IN THE IDEA ZONE, THE TAMPA BAY AREA'S ONLY TRUE "MAKERSPACE AND PROTOTYPING LAB, BY ROTATING STEAM-BASED PROJECTS EACH MONTH. PROJECT THEMES IN THE IDEA ZONE INCLUDED: WIND POWER, DRONES, VIDEO GAME CREATION, BUILDING BLOCKS, DESIGN, STOP MOTION ANIMATION, CODING WITH SCRATCH, SANTA'S WORKSHOP AND SEVERAL OTHER STEM AND STEAM BASED HANDS-ON PROJECTS FOR YOUNG AND OLD. THE IDEA ZONE ALSO HOSTED SEVERAL SEASONAL THEMED EVENTS CENTERED ON HALLOWEEN, EASTER AND CHRISTMAS.IN COLLABORATION WITH NAESF (NORTH AMERICAN E SPORTS FEDERATION), MOSI CREATED A NEW EXHIBIT CALLED "VIDEO GAME REVOLUTION". THE EXHIBITS FOCUS WAS HOW THE PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH VIDEO GAMES HAS GROWN FROM "PONG" TO WHAT ESPORTS ARE TODAY, AN INDUSTRY THAT GENERATES WELL OVER $1,000,000,000 THROUGH LEAGUE COMPETITIONS, SPONSORSHIPS AND PRIZE MONEY. BY FAR MOSI'S MOST POPULAR EXHIBIT SINCE 2017, VGR (VIDEO GAME REVOLUTION) SAW A DWELL TIME OF OVER 90 MINUTES IN THAT EXHIBIT ALONE! IT ALSO PROVED TO BE A GREAT ENGAGEMENT TOOL IN CONNECTING GUESTS WITH THE VARIOUS STEAM DISCIPLINES THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN VIDEO GAME PRODUCTION. THE VGR EXHIBIT ALSO INCLUDED A GAME LAB. THIS AREA WAS CREATED TO ALLOW GUESTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY AN ESPORTS GAME. INTERNALLY, MOSI ANALYZED DATA COLLECTED FROM GUESTS TO SEE IF FUTURE PROGRAMING RELATED TO A MOSI ESPORTS TEAM AS WELL AS A MOSI ESPORTS ARENA WOULD HAVE A DEMAND IN THE COMMUNITY. RESOUNDINGLY, GUESTS LOVED THE EXHIBIT AND ARE ACTIVELY REQUESTING ITS RETURN TO THE EXHIBIT PATH.

MOSI CONNECTED WITH THE COMMUNITY BY CONTINUING ITS COLLABORATION WITH OTHER VENUES, AND WAS THE LEAD IN HOSTING HOLIDAY AUTISM AWARENESS DAYS (DAY OF DISCOVERY) EVENTS AT EACH VENUE. THE EVENTS WERE HELD ON HALLOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS. THESE EVENTS WERE CROSS-PROMOTED BY EACH VENUE AS WELL AS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS: C.A.R.D., AUTISM SPEAKS, OUTBACK RESTAURANTS, AMALIE OIL, AND FLORIDA BLUE. OUR LARGER SCALE DAY OF DISCOVERY EVENT IN APRIL (AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH) HAD TO BE CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19.MOSI ADVANCED SEVERAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AS WELL IN 2021. ONCE AGAIN, MOSI OFFERED FREE ADMISSION FOR CHILDREN UNDER 18 IN DECEMBER OVER WINTER BREAK. THIS INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED TO HELP UNDERSERVED FAMILIES DURING THE HOLIDAYS EXPERIENCE THE VENUE AND ENJOY TIME TOGETHER. MOSI EXPANDED THE THUNDERBUG KIDS CLUB WITH THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDED FREE ADMISSION TO MOSI DURING THE MONTHS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY TO MEMBERS OF THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING'S "KIDS CLUB". ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT GREW IN 2021 WAS MOSI'S BLUE STAR MUSEUM PROGRAM, OFFERING FREE ADMISSION TO ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY AND FAMILIES BETWEEN LABOR DAY AND MEMORIAL DAY. THIS YEAR ALONE TOTALED MORE THAN ALL THE PREVIOUS YEARS' COMBINED TOTALS. OVER 1800 GUESTS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM. IN FACT, MOSI WAS SUCH A DESTINATION IN TAMPA FOR THE PROGRAM THAT WE WERE ASKED TO HOST A BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENT FOR MILITARY FAMILIES PASSING OUT BACKPACKS WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES. MOSI ALSO PROUDLY SERVED AS A WELCOME SITE FOR BLUE STAR FAMILIES ON DEPLOYMENT DAY, THE DAY WHEN NEWLY ASSIGNED MILITARY FAMILIES ARRIVE FOR THEIR FIRST DAY INTRODUCTIONS TO MACDILL AFB AND THE TAMPA BAY AREA.