Stories
Do you remember your first time coming to COSI? Were you a volunteer or there for one of its camps? If you have a personal memory or story about a trip to COSI (it can be anything any length), just post it below. You can also post your memory/story at the Facebook group The Old COSI.
(Jan 10, 2011) Lori McCracken Zeswitz said:
My first trip was in the late 1960's. I loved "The Triumph Of Man" and the nickelodeon on "Main Street." My father was one of the chief consultants for the underground coal mine exhibit. I got a 'sneak preview' tour just before it opened to the public -- early 1970's??
(Dec 9, 2010) Jack said:
I was only at the old COSI once or twice, in the mid 90s, but this site has jogged my memory, and I remember more than I thought I did. The old building seemed more active, more scientific, and a little less sterile than the current structure. Very neat site, hope to see more soon!
(Oct 27, 2010) Ian Sherman said:
-The various LIMITEDSPACE exhibitions: Mission to Mars (which featured a computer console bank, one of which had an animated man (whom I think resembled Louis Rukeyser) in the lower left corner of the screen; Square Wheels (which made me feel like I was in a car production plant); Whodunit? ("From the Channel 9 News Desk, I'm Brenda Waters..."); Liquid Vision (I used to be scared of the entry capsule, but everything else was HOT: the band room where it always seemed like "Louie Louie" and "U Can't Touch This" where THE songs for the exhibit, the neon fireworks shoot-'em-up game, and even a bank of monitors that played CGI animation); Movie Special Effects (particularly, the kitchen counter scene where we were all tiny and about to become victims of a cockroach chef puppet);
-KIDSPACE/FAMILIESPACE: I mostly enjoyed the water play areas (never forgot about the smocks you had to don), the playhouse, the Kids' Office, the rubber ball coasters, and of course, the Crystal Cave! I even recall that killer train set (complete with model McDonald's and hot-air balloon), the band room, the TV newscenter, the height-measuring robot, "Heart Television", the baby-doll ambulance, the Walking Piano, the antigravity mirror, and the Time Tunnel--especially the "Today and Tomorrow" film played at the end, featuring Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" (which was also used in commercials for Riverside and Grant Hospitals).
-The Village of Yesteryear (we caught some of Dream Land's films, and delved into the Cracker Jack collection), the Planetarium (not much memories about that one, but I do remember the purplish backdrop), Angler Ted's Pier, and the Stock Market exhibit
-"Touch Ohio State", Recollections (Ed Tannenbaum FTW!), Capturing Your Shadow ("Get ready: 3, 2, 1..." *FLASH!*), and everything on the first floor.
Plus many more!
(Oct 18, 2010) Stephanie McGowan Moidel said:
I was a student volunteer at COSI from 1968-1971 and racked up well over 1000 hours. We visited the new COSI this weekend (October 17 2010) with our daughter who is a freshman at Ohio State.
The new COSI is an excellent museum, but I will admit I miss the Planetarium, the Durel Stree of Yesteryear and the Weather Station. There was a lot more human interaction between the staff (both professional and volunteer) and visitors.
We used to do a weekly forecast from the Weather Station and actually had a better accuracy rating than the Weather Service (in those days the forecast was done by the Cleveland office). I also lectured in the Planetarium and remember many happy days spent working on the shows with the staff. The demonstration in the Durel Street of Yesteryear were popular both with the visitors and volunteers. We learned to make candles, paper, spin wool and linen and weave. The Progress section is nice, but not nearly as much fun as the "Street" was.
Like most volunteers, COSI had a big impact on my life. I learned public speaking, made friends, met celebraties (we had Joel Gray visit) worked hard and played hard. I left COSI in August 1971 when my family moved to St Louis. I've often though of COSI over the years, especially when we visit a planetarium.
And I used the skills I learned in my career. I am a Process Control Engineer & Project Engineer (I attended OSU and studied Physics & Mechanical Engineering) for a company that makes cleaning products. Public speaking, being able to organize a presentation, and explain complex ideas are all skills I first learned at COSI.
(Sept 19, 2010) Todd Dobbs said:
Wow, this really takes me back. I volunteered over 1,000 hours under the supervision of Jan Davidson, worked as a paid part-time employee working with Jarvis (who could ever forget Jarvis?), and once I graduated from OSU I took a full-time position as a volunteer coordinator as the old COSI entered its final days, and the new COSI was under construction. I won't even try to post every person, memory, and event that impacted my life there, there's just not enough time to compose such a long history. I will simply say that the old COSI impacted my life in a very positive way, and the skills I gained working there have been a great aid to me in my current profession as a college professor. My fondest memories of COSI are of the people I worked with, they all shared a passion for learning and sharing knowledge that influenced my desire to be a teacher. I also loved having the opportunity to be the "Rat Man" for several years, training rats to play basketball for the old COSI, and for the traveling exhibitions all over the country that included rat basketball. I also enjoyed helping the Toledo, OH COSI set up their rat basketball program (nothing like being paid to transport a rat athlete to another team). I lost track of how many shows I delivered there, but my favorites were the Rat Basketball show in the Animal Lab, and the Perception & Optical Illusions show in the Bodyworks Theater (that I had to earn 500 hours of volunteer service to be qualified to deliver). I still proudly wear my old blue lab jacket that I rescued from the shredding pile during the move when I work in the photographic darkroom where I teach, and every once in awhile I run into a student here in Denver, CO who actually visited the old COSI, it's a small world indeed.
The old COSI had a heart and soul that sadly didn't translate to the new COSI, unfortunately when COSI moved down the street, Columbus lost a bit of its character in the process. Cheers to the original COSI!
(Sept 18, 2010) Stacey Dobbs said:
We loved the old COSI!! I haven't even been to the new one, even though my husband worked there. Todd volunteered there starting at age 12, and worked there as the volunteer coordinator after he graduated from OSU until we moved to Colorado.He was also the guy who taught the rats to play basketball.
(Sept 4, 2010) Dan said:
I first visited COSI in the mid to late seventies as a child. We were living near Cleveland and visiting friends in Columbus who took us there. I can most vividly remember the Coal Mine (who can forget!) and the Street of Yesteryear. We moved to Columbus in '79 - after which I visited COSI many times throughout my middle and high school years. A number of high school friends volunteered there, although I never did. As a student at OSU (class of '89), I don't think I ever made it there, although I did go once or twice in the 90's after I moved to Maryland.
I haven't been to the New COSI yet, but I will always remember the old COSI. It was a real gem!
(June 23, 2010) Brooke said:
I can not begin to tell you how glad I am that I found this website. I have MANY wonderful memories of visiting the old COSI as a child. It was my favorite place!! When I heard COSI was moving (and supposedly improving) I was so excited. I visited the new COSI as an adult with my husband and left in tears. It was NOTHING like the old COSI that I had loved so much. I often picture the old COSI in my head from memory and try to explain to my young neices how wonderful it was. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to look at some pictures and bring back some of those wonderful memories! Thanks so much!!!
(June 16th, 2010) Jessica Cranmer (Henning) said:
Wow! I can't believe no former volunteers have posted here yet. I LOVED the old COSI. The new one is so impersonal and way too big. The old one was smaller, yes, but it meant that everyone who worked there knew each other. We were a close-knit group. I worked in LimitedSpace and loved every minute of it. My first exhibit was MindZone. I remember working with a few of the kids from CAHS (who scared the living daylights out of me at the time, I was homeschooled and had never encountered someone with purple hair before). We used to swap ghost stories about the building... My favorite thing to do was to sneak downstairs on my break and grab my snacks and head out to the caboose. I used to sit in there my whole lunch break, reading or hanging out with my other volunteer friends. I made a lot of great friends there and have a lot of good memories.
(April 21st, 2010) Liz said:
I went there when I was like 3 or 4 and there was this giant lava lamp thing and a spider exhibition? RIng any bells?
(April 21st, 2010) Joe said:
I love your site! Some of my fondest memories of my childhood was visiting COSI, either with my family or on a class field trip. My favorites were the planetarium and the Gemini capsule. I remember seeing the giant human eye ball and the optical illusions. It was a major event every year we went and forged my enthusiasm for science, history, and space to this day.
The new COSI is but a shadow of it’s former self, particularly with the absence of the planetarium. A fine institution in itself but I’ll always have a soft spot for the classic building.
(Febuary 17th, 2010) Brad said:
I miss the old COSI so much. I went there numerous times as a kid. My fondest memories are Cub Scout lockins when we could spend the night at COSI. That excited me so much! I also loved all the exhlibits in the entrance as well as the Coal Mine and the Street of Yesteryear. I remeember once going to a lockin with my best friend. He had just moved to Columbus and never been to COSI while I had many times. He took his family back the next day because he was so excited to see it again!
I have started a Facebook group which was mentioned called "I Miss the Old COSI"
(September 19th, 2009) Sarah said:
I used to go to the old COSI all the time as a kid. My favorite memories are of Girl Scout overnights. It was so exciting to be allowed to run around without any adults. We brought home hermit crabs or butteflies from the workshops. I also loved the "cafeteria." I loved the pictures of food on the walls, the lights that looked like wagons and the clear water fountain as well as picking out my food, and feeding change into the machines. I remember my little sister thought we were really going down in the elevator to the coal mine. I loved going on a real caboose at the end just up the stairs from the mine. I feel like I really learned at the old COSI. There was a lot more about Ohio history and industry. Now that I have a son I miss it more than ever.
(August 28th, 2009) Eric said:
The first time I went to COSI was with my aunt and uncle when the dinosaurs visited. I remember being scared of them at the time, but think I enjoyed the trip. I was really excited when they came back.
My second trip is a day I’ll never forget. I was about 5 and went with my mom and sister. It was raining the whole day. I remember it being an absolute blast. When we went to what was then Big Kids Space on the 3rd floor, I remember playing in the house that eventually ended up in on the other side in (what was then) Little Kids Space. I pushed the doorbell and heard thunder at the same time. I thought that was the sound it made. I remember trying to get it to make that sound again later without any luck. When we got home that night, the rain flooded our basement badly. Needless to say, it’s a day that has always stuck with me.
One of the coolest things to me as a little kid was the vending machines in the basement. It’s weird, but getting to choose the food out of them and sitting down there and eating was always a big highlight for me. I especially loved eating by the food groups wall.
To see the guestbook which was posted here originally, click here.
Second image and flashing image on this page came from an older COSI website (www.cosi.org) and was found using the Wayback Machine. First image was scanned.