Orlando Science Center (OSC)

Early in the 1970s, the Orlando Board of Directors decided to create a "hands-on" scientific/technology center in response to an increasing demand for science and technology instruction in local schools. The Board started making plans for the twenty-first century in September 1989. Long-term educational needs in Central Florida were evaluated by a thorough market analysis and the decision was made to build a completely new facility after thoroughly analyzing the facts. This implies a deficiency in STEM education throughout central Florida before the creation of the Orlando Science Center. Construction got under way in early 1994 on a site granted by the City of Orlando. On February 1st, 1997, the new Orlando Science Center held its grand opening celebration. Since its establishment in 1955, OSC has been actively catering to more than 600,000 annual visitors, including both locals of Central Florida and global tourists. OSC’s mission as driven by three guiding principles: a promise to inspire science learning for life; a vision to be the catalyst for innovation; and a goal to improve lives via community prosperity.

The Central Florida Museum and Planetarium was established as a small, nonprofit science museum in January 1955 by the Central Florida Federation of Art and Sciences (CFFAS), a group of forward-thinking Central Floridians. It functioned in a modest, frequently expanded structure for more than 30 years before being renamed the Orlando Science Center (OSC) in 1973. One of The Central Florida Museum's main attractions was its expansive planetarium, of which is still in use within the Orlando Science Center. This contemporary science center was opened in 1997 following the Board's 1993 decision to construct a brand-new building and the successful conclusion of a $48.9 million fundraising campaign. With exhibit halls, natural habitats, appealing exhibit galleries, classrooms, a large screen theater, an auditorium/theater, an observatory, and visitor facilities, the complex is aesthetically distinctive and designed for the future. Since 1997, OSC has welcomed more than 4 million visitors and has been accredited by the American Association of Museums. K–12 students made up more than 1 million of these visitors. Today, the Science Center serves over 70,000 kids annually through outreach programs and school field trips.

The Orlando Science Center is a vibrant educational institution that will serve Central Florida for many years. The 193,000-square-foot complex has 42,000 square feet of fascinating, interactive exhibit space, including 8,000 square feet for national and international touring exhibits. The complex has 12,000 square feet of classrooms, meeting and assembly halls for educational activities that will serve kids from a six-county area, as well as a large Teacher Resource Center and Comprehensive Teacher Training Institute for pre-service and in-service teacher training. The Center also has a 320-seat, 79-foot domed planetarium and an IWERKS large-screen format cinema. There is also an 800-square-foot observatory and a 2500-seat scientific demonstration theater with daily live presentations. The building has a 400-seat dining room as well as a café for a quick snack. Owing to space restrictions, a parking garage across the street from the Science Center was created and is immediately connected by an enclosed pedestrian bridge. The principal pedestrian link between the Science Center's second floor main door and the parking garage is the 150-foot "Sky Bridge." The air-conditioned and glass-enclosed bridge overlooks four lanes of traffic on Princeton Avenue.

In addition to the above, the Orlando Science Center also honored the Tuskegee Airmen's Red Tail pilots with a memorial dedication and weekend-long events in their honor. A P-51 Mustang, the same sort of plane the Red Tails piloted during World War II, flew over the 12-foot spire's dedication at the museum's east entrance. Likewise, visitors to the science center have participated in events including the Egg Drop Challenge, paper plane flying competitions, and Mentos and Diet Coke rocket launches in addition to viewing the 2012 movie "Red Tails'' and using a flight simulator that simulates a P-51 Mustang flight. As briefly mentioned in the introduction, the Orlando Science Center meets the needs of the surrounding community and fills in cultural gaps. The Orlando region is quickly expanding as a result of a diversified influx of new inhabitants. There is a shared need for high-quality experiences for families and organizations that foster a strong sense of community among these new citizens from diverse origins, economic situations, and personal objectives. Orlando wants to strengthen its stake in knowledge businesses that employ high-wage employees, and a strong school system with a focus on math and scientific instruction is a vital component of that aim. Parents, particularly in families where all caregivers work full-time, want a space to spend meaningful time with their children in order to promote good educational practices. There is a national problem in the generation of future knowledge workers, which is sometimes related to the necessity to pique young children's interest in these fields. The Orlando Science Center sees itself as a vital part of satisfying these needs in our community.

Orlando Science Center, Orlando, Florida at museumsusa.org. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/302 

 Orlando Science Center, Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.nonprofit-search.org/index.php?section=organizations&action=report_nonProfitOverview&fwID=681 

Orlando Sentinel. (2019, May 12). Don't miss: Red Tail Pilots Monument at Orlando Science Center. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/os-spot-science-center-red-tails-20131107-story.html

Orlando Science Center. Florida Space Grant Consortium. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2023, from https://floridaspacegrant.org/affiliates/orlando-science-center/ 

Orlando Science Center. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2023, from http://www.hhcp.com/orlando-science-center.html 

Plan your visit. Orlando Science Center. (2023, March 20). Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://www.osc.org/visit/