YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Since it reopened in May, Oh Wow! The Roger and Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology had more than 12,000 visitors.
Another 5,000 participated in an outreach program at the downtown Youngstown museum and over 100,000 people received a STEM Sak, filled with items to conduct science experiments at home.
The museum also gained a new executive director in Marvin Logan. The Warren native replaced Suzanne Barbati, who moved into the director of planned giving position.
Oh Wow!’s annual Science of Brewing attracted over 300 guests who sampled products from the 13 brewing and culinary partners, Logan says.
Silly Science Sunday also returned as an in-person event in 2021 and was a success. It featured hands-on exploration, demonstrations and engaging shows for more than 2,000 guests.
The museum also got to show off its new look in 2021 when it reopened. During the time it was closed because of the pandemic, the ground floor layout of the building was changed with the main entrance moved to the Central Square side.
The redesign of the facility was phase one in its facelift project. Future improvements are in the works, Logan says.
The museum has become known for its hands-on experiences in the decade since it opened.
“Moving forward, we will be reinvigorating our ecosystem of experiences through self-guided and curated experiences in the museum, boosting our outreach off-site and after school, and elevating our STEM Saks,” Logan says.
The plans are part of Oh Wow!’s strategic vision, which calls for new programming in computer sciences, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, digital literacy and more, Logan says.
The museum also plans to revamp its online presence, Logan says.