IDEA Lab

Think. Create. Innovate.

Step inside a world of science, art, engineering and design where you will explore with familiar materials and construct your own understanding of the world around you.

In this learning world, you will experience interactive exhibits and up-to-date technologies. Make a car and race it down a track, create your own animated cartoon and design a structure that can withstand the force of an earthquake.

Light up your imagination in the most creative place in town – IDEA Lab.

Take a Virtual Tour

Explore IDEA Lab

IDEA Lab is made up of three levels of experience - the permanent exhibit area, a tinkering space and the Think Tank. The mix of permanent features as well as rotating activities and workshops allows you to explore your favorite features and have a new experience each time you visit.

Presented By:

Science Society

Supported By:

Exhibits

Air Cars

Build a car from the wheels up to race down a track against your opponent. These cars are't powered by gasoline, fuel or battery power – they are propelled by pressurized air! Attach a plastic bottle to your car, pump it full of air and send it racing down the track! Experiment with the design of your car and the pressure of the air in the bottle to make your car the winner. Using Newton’s Third Law of Motion, racers will learn about the equal and opposite forces propelling the car down the track.

Animation Station

Bring the stories inside your head to life with stop-motion animation. Explore the process of animation, story creation, animator techniques and tools. As the animator, you can choose the objects, backgrounds and sound effects to create your video. Move the objects on the stage and capture a series of still frame images to create your story. Explore how altering a few images can change the meaning of your story.

Circuit Table

Become an electrician and build circuits using different electrical components like lights, switches and fans. Experiment on your own or get help from circuit diagrams that illustrate how to build specific circuits. Explore how your circuit works using a voltmeter and ammeter.

Flying Things

Discover the power of air pressure and resistance, and how subtle changes in shape and direction can have dramatic effects on aerodynamics. Experiment with a variety of materials and shapes to create objects that float, spin, hover or even shoot out the top of our giant wind tunnel!

Marble Run

Send your marble racing down a plank, spinning into a funnel and bouncing off rubber bands as you create a path that twists, turns and races across a pegboard. Our giant marble wall has plenty of room for you to create your own run or collaborate with others to create one giant marble run. The variety of items allows you to redesign your path and experiment again and again.

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