The Da Vinci Science Center has been proud to present a wonderful array of experiences throughout 2012. Participation in these experiences reached a record total of 93,503 people in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, and the organization is on pace as of Dec. 2012 to exceed 100,000 participants in its current fiscal year.

Our renamed Science On the Move Programs, Driven by the Brown-Daub Family of Dealerships, brought science to life in schools and community locations for nearly 14,000 people in the 2012 fiscal year, an increase of 90.1 percent from the previous fiscal year. We introduced our Inquiry Island exhibit floor activities on weekends, school holidays, and summer weekdays with presenting support from Jim and Irene McLean.

Our Joe’s Workshop Programs have blossomed into a successful monthly series. We were one of the of the lead partners in producing the first Science Festival of the Lehigh Valley in April 2012, and people enjoyed special Da Vinci Science Center public programs with Jeff Lieberman – host of the former Discovery Channel series “Time Warp,” M.I.T. roboticist, and accomplished musician – and Bonnie Buratti, Ph.D. – a senior NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) scientist.



The 2012 calendar year, however, will be remembered first and foremost for our Year of the Human Body project with St. Luke’s University Health Network, and our presentation of the world-renowned Bodies Revealed exhibition. We were honored to be chosen as the first science center of our market size to host the most popular science exhibition of all time.

The record-breaking participation and membership sales in 2012 have bolstered our ability to operate tremendously. Meanwhile, our independent nonprofit organization continues to rely on support from donors to meet our financial obligations today’s economic landscape. The Da Vinci Science Center’s Annual Fund allows participants and fans to help bring science to life with gifts as small as $5.00. In short, experiences like these are not cheap. Their costs not only include their materials and infrastructure, they also include the time and talents of professionals who shape them to bring curiosity to life and make their greatest possible impact.

As the 2012 calendar year closes, the Da Vinci Science Center counts on participants and fans with means to help keep this year’s momentum alive. Gifts to the Da Vinci Science Center Annual Fund can be made safely with a credit card, and gifts received by Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, may be tax-deductible for the year 2012.

Annual fund gifts can be made instantly at www.davincisciencecenter.org/annualfund.