Bringing the Smithsonian into Classrooms for 40 Years
The Smithsonian Science Education Center is transforming K-12 education through science, in collaboration with communities across the globe.
Historic images of students and educators performing science experiments Courtesy of the Smithsonian Science Education Center
Growing up in inner-city Pittsburgh, I spent many afternoons and summer breaks in my backyard, which became my personal laboratory. My backyard experiments took a fascinating turn after learning in my science class that if you cut a planarian flatworm in half, it will regenerate. So of course, that afternoon I went home, combed through the wet mud and rocks in my backyard, and found my first victim. I held the long, skinny worm up to the sunlight and chopped it in half. Surely enough, two weeks later, I now had two flatworms. This revelation was incredibly fascinating to me! Of course, little did I know, that experience would become my gateway to science exploration and later fuel my desire to not only teach science, but to one day lead the Smithsonian Science Education Center.
For 40 years, the Smithsonian Science Education Center has been doing just that, igniting the spark in young explorers, and bringing the science of the Smithsonian to students where they are—in their classrooms and homes. The Smithsonian Science Education Center is grounded in the belief that hands-on, inquiry-centered experiences, like those in my backyard lab, truly transform learning and help students unlock the mysteries of the world through science.
Since its founding in 1985 under the leadership of its first Director, Dr. Douglas M. Lapp, the Smithsonian Science Education Center (then called the National Science Resources Center) has been dedicated to Transforming K-12 Education through Science in collaboration with communities across the globe. In its early years, the Smithsonian Science Education Center pioneered a national shift in the educational landscape by revolutionizing how science is taught in classrooms, so that students were doing science, not just reading about science. This laid the groundwork for all of the incredible things we’ve been able to accomplish over the last four decades.
Today, the Smithsonian Science Education Center continues to move the needle on science education by helping to prepare the next generation of innovators for a shared, transformative future. As we celebrate four decades of advancing science education, we reflect on the tremendous impact of our work. Through our unique STEM curriculum, digital resources, and professional development opportunities, we inspire curiosity, empower educators, and ensure every learner has access to high-quality science education.
Students and educators performing science experiments Courtesy of the Smithsonian Science Education Center
Our Smithsonian Science for the Classroom curriculum, which earned the coveted “all-green” rating from EdReports, is currently used in over 2,300 school districts, reaching nearly 3 million students annually. Data from an independent study funded by the U.S. Department of Education and conducted over a five-year period, shows that not only is the curriculum advancing student achievement in science, but it is also improving student test scores in reading and math.
The Smithsonian Science Education Center is also helping young learners understand the world’s most pressing issues and explore ways they can become agents of change. Covering critical topics like biodiversity, energy resilience, and good nutrition, our Smithsonian Science for Global Goals Guides encourage young people to use their local communities as their laboratory and implement their own sustainable actions to help solve the greatest challenges of our time. These freely available community research guides have now reached over 50,000 educators, who represent over 8 million students around the world.
With four decades of groundbreaking achievements behind us, we’re expanding our partnerships, resources, and global impact. The Smithsonian Science Education Center sits at the forefront of change, continually evolving to meet the needs of the changing world and the dynamic nature of science education. The recent endowment of the center’s director position, through a gift from Douglas M. Lapp and Anne B. Keiser, marks a new wave of possibilities for the center.
Forty years ago, the Smithsonian Science Education Center imagined that science classrooms could transform from textbook-based learning to hands-on, experiential learning, where students are doing science, not just reading about it. As we look to the next 40 years, we ask ourselves, how can we spark the same curiosity I felt in my backyard lab for millions of young minds today? How can we equip our youngest learners with the skills to tackle the complex challenges that await them? Like science, science education is more than what we discover. It is a tool that transforms the world around us and unlocks new possibilities. It helps us fuel a vision of the next 40 years, where early exposure to science and a deeper understanding of the complexities of the world around us open the door for the next generation of leaders and problem solvers to shape our shared transformative future.
Carol O’Donnell is the Douglas M. Lapp and Anne B. Keiser Director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center, which is dedicated to transforming K–12 Education through Science in collaboration with communities across the globe. Carol began her career as a primary school teacher. Her TedX Talk demonstrates her passion for “doing science” and “object-driven learning.”
This post was originally published by the Smithsonian magazine blog, Smithsonian Voices. Copyright 2025 Smithsonian Institution. Reprinted with permission from Smithsonian Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any medium is strictly prohibited without permission from Smithsonian Institution.
