2023 Strategic Plan - Saint Louis Science Center

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Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan Overview Strategic Plan

The Saint Louis Science Center has a longstanding history of bringing science and technology to the forefront for our St. Louis community, delivering hands-on galleries and unique experiences both inside the walls of the Science Center and— equally as important—out in our community.

As we look to the future of the Science Center and the impact of STEM—science, technology, engineering, and math—on our daily lives, we have been hard at work developing a new, future-focused strategy to continue serving our community as a resource to connect with curiosity.

This plan will serve as a basis for transformation, from guiding the Science Center team in developing educational programming and experiences that highlight the strong connection between science and St. Louis to finding new ways of engaging and supporting our community. We are excited to offer a glimpse at the future of the Science Center.

This document shows a high-level overview of where we are headed as the role of science and technology in our world (and right here in St. Louis) continues to evolve.

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Strategic Plan

SAINT LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER

Vision, Mission, and Values As the Saint Louis Science Center looks to the future of the St. Louis region, STEM is increasingly a fundamental part of our daily lives and the opportunities of tomorrow. We believe that connecting St. Louis with innovative and accessible STEM experiences helps inspire a curiosity and wonder for science and supports the development of important 21st century skills like problem solving, collaboration, critical thinking, and more.

With this in mind, at the beginning of 2023, the Science Center released a new vision, mission, and organizational values. These will help guide the Science Center in all we do, from educational programming and community engagement to updates to our galleries and interactive experiences.

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Vision

Mission

We envision an equitable and inclusive society where people are passionate about science and use it to improve lives, transform communities, and empower future generations.

To inspire everyone to be curious and engaged in science.

Organizational Values • Lifelong Learners: We strive to continually increase our knowledge and understanding, and we accompany members of our community on that journey through experiences and programs that encourage deeper bonds with science and technology in our world.

• Community Focused: As a public institution, we are a committed partner in unlocking science and technology’s potential for our community and fostering growth by increasing equitable access to science and education. Through partnerships, we engage deeply with our community and work together to deliver impactful STEM experiences that support community aspirations.

• Playful and Curious: Play is essential.

We approach our work with playfulness and curiosity, always looking to make the Saint Louis Science Center more enjoyable and approachable, and to inspire wonder in our colleagues and guests alike.

• Forward Thinking: STEM gives us the power to build a brighter future. We innovate—embracing risk and thinking outside the box. We speak boldly on science-related issues and serve as a leader in the St. Louis community.

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• Inclusive and Welcoming to All: Science has space for everyone. We value a diversity of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds and know that our differences make us stronger. We cultivate an equitable and inclusive environment for work, play, and learning.

We welcome people of all backgrounds.

• Collaborative: Collaboration is central to how we work. We function as a team and as true partners in our community, embracing respect and honesty as we work together to improve the Saint Louis Science Center and the communities we serve.

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Strategic Pillars

Strategic Plan

Key Priorities to Achieve our Long-Term Vision and Mission

Community Alignment As a public institution and St. Louis’ leading organization for informal STEM learning, the Saint Louis Science Center is a committed partner in the community. More than simply a place to visit, the Science Center builds connections to foster growth within the community—educationally, economically, and socially.

At the Science Center, we are dedicated to building the future of St. Louis together and believe science has the power to transform communities and change lives. Together with our community, our focus is to: • Highlight how science matters to all of us.

• Introduce people to STEM careers and dismantle barriers so they can dream big about their futures.

• Build community links through programs and relationships, assisting in the reconnection of the region, and providing a space for collaboration to solve the challenges we face.

• Invest in young people from underserved or underrepresented communities, empowering them to pursue STEM careers and become community leaders.

• Create more equitable access to the Science Center and its experiences, programs, and initiatives.

• Listen, collaborate, and co-create with our community.

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Equity and Inclusion

While our community is facing many challenges, it is also poised for transformation. The Science Center is committed to serving the community by working to remove barriers, invest in young people from underserved or underrepresented communities, inspire individuals to think big about their futures, and drive more inclusive growth in the region.

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The Saint Louis Science Center is committed to championing equity and inclusion within the community through STEM programming and experiences.

At the local level, Missouri has been identified as “an emerging hub for the tech sector,” and many of St. Louis’ top hard-to-fill jobs are reliant on STEM skills, from web developers and computer systems engineers to healthcare workers and technicians. Though STEM careers are in high demand, our community experiences unequitable access to opportunities for success in these careers.

Given that the Science Center connects the world of science and technology with a region that increasingly depends on high technological advancement to sustain its workforce, economic future, and competitive edge, it is critical that we do our part to help achieve the goals set forth in the STL 2030 Jobs Plan by being more actively involved in driving inclusive growth and assisting in enabling more diverse individuals to be part of St. Louis’ emerging sectors and technological industries.

We will do this by: • Working with our community to include broader representation in our programs and exhibit development.

• Collaborating with our community partners to identify comprehensive STEM engagement opportunities for youth in underserved or underrepresented communities.

• Highlighting STEM careers and jobs and making them more accessible to all.

• Creating new programs, experiences, and initiatives that are specifically directed toward sparking an interest in STEM and creating awareness of STEM careers for populations who are underserved or underrepresented.

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S T R AT E G I C P I L L A R S C O N T I N U E D

Destination Appeal The Saint Louis Science Center is dedicated to becoming a destination where people can engage in science learning through fresh, new experiences that are interactive, fun, and reflective of the real science and technology happening in St. Louis.

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The Science Center’s new strategic direction puts greater emphasis on interpreting and communicating local science. With this emphasis, the Science Center will embark on a new Master Plan for the entire campus, developing cutting-edge exhibitions and educational spaces that reflect St. Louis’ place among cities in the 21st century. This local science will also serve to enhance the Science Center’s alignment with major community initiatives, such as the five strong clusters (Advanced Business Services, Biomedical and Health Services, Advanced Manufacturing and Production, Aerospace Automotive and Defense, and Transportation and Logistics) and three next-generation sectors (Geospatial, Fintech, and Agtech) highlighted in the 2030 Jobs Plan.

Financial Sustainability Financial sustainability is crucial for the Saint Louis Science Center to continue to spark an interest in STEM across the community. To strengthen the organization, the Science Center will work to reposition our role in the community and evolve our operating and philanthropic model to be more sustainable.

There are two key areas of opportunity for the Science Center to strengthen our financial sustainability: • Philanthropic Support: The financial health of the organization depends on increased philanthropic support, including endowments that help secure the future of innovative programming and the team member positions that support programs and other strategic initiatives. Additionally, by building our role as a leading STEM organization in the St. Louis region and aligning with the region’s science-based growth initiatives that support the STEM career pipeline— particularly initiatives with an emphasis on reaching people from underserved or underrepresented populations—we will be able to inspire increased philanthropic giving.

• Earned Revenue: The Science Center will work to enhance its earned revenue model through exploring improved experiences and programming for our guests while evaluating the feasibility of an adjusted economic model.

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Brand Relevance The Saint Louis Science Center will work to shape public perception of our unique and essential role in the community as well as increase overall awareness and interest in visitation. While being a popular destination for the region is always a part of our story, the Science Center serves a key role in sparking an interest in STEM, helping to drive the future of the region’s economy and inspire the next generation to fill essential careers of the future.

We will utilize more strategic storytelling—stories about our programming as well as current science happening in St. Louis and more. These efforts will not only help communicate the Science Center’s role in the St. Louis STEM ecosystem, but they will also be crucial in unlocking the wonder of science for all—helping us inspire people to be passionate about science and use it to improve lives, transform communities, and empower future generations.

Strategic Plan

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Strategic Plan

Moving Forward

Over the next ten plus years, the Saint Louis Science Center will embark upon a multi-phased plan that will evolve programming and experiences, transform the building, and strengthen the organization’s financial position, while establishing a more holistic view of the Science Center’s impact in the community.

Additionally, the Science Center will work to engage more diverse audiences to drive an interest in STEM, as the future of meaningful scientific exploration and discovery requires all voices to be heard.

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Unlocking the Wonder of Science for All

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