Explorit Science Center to close
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Citing a shortage of funds, Explorit Science Center is hitting the pause button at the end of this month.
“After 40 years of delivering school programming, hands-on science exhibits and summer camps, Explorit will pause our programming at the end of May,” Board President Ken Kaplan wrote in an email this morning to “Friends of Explorit.”
The biggest immediate impact was the cancellation of summer camps. There were 84 students signed up, some of whom earned scholarships from Davis Odd Fellows. No doubt parents are scrambling to find replacement camps for their children after being notified on Wednesday.
The city owns Explorit’s building at 3141 Fifth St., and charges a nominal rent. But the nonprofit has postponed maintenance work on the aging facility because it is short on funds. It operates without an executive director, or anyone to manage marketing or fundraising.
“All of our revenue goes to pay our educators and office manager,” Kaplan said in a phone interview today.
Though it makes money from events, camps and school visits, its largest source of funding since 2008 was from a single anonymous donor who gave $50,000 to $80,000 a year. That donor died last year.
“We’ve been trying to get our finances in order for the last few years,” said Kaplan, a molecular and cellular biology professor at UC Davis who’s in his fourth year on the board and third year as president. “The financial model is not sustainable, and hasn’t been for the last few years.”
Kaplan noted in the email that at its peak, Explorit delivered school programming across 17 counties around Davis, at its science center, and at summer camps. “Shifts in demographics combined with the shutdown during the pandemic meant that Explorit began to rely more on donors to meet our financial needs. With help from recovery funds and the hard work of our staff, we rebuilt our programming and reconnected with many in the community.”
But relief was short-lived, especially after losing its largest benefactor. It has a deficit of $40,000 this fiscal year and a budget shortfall of another $40,000 for 2025-26.
To raise awareness, volunteer board members have hosted information booths at the Davis Farmers Market. The organization took part in the Big Day of Giving on May 1 but raised just $10,372 toward its $40,000 goal.
One of the upsides of the pause is “we have a moment to rethink it,” Kaplan said. When you’re always looking for funding, it’s hard to look at the big picture.
“The beauty about Explorit is, in many ways, it’s an incredible bargain. As a community resource, it’s incredibly cheap,” he said. “But clearly, small donations alone aren’t enough.”
The board wants to launch a startup campaign, and hopes community members will “join the people who care about Explorit and rethink a business model that will keep us sustainable.
“Our garden is beautiful and the events we hold are lovely. The city is working with us to hold on. No one is pushing us out but we have a certain window of time while we put Explorit on pause.”
As the nonprofit winds down at the end of the month, the board hopes to keep the staff. “There’s a lot of valuable museum material that we want to preserve.”
Donations may be made through Explorit’s website. Initial funds “will help us to steward our final school programming this year and will ensure that we have sufficient resources to survive a pause.”