LabX is the public engagement testbed at the
U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - currently located in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
From 2004 until 2017, it was known as the Marian Koshland Science Museum.
The museum featured exhibits that presented modern science and scientific issues in an accessible way, geared for the general public. It explored current scientific issues that were important for the nation's and world's public policy decisions, as presented in reports by the
United States National Academies. The National Academy of Sciences replaced the museum with LabX.
Exhibit development
The Koshland Science Museum was part of the National Academy of Sciences. Exhibits were developed based on guidance from committees of scientific experts, who donated their time and expertise to the museum. Each exhibit had its own Scientific Steering Committee or group of subject-matter experts who oversaw exhibit content and review information. A core group of museum staff members facilitated all aspects of exhibit selection, including development and fabrication. The museum also received input from advisory groups, whether in-person, in the community, or online. The museum also had a Museum Advisory Board involved in strategic planning.
The museum was centered around two primary exhibits: "Earth Lab", which focused on issues related to
climate change
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
, and "Life Lab", which emphasized
learning
Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviors, skills, value (personal and cultural), values, Attitude (psychology), attitudes, and preferences. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, non-human animals, and ...
,
aging
Ageing (or aging in American English) is the process of becoming Old age, older until death. The term refers mainly to humans, many other animals, and fungi; whereas for example, bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentiall ...
,
nutrition
Nutrition is the biochemistry, biochemical and physiology, physiological process by which an organism uses food and water to support its life. The intake of these substances provides organisms with nutrients (divided into Macronutrient, macro- ...
, and
infectious disease
An infection is the invasion of tissue (biology), tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host (biology), host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmis ...
. The museum also had a "Wonders of Science" section devoted to interactive exhibits.
Origin of the museum
Opened in April 2004, the Marian Koshland Science Museum was named for
Marian Koshland, an immunologist and molecular biologist who conducted groundbreaking research in the behavior of
antibodies
An antibody (Ab) or immunoglobulin (Ig) is a large, Y-shaped protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily which is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize antigens such as bacteria and viruses, including those that caus ...
. The museum was developed as the result of a gift from her husband,
Daniel Koshland, a molecular biologist specializing in the study of enzymes and bacteria. The Museum shared an eponym with the Marian Koshland Integrated Natural Science Center at the
Haverford College
Haverford College ( ) is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded as a men's college in 1833 by members of the Religious Society of Fr ...
.
Location
The museum was located at 525 E Street, NW. The museum entrance was at the corner of 6th & E Streets, NW, in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, DC. It was three blocks north of the
National Mall
The National Mall is a Landscape architecture, landscaped park near the Downtown, Washington, D.C., downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. It contains and borders a number of museums of the Smithsonian Institu ...
.
References
{{Reflist
Museums established in 2004
Penn Quarter
Science museums in Washington, D.C.
United States National Academy of Sciences
Defunct museums in Washington, D.C.
Museums disestablished in 2017