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The Science Zone, Inc., formerly known as the Wyoming Science Adventure Center (WySAC), grew from Casper’s Vision 2000, a community-wide process initiated by the Casper City Council to plan for the community’s future into the 21st century. The need for a hands-on, exploratory center where families and children could learn together and build a comfort level about math and science was a consistent request heard at Vision 2000 Education Task Force meetings. While larger communities outside the state may offer many museums and interactive opportunities for informal education, relatively few of these options exist in Casper or Wyoming. The development of a Science Discovery Center that would address this community and state need was adopted as an action item by the Casper Vision 2000 process. WySAC began in Casper in 1997, as a pilot collaborative project among the City of Casper, the Natrona County School District, Casper College and the Casper Area Community Foundation.
In response to the growing needs and interests identified in the project, the board, staff and volunteers of WySAC believed that the time had come to make the science center a permanent entity. The Science Zone was established as a new and independent non-profit organization in June 2005. The Science Zone, Inc. is committed to expanding and developing popular exhibits and educational programs. As we plan for the future, our goals focus on presenting learning opportunities that lead the way for the people of Wyoming to explore science in a unique setting.
The Science Zone strives to be the premier science center in Wyoming offering quality educational programming, staff, and exhibits. We will provide high-interest, hands-on learning experiences to the public of all ages, thereby making involvement in science a regular and fun part of our patrons’ lives.
Our objectives include providing quality on-site educational and recreational exhibits and programs, implemented by highly trained staff; providing resources to local educators; and reaching out to under-privileged youth through partnerships and after-school programs. The Science Zone is committed to providing quality exhibits and programs that reach beyond entertainment and provide a unique educational experience.
The Science Zone utilizes innovative exhibits, programs, and outreach to present informal science education to the entire State of Wyoming. According to the National Science Foundation, informal education consists of learning activities that are voluntary and self-directed, life-long, and motivated mainly by intrinsic interests, curiosity, exploration, manipulation, fantasy, task completion, and social interaction. Informal learning occurs in an out-of-school setting and can be linear or non-linear and often is self-paced and visual- or object-oriented. It provides an experiential base and motivation for further activity and learning. The outcomes of informal learning experiences in science, mathematics, and technology include a sense of fun and wonder in addition to a better understanding of concepts, topics, processes of thinking in scientific and technical disciplines, and an increased knowledge about career opportunities in these fields.
The Science Zone is a community-based facility, which offers families and children of all ages, interactive science and math learning opportunities. The hands-on programs and exhibits are tailored to meet school district standards and assist in the often-daunting task of teaching math and science. Many of the children that will be reached come from multigenerational poverty-stricken, low-educated families living in several rural communities that offer under-funded and poorly coordinated services and limited opportunities for our youth. We accomplish the above through: Permanent, Rotating and Traveling Exhibits, Summer Science Camps, After-School Science Classes, Storybook Science, Outreach Programs, Special Events, Birthday Parties, and live demonstrations and films in our theatre.
Hours of Operation:
Monday - Saturday 10-5
$4.00 Adults
$3.00 Children
Under 3 Free
$2.00 Groups of 10 or more
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