Profile of Wayne LaBar

Wayne LaBar is the Vice President of Exhibitions and Theaters and is in charge of overseeing the thematic content, exhibitions, large format film program, graphic design and overall design aesthetics for the Liberty Science Center. Within this role, Wayne is spearheading the development of a suite of new experiences that are part of a multi-year experience renewal program that will transform Liberty Science Center. These include experiences such as Breakthroughs, Infection Connection, Skyscraper! Achievement and Impact, Our Hudson Home and Communication. The goal of the renewal is to make the informal experiences for the general visitor more relevant to their everyday life, to address the ongoing developments in science and technology and to enhance the learning and aesthetic environment found at the center.

Wayne leads the division that manages the development, design, fabrication and operations of those experiences intended to meet the science center’s mission with respect to its audience of families and the general public who visit onsite, offsite and online. This includes two-dimensional and three-dimensional design, featured experiences, theater operations and family/adult programming. He is part of senior management at Liberty Science Center, reporting directly to the President and CEO of Liberty Science Center.
Wayne joined Liberty Science Center in 1999 from The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California – in the heart of Silicon Valley. The Tech Museum opened in 1998 to international acclaim as a state-of-the-art science center facility with over 180+ exhibits that cover cutting edge technology and science. In his five-year tenure as Director of Exhibits and Director of Exhibit Implementation, Wayne’s responsibilities included oversight of the development, design, fabrication and all other aspects of implementation for all exhibits that were part of this new facility.

Originally from New Jersey, Wayne has a Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering (1986) from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Prior to joining The Tech Museum in 1994, Wayne began his career as an engineering trainee (1982-1985) with the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and then as a research assistant (1987) with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. Between 1987-1992, he had project responsibilities at the then-new Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh that included a wide range of experience in exhibition development, budget management and grant writing. Between 1992-1994, Wayne was with Krent/Paffett Associates, Inc., based in Boston, where he had project management responsibilities in exhibition design and development. Clients included the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, North Alabama Science Center, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Science and Technology Museum of Atlanta, Tampa Museum of Science and Industry and Missouri Botanical Gardens.

> Onomy Labs begins creation of T2ST - largest initial Exhibit Commons piece

To fully convey the drama and significance of breaking news in the fields of science and technology, the multi-element artwork, T2ST: The Times Square of Science and Technology, will replicate the sizzling excitement of Manhattan's Times Square, but with a breathtaking originality. It will be the cornerstone of a groundbreaking exhibition, known as Breakthroughs, which will be on view at Liberty Science Center in Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ when it re–opens in July, 2007 following a $104 million expansion and renovation.

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The philosophy, inspiration and initial concept of the Exhibit Commons is described in a white paper "The Exhibit Commons — Liberty Science Center's Open Source Exhibit Initiative and Community" by Wayne LaBar.

Click here to download.