In Museum Month, treasures await you at Explorit

My son made a dramatic discovery at Explorit summer camp a few years back, and if I hadn’t already been huge fan of the science center, that experience would have made me one.

His camp topic that memorable day was bacteria and their role in nature. When I picked him up afterward, he ecstatically informed me of the treasure he’d studied.

‘Mom,’ he said, ‘did you know that without bacteria there would be…DEAD things lying around everywhere?  But the bacteria eat them and make soil so plants can grow!’

When I told him that his father, a biochemical engineer, works with bacteria and fungus every day, it was as though I had revealed that his dad was secretly Superman.  Not only was my son excited by the prospect of discussing bacteria later on with my husband, but also he carried this interest on to his next activity for the day.  In a ceramics class where the other children were making flowers, vases and boats, my son decided to make bacteria.

That experience came to mind when I was asked, as a member of Explorit’s Board of Trustees, to write this column about May being California Museum Month. I readily agreed; we are fortunate in Davis to have art and science museums where we can take advantage of the variety of experiences they have to offer.  Our local museums can open up our minds, expose us to new information and ideas, and spark creativity and curiosity while not breaking the weekend entertainment budget.

In the news recently, we’ve heard reports of a possible swine flu epidemic, discussions of the environmental crisis in the Delta and its possible causes, and other topics that may make us wish we had paid more attention in high school science classes. There are a lot of theories and data that swarm around these topics, and it’s not easy to sort through all this information to understand what the real concerns are.  On a more everyday level, we are also constantly sifting through information to decide which diets and exercise regimens are most likely to keep our families healthy.  

Not only is it important for adults to understand science, but the next generation will also need to make decisions where scientific knowledge will be critical.  We are lucky that the schools here in Davis have the resources to provide good science programs starting in elementary school.  Nearby school districts are not always so fortunate, and many struggle to keep science in their curriculums.  To truly engage our children in science, supplementing the formal education in the schools with informal educational experiences is critical.

Explorit Science Center provides just these types of opportunities everyday for schoolchildren throughout the Sacramento region through field trips to our Davis sites and through traveling programs. I have seen firsthand the excitement that can be created by an electron microscope, a water table or a skeleton at Explorit exhibitions, during a summer or vacation class or during an Explorit programs in schools outside of Davis.

On a personal level, science is an integral part of the work I do everyday, and I find it to be extremely interesting and rewarding.  Passing this interest onto my children has been a challenge.  At the age of 5, my daughter informed me that she would never be an engineer because she had seen what I do and it was boring! Informal science education opportunities like those provided by Explorit have helped me to counteract this thinking from both of my kids.

Moments of enthusiasm for learning are what we all hope to provide for our children, and museums provide the perfect environment for this to happen.  A visit to the new exhibit at Explorit or participation in a summer camp may plant the seeds that will grow into a passion for science and pursuit of a satisfying career or vocation.  But hopefully it will at least provide a comfort and interest in science that will allow our kids to understand critical issues and appreciate life’s riches (not the least of which are bacteria)!

Incidentally, as I write this, Explorit has 22 openings left in its Summer Science Camp ’09. They are listed by age group, topic and week in the News section of the center’s newly redesigned Web site, www.explorit.org. The list is updated several times a week. Needless to say, I highly recommend the camps.

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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