COSI Toledo

Infobox Museum
name = COSI Toledo


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established = March 1, 1997
location = Toledo, Ohio
type = Science museum
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website = [http://www.cositoledo.org/ www.cositoledo.org]
dissolved = December 31, 2007

COSI Toledo (the "Center of Science and Industry") was a non-profit, hands-on science museum located on the riverfront in downtown Toledo, Ohio. The facility had over 300 exhibits for "children of all ages." [cite web
url = http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?&Dato=20060521&Kategori=SRDISCOVER06&Lopenr=60510030&Ref=AR
title = Hot spots: New attractions take center stage at popular locales
accessdate = 2007-04-16
author = Erika Ray
year = 2006
work = Discover 2006
publisher = The Blade (newspaper)
quote = COSI has more than 300 exhibits for children of all ages] After a tax levy failed on the November 2006 Lucas County ballot, COSI Toledo announced it was laying off some staff and might be forced to close its doors in 2007 unless alternative forms of funding were found. [cite web
url = http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061109/NEWS16/611090362
title = COSI seeks interim financial solution
accessdate = 2007-04-16
author = Jenni Laidman
date = 2006-11-09
publisher = The Blade (newspaper)] Voters voted down a second levy in November 2007. Due to this, COSI closed its doors to the public on December 31, 2007. [ [http://www.cositoledo.org/ Welcome to COSI Toledo ] ] While the facility remains closed to the public, a small number of COSI Team members are continuing to offer COSI Toledo's Educational Outreach Programs to schools. The Outreach Program includes Workshops on Wheels (classroom workshops), Extreme Science Days, Family Science Nights and Distance Learning Programs. While the facility remains closed to the public, the COSI Toledo Board of Directors has remained intact and is exploring all possible options regarding public support to reopen the Science Center at sometime in the future.

History

In 1984, the Portside Festival Marketplace opened along the Maumee River with the hope of revitalizing downtown Toledo. In 1990, the marketplace closed, leaving a vacant 100,000 ft² (9290 m²) modern facility.cite web
url = http://www.culture.ohio.gov/project.asp?proj=cosit
title = COSI Toledo
accessdate = 2007-04-16
work = Cultural Facilities Projects
publisher = Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission] A committee, appointed by the mayor, was charged with finding the best use for the site. Researching options, committee members heard repeatedly the need for an educational family attraction. As a result, COSI Columbus was approached regarding the development of a similar institution in Toledo. Together, a structure was developed making COSI Toledo an independent, not-for-profit organization with a board of trustees from Northwest Ohio, while taking advantage of the experience and resources of COSI Columbus.

A major fundraising campaign raised $9.5 million dollars, surpassing the original goal by $4.5 million dollars. Additionally, the state supported the project with $10 million dollars. Another major step in establishing COSI Toledo was the transfer of the facility to COSI at a value of $16 million dollars. On 1 March 1997, COSI Toledo opened its doors to the public. [Citation
date = 1997-03-01
title = Big Wheel at COSI Toledo
place = Toledo, Ohio
publisher = The Blade (newspaper)
volume = 59] The facility attracts an average of 250,000 visitors per yearcite web
url = http://cositoledo.org/History/FAQ.htm
title = FAQ for COSI Toledo
accessdate = 2007-04-10
publisher = COSI Toledo] , and over 2.5 million since opening.

In 2005, COSI won a "National Award for Museum and Library Service" from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the nation’s highest honor for extraordinary public service by a museum or library. [cite press release
title = Three Museums and Three Libraries to Receive Nation’s Highest Honor for Extraordinary Community Service
publisher = Institute of Museum and Library Services
date = 2005-11-30
url = http://www.imls.gov/news/2005/113005.shtm
accessdate = 2007-04-16] The award was presented by Laura Bush at a White House ceremony in January 2006. [ [http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060131/NEWS16/601310420&SearchID=73237056941042 toledoblade.com - Laura Bush lauds COSI Toledo ] ]

On July 28, 2006, COSI Toledo and COSI Columbus legally split so each could focus on their own financial troubles. [ [http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2006/11/06/story2.html COSI Columbus splitting with Toledo counterpart - Business First of Columbus: ] ] Later that year, Berrien Springs Public Schools awarded a "2006 Teachers' Choice Awards" to COSI Toledo for its distance learning program. [cite web
url = http://www.remc11.k12.mi.us/dl/teacherschoice/
title = Teachers' Choice Awards: Best Content Providers
accessdate = 2007-04-16
author = Janine Lim
publisher = Berrien Springs Public Schools] After voters voted down a second levy in November 2007, COSI closed due to lack of funding on December 31, 2007. [ [http://www.cositoledo.org/ Welcome to COSI Toledo ] ] The most common visitor complaints were that museum was too expensive, small in size, and that parking was a bit far away. [ [http://www.insiderpages.com/b/3719494526 Cosi Toledo - Toledo, OH 43604 - Reviews: Banquet & Reception Sites, Museums ] ] Toledoans also acknowledged COSI's lack of proper management, among other things. [ [http://www.toledotalk.com/cgi-bin/comments.pl/12/2031 Cosi Woes - id 2031 - Toledo Talk topic ] ]

Educational programs

COSI Toledo while closed to the public is continuing to offer its educational outreach programs to schools, including Distance Learning, which provides interactive distance learning for science in the classroom, Workshop on Wheels which provides classroom sized workshops, and Science Festivals (Extreme Science Days and Family Science Nights) which are science demonstrations combined with hands-on exploration stations at schools. All of these programs are aligned with the Ohio Science Academic Content Standards and The Michigan Curriculum Framework,cite web
url = http://cositoledo.org/programs/p_index.htm
title = Programs
accessdate = 2007-04-16
publisher = COSI Toledo] In the past COSI Toledo also offered Project ISIS, which was an Inquiry and Science Induction for Schools, and UPCLOSE, which was a youth development program for teenage girls. COSI also hosted field trips, hosting approximately 80,000 students for such in 2006, , scout programs to give badges to Girl Scouts, and Webelos Boy Scouts, and Camp-I, overnight stays.

References

External links

* [http://www.toledotalk.com/cgi-bin/comments.pl/12/2031 "Toledo Talk": "Cosi Woes"]