By M.A. Jackson

Young Black Stallion is just one of many large screen entertainment films Carnegie Science Center hopes to bring to Pittsburgh. The goal is to offer multiple audiences access to films they love in a format that is unforgettable, and to be one of the first in the country to do so.

“When Walt Disney Pictures approached us about being a part of the national premiere of Young Black Stallion, the Carnegie Science Center quickly said yes,” says Marguerite Jarrett Marks, director of marketing. “We work hard at the Science Center to be constantly evolving and contemporary. Being part of the Young Black Stallion debut allows us to accomplish exactly this,” Marks continues.

Young Black Stallion is the first film that Disney has made specifically for the giant screen and is a prequel to the popular 1979 Black Stallion movie. The film tells the story of a young girl’s adventures with a wild colt after she is separated from her father in Arabia during WWII. Once reunited with her father, the girl is visited by the horse, rumored to be one of the few legendary equines “born of the sands, sired by the night sky, drinkers of the wind.” The 45-minute, G-rated movie is based on the 1989 novel written by Steven Farley (son of the author of The Black Stallion novels).

“Not only is it a great family film, but several schools in the area are building Young Black Stallion into their curriculum and will complement their classroom studies with a trip to Carnegie Science Center to see the movie,” says Marks. “That’s the best of both worlds and what the Science Center is all about.”

Science Center Welcomes New Director

Joanna E. Haas, most recently director of the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. The announcement came on October 21, when Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh President Ellsworth Brown named Haas the new Henry Buhl Jr. Director of Carnegie Science Center. She starts her new position on November 1.

Haas began her career at Ohio’s Center of Science & Industry (COSI), arguably one of the country’s most innovative science centers. She held a number of management positions in COSI’s education department before being named vice president of Operations. In that role, Hass led large teams and inspired a number of program and operation innovations.

She later joined Ford Motor Company as director of its Spirit of Ford interactive center, a position responsible for
establishing and perpetuating the corporation’s values and image in a family-centered, interactive environment. In 2001, she was named director of Henry Ford Museum, where her responsibilities included leadership of the institution’s vast array of educational programs, as well as all Museum, IMAX, and Visitor Service activities.

“Jo is a passionate advocate of the mission of science centers, which is to bring the wonder of science and science literacy to people of all ages through creative, active learning,” says Ellsworth Brown, president of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. “She shares with us a vision of a community where every child is encouraged to begin the journey of life-long learning through science that is accessible to all.

“We’re so happy to welcome Jo to the Science Center and to Pittsburgh,” Brown adds. “She joins a wonderful team of people at Carnegie Science Center—from the staff and volunteers, to an enthusiastic Board led by Howard Bruschi.”
Haas was selected after an international search that began after the departure of former Science Center Director Seddon Bennington, who returned to his native New Zealand last year to head its national museum.

“My roots are in the science center arena, and from the start of my discussions with Carnegie Museums, there was a draw for me here—a feeling of coming home,” Joanna Haas says. “Science Centers are by nature very vibrant, active places, and to be a part of Carnegie Science Center and Carnegie Museums is a wonderful opportunity.”

While Haas says the mission of science centers hasn’t changed over the past 10 to 15 years, she explains that the way in which they extend their missions has. “It had to change,” she asserts. “And Carnegie Science Center really embodies that change, which is to reach out and make real connections with the community. Those science centers that are thriving, such as Carnegie Science Center, have woven themselves into their communities. They’ve accepted the challenge of being an outward force… of being out in their communities and providing educational experiences that otherwise wouldn’t exist.

“I’m joining a place with a mission built on creating life-long learners, explorers, inventors—people who aren’t afraid to experiment and try new things,” Haas adds. “That feels very natural for me professionally, and I’m excited to begin.”

Pittsburgh Steelers and Carnegie Science Center Are A Winning Team

There is a whole lot of activity between the Steelers and Carnegie Science Center this year, and for all involved the team effort has been a great success.

The Science Center becomes home turf for Clear Channel Radio when they issue live pre-game broadcasts on the Steelers Radio Network (aired on WDVE, 970 AM) for two hours prior to home game kick-off. Just down the hill, the Allegheny Club (once located in Three Rivers Stadium), hosts a buffet in a giant tent. The Allegheny Club purchases Science Center memberships for all its members, and approximately 250 people attend each of these parties.

Across the street, as part of the Steelers pre-game family exhibit area on Art Rooney Avenue, the Science Center is out in force engaging kids of all ages in interactive experiments —everything from stomp rockets to plans for the “saucy science behind chili” as the weather gets cooler. Inside the stadium, the Science Center presents the “Ready, Set, What?” segment on the Heinz Field jumbotron. The spot is produced by the Steelers and features the amusing responses of first graders to questions on football facts and trivia.

Off the field, the Science Center is working with the Steelers on the weekly taping and broadcast of the McDonald’s KidZone program, which airs on the ESPN2 and UPN networks. The television show features middle school children and Steelers players and coaches and has been the recipient of several awards and recognitions. The Science Center will be the backdrop to features on the show, and on October 28 the show was taped inside UPMC SportsWorks at Carnegie Science Center.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Carnegie Science Center are committed to the
North Shore, to Pittsburgh and to their many collective fans. Together they are a winning team.

The Miniature Railroad & Village Is Getting Ready for the Holidays

Pittsburgh’s great tradition continues as crews diligently prepare for this year’s unveiling of the new additions and the kick-off to the holiday
season. On November 21, replicas of a local
castle and a once-famous "ship" hotel will debut at Carnegie Science Center’s Miniature Railroad & Village.

The George Westinghouse “Castle,” a National Historic Site in Wilmerding, served for nearly a century as the Westinghouse Air Brake Company’s general offices and is now the George Westinghouse Museum.
“ It's time for the Miniature Railroad & Village to salute George Westinghouse Jr. and his contribution to Pittsburgh and the world,” says Mike Orban, the exhibit director.

Indeed, the Miniature Railroad & Village is the perfect place for the Castle site since Westinghouse patented several railroad-related inventions including the air brake in 1869 and the interlocking signal system. Westinghouse also organized the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, established the Pittsburgh-based Union Switch & Signal Company, and founded Wilmerding in 1890.

The model of the U.S.S. Grand View Ship Hotel, once located along the Lincoln Highway/Route 30 west of Bedford, Pennsylvania, is the second Miniature Railroad & Village model created by Mayor Tom Murphy. A famous landmark on the nation’s first highway until it was recently destroyed by fire, the ship-hotel offered a spectacular view of three states and seven counties.

Those who can’t get enough of the Miniature Railroad & Village will be thrilled to hear that longtime sponsor Lionel is producing a line of MRR&V animation replicas. Debuting this year are Mr. Spiff & Puddles (the dog wetting on the tree), Playtime Playground Set, Duck Shoot Gallery, and the Charles Bowdish Homestead. Four more replicas, complete with the Miniature Railroad & Village name and Carnegie Science Center logo on the packaging, will be created annually. Prices range from $69 to $149 with five percent of all royalties supporting the Miniature Railroad & Village.

And don’t forget to stop by the XPLOR Store and grab a Miniature Railroad & Village 2003 Lionel Boxcar, the fifth in the series.

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