Home ... Archive Index ... Previous Columns

Date: April 10, 2009

Explorit launches new version of its Web site

As the clock struck 10 on Monday morning, Explorit’s original Web site vanished and a new version took its place in cyberspace. Check it out at http://www.explorit.org.

The chief reason for the change: The new site allows Explorit’s staff to easily add or update content without having to be Web coding experts. The chief benefit for users: The site’s information is timely and easy to find.

“We’re making use of technology that didn’t exist when Explorit started its Web site in 1995,” says Jonathan Bell, the center’s information technology coordinator. “It’s not a flashy site, but it should serve its function very well for our various constituencies – visitors, members, teachers, corporate donors and so on.”

First and foremost, you’ll find all the information you need to visit Explorit, from hours of operation to special events to descriptions of current exhibitions. Get information about membership, volunteering, making donations and signing up for summer camp, also.

Explorit’s original site contained a treasure trove of science-related materials, from quizzes to quotations to interactive activities. Most is preserved in the Science section of the new site. A couple of examples:

• In “How Old Is That Bone?” you can uncover the history of a virtual archeological site. Drag a bone fragment into a digester and then into a detector for radiocarbon dating.

• Grab a Saltine cracker and follow along an activity about the human body’s digestive track. You’ll learn, among other things, that Saltines don’t always taste salty.

Explorit staff would love to have feedback about the new Web site. Email comments to explorit@explorit.org or click on the “Send Us Feedback” link at the bottom of any page.

A final note on this topic: Explorit would like to publicly thank Anne Hance for her many years of dedication to the center’s Web presence. A co-founder and former executive director of the organization, she saw a need in 1990 to join the information highway, a new concept in those days.

Hance became active at Davis Community Network and learned to write code, developing an award-winning site that has become an essential tool for communicating with the public. She has been its Webmaster for 14 years.

With the redesign, she is handing over the reigns to Explorit’s staff, though she’ll continue to assist with special projects and serve as adviser.

“We’re indebted to Anne and truly appreciate her vision, leadership and hard work over the years, in relation to Explorit’s Web site and of course the center in general,” said Lou Ziskind, executive director. “Explorit wouldn’t be what it is today without Anne.”
____________

On Saturday (April 11), a Family Exploration program called “Fuel Cells: Powering the Future” will help visitors learn about fuel cells in a fun way. It will take place from 1-4 p.m. at Explorit’s main site, 2801 Second St.

Visitors can create a fuel cell, which uses hydrogen to produce electricity, and look at a fuel cell car. Leading the activities will be Craig Childers of the California Air Resources Board. The program is free with paid admission to the museum.
________________

Explorit is currently collecting registrations for Summer Science Camp ’09.
The center offers 10 weeklong sessions of hands-on day camps.

Registration forms and a PDF of the annual Camp Guide are available at www.explorit.org. Printed versions are available at Explorit’s main site as well as at its Mace Park Branch, 3141 Fifth St.

The random-drawing camp registration deadline is 4:30 p.m. Friday April 17. Registration forms will be opened randomly after that, and campers will be placed in their selections until the camps are full. Very few children are wait-listed. Families will be notified of camp placement by early May. After all forms are processed, open registration will begin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Explorit Science Center has two exhibitions running: “The Energy Story” and “Move It! Science in Action.” Admission is $4 general, free for age 3 and under. For more information: (530) 756-0191 or www.explorit.org