WHAT'S NEXT?

50 Years of Inspiring Curiosity & Innovation 

RICHARD CONTI
Chief Wonder Officer
Science Museum of Virginia

The Science Museum of Virginia is preparing to celebrate five decades of inspiring curiosity across the Commonwealth. At our next meeting, we will learn how the Museum continues to evolve, change perspectives, and create new opportunities for learners of all ages—while looking ahead to the next 50 years.

Our speaker is Richard Conti, Chief Wonder Officer and director of the Museum. Since jtaking on that role in 2008, Rich has led one of the Commonwealth’s premier educational and cultural institutions, with a focus on inspiring curiosity, expanding access to science education, and creating opportunities for lifelong learning.

Before entering the museum world, Rich began his STEM career as a U.S. Naval Aviator, serving as a Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) in the F-14 Tomcat. He is a graduate of the Navy Fighter Weapons School, TOPGUN. As the Science Museum prepares to mark its 50th anniversary in 2027, Rich is leading a growing, multi-site science museum system focused on enriching the lives of Virginians through science literacy.

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SCIENCE MUSEUM OF VIRGINIA

2500 West Broad Street

The Science Museum of Virginia occupies Richmond’s historic Broad Street Station, a grand neoclassical passenger depot that operated from 1919 to 1975. The Museum brings together more than a century of transportation history, with trains, an aircraft, a submarine, and a spacecraft among its artifacts.

We will enjoy pastries and coffee in the Rotunda, an architectural marvel featuring a breathtaking five-story dome ceiling with a Foucault pendulum as its unique centerpiece. Our program will take place in the RF&P Forum, adjacent to the Rotunda and originally the dining room of Broad Street Station.