Frank Oppenheimer, Exploratorium Founder early 1980s
K. C. Cole
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
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Dr. Frank Oppenheimer—physicist, educator, Manhattan Project researcher, victim of McCarthyism—founded the Exploratorium as a place to foster curiosity about natural phenomena.
The Rotunda through a Fresnel Lens 1979
Nancy Rodger
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
L2013.0201.002
The Exploratorium’s first home was adjacent to the Palace of Fine Arts Rotunda, a San Francisco landmark.
Couple in Front of an Exhibit 1969 Carson Jeffries
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
L2013.0201.003
When the Exploratorium opened in 1969, there were only a handful of exhibits on the floor. At the museum’s new home at Pier 15, hundreds of new exhibits will join those already in rotation.
The Museum Floor 1975
Jonathan Wilson
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
L2013.0201.004
In the early 1970s, the Exploratorium store was housed in a makeshift geodesic dome and run by founder Frank Oppenheimer’s wife, Jackie.
Momentum Machine 1975 Jonathan Wilson
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
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The Exploratorium’s Momentum Machine has delighted visitors young and old since the 1970s.
Bubble Festival 1986 Esther Kutnick
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
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In 1983 the Exploratorium held its first Bubble Festival, an event that celebrated the bubble in all its fragility, evanescence, and beauty.
Welding in the Shop 2011 Gayle Laird
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
L2013.0201.007
Almost all of the Exploratorium’s exhibits are fabricated at the museum. The exhibits, like the museum itself, are a perpetual work in progress.
Exhibit Shop 2011 Gayle Laird
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
L2013.0201.008
In “the shop,” which is open to public view, you’ll find woodworking equipment, drills, lathes, electronics benches, a welding area, and exhibits in various stages of development.
Cow Eye Dissection 2008 Esther Kutnick
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
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The Exploratorium’s Explainer program gives high school students the opportunity to lead demonstrations on the museum floor, including the ever-popular cow eye dissection.
After Dark at the Exploratorium 2010 Amy Snyder
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
L2013.0201.010
In 2009, the Exploratorium launched After Dark, a series of evening programs for adults exploring topics such as dirt, Mars, gastronomy, and the senses.
A High-Voltage Anniversary 2009 Amy Snyder
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
L2013.0201.011
On the Exploratorium’s 40th anniversary, visitors were dazzled by crackling electrical arcs branching out from a high-voltage Tesla coil.
Pier 15 Observatory 2012 Amy Snyder
black-and-white photograph
Courtesy of the Exploratorium
L2013.0201.012
The fritted glass of the Observatory at the new Exploratorium reflects clouds high above Pier 15.
