Beginning May 1, the Museum of Science, Boston, one of the world's largest science centers and New England's most-attended cultural institution will offer baseball fans from around the country the opportunity to be featured during the Boston run of the traveling exhibition Baseball As America.
Baseball As America was organized by The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, New York and will be at the Museum of Science from June 15 through September 1. The exhibition features more than 500 artifacts and highlights baseball's influence on American culture. To complement the exhibition's Boston run, the Museum of Science has created a number of interactive exhibits to examine the role science plays in the game as well as how technology influences baseball over time.
As part of the Museum of Science's efforts to showcase the science and technology behind the game, it will invite baseball fans to be part of the exhibit by submitting their own video-taped baseball story or a photograph to be featured in the exhibit and online. Stories and photos will be submitted via the Museum's web site at www.mos.org/baseball.
"In Baseball fans are such a huge part of the game," says Emily Bottis, director of interactive media at the Museum of Science. "We wanted to give them the opportunity be a part of the exhibit as well."
Fans submitting baseball stories or photos in advance of their visit will have the opportunity to access them on mounted video monitors in the exhibit. Fans who can't make the trip to Boston this summer will be able to see their story on the Museum's web site. To kick off the project, the Museum of Science enlisted the help from some very notable baseball fans to film their stories.
Among those who have participated are Senator Ted Kennedy, former Red Sox great Johnny Pesky, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, Boston Globe sportswriters Dan Shaughnessy and Jackie MacMullan, Boston Herald sports writer Tony Massarotti, Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart, and more.
"We had such a great time filming their stories--they ranged from funny to emotional, but each of them had a personal story to tell and that's just what we are hoping to capture from the public," says Bottis.
The Museum will be accepting videos and photos throughout the exhibition's run through September 1. Stories can range from experiences as a fan to great moments playing baseball or softball. While she expects a large number of stories revolving around the Red Sox, Bottis notes that there are no restrictions.
"As long as it's a great story, we don't care what team it's about, even the Yankees," she says. "But we have been finding that best stories are about regular people simply sharing their experiences playing and watching the game they love."
The national tour of Baseball As America is sponsored by Ernst & Young LLP. The Museum of Science gratefully acknowledges the Yawkey Foundation's support of Baseball As America in Boston.
Admission to Baseball As America is included with Exhibit Halls admission: $17 for adults, $15 for seniors (60+), and $14 for children (3-11). For more information, the public can call 617/723-2500, (TTY) 617/589-0417, or visit mos.org.
Museum of Science, Boston
One of the world's largest science centers, the Museum of Science takes a hands-on approach to science, attracting approximately 1.6 million visitors a year through its vibrant programs and over 700 interactive exhibits. Highlights include the Thomson Theater of Electricity, home of the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator; the Charles Hayden Planetarium; the Mugar Omni Theater, a 180-degree IMAX® domed theatre; and the Gordon Current Science & Technology Center (GCS&T), which offers breaking news stories to the public with interpretation by Museum staff. In 2004, the Museum launched the National Center for Technological Literacy® (NCTL)®--helping facilitate a nationwide expansion of technology literacy by working with regional schools, offering educational products and programs for pre-K-12 students and teachers, creating curricula, and supporting an online resource center. For more information, visit mos.org.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum preserves history, honors excellence, and connects generations. An independent, not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball and its impact on our culture, the Hall of Fame was established in Cooperstown, New York, in 1939 as the definitive repository of The Game's treasures. With more than 35,000 artifacts and 2.6 million documents, recordings, and photographs, the Hall of Fame displays and interprets its vast collections for a global audience. The Hall of Fame also bestows the highest individual honor awarded to players of our national pastime by marking their achievements with a plaque in the Hall of Fame Gallery. For more information, visit baseballhall.org or call 888-HALL-OF-FAME.