COSI celebrates its 60th year as a STEAM science museum for all ages

Life in the 60’s… what was it like? Artists like The Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley ruled the radio waves, videos games were in their infancy, and the Center of Science and Industry or COSI pronounced CO-Sigh) was transformed from an idea to a full-blown science museum in the heart of Columbus, Ohio. On March 29, 1964, COSI opened its doors to overwhelmingly large crowds, all excited to see what the new cultural institution had in store.

For 60 years, COSI has inspired interest in science, technology, engineering, math, and art (STEAM) through an experiential, “hands-on” brand of learning. 60 years also comes with a lot of recent accolades for the science museum, including being voted the “#1 Science Museum in the Country,” 4 years in-a-row, according to USA Today’s 10Best, and COSI was also one of four museum recipients for the National Medal for Museum and Library Services in 2023 – the highest honor given by The White House.

A milestone birthday for the science museum comes with a big exhibition hosted in 2024. Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is open now at COSI and runs through Labor Day. Guests visiting will receive a replica boarding pass and experience the wonder and tragedy of the world’s most famous ocean liner, Titanic. More than 200 artifacts recovered from the ship’s wreck site will be on display as well as full-scale room recreations, including the iconic Grand Staircase. The personal artifacts recovered and on display offer an emotional connection to the forever-altered lives of those on board.

An event lineup for this historical year is in progress now! After the 60^th Anniversary Celebration at COSI on March 29, the entire COSI Team gears up for the largest STEAM event in the Midwest, The COSI Science Festival. Starting Wednesday, May 1, community events ranging from the ‘Science of Glassblowing’ at Glass Axis, located downtown, to learning about how beer is brewed at our local breweries, to documenting scientific data throughout the community, contributing to real, scientific research. Then, on Saturday, May 4, the Big Science Celebration hosts over 100 exhibitors, live music & performances, and of course, HUGE, larger-than-life science demonstrations throughout the day. The Big Science Celebration takes place at COSI and is free to the public.

COSI is also featuring The Science of Big Machines in June. More than just a touch-a-truck event, this experience allows guests to climb inside and operate large construction equipment, talk with engineers & construction professionals, and enjoy learning about something that affects all of us daily.

In August, Farm Days is an experience where guests can learn about farming, animals, and agriculture. Experts are brought in along with real animals and farming equipment to enhance the learning element of the event. A fan-favorite of Farm Days are the baby chicks hatching in an enclosed, windowed incubator. Eggs hatch before visitors’ eyes as they witness the miraculous process of birth for these baby birds.

Amazing, classic COSI exhibits are available to guests in all seasons! One of the most iconic and popular exhibits is Ocean. The exhibit showcases multiple water features, a large, beautiful statue of the ocean god, Poseidon, an interactive, digital fish tank, games to research deep-dive submersibles, live animals and more!

Other notable exhibitions include Gadgets, which features hands-on activities and experiments with simple machines of all shapes and sizes, Progress, featuring the same town in different time periods - 1898 and 1962. Guests can see recognizable updates to the town’s progress throughout the years. The American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery is also a fan favorite. This prehistoric exhibition features REAL fossils and shows visitors how modern-day birds are descended from dinosaurs from the past.

A birthday celebration of this magnitude doesn’t happen often, and COSI is celebrating all year long. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit COSI.org.