Sylvia de la Piedra

Sylvia de la Piedra develops and evaluates learner-centered science exhibits at the Exploratorium. As a Research Associate in the museum’s Department of Visitor Research and Evaluation, she studies visitor learning and makes recommendations for iterative improvements to interactive science exhibits.

She collaborates closely with the Exploratorium’s Living Systems team to develop inquiry-driven experiences about the natural world. She has contributed to the design and evaluation of multiple exhibits that integrate AI, including object detection and generative AI, to support visitor learning. Sylvia holds an MS in natural resources management from Texas Tech University.

Sylvia de la Piedra will be speaking at the Museum AI Summit 2026 :

Meaningfully Integrating AI into Exhibits

Wondering whether artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance your visitors’ experience at an exhibit? Learn from our projects incorporating object detection AI into microscopy exhibits to support visitors in interpreting visually rich phenomena. We’ll cover our research-through-design process to build, test, and iterate upon an exhibit with integrated AI, the tools we developed to facilitate that rapid iteration process, and the lessons we learned along the way.