Arts History

The Exploratorium takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the world—and from the very beginning, artists have played a vital role in shaping the museum’s public offerings and learning methodologies.

When the Exploratorium officially opened in 1969, visitors were treated to Cybernetic Serendipity, the seminal exhibition of art, science, and technology curated by Jasia Reichardt for the Institute of Contemporary Art in London. Soon after, in 1974, the creation of an artist-in-residence program made dialogue and collaboration possible between artists and other interdisciplinary thinkers including scientists, engineers, educators, and inventors. By the late 1970s, the Exploratorium had established itself as the home for a burgeoning countercultural art scene.

Over the last forty-plus years, the Exploratorium has presented the work of hundreds of artists and cultivated a unique working environment for artists interested in cross-disciplinary investigations and hybrid approaches. Learn more about arts projects by visiting Current Artists-in-Residence.