The Science Museum is set to transform the public’s relationship with science through a major renovation and expansion announced by Museum Director Tim Ritchie, which will include the creation of Public Science Common, a gathering space designed to connect the community with Boston’s leading scientists and foster a lasting love of science.
The space will serve as a dynamic hub for the public, academia and government to come together to discuss and address pressing scientific challenges.
“This will be the greatest public science gathering in the world,” Ritchie told Boston Public Radio on Thursday, “where people can think out loud about what kind of world they want to see.”
Ritchie said other institutions, such as the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, have similar gathering centers, but the museum’s Public Science Common is unique in its scale and commitment.
“Imagine this space,” Ritchie says, “It’s a 10,000-square-foot space, with beautiful glass overlooking the Charles River.”
He asked the Boston Public Radio host to imagine there was a discussion about the future of hydrogen and Boston residents had questions. Ritchie said this would be a great platform to bring together academics, officials, scientists and the public to have these conversations.
The Science Museum has also embarked on “Year of Earthshot,” a year-long initiative focused on climate action and sustainability, examining how we can continue to live sustainably on the planet through how we eat, live, work and move around.
As part of this initiative, the museum will introduce new exhibits and programs, including an IMAX film titled “Cities of the Future” and an immersive exhibit called “Innovation Earth” that will encourage museum visitors to think about how to live sustainably.
The museum itself has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2035.
The museum’s YouTube channel also features series called “Tomorrow’s Kitchen” and “America’s Test Kitchen,” which highlight sustainable cooking methods, much of which are plant-based and sourced from local Massachusetts industries.
“Digital-wise, we’ll reach around 240 million people online and a lot of that content will be about climate change,” Ritchie stressed.
“We’re a long-established institution that’s all about science,” Ritchie said, “and we want to make science great for people because science is great. Science is how we understand the world around us, understand the world inside us, and solve the problems we face.”
