David Chesebrough Discusses the Future of COSI | ColumbusUnderground.com

David Chesebrough Discusses the Future of COSI | ColumbusUnderground.com

By Walker | February 22, 2010 8:45am | Filed under Features | Comments

It seems like only yesterday, but COSI, the Center of Science and Industry has spent a full decade in their current location on Broad Street in Franklinton. Many people have fond memories of the original location while many more have spent the past ten years making new memories in the new building. More recently, COSI has begun growing in new directions which include the addition of new industry-partnership exhibits to showcase cutting edge technology, new programming geared more for teenagers and adults, and finding other ways to leverage their leadership position to help positively shape the future of our city.

We recently sat down with COSI President & CEO David Chesebrough to discuss the past, present and future of this Columbus institution.

Walker Evans: Around 75% of the readership of Columbus Underground falls into the 22-40 year old age range. How does this demographic fit at COSI?

David Chesebrough: In the past we marketed ourselves so well as a family destination that we’ve gotten “boxed-in” in a lot of people’s minds as that venue. Many people think that they can only come to COSI when their kids are between two and twelve and that’s it.

That’s never been the reality though. We have a significant number of adults and couples who come in. We’ve strategically looked at that. I have what I call the “cradle to career continuum” that I want the staff thinking about. Ideally, in my mind, you’re coming with a child, he’s two, he comes to COSI, and you do your family thing. When he gets to about age 12, that’s when we switch over, and we’ve created a whole array of teen programs. You’ll start to see more and more young people on the floor. So, we’re hanging on to them in their teen years. We’re now starting to build more and more partnerships with OSU and young professional groups, so what we’d like to see is when your kid is 18 and going to OSU, maybe he’s up there working in the labs because he’s volunteered and he’s interested in research because we’ve inspired him through his years at COSI.

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