exploratorium

English

Etymology

From the Exploratorium in San Francisco, which holds a trademark on the term.

Noun

exploratorium (plural exploratoriums or exploratoria)

Smoke exhibit at an exploratorium

1. A museum or similar institution that encourages visitors to explore the exhibits in a hands-on manner.
   • 1999, Howard Gardner, Intelligence reframed: multiple intelligences for the 21st century:

     Especially appealing to older children and adolescents are science museums or exploratoriums.

   • 2001, Eric Jensen, Arts with the brain in mind:

     Other ways to use the visual arts include architecture, visual thinking, graphic organizers, mindmaps, exploratoriums, and galleries.