High School Explainers, the Exploratorium’s youngest employees, are a diverse group of students who engage visitors at exhibits, lead demonstrations, and run many museum operations. Some are interested in science; all have a spark for learning new things. In keeping with the Exploratorium’s philosophy, they build their own skills while learning to help others.

The High School Explainer Program makes students part of the museum staff, giving them the important responsibility of being the museum’s primary point of contact with visitors. The Explainers learn about exhibits and facilitate visitor-exhibit interactions; open and close the museum; run daily demonstrations (including cow’s eye, heart, and flower dissections); find lost children; evacuate the museum during emergencies; and more.

Three groups of High School Explainers fill over 130 paid positions a year. More than 3,500 students have participated in the program since its inception in 1969, when the Exploratorium first opened.

Explainers are trained in a variety of subjects and are given a lot of responsibility for handling complex interactions and museum operations. Two or three times a week, they meet with science educators, exhibit builders, and other staff. They’re trained in many subjects and are given a lot of responsibility for handling complex interactions and museum operations. The training is focused both on science content and exhibit facilitation. As part of museum operations, Explainers also learn how to effectively respond to visitors’ needs and safety.

Explainer diversity is a crucial part of the program and one of its greatest strengths. Each group of Explainers is comprised of teens who are very different from each other. They come from a variety of cultures, sexual orientations, and ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds, reflecting the population of the Bay Area. This diversity offers an enriched learning environment where teens can explore science, gain job skills, and learn how to work with people they might not otherwise meet.

For many students, this work-based learning program is a first-time work experience. Their interests vary. Some Explainers are knowledgeable in the sciences while others have strong skills in dealing with the public. The program directors look for students who have a spark for learning new things and a desire to work with people.