Take a Timeline Tour of Our Past and Present

A lot has happened at the Exploratorium in forty years. In 1972, the School-in-the-Exploratorium was founded to improve K-5 education; since then, we’ve added educational programs for middle school and high school teachers, museum professionals, Members, and visitors, and we work with an international community engaged in science education reform. In 1974, the Artist-in-Residence program began; it continues to bring exceptional artists and artworks into the museum. In 1988, staff member Larry Shaw created Pi Day in celebration of that transcendental number, 3.14 . . . ; Pi Day is now an international holiday. In 1993, the Exploratorium became the first independent museum to have a Web site on the World Wide Web; the site has won many impressive awards since then. More recently, in 2003, our Microscope Imaging Station made research-grade microscopes available to our visitors. And, in 2009, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Exploratorium announced a five-year partnership to bring NOAA's real-time exploration to the public.

These are just a few highlights from the Exploratorium's history. Take a spin through this timeline, which also features significant scientific events alongside the museum’s milestones.