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Local nonprofit Quest Science Center is making “steady progress” toward bringing to life its longstanding vision of building a permanent facility downtown Livermore dedicated to science education, its Interim Executive Director Michael Mosby told Livermore Vine.
Currently operating as a mobile organization, Quest reaches over 20,000 people annually with science-based programming across the East Bay and San Joaquin County regions, according to a statement by Quest officials.
Quest would have an even greater capacity to impact the community with a permanent center featuring hands-on, educational exhibits, Mosby explained.
There is currently no timeline for construction of the project, also dubbed Quest Science Center, and the organization is “not in the position” to share specific details about its cost amid the project’s evolving design and scope, Mosby said.
However, the organization made headway in funding the project poised for Stockmen’s Park when it recently received a $450,000 grant from Alameda County District 1 Supervisor David Haubert.
“This is a moment of real momentum before us that I’m very happy and proud to be a part of,” Mosby said of Quest. “This isn’t just about building a facility – it’s about building opportunities for our young people in this community.”
Since its founding in 2018, Quest — initially called Livermore Science and Society Center — its leadership envisioned having a brick-and-mortar facility, Mosby said.
By 2020, the Livermore City Council approved a development agreement with Quest for the downtown space. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nonprofit opted at the time for mobile operations to bring science to the community.
Among its programs, Quest hosts its annual Science@Stockmen’s Park — a recurring event series for all ages to engage in “everyday science” activities — and Sparks! at the park’s Quest Plaza for families to engage in exploratory activities. The organization also hosts student interns for a program about planetary health.
“The demand is real for what we’re providing and we see the demand growing,” Mosby said.
Although the organization has reached tens of thousands of people over the past three years without a permanent facility, Mosby said the set-up has its limits.
According to a joint statement from officials at Quest and the county, the physical center is anticipated to engage over 100,000 visitors annually once built.
“It’s really not a starting point, as we’ve gone through this journey. It’s our next step in our evolution,” Mosby said of the future center.
Quest imagines hands-on experiences for visitors that fall under an umbrella definition of science including technology, arts, innovation and culture, he explained.
“Prototypes” of potential activities are being practiced through current Quest programming, he said.
There will be a section about a new technological advancement and likely an exhibit about planetary health, he said. Specific exhibits for the center have not been solidified, but they are meant in general to spark visitors’ curiosity and imagination while remaining relevant to the community.
“I can see the impact Quest has been having around the region over the past five years, and am enthused by the opportunity before us to expand that impact to a permanent location that will enable our future workforce, economic development, and quality of life,” Haubert said in the joint statement. “This support will help launch the initial seed round for Quest Science Center’s broader fundraising efforts.”
The $450,000 grant to Quest was announced April 1 and was awarded through an Alameda County capital fund, according to the statement. The award completes a $500,000 pledge by former supervisor Scott Haggerty.
“I can’t articulate how grateful we are for the county’s support,” Mosby said. “It is also supervisor Haubert’s individual support that he has voiced for what we’re trying to do — Quite frankly, I am blown away by it.”
Mosby said once the center opens, Quest will also maintain its mobile operations.
The nonprofit’s mobility allows it to interact with kids and their families across the community, he explained. It also is a way to draw them to visit the center downtown Livermore.
Next weekend, Quest is poised to host its eighth annual Tri-Valley Innovation Fair at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.
The event is set to feature over 70 interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and performances related to science, engineering and technology.
Attendees can also meet scientists, engineers, teachers and representatives from companies making an impact in the sciences.
The free and public event is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. next Saturday (April 18). For more information about the upcoming fair, visit quest-science.org.
