Exploratorium’s Unplug and Play in monochrome: A photo essay

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CSO) — The Association of Science and Technology Centers held its annual conference in San Francisco from September 5 to 8, 2025, bringing together science engagement professionals from museums, science centers, and allied organizations. The 2025 theme focused on connectivity.

As part of the conference excursions, the Exploratorium hosted Unplug and Play at its Pier 15 campus. The open-house event combined live music, food, and informal exploration, inviting attendees to move freely through the Exploratorium and engage with 700+ interactive exhibits spanning science and technology across multiple dimensions.

In this setting, the attendees were themselves science engagement professionals whose work I am drawn to documenting. This created an opportunity to document the space and observe practitioners making connections with one another and with exhibits designed for curiosity and play.

This photo essay presents Unplug and Play in monochrome.

An exhibit showcasing a rotating zoetrope where stroboscopic lighting makes stationary figures appear animated. (CSML Video/Fanuel Muindi/Sept 6, 2025)

Connections are formed and strengthened amongst exhibits, food, drinks, and more. (CSML Video/Fanuel Muindi/Sept 6, 2025)

Fanuel Muindi

Fanuel Muindi is a former neuroscientist turned civic science ethnographer. He is a professor of the practice in the Department of Communication Studies within the College of Arts, Media, and Design at Northeastern University, where he leads the Civic Science Media Lab. Dr. Muindi received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and PhD in Organismal Biology from Morehouse College and Stanford University, respectively. He completed his postdoctoral training at MIT.