The Science Mine began in the 1990s as a gleam or a dream in the eyes of a few individuals in Butte, Montana, where children could interactively play with and experience the wonders and sometimes counterintuitive nature of the world around them. At the risk of omitting some of these early contributors, individuals who played a role in these early beginnings of the Science Mine include Patrick and Marilyn Kujawa, Andrea and Don Stierle, and Doug Coe.
A seminal moment in the history of the Science Mine occurred when Nick Kujawa (Patrick and Marilynn Kujawa’s son) renovated the historic Sear’s Building at 36th East Granite Street in Butte into a five-story apartment complex which also included the rebirth of the former Hennessy Market on the first floor and the rental of approximately 10,000 square feet of space in the basement of this building that would provide a home for the Science Mine. The Science Mine opened its doors to the public in this space in 2011.
The Science Mine operates as a 501-3C non-profit registered with the State of Montana and is governed by a volunteer approximately ten-member Board of Directors. Board of Directors might not be the most descriptive term as the “Board” oversees and actively engages in all of the activities of the Science Mine, including staffing the Science Mine when it is open, hosting birthday parties and school visits, building and maintaining exhibits, participating in community events and Saturday Markets, recruiting volunteers, writing grants, and constantly seeking sustainable funding. The Science Mine currently supports over 50 active experiences.