The Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown is reopening next month – and Philadelphia-area families may want to add it to their rotation of activities.
The interactive science museum has moved to a new, 67,000-square-foot location — about more than twice the size of its old facility. It's smaller than the Franklin Institute, which boasts about 400,000 square feet of exhibits, but CEO Lin Erickson said it boasts new technology and immersive experiences that make it worth the trip for science-minded kids and adults.
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"You wouldn't expect the Lehigh Valley to build something the size of the Franklin, but I would say that we had a green field and could design and build the Science Center to accommodate the latest and greatest in technology and experiences," Erickson said. "So it's cutting-edge technology and immersive experiences that I don't think that Franklin has right now."
The new, $65 million location, at 815 W. Hamilton St., is expected to attract about 400,000 visitors each year. Visitors can create their own flying machines in a flight exhibit inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci, learn about engineering with the help of an animatronic dinosaur, take a journey through the human body and check out a model of the local watershed, complete with wildlife.
It also has a space for traveling exhibits. Up first is Dinos Alive! The exhibit more than 30 life-sized dinosaurs on display.
The Science Center, established more than 30 years ago, most recently operated at a building at Cedar Crest College. Erickson said the museum had outgrown that space. Administrators began looking into an expansion plan about 10 years ago.
"We outgrew that space because of great interest in the kinds of exhibit experiences and programming that we were offering," Erickson said.
They include Curiosity Hall, where visitors can draw a self-portrait and design a flying machine. There's projectors everywhere, according to Erickson, and the immersive experiences makes visitors feel like they're flying over the Lehigh Valley as they spot local landmarks.
The human anatomy exhibit provides insights into the body, including how to take care of it. Visitors can walk through a 20-foot-tall model that includes an odorized intestinal tract, the cardiovascular system and the brain/nervous system.
The Lehigh River Watershed exhibit recreates a Pocono ravine, which has a waterfall, four river otters, turtles and fish. Visitor also can wander through a model cave and check out stalactites and stalagmites.
The museum recognizes Lehigh Valley's manufacturing history with Science in the Making, an exhibit that showcases engineering concepts. Kids can control parts of an 8-by-11-foot dinosaur, play the pipe organ and learn how solar energy works.
"Our manufacturing industry is actually growing," Erickson said. "It's not shrinking, and we want to show that off and we want kids and families to be aware of the jobs and opportunities in manufacturing."
The center is primarily designed for families, but Erickson said the new space allows the museum to broaden its audience slightly. At the Cedar Crest location, the museum was geared toward preschool and elementary students, but the new space allows for programming that appeals to teens and adults.
The museum reopens May 22. Tickets are $20 per person for people ages 3 and up. There are $3 tickets available for people with Access or EBT cards. Memberships start at $85 and include free admission.