Orlando Science Center

By inspiring Science learning for life, osc creates prosperity in our community that enhances lives. In fy2024, osc had 660,000 visitors (an 11% increase over fy 23), including 160,669 who received free or reduced-price admission. Our core exhibits include kidstown - creative play nurturing cognitive development of young children; life - which tells the story of conservation through direct encounters with the animals that share our planet; kinetic zone - fundamentals of forces; dino digs - paleontology and giant prehistoric creatures; our planet, our universe - mysteries of space and earth's dynamic forces; and the hive: a makerspace - making, learning and exploring with tools and mentors to help turn creative ideas into reality.

Our dr. phillips cinedome, observatory and digital adventure theater educate visitors of all ages. The 309-seat dr. phillips cinedome offers visitors giant screen films in the eight-story domed venue. The digital adventure theater hosts educational movies daily and Science live! Program favorites such as secrets of the universe with state-of-the-art 4k digital projection and 7.1 surround sound, the digital adventure theater also presents movies in 2d and 3d, and hosts guest presentations by scientists. The observatory features central Florida's largest refractor telescope and provides public access for viewing astronomical events.

165,000 of our visitors experienced osc through field trips and other educational programming. (a 13% increase over fy 23) we inspire Science learning through on-site demonstrations, programs, lab and school field trip activities, teacher professional development, break camps and classes, and an onsite preschool. Off-site programs bring classroom and assembly-type programs to students and their parents at local schools, libraries, and other educational and cultural venues in nine counties throughout central florida.osc's place-based outreach program, neighborhood Science, provides consistent stem learning experiences for after school programs identified by our community partners and local government officials as distressed communities that lack access to quality stem experiences. On fiscal year (fy) 2024 neighborhood Science served two locations, grand avenue neighborhood center and the bradley otis brand of the boys & girls clubs of central Florida, with free stem workshops 2-4 days per week, covering topics such as engineering design process, computer Science, coding, robotics, virtual reality, and maker spaces. We have multi-year commitments at each of these locations, allowing us to make a deep impact with long-term, consistent programming. These partners are located in the 32805-zip codes, both of which the economic innovation group has identified as distressed zip codes, enduring a low rate of high school graduation, high unemployment rate, and high poverty rate. In fiscal year 2024, neighborhood Science provided over 5,000 student touchpoints.