Science World Fun
Having fun learning about science
through interactive exhibits at Vancouver’s Science World
Science museums, especially those with interactive displays, puzzles and games, are fun. They are great places to take children. I rediscovered this fact when my husband and I took our daughter to Science World at TELUS World of Science in Vancouver, British Columbia. Never mind that she was twenty-five years old.
“Nothing is as it seems and everything requires thinking” is the introduction to information about the Puzzles and Illusions Gallery on Science World’s website. In this gallery, you can work through puzzles of varying difficulty levels involving shapes, illusions and more.
The BodyWorks section of the museum challenges us to discover the ins and outs of the human body. You can power a drum with your heartbeat, see how high you can jump and learn many other things about our bodies.
Mindball is a game based on EEG (electroencephalography) feedback that measures changes in focus and calmness. Participants wear a headband with sensors and focus on a small ball that moves away from them. Becoming distracted or agitated causes the ball to regress to its starting point. I don’t remember if I was Player 1 or Player 2 in the above photo, but I suspect I was the more distracted one.
A sample of interesting body facts found on one of the displays:
∼ The enamel on your teeth is the hardest material in your body.
∼ About one in ten people are left-handed.
∼ A strand of straight hair is a round shaft. Wavy hair is oval and curly hair is rectangular.
∼ One in 100 people are believed to have two different coloured eyes.
The BMO Sustainability Gallery focuses on how our choices create a sustainable future. The Eureka Gallery contains experiments with water, light, sound and motion.
Noting that science parallels art in many ways, both in subject matter and sources of inspiration, Science World partners with local artists to showcase different works of art in changing exhibits.
It portrays our interdependence with single-use plastic.
Creepy, but effective.
I’ve highlighted only a small sample of exhibits and information at Science World. In addition to the touring the galleries I’ve mentioned, you can build something with KEVA blocks, visit a chicken coop and explore environmental exhibits along an outdoor trail. Special events occur throughout the year. Fun for children and adults of all ages.
Science World is situated in a beautiful location along the False Creek seawall.
Have you visited BC Science World? Do you another favourite science museum or science exhibit?
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I’m hardly a kid, but I would love this! I think the last science museum I visited was in Washington DC when I was high school!! Back then, they had no interactive things at all. I love that these kids have that now. And I should find one:)
The interactive displays are always fun, aren’t they Jacquie?
Looks like great fun! Love that kind of museums. The science museum in London had something similar for small children that we took my nice and nephew to when I lived there. Have actually found a place online where I can l learn the basics of coding in one hour. Considering that it’s for 8 year olds I should be able to pick something up:-). Once I master that I can just keep on learning more advanced coding.
Catarina, it’s great to visit places with children – they often remind us to have fun too. Good luck with your coding course. Given how tech-savvy children are these days, a course geared to 8 year-olds may still have some complexities.
Donna, this is great and I wish I had access to it for our grandchildren. What a wonderful time they would have. I love the way in brings out the ‘happy child having fun’ in your daughter. Thanks for sharing, this goes to Twitter and Pinterest for sure.
Lenie, I love your phrase “happy child having fun”. I think that is why I wanted to include the photos of my daughter in this post – her face said it all.
This looks like a great museum! I’d love to take my kids there, and I found those facts about the body so interesting. Your daughter is a great sport to be your guinea pig/model!
Meredith, we all had fun trying out the various items and games.
My husband would LOVE that museum, so definitely not for kids. It seems like you all had a good time. I remember going to a science museum called The Franklin Institute when I was a kid and loving it. It is great that these science museums make learning science fun.
Erica, we all had a good time. The learning can be fun.
Science museums are indeed a lot of fun. I’ve often thought they should have a late night for adult only so we could get at all the games and not have to defer to the children in the facility.
Ken, BC Science World does an After Dark adults evening once every two months.
This looks like a great place to visit. We like to visit science museums. Our favorite one in San Francisco, California called Exploratorium. We didn’t know what to expect and ended up spending the entire afternoon there. Thanks for sharing your great find.
Sabrina, it’s fun to find you enjoy a place enough to spend the afternoon when you hadn’t known what to expect, isn’t it?
This looks like the best science museum ever! I haven’t been to one in a long time and I imagine they are all getting more fun and interactive. My kids are 46 and 48 and probably won’t go with me but I don’t think I really need a child to accompany. Nice to have one along to pose for pictures though.
Beth, we sometimes forget we don’t a child to accompany us to attractions like this, but children somehow help us unlock the child within us.
I love the Discovery Center in Boise and have taken every family member when the come to visit. The displays bring out the sense of curiosity and wonder that adults might be be readily in touch with. My mom had a blast and I hadn’t seen her smile so much and laugh so much in years. Queue that song, “Let it go…”
Jeri, the Discovery Center in Boise sounds like fun. As adults, we need to do more things to bring out the sense of curiosity and wonder.
Your daughter is beautiful! I have one the same age. You must be GREAT company Donna, I can’t imagine my joining me on a museum outing, well, unless the Mall was part of the package. I really miss going to Discovery Museums, I took my kids when they were young to the one in Philadelphia and they loved it. But it was nothing like the Vancouver site, that looks spectacular!
I’m not sure about the great company part, but my daughter enjoys museums for the most part. Of course, she can also spend time at the mall.
Great photos and fascinating stuff. I see that the centre has a geodisic dome, one of my favourite structures. You’re never too old to learn new factoids or challenge your mind with a cool puzzle or game. I’ll bet you and your lovely family had a blast!
Krystyna, I agree that geodisic domes are great structures.
Your daughter’s so beautiful, Donna! It’s great to see that I’m not the only one that still enjoys going to science museums even as an adult. It’s both nostalgic and fun at the same time.
Thanks Adele. Sometimes adults need to remember the fun of being a child.
Oh I’ve been here Donna and you are so right it is absolutely wonderful no matter what your age! In fact I was there with a group of sales managers from Hawaii and we had a blast. Great photos as always. 🙂
It would have be fun to see that group of sales managers having a blast.
Amazing museum, I wish i can visit it someday! Thank you for this great article.
Thanks Red.
The science museum looks pretty fun. I’ve been to ones in Atlanta and Washington D.C.
Thanks Jason.