Take a look at the political and educational landscape of the 1960s to understand what led to the rise of the hands-on education movement. Discover the challenges and successes as Marilynne Eichinger shares her story and those of eleven passionate but inexperienced museum directors, board volunteers, and National Science Foundation directors who revolutionized the teaching of science. In response to the latest research on child development and how people learn, they developed interactive, self-teaching exhibits. As a result, the original twelve science centers grew to almost 2,900 worldwide. Their efforts laid the foundation for hands-on experiments in the school science curriculum. The second edition of Lives of Museum Junkies continues the story up to the COVID era. Whether you're interested in starting a museum or want to learn about what happens behind the scenes, this award-winning book is a must-read.

Eichinger brings a unique perspective to her writings as founder and past president of the Impression 5 Science Museum in Lansing, Michigan, and President of The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. You will discover how the navy was talked out of a submarine and why an autistic child spoke for the first time on a science center visit. See who kept NOVA from being canceled when Congress disagreed with an investigative reporting style that explored sensitive subjects. You may cringe at how the Playboy Bunnies were involved in fundraising for a new museum. Eichinger's stories are humorous as she candidly shares mistakes, bloopers, and difficulties in starting a museum.