by Taylor Lieuwen
Daily Lobo
Explora Science Center and Children's Museum is for kids of all ages.
The museum, at 1701 Mountain Road N.W., offers exhibits that effect change not only in the viewer, but in the exhibit itself. When the next person interacts with an exhibit, there is evidence of the previous interaction. This cycle continues infinitely.
"Once you touch one of our exhibits, you change it forever," Explora external relations manager Ellen Welker said. "It's your personal experience rather than something like a road exhibit."
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One of the newest exhibits, "My Chain Reaction," lets people create elaborate setups in which one action spurs the next, using everything from plastic funnels to wind-up Jeeps. It includes wooden levers and parts built in the museum's woodshop.
The museum uses simple materials. As a nonprofit, it must keep its expenses down, but that doesn't mean the exhibits are less complex, Welker said.
The museum lowers expenses by recruiting, training and retaining a dedicated staff of volunteers, she said.
About 160 volunteers work at the museum, said Drora Schub, Explora volunteer manager. Most volunteers work with visitors and museum-floor staff to enhance museum visitors' experiences, Schub said.
The most elaborate reactions in "My Chain Reaction" involve falling blocks, careening marbles and simple robots that keep the reaction going.
In "Systems in Motion," museum visitors use pegboards to build systems of levers, pulleys and gears. An exhibit on sound allows visitors to observe a cello string vibrate in slow motion using a light-and-mirror contraption.
The museum hosts many activities targeted to kids, including the "Experiment Bar," a daily event that exposes children to a different topic each week. But adults are also encouraged to visit the museum, particularly on Explora's adult nights.
"The reason we do adult night is just to remind people that we have many adults that come, and many people have the perception that it's more for kids," Schub said. "(We want) to remind them that adults need to have fun, too. And usually, there is music and things that we don't do otherwise. When people come with children, they feel like they have to focus on the children and don't have time to try anything."
Groups can sign up for overnight camp-ins where they're allowed plenty of crowd-free time to explore and interact with museum exhibits and participate in classroom activities.
The museum theater plays movies for adults every month.
"We not only allow you to come in and experiment, but we as staff experiment, too," Welker said. "This is probably my favorite job ever."
The museum emphasizes the interactive aspects of its exhibits.
"We're very - not just hands-on - we want people to jump in and enjoy," Schub said.
Explora Science Center and Children's Museum
1701 Mountain Road N.W.
Monday-Saturday
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday
Noon-6 p.m.
Adults - $7
Children - $3
