This science museum gets young minds working with activities that range from designing an architectural wonder to watching a 3-D movie.
Hands-on learning laboratories and multimedia experiences make Discovery Place an exciting learning experience for kids and their families. It’s located right in the heart of uptown Charlotte, near Freedom Park, and is perfect entertainment for a rainy day.
Get a scientific glimpse into diverse ecosystems in World Alive, which is inhabited by sharks, stingrays, reptiles and birds. Take some field notes on the swing bridge or in the researchers hut at this exotic explorers’ outpost. Visit the Explore More Life Lab to test, observe and interact with animals in their habitats.
The Think It Up lab provides fun opportunities to experiment with different materials in creative ways. Make your own footwear, craft stop-motion animations, and create music with the movements of your body in a motion-sensor room. Sculptures made from paper float through the Air Tubes before being shot out at the top to float back to earth.
Project Build encourages budding architects to create floor plans and buildings using computer programs. Try your hand at building the Eiffel Tower using Build It blocks, or construct a shelter out of pipes and netting.
Once you’re done inventing, lie back and enjoy the immersive experience of the IMAX cinema. The latest 3-D movies feel close enough to reach out and touch them.Exhibits change regularly at this museum. There’s easily enough activities to fill half a day. Whether testing materials, building, lying on a bed of nails, or investigating forces, Discovery Place teaches kids about their world through experimentation and play.
Discovery Place is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. Paid parking is available in the lot behind the museum. There is light rail stop two blocks from the museum. The museum’s entry fee doesn’t include the IMAX movie experience.
