By Alex Johnson
The Community Stage
Hot take: I’m a 29-year-old with a Cosmosphere membership. Yes, Reno County residents can visit for free, but a membership opens more doors than simply museum visits.
I look forward to the postcards in the mail with “special invitations” to the featured documentaries. That little postcard increases the chances I will actually go see a movie about dinosaur discoveries or butterfly migration by 60%. We get exclusive sneak peeks with visiting guests, lectures, documentaries, book tours, and more. And the biggest plus might be the reciprocal membership with the Association of Science and Technology Centers, so I can get into other science museums around the country (including Exploration Place) for free or at a discount. All for my little $65/year membership.
Now, why is this a hot take, you ask? I could get all of this information in a brochure. It’s a hot take because I see no other twenty-somethings at these great events.
I brought my even-younger twenty-something friend to the member premiere of “Secrets of Great Salt Lake” and meet and greet with scientist Bonnie Baxter. My friend wanted to grab one of the complimentary beers, so she went in search of someone to check her ID! (Yes, she is over 21 and very conscientious). I told her, “Look around, everyone else in this room hasn’t been asked for their ID in 40 years.” And, you know what? I wasn’t wrong.
Our museums cater to these older generations, and it’s smart. They’re the ones who show up, curious and interested and ready to mingle. I’m not calling out the Cosmosphere or their core membership base. I’m calling on the younger people who say “there’s nothing to do here” or that they’re too busy to step out of their routines and comfort zones to go learn about climate change creating an uncertain future for all of us from the scientists with boots on the ground, for one example.
We have a state-of-the-art museum that can teach us all something about the world and our place in it. And those are important lessons for people of all ages. Especially in today’s world. I urge you to take advantage of the opportunities to learn, grow, and get out of the house. The best ways to build empathy are to learn about the world we live in, meet people who are different from us, and share a curiosity and wonder about what makes us human.
Alex is the founder of Classical Revolution ICT. She can be reached at alex@classicalrevolutionict.com.