3 story museum
IMAX theater
2 story entry pavilion
234,000 total square feet
The new California Science Center (CSC) replaces the original California Museum of Science and Industry, which was closed by the State Architect in the late 1980s because of seismic concerns. The new CSC is a three-level, concrete shear wall facility exploring the creative aspects of science. The north wall of this building is a strengthened and restored wall, which was part of the original historic structure. A large wedge shaped skylight rises 40 feet above the center atrium space. In addition to the museum building, an adjacent 400-seat theater with a 70 foot high movie screen adds an additional 17,000 square feet
to the project. Linking the museum and the theater is a 100-foot diameter exposed steel rotunda entry pavilion. This open structure has a perforated metal skin on a steel cross brace lattice that forms the seismic resisting system for the structure.
