Our Story
The North Carolina Science Network
Incorporated as the North Carolina Grassroots Science Museums Collaborative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the North Carolina Science Network is an association of science museums, children’s museums, nature centers, botanical gardens and other organizations providing STEM based experiences. Member organizations are located throughout North Carolina and serve over 3,000,000 visitors a year.
What We Do
The NC Science Network connects, unifies, strengthens and champions museums and allied organizations throughout North Carolina to enrich the lives of North Carolina’s citizens by engaging with science.
How We Are Funded
As a membership organization, we collect annual dues, which support our annual operating expenses. The network relies on grants and gifts to fund activities that grow capacity and make possible programs and projects that benefit citizens statewide. Through the generosity of The Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the NCSN’s endowment provides annual operating support.
OUR HISTORY
In the mid-1980s, a group of eight North Carolina science center directors gathered to discuss concerns, opportunities and the potential for state funding. The museums included Discovery Place, The Natural Science Center of Greensboro (now the Greensboro Science Center), Museum of Life and Science, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Rocky Mount Children’s Museum, The Schiele Museum, SciWorks (now Kaleideum), and the Western NC Nature Center. The group referred to themselves as the NC Grassroots Science Museums.
In the early 1990s, several more museums joined the group. In 1992, the State of North Carolina provided $450,000 in funding which was divided equally among the members. During the 1990’s state funding was increased and more members were added. In 2000, the Collaborative received a $1 million grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. This funding was used to create an endowment which continues to support the organization. By the late 2000’s, membership had grown to 34 institutions.
In 2000, the collaborative received a $1 million grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. This funding was used to establish an endowment that continues to support the organization today. By the late 2000s, membership had expanded to 34 institutions. In 2016, the state funding model transitioned from direct grants to member museums to the creation of the North Carolina Science Museums Grant Program, a competitive grant managed by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences through the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
In 2018, the North Carolina Grassroots Science Museums Collaborative rebranded itself as the North Carolina Science Network. Today there are over 50 intuitions who are members of the network. A primary focus of the network is advocacy for state funding to ensure that museums have the resources needed to cultivate North Carolina’s future STEM workforce.
Leadership
The North Carolina Science Network is a volunteer operated organization led by museum professionals representing
the western, central, and eastern regions of the state.
