Renovation work began in November and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025
Detroit, Mich., January 13, 2024 – The Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci) has received a $2.6 million grant from Ballmer Group to upgrade its planetarium theater and associated space exhibits to create a new immersive and interactive learning space with improved 8K digital projection, state-of-the-art real-time science visualization capabilities, and a seamless dome. New inclined seats and an updated 5.1 audio system will propel guests through hyperspace to magnificent vistas and distant worlds. The existing exterior structure of Mi-Sci’s planetarium will remain the same; all upgrades are interior improvements only.
“Space is much closer than you think, and you may one day have the opportunity to visit. But why wait?! This transformative grant from Ballmer provides us an incredible opportunity to take advantage of renewed public interest in space and use it as a relevancy gateway for enhancing public knowledge and improving K-12 STEM literacy,” said Dr. Christian Greer, president and CEO of Mi-Sci. “Although the Universe is vast, it’s not empty. It’s filled with mysterious worlds, countless stars, and unimaginable beauty. Our new ‘Hyperspace’ planetarium initiative will take your curiosity about what’s out there to its limits.”
Mi-Sci’s Hyperspace Initiative
The Michigan Science Center’s core mission is to advance STEM learning (science, technology, engineering, and math) across all ages and disciplines through discovery, innovation and interactive education. As a STEM hub, Mi-Sci focuses on developing and introducing expanded education programs, exhibits and initiatives to empower and enrich our children and community.
Mi-Sci’s goal is to be a pioneering force for the future of STEM education in Detroit and a dynamic destination in Michigan, making itself accessible, engaging, and transformative for all while fostering a vibrant, culturally relevant, community STEM hub where learning is deeply personal, profoundly social, and inherently joyful.
“We put YOU at the center of science by inspiring and cultivating a lifelong passion for learning through personalized, immersive, interactive, and playful experiences that connect communities and invite people to see themselves in STEM,” continued Greer.
“One aspect of that work is inspiring curiosity in aviation, aerospace and space. Mi-Sci’s Hyperspace Initiative is an internal program with three distinct themes, with big ideas representing two new interactive galleries and one new immersive planetarium theater interior upgrade. The grant from Ballmer Group will fund the latter.
This approach leverages the power of play to engage children in deep, meaningful learning experiences that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, project-based learning, and creativity. By incorporating hands-on activities, interactive games, and real-world problem-solving scenarios, we will transform the learning landscape and make these subjects more accessible and enjoyable for young learners, fostering a positive attitude towards learning and curiosity about the world.”
About the Ballmer Group
Ballmer Group is committed to improving economic mobility for children and families in the United States, funding leaders and organizations that have demonstrated the ability to reshape opportunity and reduce systemic inequities. We focus on multiple impact areas and systems that can impact economic mobility – such as early learning, K-12 education, college and career pathways, housing, behavioral health, and criminal justice – and we support leaders and organizations that focus on undoing systemic racism and the barriers it has created. Ballmer Group is both a national and regional funder – we have a presence and invest deeply in southeast Michigan, Washington state, and Los Angeles County. Ballmer Group was co-founded by philanthropist Connie Ballmer and her husband Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, founder of USAFacts, and chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers. Learn more at www.ballmergroup.org.
About The Michigan Science Center
The Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci) is a Smithsonian affiliate that inspires nearly 250,000 curious minds of all ages every year through STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) discovery, innovation and interactive education in Detroit and across Michigan. As a STEM hub, Mi-Sci focuses on developing and introducing expanded education programs, exhibits and initiatives to empower and enrich our children and community. Through their Traveling Science Program and distance learning initiative, ECHO Live!, Mi-Sci is expanding beyond its Detroit-based facility, with a goal of reaching all 83 counties of Michigan. With the Toyota Engineering 4D Theater, live science demonstrations, lab activities and 220+ interactive exhibits, there are dozens of ways to customize your Mi-Sci visit. The Michigan Science Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and does not receive funding from Detroit or the state of Michigan. For more information, please call 313.577.8400 or visit the website, Mi-Sci.org.