A Place for Learning Science: Starting a Science Center and Keeping It Running
Sheila Grinell
ASTC, 2003
In this expanded and updated version of her 1992 A New Place for Learning Science, author Grinell, former president and CEO of the Arizona Science Center, offers advice based on more than 30 years' experience in working with start-ups. 128 pp. More
#143
ASTC members: $30
Nonmembers: $35

2007 ASTC Sourcebook of Statistics & Analysis
Based primarily on data reported this summer by 179 science centers and museums, this 98-page report includes 95 charts and graphs and a comprehensive table of data, by institution. Facilities, programs, attendance, membership, employees and volunteers, finances, and expansion and renewal are primary topics. Also included is a 5-year attendance report based on monthly data provided by 26 science centers and multi-year analysis by Walter Witschey. More
#4-2007
ASTC members: $40
Nonmembers: $50

2006 ASTC Sourcebook of Statistics & Analysis
Based primarily on data reported this summer by 205 science centers and museums, this 90-page report includes 76 charts and graphs and a comprehensive table of data, by institution. Facilities, programs, attendance, membership, employees and volunteers, finances, and expansion and renewal are primary topics. Also included is a 5-year attendance report based on monthly data provided by 25 science centers. More
#4-2006
ASTC members: $40
Nonmembers: $50

2007 ASTC Directory
The “yellow pages” of the science center field, the 2007 ASTC Directory lists addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses for ASTC-member organizations and key staff. Available in pdf format (free to ASTC members) or in hard copy shrink-wrapped and hole-punched to fit into a three-ring binder.
#3-2007
ASTC members: $18 (hardcopy)
Nonmembers: $30 (pdf), $40 (hardcopy)

Architecture and Exhibition Design: A Survey of Infrastructure
Charles Howarth Jr. and Maeryta Medrano
ASTC, 1997
An ASTC Bulletin that provides guidelines for designing a science center, including ceiling heights, floor loads, lighting systems, electricity, and more. Ten case studies show how the guidelines work in the real world of science-center construction. 55 pp.
#110
ASTC members: $12
Nonmembers: $15

Before the Blueprint: Science Center Buildings
Peter Anderson
ASTC, 1991
This book considers all the elements in planning a new, old, or recycled science-center building, from exhibition space to washrooms. It addresses such topics as how to select an architect, choose a site, and plan for "peak-load operation." Although the book is currently out of print, you can order a photocopy while we plan a new edition. 93 pp.
#53
ASTC members: $20
Nonmembers: $22

Math Momentum in Science Centers
Jan Mokros, et al.
TERC 2006
Math Momentum in Science Centers is the final product of a three-year, NSF-funded initiative led by TERC in partnership with ASTC. The book is based on the experiences of 13 U.S. science centers and aquariums that took on the challenge of making mathematics not only more visible in their institutions, but also more engaging, inquiry-based, and broadly accessible. It emphasizes the central role in scientific inquiry of making measurements, analyzing data, and recognizing patterns and encourages readers to explore mathematics for themselves in preparation for incorporating more math into their exhibits and programs. 168 pp. More
#151
ASTC members: $12
Nonmembers: $14

Family Learning in Museums: The PISEC Perspective
Minda Borun, et al.
Philadelphia/Camden Informal Science Education Collaborative, 1998
This book looks at family groups in four science museums. It summarizes the results of a four-year NSF-funded R & D project—defining and measuring family learning, determining exhibit characteristics that facilitate active family learning, and developing exhibit components that embody these characteristics and measure their impact. 70pp.
Available in pdf format only.
#121
ASTC members: $8
Nonmembers: $10

Let's Try It... and See What Happens!
Jane Snell Copes
Science Museum of Minnesota, 1997
Drawing on the Science Museum of Minnesota's experiences with its Experiment Gallery activity station, Jane Snell Copes has put together this compilation of proven, hands-on science activities designed for museums. Let's Try It is organized into 10 activity-filled chapters, each devoted to a physics or chemistry topic such as optics, electric motors, or carbon dioxide. The book is indispensable for its tips on interacting with visitors, building sturdy equipment, locating suppliers for consumables, and keeping activities safe. 173 pp.
#107
ASTC members: $25
Nonmembers: $35

Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers: Preservice Partnerships between Science Museums and Colleges
Sally Middlebrooks
ASTC, 1999
It is well known that science museums offer extensive programming for teachers in the classroom, but little is known about how they are helping to prepare future teachers currently enrolled in college and university preservice programs. This publication helps to fill that information gap. Twelve museum profiles highlight key elements necessary to the success of preservice partnerships. 76 pp.
#128
ASTC members: $12
Nonmembers: $15

Science Center Know-How
Pacific Science Center, 1996
Science demonstrations, science exhibits, special event plans, and enrichment class curricula make this an ideal publication for those who are just starting a science center or want to infuse new life into their present programs. This book grew out of the NSF-funded Science Carnival Consortium project at Pacific Science Center, which was designed to assist new and developing science centers. 275 pp.
#99
ASTC members: $27
Nonmembers: $35

Are We There Yet? Conversations about Best Practices in Science Exhibition Development
Kathleen McLean and Catherine McEver, editors
The Exploratorium, 2004
What goes into planning a successful exhibition, and how do we know one when we see it? This book gathers the thinking of leading planners in a point-counterpoint format that grew out of a 2003 invitational conference at the Exploratorium. Included are descriptions of 12 noteworthy exhibitions with budgets and timelines, project goals, participants, and narratives of the exhibition development process. An accompanying CD-ROM contains color images and several video walkthroughs. A final section offers stategies for keeping creativity alive using three novel formats: a "Creativity Killers" poster, a "Muzine" full of irreverent ideas, and tear-out "Weed Seeds" cards for encouraging innovation. 132 pp.+ CD-ROM. More
#148
ASTC members: $40
Nonmembers: $50

Cell Lab Cookbook: A Guide for Building Biology Experiment Exhibits
Susan Fleming
Science Museum of Minnesota, 2003
In the Science Museum of Minnesota's Cell Lab, visitors carry out experiments in cell and molecular biology, using techniques and equipment found in typical research or clinical labs. This book documents development, maintenance, and operation of the Cell Lab and contains recipes and hints for developing a set of wet biology experiment benches and associated exhibits. 139 pp. and CD. More
#142
ASTC members: $25
Nonmembers: $35

Cheapbook: A Compendium of Inexpensive Exhibit Ideas
Paul Orselli
ASTC, 1995
Shrink-wrapped and hole-punched to fit into a three-ring binder, this collection of inexpensive exhibit ideas is perfect for small museums and exhibit developers on a tight budget. The book provides construction tips and exhibit schematics. Exhibits include the weight changer, liquid crystal walls, Moebius zippers, and more. 69 pp.
#89
ASTC members: $10
Nonmembers: $12

Cheapbook 2: A Compendium of Inexpensive Exhibit Ideas
Paul Orselli
ASTC, 1999
Thirty more cheap exhibit ideas, still shrink-wrapped and hole-punched to fit into a three-ring binder. This edition includes, among others, Pyramid Puzzle by Dan Goldwater, Howling Cats by Stephen Pizzey, and Magnetic Canvas by Chris Burda. 49 pp.
#125
ASTC members: $10
Nonmembers: $12

Experiment Bench: A Workbook for Building Experimental Physics Exhibits
Colleen M. Sauber, editor
Science Museum of Minnesota, 1994
The Science Museum of Minnesota's Experiment Gallery has been praised for giving visitors more control over exhibits. Several people can sit at each of the gallery's benches and select from an assortment of experiments. Experiment Bench describes 10 benches, including components, construction diagrams, suppliers, and text. The book also contains critiques of each exhibit and suggestions for improving them. Includes critiques of and suggestions for improving each exhibit. 215 pp.
#78
ASTC members: $28
Nonmembers: $35

Fostering Active Prolonged Engagement: The Art of Creating APE Exhibits
Thomas Humphrey, Joshua P. Gutwill, and the Exploratorium APE Team
The Exploratorium, 2005
A must for exhibit developers, researchers, educators, and other museum professionals looking for ways to engage visitors more deeply with interactive science exhibits, this book documents the exploration and findings of the Exploratorium's NSF-funded APE project. 144 pp. More
#205
ASTC members: $19
Nonmembers: $21

Planning for People in Museum Exhibitions
Kathleen McLean
ASTC, 1993
McLean's best-selling book provides museum professionals with a broad understanding of the many disciplines needed to produce effective exhibitions, from industrial, graphic, and interior design to writing, editing, psychology, and management. Appendices lay out an approach to exhibition critiques and provide guidelines for using environmentally friendly materials. 196 pp. More
#67
ASTC members: $29
Nonmembers: $35

NEW!
Visitor Voices In Museum Exhibitions
Kathleen McLean and Wendy Pollock, editors
ASTC 2007
This book is a timely survey of ways museums are incorporating user-contributed content in exhibitions and other media. Overview articles by the editors plus 29 other articles describe a variety of experiments dating from the 1970s to the present—from comment books to sticky notes, video kiosks to blogs. For professional and student alike, Visitor Voices offers inspiration, food for thought, and practical advice. 164 pp, illustrated.
#152
ASTC members: $20
Nonmembers: $23

Questioning Assumptions: An Introduction to Front-End Studies in Museums
Lynn D. Dierking and Wendy Pollock
ASTC, 1998
A must-read for museum professionals engaged in exhibition development, program planning, marketing campaigns, and the development of new facilities. "Front-end studies"—or research done at the onset of the planning process—can help museums to build bridges between themselves and visitors. This volume, based upon dozens of studies in the field, guides the reader through the planning process. 131 pp.
#120
ASTC members: $22
Nonmembers: $25

Try It! Improving Exhibits Through Formative Evaluation
Samuel Taylor, editor
New York Hall of Science, 1992
This book demystifies the formative evaluation process. Step-by-step procedures are provided, along with case studies from around the United States. The book contains contributions from Minda Borun, Margaret Chambers, Lisa Detloff, Alan Friedman, Patricia McNamara, Chandler Screven, Beverly Serrell, Cary Sneider, David Taylor, and Samuel Taylor. 118 pp.
#58
ASTC members: $25
Nonmembers: $30

What Research Says About Learning in Science Museums
Beverly Serrell, editor
ASTC, 1990
With support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, ASTC commissioned 10 research articles for publication in the ASTC Newsletter and several other association journals on such topics as measuring learning, naive notions, writing exhibit labels, and science centers as research laboratories. This volume presents the series.
#38
ASTC members: $12
Nonmembers: $14