Photo courtesy of COSI. Photos by Robb McCormick Photography
Mark Your Calendar
The COSI Science Festival - Big Science Celebration
- Saturday, May 4
- 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
- cosiscifest.org
As COSI continues to expand and captivate the minds of children and adults alike with new exhibits and educational programs, it will take its initiatives one step further this May.
COSI’s newest event, The Big Science Festival, will expand the museum’s reach and mission across central Ohio. President and CEO of COSI Fredric Bertley dreamed of bringing an event of this magnitude to Columbus after his work at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
“When he came to COSI and realized that this area didn’t really have anything of that scale, he really wanted to do something big,” says Director of Communications Jaclyn Reynolds. “He started talking to employees and people who were interested…and it started growing.”
The event was announced in spring 2018 and will involve a number of different entities throughout the city.
Last May, COSI revealed their plans for the festival with a large celebration.
“It really brings accessible science to people everywhere they live, learn and lounge,” Reynolds says. “It’s free events held where people are already comfortable going and it’s not as intimidating as coming to a full-on museum.”
COSI has teamed up with Battelle and partnered with Columbus Metropolitan Libraries, Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks as well as a number of breweries and other local entities to provide three full days of science-related activities.
“We are basically surrounding COSI with a street festival like the Arts Festival, but for STEM,” Reynolds says.
May 1-3 are the three days of community-based activities that include hands-on experiments, exciting demonstrations and a little of everything that COSI provides for Columbus.
“These events will be low-key, fun and engaging science just to get people interested and spark their curiosity,” Reynolds says. “It’s an entry point in realizing that there is science all around us and in everything we do.”
For more information about COSI’s BIG Science Celebration, visit cosiscifest.org.
Rocco Falleti is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com.
