Leslie Center History
Our History: The Leslie Legacy
Our Mission
Leslie Science & Nature Center creates moments of discovery that inspire curiosity, exploration and respect for STEM and the natural world.
Our Vision
Leslie Science & Nature Center envisions a world where curiosity today leads to more purposeful lives tomorrow.
Our Statement of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility
The Leslie Family
From 1923 through 1976, Dr. Eugene and Emily Leslie lived in a home surrounded by fields, prairie, and woods that had views of the City of Ann Arbor. Dr. Leslie was active in the field of chemical engineering and was a professor at the University of Michigan. The Leslie property was the headquarters for much of his pioneering work that developed new technologies, such as no-knock gasoline. Additionally, he and his wife Emily planted fruit trees and sold apples, peaches, cherries and raspberries. They raised Hereford cattle, hogs, and the feed to supply the animals. They built additional buildings on the site - the honey house (now the Critter House), the spray house, and the farm cottage (now the caretaker's cottage).
Emily Leslie was enthusiastically involved in community projects. She was active in the Ann Arbor Garden Club and the National Farm and Garden Association.
Click here to read the illustrated history of the Leslies and the evolution of LSNC.
The Enduring Gift
The Leslies enjoyed having neighborhood children play on their land. The Leslies wanted to preserve their land for children and decided to deed their property to the City of Ann Arbor with a request that it be used for children. Emily and Eugene Leslie died within a few months of each other in 1976. Upon their death, the land and buildings were passed on to all of the citizens — especially the children — of Ann Arbor. With this gift, the City established Leslie Science Center in order to provide children with an opportunity to explore the rich natural resources around them. Today, the Leslie legacy is extended through the generous gifts of caring individuals who share this vision. Your donation will help sustain Leslie Science & Nature Center for generations to come.
A Vision Takes Shape
In 1983, the City of Ann Arbor developed a Master Plan to reinforce the educational value of the property and honor the legacy of Dr. and Mrs. Leslie. This plan developed into educational programs that became very popular. These programs took place in Dr. and Mrs. Leslie's house (the Leslie House) and in their garage (now our office and our first Critter House), but the space quickly became inadequate. The Center needed a new building. A team of visionary architects, dedicated City staff, and committed citizens worked together to design a building that would meet this need. They worked to create a building that honors the past, the present, and the future of the Center. The DTE Energy Nature House was built in 2000 on the footprint of Dr. Leslie's original laboratory building, and serves as a guide and a reminder to live lightly on the land. The DTE Energy Nature House features photovoltaic arrays, composting toilets, a grey water planting bed, and recycled materials. At this time, the Honey House was renovated for our new and improved Critter House. These three indoor spaces serve as launching pads for our school groups and camps. With the Critter House now in its permanent home, we renovated the first critter house to provide space for public reception, office staff, and our store.
Sustaining the Vision as an Independent Nonprofit
In July 2007, Leslie Science Center separated from the City and became Leslie Science & Nature Center — an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This allows you to receive a tax benefit for your contribution to LSNC. This transition provided the Center with the best governance structure for a sustainable future. The City continues to own and maintain the buildings and grounds.
As we look to the future, we're immensely grateful for the vision of the Leslies and the gift it has been to the thousands of children, families, and individuals who have come to play, learn, and explore the wild and wonderful landscape!
Our Annual Report
We invite you to review our most recent Annual Report from 2012-13. It was a great year, full of big changes, plans, and improvements. One big change was that we shifted our fiscal year to align better with the school year - our mission overlaps with education at all levels and ages, but since we support so many classrooms and schools, it made sense to get into step. As a result, the 2012-13 Annual Report is an overview of a ten-month transitional year, and numbers are a little different from a twelve-month year.
Museum Profile
The mission of the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum (AAHOM) is to create moments of discovery that inspire curiosity, exploration, and respect for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and the natural world. We envision a world where curiosity today leads to more purposeful lives tomorrow. Thanks to a steadfast belief in the power of STEM when placed in the hands of pre-K through 8th graders, we enjoy one of the highest annual attendance rates at a science center in the State of Michigan: over 350,000 visitors in the last year. We have over 7,500 family members, demonstrating the value they find in our exhibits and programs.
AAHOM opened nearly 40 years ago in an historic firehouse in downtown Ann Arbor and quickly became the cornerstone of informal science education in the community. This was achieved by working with scientists, artists, designers, engineers, and innovators who transferred their extraordinary talents and knowledge into the creation of simple, effective science exhibits that can be understood by children, their families, and audiences of all ages. Following several expansions, AAHOM now occupies 40,000 square feet, with 20,000 devoted to exhibit space for 250+ interactive exhibits designed to promote science discovery and literacy.
Nearly six million visitors have visited AAHOM since it opened its doors in 1982, making it one of the most popular science centers in the State of Michigan. In the last fiscal year, October 1, 2018 – September 30, 2019, 78% of AAHOM visitors came from five counties in Southeast Michigan as follows: Washtenaw (32.6%), Wayne (24.2%), Oakland (14.2%), Livingston (3.6%), and Macomb (3.0%). Our education programs align with State of Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations and Next Generation Science Standards. Outreach and Distance Learning programs served over 30,000 individuals off site in FY19.
AAHOM is dedicated to ensuring that our doors are open to all children, regardless of ability to pay admission charges. We offer discounted or free admission to Title One schools, families with patients at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ronald McDonald House guests, Michigan EBT and Bridge Card holders, special needs children and adults, and ESL families. The Museum’s Discover Science Assistance Fund subsidizes Museum programming through on-site field trips, outreach, or distance learning programs, for schools where 50% or more of the students receive free or reduced lunch. Over the last fiscal year, we were proud to subsidize visits to over 200 schools, serving more than 15,000 students across 16 counties. We were able to accomplish this thanks to generous grants and donations to this fund.
We accomplish our mission through the combined effort of our incredible team of full- and part-time staff, educators, and volunteers. We also rely on the generous support of our community of donors who, through their investment, enable our organization to grow and serve our community in new and diverse ways.
Facts & Figures
Nearly six million people have visited the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum since 1982.
The Museum is a regional destination, drawing 55% of its visitors from outside Washtenaw County.
Annual attendance (onsite and offsite) has grown significantly in the last twelve years from 200,000 to 350,000 in FY 2019.
Family membership continues to grow, with over 7,500 members in FY2019.
Over the years, the Museum has received national recognition from the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Association of Science & Technology Centers, and the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration.
TechTwilight, our signature event continues to be incredibly successful with more than 1,500 people attending our 3-day event in 2019.
In FY19 the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum provided subsidies, thanks to the Discover Science Assistance Fund to over 200 schools, serving more than 15,000 students across 16 counties.
Our Outreach programs and Distance Learning programs reached more than 30,000 people in FY19.
Our Birthday Parties had more than 6,000 guests.