On the second anniversary of its opening, the Science Center of Iowa announced today that its attendance to date has exceeded 1 million. The milestone was reached one full year ahead of the projections that leaders made when the center opened.

To recognize the achievement and thank the community for its support, SCI will host “Community Celebration Saturday” on Saturday, June 2, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free cake, special guests, free gifts and new live programs to complement the “Backyard Monsters” summer traveling exhibit will be part of the day’s events.

SCI opened its doors in 1970 in Greenwood Park. A $62 million capital campaign allowed the center to open its new downtown museum in 2005. Since moving to the new location, SCI has tripled its membership base to more than 7,000 families and has hosted more than 5,000 hours of live programming, including more than 50 new demonstrations.