The Exploratorium launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to support a Living Innovation Zone (LIZ), a public space that harnesses collaboration between the community, innovators, and the City to enhance the public good, foster learning and sharing, and showcase innovation. The 45-day crowdfunding campaign kicked off on September 5th, with the goal of raising a total of $75,000 for its Exploratorium Living Innovation Zone.

Instigated by the Mayor's Office of Civic Innovation, San Francisco's Planning Department, and Better Market Street architectural advisors, Gehl and Associates, the LIZ program is a framework that allows groups to use city public spaces to prototype and demonstrate innovative solutions that improve the physical realm. The Exploratorium Living Innovation Zone will be the first LIZ to open to the public, on October 29, 2013. Designed by the Exploratorium’s Outdoor Design Studio team, the Exploratorium Living Innovation Zone will be a dynamic public space installation bringing new life to the street while offering an innovative lens through which passersby can see the neighborhood and natural phenomena in new ways.

The Exploratorium’s online fundraising campaign will include such benefits as sketches of the Exploratorium Living Innovation Zone by the Outdoor Studio design artists ($55 level), exclusive ringtone compositions by Exploratorium sound artist Wayne Grim ($25 level), or behind-the-scenes tours of the Exploratorium and its exhibit design shops, along with a 3D-printed exhibit model ($500 level).

For more information or to contribute to the fundraising campaign, please visit www.exploratorium.edu/LivingInnovationZone.