Museums who partner with or help promote science festivals are really investing in their own futures.

The bottom line in such a partnership is to raise community awareness of science and technology programs and resources. A museum that makes itself highly visible (and visibly helpful) at a science fair positions itself to become the consulted resource for parents, students, the media and anyone else who has an interest in science.

The primary patrons at science fairs, besides the students who participate in them, are parents. Once a parent is able to see his or her child excelling at one aspect of science, the natural leap is to find out what else is available. Parents want to know what careers can their little Einstein consider, where can they lobby for internships, how can they get more exposure, and who are the local powerbrokers in the field.

Smart museum administrators know to use the science fair as a feeder to enhance participation in their own programming. If, for example, a group of science fair parents express interest in finding out more about science careers, the museum has the immediate chance to program a career information day as one of its seasonal activities. Increased participation in programming equals increased patronage and increased nonprofit funding.

Learn more about this author, Cherryl Floyd-Miller.
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