Years ago, Fidel Ferrer walked across Tilikum Crossing and looked toward OMSI.
Project LEDO was still growing into his vision for an organization that would give more young people access to science, technology, and the opportunities that come with them. Looking across the river, Ferrer remembers thinking: One day, I want Project LEDO to do something there.
He was thinking about what it could mean for the young people Project LEDO serves to walk into a place like OMSI and feel that it belonged to them, too—to not just visit a science museum, but see themselves reflected in science, technology and engineering.
Today, that idea is taking shape in OMSI’s refreshed Physics Lab.
Reopening November 15, the reimagined lab builds on OMSI’s expertise in hands-on science learning while creating stronger connections between physics, real-world applications and STEM careers. OMSI is leading the redesign in partnership with Project LEDO and Boeing, with each organization bringing a distinct perspective to the experience.
Project LEDO brings expertise in culturally-responsive design rooted in the youth experience. Their community-centered lens, shaped by its work with young people who face systemic barriers in STEM, was invaluable to guide content development that can connect young people to future opportunities in science. Boeing provided a $150,000 grant for the refresh, while its aerodynamics experts in Portland consulted with OMSI on new lab experiences connecting physics concepts with real-world applications. The work also builds on OMSI and Project LEDO’s multi-year partnership to reimagine the museum’s hands-on labs and develop culturally relevant programming.
Throughout the process, the partners have considered not only what visitors will do in the Physics Lab, but who will walk through its doors. Will young people see themselves in the experience? Will they understand where something they learn today could take them tomorrow? Will they leave believing science and technology are worlds they can be part of?
“Access is only the beginning,” Ferrer said. “Because before somebody becomes an engineer, scientist, technologist, or innovator, they first have to be able to imagine themselves becoming one. That is where belonging becomes just as important as access.”
That sense of possibility complements something fundamental to OMSI’s approach: science is something you do. OMSI’s labs invite visitors to explore scientific phenomena through experimentation and interaction with museum educators. The refreshed Physics Lab builds on that foundation, connecting hands-on discovery with the ways physics shapes technology, engineering, and potential careers.
Success doesn’t mean every young person leaves wanting to become a physicist or engineer. Maybe they ask a question they hadn’t considered before. Maybe they discover a career they didn’t know existed. Maybe they begin to imagine themselves differently.
Or, as Ferrer puts it: “I want them to leave with their world a little bigger than it was when they walked in.”
OMSI’s refreshed Physics Lab reopens to the public November 15.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services Award # MA-255481-OMS-24 and a $150,000 grant from Boeing as part of their commitment to preparing and inspiring the next generation of innovators and explorers.