Science Center Experience is an amalgamation of these components:
Building
Staff
Exhibition (themes, story-line, etc)
Exhibits (individual pieces)
Infrastructure
Support
Exhibitions must vary: Topic, Exhibit Size, Activity, Complexity, Target Audience and Color
Exhibits must: Attract, Function and Educate
A good center will have all of these in balance for the optimal visitor experience
Estimated Peak Flow for a science center is = 1 person per square meter per day
Estimated Comfortable Flow for a science center is = 1 person per 2.5 square meters per day
Phased growth is required for sustainability. Often it's good to go with cheaper home-made exhibits because they:
make science centers possible by keeping costs low (see Exploratorium Cookbooks)
are not necessarily worse than imported exhibits
can be better than imported exhibits
are easier to make relevant to locals
use recognizable elements which allow learners to relate better
demonstrate that function (education) is more important than finish (entertainment)
Most science (and science centers) go through four stages of engagement with the public:
Deficit - The public is ignorant about the topic and is not engaged
Defense - The public is hostile to the new idea or organization
Dialog - Members of the public become partners and increase public engagement
Deference - Enough of the public is involved that they begin to guide and defend it