Leaders of the Maryland Science Center on Wednesday announced plans for more than $10 million worth of capital projects and programs designed to improve the visitor experience and otherwise help celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The improvements range from a new exhibit on space exploration and an upgraded dinosaur exhibit to an initiative that will reduce admission prices for low-income audiences. The most noticeable exterior change is a Harbor Plaza renovation that will turn the science center’s mostly brick main entrance to a landscaped green space with a sloping lawn, native plants and educational pathway markers.
“These extensive and exciting enhancements are the largest transformation of the Maryland Science Center since our Dinosaur Hall expansion opened in 2004,” said science center President and CEO Mark J. Potter. “As we prepare to celebrate our 50th anniversary next year, we’re making sure that our content and our experiences remain accessible, wide-ranging, and relevant to the next generation of explorers and leaders. We want to provide them with the engaging, hands-on moments of learning that encourage them to ask ‘why,’ the support to explore new ideas and options, and the joy of making discoveries and connections.”
Located at 601 Light St., the science center opened in June 1976 and was one of the first major attractions in Baltimore’s rejuvenated Inner Harbor, predating destinations such as the Baltimore Convention Center (1979), Harborplace (1980) and the National Aquarium (1981).
Today, the science center reaches more than 400,000 people each year at the Inner Harbor and through programs around the state. Although the 50th anniversary of its opening is in 2026, Potter said, the science center is aiming to mark the occasion starting in June 2025.
Addressing supporters at a news conference, Potter said the science center has already raised about $7.2 million for enhancements from a mix of public and private sources — including the State of Maryland; The Kahlert Foundation; the Northrop Grumman Foundation, and the Constellation Foundation – and continues to raise more through its “Inspire, Empower and Engage” capital campaign.
He said one major capital improvement project is already complete and the goal is to finish the rest over the next 18 months or so.
The capital improvement projects include:
Space exhibit: In late 2025, a new 5,000-square-foot exhibit on space exploration will replace the Our Place in Space exhibit on the museum’s second floor. Dozens of interactive components will invite visitors to ask important questions as they consider their life beyond earth: What if we can travel to other planets? What might the challenges be and how can we overcome them? What do we need to do to understand how to live somewhere other than on our home planet?
The exhibit will explore such concepts as infinity, distance, speed, force, gravity, and, at the request of educators who note that students often mistake one for the other, revolution vs. rotation. Visitors will simulate launching and landing a futuristic spacecraft, manipulate robotic arms to perform tasks in space, and explore how the human body might react to the pull of gravity on different planets or when approaching a black hole. By designing an interstellar community, they will make collaborative decisions about allocating precious resources. Updated images and videos from the Webb Space Telescope and rocket launches will be displayed on a huge video wall. The exhibit’s total cost is $1.3 million. The Northrop Grumman Foundation is the sponsor, contributing $500,000.
The Shed: A popular makerspace called The Shed will be relocated to the second-floor gallery space overlooking the Inner Harbor promenade. The new Shed will feature 36 workstations that can accommodate more individuals and group activities, such as introductions to tools, activities that blend art, craft, science, and engineering, or creating a prototype for an inventive object. The new Shed will be named for The Kahlert Foundation, which made a $1 million gift to the science center.
Dinosaur Mysteries: The science center’s 12 huge dinosaurs will remain but the first-floor exhibit will be refreshed with new technology, graphics, lighting and hands-on components. Content will also be revised to reflect new understanding of how dinosaurs lived.
Demonstration Stage: A new, larger Demonstration Stage on the third floor will accommodate more visitors and provide a more flexible environment for the science center’s daily schedule of educator-led science explorations.
Harbor Plaza renovation: As part of the science center’s commitment to sustainability and to be more welcoming to visitors, the plaza and entrance facing the Inner Harbor will be transformed into an inviting and educational green space. Improvements will include replacing brick surfaces with reclaimed paving and native plants, creating a shade canopy along a sloping lawn, and improving water management to reduce the impact on the Chesapeake Bay. Pathway markers will introduce visitors to noted Maryland scientists and scientific discoveries.
Mahan Rykiel Associates is the lead designer for the improvements, which are estimated to cost $1 million to $1.5 million. “Easy Landing,” the metal sculpture by Kenneth Snelson that was commissioned by the City of Baltimore and dedicated in 1978, will remain on the plaza.
Constellation Learning Entrance: As with the harbor entrance, the science center’s Key Highway entrance will be made over to feature more natural surfaces, more grass areas, and a shade canopy.
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) improvements: The first project to be completed is a new building-wide HVAC system that was installed to create a more pleasant environment for visitors and to improve the science center’s energy efficiency. It cost $2 million and was funded by a grant from the State of Maryland.
In addition to the physical improvements, three programs are designed to make the science center accessible to more visitors.
Access Science: The first program, called Access Science, is designed to remove obstacles so that all Marylanders can enjoy the science center’s its exhibits and programs. The initiative, tested in a pilot program last summer, enables anyone with a Maryland SNAP or Maryland WIC card to purchase admission tickets for $5 per person. Potter said the program is expected to accommodate up to 7,500 visitors a year.
Science Beyond the Classroom Powered by Constellation: The second is an extension of the Science Beyond the Classroom program, which enables more than 85,000 students and teachers to visit the science center on field trips every year for free. Its sponsor, the Constellation Foundation, has agreed to renew its support to 2030.
MSC Across Maryland: With the third initiative, more Marylanders across the state will experience informal, hands-on STEM education as the science center participates in and hosts events in their communities. Every one of Maryland’s 23 counties will be visited under the program, more than once a year, Potter said.
