What We're All About

Pacific Science Center is a not-for-profit science foundation serving one million people a year in every county of Washington state, inspiring a lifelong interest in science, math and technology by engaging diverse communities through interactive and innovative exhibits and programs.

A Brief History

Pacific Science Center began as the United States Science Pavilion during the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Millions came to explore the wonders of science during the World's Fair and upon closing ceremonies, the Science Pavilion was given new life as the private not-for-profit Pacific Science Center, becoming the first U.S. museum founded as a science and technology center. On October 22, 2012 Pacific Science Center will celebrate making science fun for 50 years.

Our Position On Science

Pacific Science Center is committed to advancing the public’s understanding of science and contributing to the development of a scientifically literate society. Science is a human endeavor that uses observation and experimentation to develop explanations of the natural world. Scientific knowledge and theories are grounded in and compatible with the best evidence of the time, are internally consistent, and demonstrate effectively the explanations of a wide variety of phenomena. Science is based on years of scientific experimentation and observation of the results which are critically reviewed by the scientific community. Pacific Science Center uses data and information based on such rigorous scientific evidence in its exhibits, demonstrations and science curricula.

Our Position On Evolution

Evolution is a scientific reality.

Evolution is a broad, well-tested description of how Earth's present-day life forms arose from common ancestors reaching back to the simplest one-celled organisms almost four billion years ago. It helps explain both the similarities and the differences in the enormous number of living organisms we see around us.

Evolution explains history of life through geologic time; the diversity of living organisms, including their genetic, molecular, and physical similarities and differences; and the geographic distribution of organisms.

In nature today, the characteristics of species are changing, and new species are arising. The fossil record is the primary evidence for evolution in times past, and evolution is well documented by further evidence from other scientific disciplines beyond paleontology, including comparative anatomy, biogeography, genetics, molecular biology, and studies of viral and bacterial diseases.

Evolution is also a scientific theory. In science, the word "theory" is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world, based on a body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment. Such fact-supported theories are not "guesses," but reliable accounts of the real world. The theory of biological evolution is more than "just a theory." It is as factual an explanation of the universe as the atomic theory of matter or the germ theory of disease.

Although changes to our understanding of evolutionary mechanisms may occur, the overall correctness of the theory is indisputable.

Pacific Science Center's position on evolution is based, in large part, on questions and answers in "Evolution from the American Association for the Advancement of Science" (AAAS), the Statement on the Teaching of Evolution developed by the Board of Directors of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and The Paleontological Society's statement on evolution.

Our Position On Global Climate Change

The following statement is consistent with a similar policy statement adopted by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the Joint National Academies' statement on climate change.

The scientific evidence is clear: global climates are changing and human activities are contributing to the rate of change. Accumulating data from across the globe reveals a wide array of effects: rapidly melting glaciers, destabilization of major ice sheets, increases in extreme weather, rising sea level, shifts in species ranges, and more. The pace of change and the evidence of harm have increased markedly over the last several years. To combat this growing threat to society, we must control greenhouse gas emissions now.

The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, a critical greenhouse gas, is higher than it has been for at least 650,000 years. The average temperature of the Earth is heading for levels not experienced for millions of years. Scientific predictions of the impacts of increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels and deforestation match observed changes. As expected, intensification of droughts, heat waves, floods, wildfires, and severe storms is occurring, with a mounting toll on vulnerable ecosystems and societies. These events are early warning signs of even more devastating damage to come, some of which will be irreversible.

Delaying action to address climate change will increase the environmental and societal consequences as well as the costs. The longer we wait to tackle climate change, the harder and more expensive the task will be. History provides many examples of societies confronting grave threats by mobilizing knowledge and promoting innovation. We need an aggressive research, development and deployment effort to transform the existing and future energy systems of the world away from technologies that emit greenhouse gases. Developing clean energy technologies will not only provide economic opportunities but also ensure future energy supplies.

In addition to rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is essential that we develop strategies to adapt to ongoing changes and make communities more resilient to future changes

The growing body of scientific evidence presents a clear message: we are already experiencing global climate change. While our scientific understanding of this continues to grow, the time is now for each of us to rise to the challenge and take action. We owe this to future generations.