ScienceonaSphere at the Science Museum of Minnesota

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Science-on-a-Sphereat the Science Museum of
Minnesota
NOAA SOS Users Group Meeting January 22-24, 2007
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Overview of SMM SOS Setup
Timeline January 9-11 2006 NOAA and SMM staff
install SOS in temporary exhibition hall. April
2, 2006 SMM closes SOS to make way for
installation of Body Worlds exhibition. April 24,
2006 SMM begins reinstallation of SOS in new
long-term exhibition space. May 4, 2005 SOS
reopens to the public.
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Overview of SMM SOS Setup
Autorun Playlist IN OUR SOLAR NEIGHBORHOOD (15
minutes). The Sun Venus Day and Night on
Earth Earths Moon Mars Jupiter Io--moon of
Jupiter Europa--moon of Jupiter
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Overview of SMM SOS Setup
Autorun Playlist EARTH, THE WATER PLANET (25
minutes) NASAs Blue Marble Earths
Topography Day and Night on Earth Through the
Seasons El Niño and La Niña Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita Real-time Weather Earth at Night
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Overview of SMM SOS Setup
Autorun Playlist EARTH-SURFACE DYNAMICS (15
minutes) Earths Topography Earths
Moon Mars Titan, Moon of Saturn Hurricane
Katrina Through the Seasons Global
Rivers Sediment Thickness Global Dams Earth at
Night
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Technical NASAs Footprints programmed to
start automatically at the top of every hour
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Technical Graphic slides synchronized with
visualizations
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Technical Audio feedback system that regulates
speaker volumes according to ambient noise
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Technical Double projector tower with filtered
ventilation
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Technical Stand-alone visualization rendering
farm
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Technical Tour SOS as part of the 5,000
square-foot Water Planet traveling exhibition
that opens at the Science Museum of Minnesota in
fall 2008 and begins touring in spring 2009.
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Programmatic Partnership with the National
Center for Earth-surface Dynamics
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Programmatic Undergraduate classes
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Programmatic Undergraduate classes St. Olaf
College, January 19, 2007 University of St.
Thomas, January 18, 2007 Augsburg College,
December 7, 2006 College of St. Catherine,
November 27 29, 2006 University of St. Thomas,
November 8, 2006 University of Wisconsin, Eau
Claire, May 10, 2006 University of St. Thomas,
February 21 23, 2006
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Unique Aspects of SMM SOS Setup
Programmatic Undergraduate internship
program Macalester College University of St.
Thomas College of St. Catherine Minneapolis
College of Art and Design
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Evaluation and Assessment
Science-on-a-Sphere, February 2006
(n81) Median Time Minimum Time Maximum
Time 3 min. 16 sec.
14 min., 4 sec. Science-on-a-Sphere, May 2006
(n50) Median Time Minimum Time Maximum
Time Sat down (n30) 5 min., 54 sec. 51
sec. 30 min., 17 sec. Didnt sit (n20) 2 min.,
12 sec. 30 sec. 7 min., 30 sec.
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Evaluation and Assessment
Science-on-a-Sphere, May 2006 (n50)
Behavior Percent of Visitors Read
label 82 Talked about content on
SOS 72 Pointed at SOS 62 Sat down 60 Read
label out loud 24 Talked about technology of
SOS 22 Pointed to label 20
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Evaluation and Assessment
Science-on-a-Sphere, May 2006 (n50) Perce
nt of Visitors Stood in one place 26 Circled
less than half 26 Circled half or
more 12 Circled entire sphere 36
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Evaluation and Assessment
Science-on-a-Sphere, May 2006 (n50) Perce
nt of Visitors I was so interested Id come see
it again. 72 I was interested, but I wouldnt
come see it again. 22 I wasnt really
interested. 6 I didnt find this
interesting at all. 0
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Evaluation and Assessment
Science-on-a-Sphere, May 2006 (n50) Median
Time Minimum Time Maximum Time Sat down
(n30) 5 min., 54 sec. 51 sec. 30 min.,
17 sec. Didnt sit (n20) 2 min., 12 sec.
30 sec. 7 min., 30 sec. Footprints, January
2007 (n73) Median Time Minimum
Time Maximum Time Sat down (n34) 6 min., 37 sec.
30 sec. 22 min., 9 sec. Didnt sit
(n39) 40 sec. 7 sec. 8
min., 58 sec.
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Evaluation and Assessment
NASAs Footprints program
27 of visitors viewed the entire movie. The most
common reason visitors did not stay until the end
was because of other members of their group (most
often kids).   None of the visitors who watched
the entire movie felt that it was too long. 
Most felt the length was just right (11 out of
14).    98 of visitors enjoyed Footprints, with
56 enjoying it so much they would encourage
other to see it. When asked what Footprints was
about, 54 of visitors said it was about the
solar system. 
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Evaluation and Assessment
Undergraduate Classes
College students felt their museum visit  to use
SOS was of high value (average rating of 8 on a
10 point scale for two classes, rating of 9 for
one class). Most students (79 - 90 depending
on the class) felt SOS helped them better grasp
course topics. Most frequently mentioned
student suggestions to improve SOS experience are
more time viewing the Sphere and more discussions
of what they were viewing. 
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Desired SOS Improvements/Additions
Graphical User Interface to make it easier for
general SOS operators to build playlists. Have
the option to link playlists to a clock.  
Better documentation, especially when it comes
to disaster recovery and program re-installation. 
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SMM SOS Contact Information
Patrick Hamilton Bette Schmit Water Planet
project director Water Planet lead exhibit
developer 651-221-4761 651-221-9481 Hamilton_at_sm
m.org bschmit_at_smm.org Russ Durkee Dan
Dahm Science-on-a-Sphere prototyper Water Planet
production manager 651-221-9476 651-221-2509 rd
urkee_at_smm.org ddahm_at_smm.org Amy Grack
Nelson Science-on-a-Sphere evaluator 651-221-4575
agnelson_at_smm.org