Mission, Vision, and Values

The Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that operates the Children's Science Center Lab at Fair Oaks Mall and is building a world-class interactive science center in Dulles, Va. Our mission today allows us to serve tens of thousands of guests each year at the Lab and through our community programs delivered to schools, libraries and STEM festivals across Northern Virginia. The Children's Science Center Lab is an interactive museum where children, families, and school groups can explore science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts through fun, engaging hands-on exhibits, activities, and programs.

Our Mission

Is to inspire a love of learning STEM by providing unique opportunities to explore and create.  

Our Vision

Is to create a world-class interactive science center that ignites the curiosity in all of us. 

Our Core Values

Are Community, Fun, Excellence, Innovation, and Leadership. These core values serve as guiding principles for our employees, board of directors, advisors, and volunteers. We exemplify these values as we fulfill our mission, engage with our stakeholders, and recruit new employees and volunteers.

1. Community

We serve as the community anchor for STEM, filling a critical need in our region's learning ecosystem and leveraging our region’s unique STEM resources to deliver innovative and relevant content. We foster a sense of community for our region and our stake holders, including employees, volunteers, donors, children, parents, schools, teachers, and partner organizations. We believe in a community based on respect, trust, and teamwork. We are committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion to ensure we provide a space that is open, equal, and accessible to all. You can read more about our DEAI commitment here.

2. Excellence

We always strive for excellence and quality in all that we do by approaching our mission with passion, therefore ensuring a safe and productive learning environment. We act as stewards of our community. We delight our visitors, leading to sustained and repeat visits.

3. Fun

Learning should be fun. The Center provides experiential learning opportunities, problem-solving and design challenges, and creates fun memories that spark interest in STEM. Our employee and volunteer culture celebrate fun.

4. Innovation

We inspire future innovators by fostering creativity, problem-solving, and new ways of thinking. We are bold and take risks. We learn from our outcomes as we seek continuous improvement and relevance for our team, our organization and community. We are committed to our For Kids, By Kids design philosophy, capturing children’s input into every aspect of our facility, exhibits, and programs.

5. Leadership

The Center plays a leadership role as a catalyst of STEM interest, ideas, and conversations. We collaborate with the highest caliber of local and national partner organizations. Our employee and volunteer leaders are passionate about our mission and propel it forward with confidence. We are dedicated and demonstrate the highest levels of ethics, integrity, and accountability.