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R. Millis (Lowell Observatory)
About seven years ago, Lowell Observatory initiated an effort to greatly expand its educational facilities and programs. Since that time, a 6500- sq. ft. visitor center has been built, 2200 sq. ft. of interactive exhibits have been developed and installed, and a 16-in Boller and Chivens telescope has been erected for education. As a result of this progress, many new educational activities are now available both on and off the Observatory campus. Development of new offerings for K--12 students has been particularly aided by IDEAS grants. These grants have supported teacher workshops, creation of pre- and post-visit materials for classroom use, and monthly visits by Lowell astronomers to schools on the Navajo and Hopi Indian reservations. In this talk, I will discuss our motivations and experiences in seeking to develop a high-quality, self-sustaining program of informal and K--12 education at a research observatory. The specific ways in which IDEAS grants have fostered this development will be highlighted.