Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$1,528,697

Total expenses

$2,230,196

Contributions and grants received

$728,727

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$635,553

Investment income

$43,227

Other revenue

$121,190

Total assets, end of year

$6,920,843

Total liabilities, end of year

$190,732

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$6,730,111

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$1,497,160

Management and general expenses

$481,582

Fundraising expenses

$251,454

Program service expenses (Part III)

$1,497,160

Program services were 67.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2023

• SCIENCE CENTRAL'S MISSION IS TO BE A "REGIONAL RESOURCE THAT PROVIDES INSPIRING AND FUN HANDS-ON SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR ALL PEOPLE OF ALL AGES." OUR PURPOSE IS TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SURROUNDING REGION WITH STEM CONCEPTS IN WAYS THAT INSPIRE LIFELONG LEARNING AND FUTURE CAREERS. OUR SCIENCE CENTER PROVIDES VISITORS WITH OVER 200 PERMANENT EXHIBITS THAT EXPLORE AND DEMONSTRATE THE PHYSICAL, NATURAL, AND APPLIED SCIENCES. WE PROVIDE AN ANNUAL MEASURABLE IMPACT TO 135,000 PEOPLE IN THE REGION AND THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS. IN 2023, NEW EXHIBITS INCLUDE A BALL WALL THAT TEACHES VISITORS ABOUT POTENTIAL AND KINETIC ENERGY, FRICTION, INERTIA AND GRAVITY. THE COMPLIMENTARY GEAR WALL EXHIBIT USES GEARS OF VARYING SHAPES AND SIZES THAT CAN BE ARRANGED INTO COUNTLESS ALIGNMENTS TO DEMONSTRATE THE FUNCTION OF THIS SIMPLE MACHINE ELEMENT. A NEW CATENARY ARCH INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT TEACHES VISITORS THE SCIENCE OF GEOMETRY AND CONSTRUCTION. THROUGH TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES, VISITORS ARE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CONSTRUCT THE STRONGEST OF ARCHITECTURAL FORMS. THE LIGHT STICK EXHIBIT USES LEDS TO FLASH A PORTION OF A LARGER IMAGE THAT IS IMPRINTED ON THE VIEWERS EYES TO COMPILE THE COMPLETE IMAGE. THE NEW EXHIBIT, BUILD A HABITAT ON MARS, EXPANDS OUR PERMANENT EXHIBIT ON THE SOLAR SYSTEM. IT IS DESIGNED TO INSPIRE, ENGAGE, AND EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXPLORERS ABOUT THE HUMAN EXPLORATION OF MARS. A RESTORED MUSICAL STAIRS EXHIBIT FEATURES LASER LINES THAT PRODUCE A MUSICAL NOTE WHEN CROSSED. THIS EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERSECTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND ART AS THE VISITOR PLAYS A TUNE WHILE WALKING UP THE GRAND STAIRCASE. A NEW GIANT SLIDE HAS BEEN INSTALLED TO REPLACE AN ORIGINAL SLIDE EXHIBIT. THE NEW DESIGN INCREASES SAFETY FOR THE VISITORS AS THEY TRAVEL DOWN THE 24-FOOT SLIDE BEING EXPOSED TO THE TOPICS OF GRAVITY AND FRICTION. WITH THESE NEW EXHIBITS, WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO SIGNIFICANT CAREERS IN OUR REGION, ADDRESS CONTEMPORARY ISSUES, ENGAGE DIVERSE AGE GROUPS, AND REACH OUT TO TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS SUCH AS GIRLS AND WOMEN. THE RECENT REMODEL OF OUR NATURE NOOK (FORMERLY THE SWAP SHOP) CONTINUES TO BE AN IMPROVED EXPERIENCE FOR VISITORS AS THEY INTERACT WITH THE ANIMALS. WE CONTINUE TO UPGRADE THE ANIMAL ENCLOSURES WITH THE LARGE-WINDOW FORMAT TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS TO SEE THEM AT BETTER VANTAGE POINTS. THE FOOD STORAGE AND PREP STATION PROVIDES ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF AND VISITORS TO ENGAGE AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ANIMALS. WE HAVE SEEN A LOT MORE ACTIVITY BETWEEN THE ANIMALS AND VISITORS SINCE THE REMODEL. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO PRESENT THE COMMUNITY WITH FOUR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS IN OUR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS GALLERY. FIRST, WE HOSTED "TACTILE DA VINCI," A UNIQUE EXHIBITION ABOUT THE INVENTIONS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR VISITORS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, AND USED 3- DIMENSIONAL, BRAILLE AND AUDITORY COMPONENTS. NEXT WAS "A-MAZE-D" ABOUT MAZES, GAMES, PUZZLES AND PROBLEM-SOLVING. THE THIRD EXHIBITION, BUILD IT, USED LARGE FOAM BLOCKS TO ALLOW VISITORS TO BUILD NEW CREATIONS BASED ON SUGGESTED MODELS, OR TO CREATE THEIR OWN UNIQUE DESIGNS. OUR FINAL EXHIBIT IN EARLY 2024 WAS QUILTS: LIGHT THE WORLD, WHICH PROVIDED VISUAL AND TACTILE OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH 40 DIFFERENT QUILT DESIGNS. THIS ALLOWED THE VISITORS TO EXPLORE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LIGHT, COLOR, CHEMISTRY, GEOMETRY, AND TEXTILES. UPON COMPLETING THE FUNDRAISING, ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION PHASES FOR OUR PLANETARIUM CAPITAL PROJECT, CONSTRUCTION OF THIS LARGE EXHIBIT HAS STARTED. THIS EXPANSION, USING BOTH A CLASSIC STARBALL PROJECTOR AND CUTTING-EDGE DIGITAL EQUIPMENT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE THE REGION'S ONLY PUBLIC PLANETARIUM IN THE REGION'S ONLY SCIENCE CENTER. IN 2023 SCIENCE CENTRAL HOSTED 409 STUDY TRIPS (FIELD TRIPS) FROM SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST INDIANA AND OHIO AREA. STUDY TRIPS INCLUDE FLOOR EXPLORATION AND OFTEN SCHOOLS REQUEST ADDITIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS AND LABS, WHICH ARE LED BY OUR EDUCATION STAFF. OUR 828 OUTREACH PROGRAMS BROUGHT LABS, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS TO SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST INDIANA. THESE HANDS-ON PROGRAMS MEET INDIANA'S SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS AND HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND STEM CONCEPTS THAT ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND WITHOUT FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE. FOLLOWING THE CHANGES NECESSITATED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, SCIENCE CENTRAL HAS BECOME ADEPT IN CREATING OUTREACH KITS (CALLED "SCIENCE2GO KITS"), WHICH ALLOW LOCAL STUDENTS TO BENEFIT FROM PERSONAL, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AS THEY FOLLOW ALONG WITH A LAB OR DEMONSTRATION PRESENTED THROUGH OUR ESTABLISHED INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING (IVC) PROGRAM. IT HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT ACTIVITY TOWARD THE MISSION OF SCIENCE CENTRAL TO BE ABLE TO REACH THOSE WHO COULD NOT DIRECTLY VISIT OUR CENTER. MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE REMOTE SOLUTIONS FOR STEM EDUCATION FOR AS LONG AS CLASSROOMS FIND THIS OPTION USEFUL. OUR EXPANDED CATALOG OF INTERACTIVE VIDEO CONFERENCING PROGRAMMING REMAINS AVAILABLE, AS DO THE CORRESPONDING SCIENCE2GO KITS, WHICH ALLOW LOCAL AND REGIONAL STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN THEIR OWN HOMES OR CLASSROOMS WHILE RECEIVING REMOTE INSTRUCTION. SCIENCE CENTRAL'S PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS HELP ENSURE OUR PROGRAMMING IS FINANCIALLY ACCESSIBLE. WE PARTNER WITH THREE LOCAL MUSEUMS TO PROVIDE A MUSEUM ACCESS PASS, A REDUCED-PRICE MEMBERSHIP FOR ALL FOUR MUSEUMS. IN 2023, WE HOSTED THREE FREE ADMISSION DAYS: DOCTORS DAY, MHS DAY, AND BE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN HOMETOWN. WE OFFER DISCOUNTED ADMISSION ON THE LAST SATURDAY OF MOST MONTHS. WE HOSTED DISABILITY DAYS (FORMERLY SPECIAL ABILITIES DAYS) WHICH ENABLED INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH DISABILITIES TO VISIT SCIENCE CENTRAL AT NO CHARGE WHILE ALSO OFFERING THEM ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO MAKE OUR SITE EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE. THESE SPECIAL ADMISSION OPPORTUNITIES PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN EXPANDING THE REACH OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR ALL PEOPLE.

  Expenses $1,497,160 · Revenue $721,213

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2023

Filed

11 February 2025

IRS schema version

2023v6.0

Source object

202520439349300217

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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