Mid-America Science Museum facts for kids
| Established | 1979 |
|---|---|
| Location | 500 Mid America Blvd Hot Springs, Arkansas |
| Type | Science museum |
The Mid-America Science Museum is a super fun place located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It's a science museum where you can explore over 100 different exhibits. Many of these exhibits are "hands-on," meaning you can touch them and try things out yourself! Some of the museum's original exhibits were built way back in the early 1980s.
Cool Machines and Electric Fun
The museum is home to some amazing machines created by an artist named Rowland Emett. These are called "kinetic sculptures," which means they are sculptures that move! One of his most famous creations there is The Featherstone-Kite Openwork Basketweave Mark Two Gentleman’s Flying Machine. You might even recognize some of his other inventions from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, where they were used by the character Caractacus Potts.
One of the most exciting things you can see at the museum is a huge, cone-shaped Tesla coil. This incredible machine can create a massive 1.5 million volts of electricity! It's a truly electrifying experience to watch.
The museum building itself was finished in 1982. It was designed by architects from Boston and Jonesboro.
Finding the Museum
The Mid-America Science Museum is built in a beautiful, wooded park. It's about 6.5 miles west of downtown Hot Springs. You can find it on Mid-America Boulevard, just off Arkansas Highway 227.
A Big Makeover for the Museum
In November 2011, the museum received a huge grant of $7.8 million. This money came from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. It was given to help renovate the building and update the exhibits. The museum needed to raise $1.6 million on its own to get this grant.
The museum closed for a while to get its big makeover. It then re-opened its doors on March 7, 2015. When it opened again, it had 75 brand-new exhibits! These interactive artworks were installed by experts from the Exploratorium's Global Studios team. Many of the museum's older exhibits were also fixed up and made new during this renovation.
A very generous donation from the Oaklawn Foundation in 2013 helped the museum reach its fundraising goal. This donation allowed for the creation of the amazing Oaklawn Foundation Digital Dome Theater. This theater has surround sound and a huge 180-degree screen. It can seat up to 50 people. The digital system was installed by Sky-Skan. The Digital Dome shows programs that teach both kids and adults about space exploration and the night sky.
WDD Architects designed and built a special outdoor walkway called the Bob Wheeler Science Sky-walk. This walkway connects the museum to the nature around it. It's 32 feet high and has its own hands-on exhibits. This unique structure offers a fantastic outdoor adventure for everyone visiting the museum. The Hot Springs Advertising and Promotions Commission helped fund this exciting addition.
