Hi, Keni — the integration of STEM and art has become a curatorial emphasis at Art Center College of Design's Williamson Gallery, located in Pasadena, CA.  Design is aptly described as innovation at the intersection of art and science, so the resonance of this theme in a learning environment that explores design, making, and critical thinking, is profound. The Williamson Gallery has just opened REALSPACE, an art-science project ( http://williamsongallery.net/realspace ). Links to past exhibitions and projects can be glimpsed at http://williamsongallery.net/google . Beyond the gallery, many parts of the college are engaged in the art-science collaboration, from environmental and ecological sustainability design to data visualization to humanitarian and social consciousness design. In addition, in the city of Pasadena, an art-science festival has just concluded — AxS 2014: CURIOSITY ( http://axsfestival.org ). 

Pasadena, with Caltech, JPL, Carnegie Observatories, The Planetary Society, etc., plus fabulous arts organizations, seems a natural place for such partnerships to emerge. However, the affinities revealed in pairing art and STEM are global and  becoming more apparent as multiple institutions worldwide engage in multidisciplinary endeavor. It is not surprising that non-science museums would follow and promote this trend that enriches perspectives on so many subjects.

All best,
/stephen

S t e p h e n    N o w l i n
Director, Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery
626.396.2397 | http://williamsongallery.net/google 

P a s a d e n a  —  C I t y   o f   A r t   &   S c I e n c e 





From: Astrid Drew <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2014 8:56 AM
To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Assessing the Value of STEM in non-science based museums

Hello Keni,

I feel Ms. Mach's response is very close to how I feel too, though not from a visitor's perspective.  As a historical society whose membership demographic is older, we're constantly looking for ways to connect with younger audiences.  Our education program, still in development, is built for STEAM (pun actually is intended), and incorporates the numerous paintings and artwork in our collections.  We feel it'll do well to attract a wider audience, as well as students, and enable them to see those items in a different way.  So an old White Star Line advertisement poster, for instance, can be analyzed for its artistic merits, but also build discussion about economics, business, and marketing practices of the time.

Seeing artistic items in multifaceted ways can open up opportunities to create new programs or exhibitions that can educate people on how the arts are tied into science and even enhance it.  For those who are already engaged with the arts or are artists themselves, they can learn of new avenues to apply their skills---as well as vice versa, as Ms. Mach noted.  Also, incorporating sciences into art exhibits can help with fundraising and grant applications, given the emphasis of STEM field training nowadays.
 


Astrid M. Drew
Research & Media Coordinator

Steamship Historical Society
2500 Post Road
Warwick, RI 02886
www.sshsa.org
Phone: 401-463-3570



On Tue, Oct 14, 2014 at 7:43 PM, Mach, Bernadette <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Keni,

I can only speak from a visitor's viewpoint, but I love STEM-related activities and programs in non-science based museums.  For one, I was always a science kid, so that was and still is my primary interest.  Seeing programs in art museums about scientists using special imaging to uncover and restore paintings, programs about the engineering behind the museum's building, or programs about all of the equipment used to keep art and historic items preserved was a great way for me to connect what I absolutely loved (science) to what I enjoyed (art and history).  

The main values that I see in such activities are reaching out to and engaging those who might otherwise get bored of the art or history by itself and exposing visitors (especially children and young adults) to careers in museum science that integrate STEM fields (and that they might not have considered before).

Anyway, those are just my two cents.  I would love to hear what other people's responses are.

Bernadette "Bernie" Mach
M.S. Student
Turf and Landscape Entomology Lab 
Department of Entomology 
University of Kentucky

On Tue, Oct 14, 2014 at 7:10 PM, Jaclyn J. Kelly <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
For what it's worth, I wouldn't mind reading people's responses on the listserv... the museum I work at is also trying to increase our STEM (or STEAM) activities and I think these insights might be really helpful.

On Tue, Oct 14, 2014 at 5:23 PM, Keni Sturgeon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hi all,
I'd love to hear from members of the list on what you see as the value (either to your visitors or to your organization) in including science, technology, engineering and/or math (STEM) related activities and/or inviting STEM professionals to develop programs in/for non-science based museums and related institutions, particularly in art and history museums? If you do not see any value, I'd love to hear why. Please respond to my work email - [log in to unmask].

Thank you,

Keni Sturgeon

Director, Science & Education at Pacific Science Center



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