Lawrence Hall of Science facts for kids
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| Established | 1968 |
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| Location | Berkeley, California, United States |
| Type | Science |
| Public transit access | AC Transit #65 or UC Berkeley Shuttle |
The Lawrence Hall of Science is a super cool science center in Berkeley, California. It's a place where you can get your hands on science! You'll find awesome exhibits, learn new things, and even get help with your school projects. The Hall opened in 1968. It was named after Ernest Orlando Lawrence, a famous scientist who won a Nobel Prize. The center is located on a hill above the University of California, Berkeley campus.
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Discover Amazing Permanent Exhibits
The Lawrence Hall of Science has many exciting exhibits that are always there for you to explore.
Explore Earth with Science on a Sphere
- Science on a Sphere is a giant, interactive globe. It shows you real scientific data about Earth. You can see weather patterns, ocean temperatures, and how climate change affects our planet. You can also watch day and night views of Earth, and even see how tsunamis and hurricanes move. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created this amazing exhibit.
Learn About Forces That Shape the Bay
- Forces That Shape the Bay is an outdoor science park. Here, you can learn about the powerful forces that created the San Francisco Bay area. These forces, like earthquakes, still affect the region today.
See the Sun with Sunstones
- Sunstones is a huge, 18-foot tall sculpture made of granite. It was put outside the Hall in 1979. This sculpture helps you see how the sun moves throughout the year. You can even spot where the sun sets during the longest and shortest days of the year, called solstices.
Play and Learn in the Young Explorers Area
- The Young Explorers Area is a fun, hands-on play space. It's perfect for younger kids, like those in kindergarten and below.
Meet Animals in the Insect Zoo and Animal Discovery Zone
- The Insect Zoo lets you get up close with creatures like hermit crabs, Indian walking sticks, a tarantula, and hissing cockroaches.
- The Animal Discovery Zone is where you can learn all about different animals. Many classes are held here, giving kids a chance to watch and interact with animals.
Design and Create with Ingenuity Challenges
- Ingenuity Challenges offers a new design challenge every month. These challenges help you think like an engineer and solve real-world problems.
See a Giant Whale and DNA Model
- Pheena the Fin Whale is a life-sized model of a young fin whale. You can find her on the plaza outside.
- There's also a huge model of a DNA molecule on the plaza. It's so big, it's like looking at DNA 800 million times larger than real life! This sculpture is a favorite spot for young visitors to play.
Exciting Traveling Exhibits
Besides its regular exhibits, the Lawrence Hall of Science often brings in special traveling exhibits. These exhibits change over time, so there's always something new to see! Some past exhibits have included: Tony Hawk Rad Science, Dinosaurs Unearthed, Scream Machines: The Science of Roller Coasters, and Animal Grossology.
The Story of the Nobel Prize Display
In 2003, the family of Ernest Lawrence decided the Lawrence Hall of Science should keep his 1939 Nobel Prize in Physics. The Nobel Prize medal was put in a special display case. This was part of a permanent exhibit about Lawrence's life and work.
In 2007, the Nobel Prize medal went missing from its locked case. The police were called right away. A reward was offered to help find the medal and catch whoever took it. The medal is made of 23-karat gold and was worth about $4,000. This was the first Nobel Prize ever given to the University of California. Luckily, the prize was found, and a student was arrested. Now, a copy of Ernest Lawrence's Nobel Prize is on display at the museum.
Explore the Universe in the Planetarium
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An exhibit hall and the planetarium.
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Visitors use the Sunstones II to observe the winter solstice.
The Lawrence Hall of Science has its own planetarium, called the Holt Planetarium. It creates interactive shows for visitors. The planetarium opened in 1973. Its shows are special because they encourage the audience to participate. This new way of teaching astronomy has been copied by other planetariums around the world. In 2000, a science journal even called the Holt Planetarium "The Best Planetarium in the Whole World"!
The planetarium offers live, interactive shows that last about 25 minutes. They follow the Hall's idea of hands-on science education. You might get to find constellations or search for planets outside our solar system during a show.
Learning Materials and Programs
- Views from Lawrence Hall of Science
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The view of the San Francisco Bay from the Lawrence Hall of Science.
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View from the terrace.
The Lawrence Hall of Science creates many educational programs and materials. These include programs like Full Option Science System (FOSS) and Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS). These programs help students learn science and math all over the country and even around the world. The Hall is always developing new programs too, like Global Systems Science (GSS) and Hands-On Universe (HOU).
Fun Education Programs and Camps
The Lawrence Hall of Science has a big education department. They offer classes and day camps for kids and families all year long. You can learn about many subjects, like biology, chemistry, astronomy, math, robotics, and art. They also have summer camps in different places in California.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Hall had a special program called The Friday Project (FRID). It gave gifted teenagers free access to computers. This was a big deal because most homes didn't have computers back then. Kids in the FRID program could use advanced computer systems. These systems were pioneers for many things we use online today, like chat rooms, online testing, and even multiplayer games!
Professional Development for Teachers
The Lawrence Hall of Science also helps teachers learn new ways to teach science. They offer workshops and online courses for teachers who use the Hall's curriculum.
The Discovery Store
Don't forget to visit the Discovery Store! It has lots of cool science and math products for all ages. You can find science kits, educational posters, plush toys, and even astronaut ice cream.
Part of UC Berkeley
The Lawrence Hall of Science is the public science center for the University of California, Berkeley. The staff works with university professors to create exhibits and learning materials for families and teachers.
The Hall in Movies
The Lawrence Hall of Science has even been featured in movies!
- In the 1970 film Colossus: The Forbin Project, the Hall was used as the fictional command center.
- Parts of the 1971 movie THX 1138 were filmed there.
- You can see a quick shot of the Hall in the opening of the TV show The Bionic Woman (1976).
