Information Privacy Statement
Contents
- General Privacy Statement
- Notification of Changes to this Policy
- Information Collected by the Museum
- Information Submitted by Third Parties
- Personal Information Collected by the Museum Online
- Other Information Collected by the Museum Online
- The Science Museum Adult Computer Education Center
- Cookies
- SSL Encryption
- Children's Privacy on the Web
- Use of Information
- Sharing of Information
- Use of Postal Address Information and Opt-Out
- Use of Telephone Numbers and Opt-Out
- E-Mail Correspondence, Newsletters, and Informational Updates
- Reviewing Information
- Third Party Mailing Lists
- Compliance with this Policy
General Privacy Statement
The Science Museum of Minnesota is committed to its mission to "Turn on the science: realizing the potential of policy makers, educators, and individuals to achieve full civic and economic participation in the world." As an element of its operations in pursuit of that mission, the Science Museum routinely collects contact and other personal information from or about its constituents. The Science Museum recognizes and respects the need for privacy and security with information of this kind. The Science Museum is committed to following both the letter and the spirit of all laws governing its operations, including those pertaining to privacy and use of information.
The following privacy policy describes the Science Museum's current policies and practices with regard to information collected from and about its constituents. Unless otherwise indicated, all procedures apply to information collected online (via the Internet, World Wide Web, and e-mail) and offline (via postal mail, telephone, fax, and in person). The collective term "constituents" is used to refer to Science Museum members, donors, Web site visitors, students, retail and rental customers, gift recipients for whom personal information is required, people who respond to offers sent by mail, people who request that information about the museum be sent to them, and all others from whom we collect information in order to provide requested services and products.
Notification of Changes to this Policy
To further its mission and better serve its constituents, the Science Museum is continually improving and adding new functionality and features to its Web site and improving and adding to its existing services and programs. Because of these ongoing changes and the changing nature of technology, the Science Museum's information practices will change from time to time.
If and when its information practices change, the Science Museum will post the policy changes to its Web site to notify its constituents of the changes and, where appropriate and practical, give them the opportunity to "opt-out" of the new programs and practices. If you are concerned about how your personal information is used, please check back at the Science Museum's Web site frequently or contact the Membership or Development Office; ACEC students should contact the ACEC directly.
Information Collected by the Museum
The Science Museum currently collects constituent contact information (such as street address, phone and fax numbers and e-mail address); transactional information (such as information collected in connection with the purchase of tickets, memberships and member programs, retail purchases, and class registrations); information collected in connection with newsletter and e-mail subscriptions; and information about donations made to the museum. Additional information provided by the constituent-such as responses to survey information and information collected to fulfill requests for information about the Science Museum-may also be added to museum databases. The Science Museum supplements its databases with commercially available marketing information about individuals whose names are already in its databases.
Information Submitted by Third Parties
If, for example, a constituent purchases a gift certificate or reserves a ticket for someone else, or registers someone else for a class, the Science Museum collects not only the information the constituent provides about him or herself, but also the information the constituent provides about the other person. All of this information is subject to the practices within this policy. Gift memberships and class registrations are acknowledged by mail; advanced reservations are not. To inquire about information provided about you by someone else, please contact the Membership or Development Office); ACEC students should contact the ACEC directly.
Personal Information Collected by the Museum Online
The Science Museum collects the personal information constituents specifically provide when they visit our Web site. This includes, for example, the information constituents provide when they purchase a membership or merchandise, register for a class or complete a survey. In addition, our e-mail newsletters and information updates often contain hyperlinks to additional information on our Web site and elsewhere on the Web. The museum currently uses technology to track how often these links are used and which pages particular e-mail subscribers choose to view. The museum uses this information to compile statistics, improve these e-mail services and customize our future communications with e-mail subscribers.
Other Information Collected by the Museum Online
The Science Museum uses technology to collect a wide range of statistical information about the use of our Web site. For example, we currently use technology to determine how constituents access the Web site (this information may include the name of the visitor's Internet service provider or the type of Web browser used) and which pages they view. This technology does not identify constituents personally - it simply enables the museum to compile statistics about our site visitors and the use of the site.
The Science Museum Adult Computer Education Center
The Science Museum Adult Computer Education Center (ACEC) operates an educational facility at the Science Museum and a Web site at http://comped.smm.org. Please refer to the privacy policy posted on the ACEC site for details about its use of information, or contact the ACEC directly.
Cookies
Cookies are alphanumeric identifiers that are transferred to your computer's hard drive through your Web browser to enable our systems to recognize your browser. The Science Museum currently uses cookies to store constituents' preferences and record session information such as items that consumers add to their online shopping carts in the ticketing area or while registering for classes. Cookies are also used to record page location to assist with navigation and menus on our site.
SSL Encryption
The Science Museum currently uses Secure Socket Layering (SSL) to encrypt certain types of sensitive information, such as financial information, while that data travels over the Internet.
Children's Privacy on the Web
The Science Museum encourages families to visit the museum's Web site together as a shared activity, and the museum abides by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Currently, the only time the museum knowingly collects personal information through its Web site from children under 13 is when it receives requests from children to join a Science Museum educational mailing list. In order to register online for an educational mailing list, any visitor under age 13 is required to provide a valid e-mail address for his or her parent or legal guardian. The parent or legal guardian receives e-mail notification with information about the educational mailing list as well as instructions on how to remove the child from the mailing list at any time. The Science Museum does not knowingly transfer the names of anyone under the age of 13 from its educational mailing lists to its general mailing lists.
In compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, we do our best to delete any information we inadvertently collect from children under the age of 13 who visit our Web site as soon as we gain actual knowledge of its existence. If you learn or suspect that your child has provided personal information to the Science Museum during one of his or her visits to our Web site, please contact the Membership or Development Office or, if your child visited the ACEC site, please call the ACEC directly.
To learn more about how to protect your child's privacy on the Web, please see "A Parent's Guide to Online Privacy" from the Center for Media Education at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/kidzprivacy.
Use of Information
The Science Museum currently uses the information it collects about its constituents to provide the products, services, and membership benefits our constituents request, to tailor marketing and fundraising contacts with specific individuals or groups of constituents; to administer science museum programs, to improve museum services and offerings; to improve the museum's Web sites and electronic communications; and to improve operating procedures to better serve constituents.
Sharing of Information
The Science Museum currently shares its mailing and telephone lists with other museums, sponsors and other organizations, subject to the safeguards described below ("Use of Postal Address Information and Opt-Out" and "Use of Telephone Numbers and Opt-Out"). The museum does not share its mailing and telephone lists with political candidates, parties or campaign organizations.
The Science Museum currently shares aggregate information, such as attendance figures, marketing and fundraising response rates, online session data and group demographics, with other museums, sponsors, and other organizations. This information does not personally identify any of the museum's constituents.
The Science Museum may share the information in our databases with outside vendors and organizations that provide support services to us or that help us with our marketing and fundraising programs.
In addition, there may be some other, limited circumstances in which the Science Museum may share or transfer the information in its databases, for example, to respond to judicial process, to comply with state, federal or local laws, to protect the security or integrity of its databases or its Web site, to take precautions against liability, in the event of a corporate reorganization or, to the extent required by law, to provide information to law enforcement agencies.
Use of Postal Address Information and Opt-Out
The Science Museum collects and maintains in its databases the names and postal addresses of many constituents. Science Museum constituents may receive periodic mailings from the museum with information on new products and services, upcoming events, or requests for donations to the museum. If you do not wish to receive such mailings, please contact the Membership or Development Office; ACEC students should contact the ACEC directly.
The Science Museum of Minnesota currently shares constituent postal addresses with other museums and organizations with which it partners for specific uses such as marketing, sales solicitations, and fundraising. The Science Museum only shares its mailing list for a specific purpose, and a qualified list broker or vendor administers the use of the list. The broker or vendor does not share Science Museum constituent information directly with a museum partner. Rather, the broker or vendor uses the lists to mail materials provided by the partner to the people on the mailing list. The broker or vendor then deletes the information provided by the Science Museum from its databases. Thus, our partner only has access to personal information provided by individuals who chose to respond to the mailing.
If you do not want your name and postal address shared, please contact the Membership or Development Office; ACEC students should contact the ACEC directly.
Use of Telephone Numbers and Opt-Out
The Science Museum collects and maintains in its databases the names and telephone numbers of many constituents. Science Museum constituents may receive telephone calls from the museum with information on new products and services, upcoming events, or requests for donations to the museum. If you do not wish to receive such phone calls, please contact the Membership or Development Office; ACEC students should contact the ACEC directly.
The Science Museum of Minnesota currently shares the names and telephone numbers of constituents with other museums and organizations with which it partners for specific uses such as marketing, sales solicitations, and fundraising. A qualified list broker, vendor, or contractor acts as an intermediary and administers the use of our telephone list. The broker, vendor, or contractor does not share Science Museum constituent information directly with our partners. Rather, the broker, vendor, or contractor uses the information on the lists to contact Science Museum constituents on behalf of our partner. After the broker, vendor or contractor has made contact with the constituent, it deletes the information provided by the Science Museum from its database. Therefore, our partner only has access to personal information from those constituents who respond affirmatively to a phone call made on behalf of the partner.
If you do not want your name and telephone number shared, please contact the Membership or Development Office; ACEC students should contact the ACEC directly.
E-Mail Correspondence, Newsletters, and Informational Updates
The Science Museum of Minnesota does not share constituent e-mail addresses with third parties and does not send unsolicited e-mail. E-mail addresses provided to the museum are used for sending responses to questions and queries, providing purchase and registration confirmation, and communicating follow-up information. The museum also sends e-mail newsletters and informational updates to those who request them. Constituents who receive e-mail newsletters and updates may request to be removed from these lists at any time. Instructions on how to do so are provided within the message.
Reviewing Information
Upon request, the Science Museum does its best to provide constituents with access to their own unique identifier information (e.g. member ID number), contact information (e.g., name, address, phone number, e-mail address), and a description of other information that is maintained about them. The Science Museum does its best to correct any inaccuracies that are brought to its attention. Constituents who wish to review this information may contact the Membership or Development Office; ACEC students should call the ACEC directly.
Third Party Mailing Lists
When the Science Museum uses mailing lists provided by other organizations, a qualified list broker or vendor administers the list on behalf of the Science Museum. The broker or vendor does not share information directly with the Science Museum. Rather, the broker or vendor uses the list to mail materials provided by the museum to the people on the mailing list. The broker or vendor then deletes the list from its database. The Science Museum therefore only has access to personal information from those who respond to a mailing. When it receives a request to be removed from a mailing list that is administered by a third party, the museum forwards this request to the third party, but the museum cannot ensure that names will be removed from third party lists.
Compliance with this Policy
The Science Museum of Minnesota is very sensitive to concerns regarding privacy of information. The museum will review its practices regularly to make sure that they continue to be in the best interests of Science Museum constituents, the museum's mission, and the citizens of Minnesota whom the museum serves.
If you have questions or comments about this policy, please contact:
Science Museum of Minnesota
Attn. Senior Vice President for Museum Enterprises
120 West Kellogg Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55102