The Powerhouse Science Center in Sacramento today announced that the State Street Foundation, the philanthropic arm of financial services provider State Street Corporation, has joined the campaign to build the premier science learning center serving Northern California.  As one of the 50-plus founding partners, the State Street Foundation joins other regional leaders and organizations in a cooperative effort to support the development of this vital new community asset, and will lend their environmental and resource expertise to the project. Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse Science Center will function as a model for 21st-century experiential STEM educat

For most people Memorial Day weekend means a three-day holiday and a time to remember those who have given service to our country. It is also time to spend with family. One creative way of spending time with the family is to go to the Discovery Museum from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. to see the top 20 images from the Nikon Small World competition. The winning works of 20 photographers from the Nikon Small World photomicrography competition are on a nation tour, and they will be on display at the Discovery Museum until July 15. Celebrating its 37th year, Nikon Small World is the oldest and most respected competition that uses a light microscope to create images. While this is the only exhibi

The Powerhouse Science Center announced Wednesday that Mindstorm Creative, Inc. has joined the campaign to build the premier science learning center serving Northern California. As a founding partner, Mindstorm joins other regional leaders and organizations in a cooperative effort to support the development of this vital new community asset and will lend their digital media production expertise to visually present the project. Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse will function as a model for 21st century experiential STEM education (science, math, technology, engineering, space) and environmental stewardship. The design will be an exemplary “green” building

The Powerhouse Science Center in Sacramento announced recently that Wildlands has joined the campaign to build the premier science learning center serving Northern California. As a founding partner, Wildlands joins other regional leaders and organizations in a cooperative effort to support the development of this vital new community asset. Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, Powerhouse will function as a model for 21st century experiential STEM education (science, math, technology, engineering, space) and environmental stewardship. The design will be an exemplary “green” building that serves as an environmental teaching lab. “We are so pleased to partner with the Powerh

The Powerhouse Science Center in Sacramento announced that Keller Group Office Environments has joined the campaign to build the premier science learning center serving Northern California. As a founding partner, Keller Group Office Environments joins other regional leaders and organizations in a cooperative effort to support the development of this vital new community asset. Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse Science Center will function as a model for 21st century experiential STEM education (science, math, technology, engineering, space) and environmental stewardship. The design will be an exemplary “green” building that serves as an environmental teac

The Powerhouse Science Center and Aerojet today announced a $1.5 million gift from Aerojet, that will launch the new science complex’s cutting-edge simulated NASA space mission program, to be named the Aerojet Challenger Learning Center. The current heavily-used 17-year-old Challenger Learning Center is in full operation at the Discovery Museum Science & Space Center, which will relocate and become the Powerhouse Science Center when the new facility opens in 2014. Recently honored as one of the nation’s most successful Challenger Centers, Sacramento’s Challenger adventure inspires future astronauts with suspension-of-disbelief scenarios and problems, challenging students to apply the math

The city’s Planning Commission approved the use of 5.38 acres of land on the edge of the Sacramento River for the development of the Powerhouse Science Center – a project that will transform the historic Pacific Gas & Electric power station into a high-tech, hands-on, science museum. The $50 million project was unanimously approved at the Planning Commission meeting Thursday. The Powerhouse project, a design-build project by local firms Dreyfus & Blackford Architects and Otto Construction, will be a relocation and expansion of the existing Sacramento Discovery Museum Science and Space Center located on Auburn Boulevard. “The new (science) center will provide clear ways for us to explore

The Powerhouse Science Center project officially broke ground this morning, commemorating its push forward with the unfurling of a large 30 x 10 foot banner, which adorned the front of the former PG&E power station building. In attendance were some 60 citizens, dignitaries, funding partners, Powerhouse Science Center staff and City staff. Speakers at the event included Mayor Kevin Johnson, Congressmember Doris Matsui, Senator Darrell Steinberg's District Director, Susan McKee, and Michele Wong, the Interim Executive Director for the project. A $7 million check was presented to the project, generated by Proposition 84's "Nature Education Facilities" grant. The funds will be used to partial

SACRAMENTO, CA. – Catherine Moulton has spent much of her professional career managing and advising on a variety of intricate design and construction projects, working for high profile companies like Walt Disney, Apple and NASA. Moulton’s latest endeavor will be to help shape one of the region’s most engaging projects – the Powerhouse Science Center. Moulton will volunteer her services, joining Michele Wong and Warren Smith as chair people for the Powerhouse Science Center, a premier science learning center that will serve Northern California. “I am inspired by all the talented, dedicated people who are collaborating to make the Powerhouse Science Center an outstanding educational facili

If you’ve ever you’ve wondered what that old abandoned building off the west side of I-5, just north of downtown Sacramento is, wonder no more. If you aren’t familiar with it, the City now owns the former PG&E Powerhouse, built in 1912 and vacated sometime in the early 60’s. Currently it sits empty, an eyesore for most that travel along Jibboom Street between the I Street Bridge, and Richards Boulevard. Most recently, it was nominated to be a part of the National Register of Historic Places. I recently had a somewhat exclusive chance to photograph the inside of the building for the Economic Development Department. The building is being converted into a science, space and technology museu

The Rotary Club of Sacramento announced today that the 27th annual “Bids for Kids” charity event raised a record-setting $388,000 for this year’s recipient – the Powerhouse Science Center. All proceeds from “Bids for Kids” go toward building the Powerhouse Science Center, which will be located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River. The Center will cost an estimated $50 million and has nearly completed its pre-construction phase. The 60-year old Discovery Museum Science & Space Center at 3615 Auburn Blvd., is scheduled to move from its current location and become the Powerhouse Science Center in 2013. Bids for Kids, an elegant evening of fine food and drink, was held at the Sacramen

The Powerhouse Science Center has been selected as the recipient for the Rotary Club of Sacramento’s 27th annual “Bids for Kids” charity event on Saturday, May 14. This elegant evening of fine food and drink will be held at Sacramento’s Discovery Museum Science & Space Center. The night will include silent and live auctions, with a variety of donations that range from exotic vacation getaways, premium wines, restaurant gift cards, theatre and sporting event tickets, and much more. All proceeds from “Bids for Kids” will go toward building the Powerhouse Science Center, which will be located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River. The Center will cost an estimated $50 million and has

The Powerhouse Science Center is moving from plan to reality as officials announced Thursday that they have received a $7 million government grant, which means construction will start in July on the riverfront. The center will educate visitors in science, technology, space and nature through its displays, which will include a planetarium, a Challenger space shuttle learning exhibit and interactive exhibits on natural sciences. “This is a huge milestone because this is the first significant public money that we’ve gotten into the project,” said the center’s interim executive director, Michele Wong. The $7 million comes from Proposition 84 taxes, under the Safe Water Bond Act. Voters appr

The Powerhouse Science Center, a science and space learning center for Northern California that will be located on the banks of the Sacramento River, announced today that it raised more than $233,000 during its first telethon on Saturday. The Center received major contributions from Social Venture Partners of Sacramento, Wells Fargo, Sierra Health Foundation, Intel and Aerojet, along with hundreds of contributions from other donors. “The Powerhouse Science Center is a tremendous collaborative effort between many dedicated groups,” said Michelle Wong, interim executive director for the Powerhouse Science Center. “We were gratified at the community reaction as so many people participated a

The greater Sacramento region will soon be home to a high-tech, hands-on science museum that will immerse our children – and our children’s children – in science, technology, engineering and math. But the new Powerhouse Science Center needs your help to ensure the project remains on schedule for a proposed opening in two years. One way to help the Powerhouse Science Center is by supporting the upcoming KOVR- CBS-13/CW-31 telethon that airs from 9-10 a.m. Saturday morning, March 5. “Good Day Sacramento” (CW-31) will promote the event from 6-9 a.m. during its March 5 broadcast, and the telethon will air live on CW-31 between 9 and 10 a.m. Viewers will be able to call in and donate to the

SACRAMENTO, CA. – The Discovery Museum Science & Space Center announced today it has completed a much-anticipated robotics lab that will encourage education in science, technology, engineering and math in the Sacramento region. The robotics lab, which opens Feb. 23, is the first program destined for the Powerhouse Science Center, which will become the new home of the Discovery Museum Science & Space Center in 2013. Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse Science Center (www.powerhousesciencecenter.org) will be the premiere science and space learning center serving Northern California. Robotics education has become a successful method nationally to help teach S

The Powerhouse Science Center in Sacramento today announced it has accepted a $250,000 grant from First 5 Sacramento. The grant will help build a room that will support a school readiness program by featuring age and development-appropriate learning activities. Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse Science Center will be the premier science and space learning center serving Northern California. It will serve as a model for 21st-century experiential education in science, math, technology, engineering, and space – and an exemplary “green” building that functions as an environmental teaching lab. The Center, which will cost an estimated $50 million, has nearly

Native Americans are working more closely with the city of Sacramento these days to protect remains or artifacts discovered at downtown construction sites. The Shingle Springs Band of Miwoks is expected to be on hand to monitor digging or other soil disturbance and to collaborate with archaeologists if bones, ashes, grave goods or other cultural artifacts are found at the future Powerhouse Science Center site, under an agreement approved last week by the Sacramento City Council. At least one representative of the band was also observing at a vacant lot at Seventh and H streets last week when archaeologists did site testing prior to construction there. Mercy Housing and the Sacramento Hou

Sacramento's Discovery Museum and its partners could use the community's help as they vie for $7 million in state grants to build the Powerhouse Science Center, supporters said Wednesday. Fundraisers working on behalf of the museum and Carson Development Co. are asking Sacramentans to write letters to California State Parks supporting an application for the single biggest chunk of public money being sought for the $50 million project. The city of Sacramento and PG&E are partnering on the project. The $7 million would be used to build an earth, science and space center with a planetarium dome, which may be the first phase of construction. The money was applied for under California Propos

A robotics lab program for children is expected to be built for the Powerhouse Science Center by summer. AT&T, which will announce a $25,000 donation Tuesday, is joining Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Otto Construction and Sacramento City Councilmember Sandy Sheedy to create a portable lab that will be set up at the Discovery Museum. The program will be transferred to the new science center, which is expected to open in about three years. This is the first program for the center to be fully funded, said Beth Callahan, director of development and marketing for the Discovery Museum. "We are on track," she said. A capital campaign is under way to build a science museum on a four-acre campus cent