Okay, Exhibits might not be the right word. Exhibits are things you can't touch or go near. These are more like having your own personal research labs and creative workshops. And the best part - there are more than 150 of them to get your hands on and your head around. Create your own experiments. Test your own prototypes. Build your own inventions. Immerse yourself in new experiences using the hottest high tech tools. Your biggest challenge? Where to begin the adventure.
Every day we offer floor activities, demonstrations, group challenges, and one-on-one investigations to help you uncover deeper science aspects behind our exhibits and shows. Programs are led by our Gallery Scientists. These folks are the brains of this place. They get jazzed when a new meteor is sighted, a new genetic code is unlocked, or a new device is invented. Got a question? They've got an answer. Or they know where to find it. So ask away. We dare you to stump them. Click here to learn more about our Gallery Scientists and programs.
NOW OPENOur newest featured exhibit offers a playful look at how biology and engineering are coming together to close the gap between reality and our robotic dreams. Build your own jitterbug robot. Visit Low Life Labs and find out what robot designers are learning from ants, cockroaches, and other simple forms of
life.
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NOW OPENVisitors of all ages can explore the science behind lasers – 50 years after their invention.
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Forces of nature. Adventure-filled. Balls of energy. It's hard to tell if we're describing our gallery for kids age 3 - 6, or the kids themselves. That's the beauty of this whimsical space that features “I Spy” author Walter Wick's search-and-find activities; swirling, whooshing and cascading water play areas, plus a hands-on magnetic ball wall. Actually, it's all hands-on to invite experimentation, discovery and interaction.”. READ MORE >
What can the power of the wind, magnets and robotics do for you? Find out as you compete against other individuals and groups to see who can keep their motion-related designs flying longer, racing faster or shooting straighter. Then head to our “Drop Zone” and use the motion analyzer to check out the effects of gravity on various objects in super slow motion. If it moves, we've got it covered. READ MORE >
Check out this edgy mashup of art and music and science. We've got exhibits where you can actually feel sound. We've got others where you can hear light. You'll use lasers, sophisticated software and the movements of your own body to create perfect harmonies in all kinds of musical stylings, plus multisensory performance art experiences. By comparison, those rock and roll video games are just posing. READ MORE >
This entire exhibit defies explanation as easily as it defies gravity. Examine the moon's ancient craters up close. Strap into your flight chair and take control of the world's first ever Mars Flyover. Venture to a Black Hole (we don't mean your sister's closet). Check out a supernova as you navigate your way through the galaxy. And that's just the beginning of the bizarre phenomena you'll see on this space odyssey. READ MORE >
Most people probably don't consider scientists to be creative types. Mad perhaps, but not creative. The thing is, the process of developing new products, new theories, new substances and new uses for items that no one has ever thought of or attempted before, is by its very nature, creative. In this hands-on gallery featuring inventions and inventors from Connecticut, you'll get to explore and demonstrate for yourself the process of invention. READ MORE >
When it comes to our health, the choices are dizzying. You've got your low-carb, high-protein, toxin-cleansing diet regimens. Those are followed by your hot yoga, power-spinning, strength-training workouts. This exhibit promotes an understanding of the latest research and technological advances so you can more easily distinguish between bad health habits and good ones that will truly better the quality of your life. READ MORE >
Most of us will never compete in professional sports. But that doesn't mean we can't benefit from the technology they employ. Like, wouldn't it be great to have your own personal coach? How about videos and computers to review your biomechanics? And let's not forget advanced gear from equipment designers. This gallery offers it all. Unfortunately, we can't offer a multi-year, million-dollar contract to go along with them. READ MORE >
If you travel through New England, you can't keep from journeying alongside or crossing over the Connecticut River. Many of us do it twice a day without giving it a second thought. But we should. New England's largest river is vital to our history, our economy, our ecosystems and our future energy needs. In this exhibit you'll enjoy an immersive and interactive exploration of its entire 400-mile trek. No wetsuit required. READ MORE >
There's one thing you can bank on about the Earth. It's always changing. Some times it's in small, everyday ways, like with our weather. And sometimes it's in huge, epic ways like when tectonic plates shift, causing earthquakes and tsunamis. Yet, in the middle of all this change there are people who try to predict what the future holds for us. In this exhibit, you get to step into their shoes and decide what will happen next. READ MORE >
Solar panels. Wind turbines. Hydropower. Fuel cells. Biomass products. These are just a few of the alternative energy technologies you can try out in this exhibit. Play "energy watt" pinball. Calculate your personal carbon footprint. Add up the savings of certain "smart energy" behaviors. And tour virtual town settings to measure the effect of our "energy" uses and how they impact the triple bottom line of people, planet and profits. READ MORE >