The Powerhouse Science Center is now a Durango landmark. The campus on the river is what unprecedented investment in our community looks like – investment in science education, youth and families, as well as our tourist economy.
It’s what 2,500 donors looks like. Since inception of the STEM-focused (science, technology, engineering and math) nonprofit and the merger with the Children’s Museum of Durango, 135,660 people have been served with science classes and labs – an average of more than 15,000 people a year. More than 20,000 people walk through the doors annually. Talk about impact! Our small, rural region has been forever changed by this project – a project that is indeed a powerhouse of change.
When asked specifically about the impact we’ve made in our Four Corners region, we think about thousands of faces – both young and old from all walks of life – lit by discovery.
When asked about what we do, we think about the Family Center Serving La Plata County, the MOMS club of Durango and Community Connections constituents who use our space regularly. We think about our outreach program, and lessons led in Aneth, Towaoc, Kirtland and Delta. We think about serving every elementary student in the Ignacio, Bayfield and Durango school districts for the past three years via the BP Southwest Science Collaborative program.
We think about grateful moms, and the joyful screams and giggles of toddlers at 9 a.m. in the Southern Ute Indian Tribe Energy Gallery. We think about the brides who have danced in the riverfront plaza on one of the best days of their lives. We think about the bands that have played the night away, high-wow chemistry shows in the Carlton Family Science Education Center, evening star-viewing parties, the transit of planet Venus across the Sun, stories of the historic Heine and Stirling boilers and, of course – the beautiful terra cotta rooftop.
If the above qualitative descriptions of success do not convince you, perhaps you could measure our impact by the dollars generated for the community.
A third of our annual visitors are non-local, which based on market research, equates to an estimated $3.2 million of annual economic impact on the Durango economy. In the history of the organization, more than 71 people have been provided with direct jobs and countless others with indirect jobs. The organization and its supporters have poured $6.6 million dollars into what was once a brownfield site and Durango eyesore, transforming the Animas riverfront, Durango bicycle path and downtown cityscape.
We also know that the Powerhouse Science Center, like other museums and art houses across the country, is a big part of what makes Durango cool. These unique spaces are attractions, and they improve our quality of life. As you read these words you may connect with us – through your own experiences on the riverfront campus. If not, stop by! As so many before you have discovered, this is a community hub and a place for all.
The Powerhouse has had a remarkable year after pausing to reorganize last summer. In the past year, we have cut our budget by more than half. We have right-sized the organization; now scaled appropriately for our community. We have tapped into a community of volunteers, of advisers and coaches, knowing it “takes a village.” We have partnered with Durango MakerLab to host an on-site design studio so that our community members can create local, easy-to-move, easy-to-build exhibits for the Southern Ute Energy Gallery. Our board has set a high priority on building a reserve fund, a key component of organizational flexibility and sustainability.
Perhaps most exciting of all is what the future holds for our nimble organization. With a streamlined staff, plans for updated and enhanced programming, our initiative to create Durango’s first community makerspace, and our efforts to embrace and leverage new technologies, we are confident the best is yet to come!
We’ve moved through a challenging year, targeting board training, transparency, and healthier communication. And so we write this in an effort to update you on our progress. We also thank you for your gifts, your talents, and your support.
We thank those of you who saw the potential of a derelict building and saved a historic asset, now a vital part of Durango’s sense of identity. We thank our members and visitors who bring the space alive every day. Thank you for knowing that our region is infinitely better with the Powerhouse Science Center doing what it does best – exploring the past and igniting the future.
Lexie Stetson-Lee is the administrator of the Powerhouse Science Center. Reach her at lexie@powsci.org.
