The MOST to renovate part of building to create STEAM-education space

SYRACUSE — With the help of nearly $3 million in federal funding, a new STEAM education space is planned at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) in Syracuse. Calling it a major renovation project, the MOST says the money will help pay for a project to turn the eastern portion of the museum building into the new education space, per its April 17 announcement. STEAM is short for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The project will convert the space into classroom and instructional space; upgrade and modernize plumbing, mechanical, life safety, and other support systems; and add an elevator and other modifications for ADA accessibility. ADA is short for the federal 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. The MOST is a hands-on science and technology museum located at 500 S. Franklin St. in downtown Syracuse. The east wing of the MOST, referred to as Phase 4, was completed in 1907 as part of the third New York State Armory built on the site, the MOST said. The interior has not been in active use since the 1980s and was not renovated as part of the original conversion of the building into the MOST in the mid-1990s. The space is adjacent to the lawn on the Jefferson Street loop and features a four-story turreted tower. The interior, which is currently used for storage, includes 10,000 square feet of space and retains considerable historical details from its original construction. Crews handling the renovation will preserve and restore carved-wood fireplaces, original hardwood floors, vintage light fixtures, and other handmade and locally crafted details.

MOST programs

Serving one of the highest-poverty cities in the U.S., the MOST describes itself as a “key partner” in education and neighborhood revitalization, “helping prepare youth for career success, especially in the high-tech industries that are coming to Central New York.” The museum’s multiple outreach programs are geared toward groups historically underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields, such as women and people of color. Current programs include KeyBank Future Innovators, targeted to students in grades 6-9 who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) with the goal of getting them engaged in STEM careers, per the announcement. The MACNY Future Women in STEM series brings middle-school girls together to learn about careers in STEM fields like engineering, computer science, and manufacturing. These programs and others offer STEM education and career exploration for local families and include a free family admission to the museum for the day, the MOST said. The museum also partners with the Syracuse City School District through the National Grid Science Learning Partnership, which gives every student in kindergarten, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade a free field trip to the MOST, including science demonstrations and activities aligned with their school curriculum. The expanded and renovated classroom and hands-on educational spaces in Phase 4 will enable the MOST to “build on these existing programs and offer an even higher volume of programming,” the museum said.