▁who ▁sought ▁to ▁expand ▁upon ▁the ▁" S cience ▁Disc overy ▁Room ▁Program " ▁they ▁developed ▁at ▁Central ▁Element ary ▁School ▁( now ▁called ▁B ever ly ▁J . ▁Martin ▁Element ary ▁School ) ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s - 1 9 8 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁an ▁ad ▁was ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁I th aca ▁Journal ▁inv iting ▁any ▁individual ▁interested ▁in ▁starting ▁a ▁community ▁science ▁center ▁to ▁meet ▁at ▁the ▁local ▁public ▁library . ▁From ▁this ▁group ▁emer ged ▁a ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors , ▁which ▁laid ▁the ▁foundation ▁for ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁organization . ▁ ▁Early ▁Oper ations ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁Sci en center ▁was ▁som atic ▁nom adic ▁as ▁its ▁gallery ▁spaces ▁moved ▁among ▁several ▁don ated ▁store front s ▁in ▁dow nt own ▁I th aca . ▁The ▁first ▁exhibition ▁space ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁at ▁ 2 0 0 ▁East ▁Buff alo ▁Street , ▁in ▁space ▁don ated ▁by ▁Sci arab ba ▁Walker ▁and ▁Co . ▁When ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁had ▁to ▁move , ▁it ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁find ▁free ▁space ▁in ▁the ▁old ▁H ic key ' s ▁Music ▁Store ▁on ▁South ▁Ti oga ▁Street . ▁Vol unte ers ▁built ▁exhib its , ▁a ▁small ▁museum ▁store ▁was ▁added , ▁and ▁schools ▁were ▁invited ▁to ▁bring ▁classes ▁for ▁hands - on ▁programs . ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁membership ▁and ▁attend ance ▁grew