Oklahoma Science Museum

Every aspect of our world, from the daily weather to the massive rockets that take astronauts into space revolve around one thing; Science!  Welcome to the Oklahoma Science Museum, the place where anything and everything about science is located.  Here, you will find so many interactive exhibits that to do them all would literally take more than a day. You can learn about Earth sciences, which involve oil, earthquakes, and learning the effects of erosion. Or perhaps you're more into the weather, where you can play the part of a News Channel 4 Weather man, make fog, or feel the effects of winds at more that 50 mph. If you want a more, shocking experience, check out the tesla coil.

Every where you go there is always something to learn....even in the bathrooms, believe it or not. If you want to see science in action then check out Science Live. Here you can see everything from Fire Tornadoes to Liquid Nitrogen bottle bombs. 

Once you leave the Science Live, stop by for a bite to eat at Pavlovs Cafe. Named after famous Russian Scientist Ivan Pavlov, this cafe is sure to leave you drooling at the ring of a bell. The burgers have an excellent taste as do the french fries. Next to the the cafe is what I like to call Train Town. An authentic 1929 Pullman first class business car is available for tours on certain days and times of the year. Ninty percent of everything in the car is original so they will ask that you not touch or sit on anything.

After you exit the train car, be sure to check out the massive model train layout, complete with operating trains, and a little town that has a few interactive features to it.  Next up is the Aerospace exhibit.  Here you will find some truly wacky planes and see a few familiar ones such as the Fokker dr1 Triplane, similar to the one the infamous Red Baron flew back in World War I.

Since this is the OKLAHOMA Science Museum, you are sure to find artifacts from the USS Oklahoma, the naval battleship that was so heavily damaged that it capsized at Pearl Harbor as a result of the Japanese attack in December 1941.  Four hundred and twenty-nine officers and crew died that day as a result of the attack.  Inside the museum, they have a large model of the actual USS Oklahoma next to the ships control wheel. Outside of the museum you can find the two massive anchors, the ships bell, and one if its propellers.

Exhibits here always changing.  The old exhibits are sometimes being upgraded, and new special exhibits are being introduced for a limited time. This month (December 2012) they have 3 such exhibits, here for only a short time. In the first one, you can learn how to become a CSI agent and learn how to listen to the details people give about an unknown criminal, visit an autopsy room, take finger prints, and other details about being a criminal investigator. 

The Second Exhibit has to do with the science of Geometrical shapes. There are two parts to this exhibit, both are on the second floor but only one part is interactive. The other shows geometric patterns in various forms of technology. 

The third and final temporary exhibit is what I like to call the Trash or Treasure exhibit, It takes everyday stuff like cardboard boxes, aluminum cans, etc. and turns them into works of art. 

On the second floor of the Museum is the Mindgames room, the space exhibit, and the Gymnast Hall of fame. In the mind games room, prepare to have your mind teased and tricked with various optical illusions. For instance, in the optical illusions below, can you count the black dots in the first one?  Are the water wheels moving in the second one?

In the Space Exhibit, you will be able to see a replica of the first man made satellite, Sputnik, which was built and launched by the Russians.  See how the spacesuit has developed over the years, and even take part in a few interactive space experiments. You can also take a ride in a simulator of a Mercury Capsule, which was part of the Mercury Project, the first American human space program. 

There are even activities for the younger at heart.  For small children, there are two kiddie play areas that will keep your child busy till it's closing time. There is also the tinkering garage, where your child can learn to build things such as My Little American Flag using a giant light brite board....good times.  For some of the older kids, check out the Segway riding track. It really is a neat little device, unless you drive off a cliff.

 One of the major attractions is the Omnidome, where you can watch various films ranging from the deep ocean exploration to their latest video, Storm Chasers. Last but not least, even if there is cloudy weather in the forecast, there is never such a thing in the planetarium. Every day you can see what the night sky looks like without all the light pollution.

Before you leave, be sure to visit the gift shop so you can take some interesting science experiments home with you. I promise it will be a blast...literally.

Entertainment: 5

Education:5

Price: 3

Cafe: 4

Gift shop: 3

Overall: 4

Additional Information

Address
2100 Northeast 52nd Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73111

Hours of Operation
Mon - Fri: 9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sat: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sun: 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Prices                                 Adults                 Seniors                Child
Exhibits + Dome                 $15.95                $12.95               $12.95
Exhibits Only                      $11.95                $ 9.95                $ 9.95
Dome Only                          $ 8.95                 $ 6.95                $ 6.95

For more information on upcoming events, visit: www.sciencemuseumok.org