May. 16

School’s Out For Summer … Now What?

Even though the school year is coming to a close, there are still endless learning opportunities at the Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci). In fact, our summer camps (which begin June 24), are jam-packed with cool experiments, magical potions, crazy themes and interactive kids’ activities.

What makes our camp so great? We’ve got FUN down to a science, and our attendees will discover a new, engaging area of science each week. We differentiate the camps so kids are consistently learning and are NEVER bored!

While visiting with us, campers can learn:

  • All about amazing inventors, like Thomas Edison
  • The different types of rocks and how volcanoes are formed and erupt
  • How physics plays a role in building catapults and mousetrap cars
  • Why our solar system is so “out of this world”
  • What it’s like to be a forensic scientist and work a crime scene
  • How to defy gravity by building parachutes and other flying machines
  • About potions and the science behind magic
  • Why exercise and a healthy diet matters

The fun and learning don’t stop there…our campers will also get the chance to explore our more than 200 hands-on exhibits and even visit some nearby cultural institutions.

Programs run 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. with extended hours available from 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. for child care. For more information, click here.

Want more science fun this summer? Check out some of these children books:

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May. 3

Grab a Group and Explore Mi-Sci this Summer

Now that the weather’s heating up (finally!), we can’t help but think about all of our fun, summer plans at the Michigan Science Center (Mi-Sci). Every weekend, starting June 22, we will “Dig into Science!” and discover what lurks beneath our feet. Our calendar of events is packed with exciting programs where we’ll dissect earthworms, learn about burrowing animals, discover how caves are formed and much more. Plus, as always, films will be playing in the Dassault Systèmes Planetarium and Chrysler IMAX® Dome Theatre, and visitors can explore our 200 hands-on exhibits.

We’re especially excited to roll out our new traveling exhibit in mid-June. We know you’re anxious to hear what it is, but for now, let’s just say that visitors of all ages will be grooving to the beat of this interactive exhibit.

Groups are the way to go

Do you know what the best part is about Mi-Sci in the summertime? We’re open all week long! This means that if you come in a group (which can be less expensive and more fun), we have the flexibility to accommodate everyone’s schedule.

Who can bring a group? Anybody! Here are a few crowds we tend to see wandering around Mi-Sci:

  • Church members
  • Birthday parties
  • Community/senior center groups
  • Family reunions
  • School groups

Parties of 12 or more can call ahead, make a reservation and get a discount. Click here for more cost-saving information.

Remember, we’re here rain or shine!

Summer group trips

Apr. 8

Travel Into a Blood Vessel and Discover the Impact of Diabetes

If you’ve ever wondered what the inside of a blood vessel looks like – now’s your chance to find out!

Through May 26, Michigan Science Center visitors have the opportunity to walk through a giant blood vessel display to gain a better understanding of how your body works and the impact of diabetes. The sound track of a heartbeat plays as you enter the blood vessel and 40,000 LED lights pulsate, simulating how insulin helps glucose enter your body’s cells – how cool is that?

Did you know…?

  • Every 21 seconds, a person in the U.S. is diagnosed with diabetes
  • 230 million people have diabetes worldwide
  • More than 25 million Americans have the disease, with one-third of those cases going undiagnosed
  • One out of every three children in the U.S. have the chance of developing diabetes at some point in their life
  • For some ethnicities, one out of every two children are likely to develop diabetes
  • Diabetes is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S.

Why visit the exhibit?

This interactive, 2,500 square-foot exhibit, “Diabetes: A Deeper Look,” was developed by the right here by Mi-Sci. With 22 hands-on interactive displays both in and around the giant blood vessel, you can learn what diabetes is, who is at risk for developing the disease, what treatments are available and how to control blood sugar levels.

Some of the entertaining displays include a Rappin’ Refrigerator that raps about choosing the right foods, Sugar Gulp! where visitors can see the excessive levels of sugar used in soda and a Balancing Act exhibit which challenges participants to make it through an obstacle course. A Pharmaceutical Production Facility illustrates how drugs are made and a Research and Development Discovery Puzzle allows visitors to solve the puzzle to figure out what compound could help prevent diseases.

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Other resources

If you’re interested in learning more about diabetes (after visiting our Mi-Sci exhibit of course) visit the American Diabetes Association’s website, here.

Mar. 27

It’s a Twister! It’s a Twister!

Living in Michigan you may have a better chance of seeing a tornado on TV, the internet or in a movie (think The Wizard of Oz), than seeing one in person.

That’s why watching Tornado Alley – Michigan’s Science Center’s newest IMAX® film – could be your closest encounter with this high winds, destructive weather phenomenon. The film, which really needs to be seen in an IMAX® theater to feel the intensity, follows filmmaker Sean Casey (star of Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers series) on his journey to witness the birth of a tornado.

For more information on movie times, see our Chrysler IMAX® Dome Theatre page.

If you get a kick out of the film, or are looking for a fun project, consider conducting this experiment as well:

Tornado in a Jar*
Materials needed:

  • mayonnaise jar or a canning jar
  • clear liquid soap
  • vinegar
  • water

Process:

  • Fill the jar about three-quarters full of water.
  • Put a teaspoon of liquid soap into the jar.
  • Add a teaspoon of vinegar into the jar.
  • Tighten the lid and shake the jar to mix up the ingredients.
  • Now, swirl the jar in a circular motion.
  • The liquid will form a small tornado. 

If you want to spice up your twister, add food coloring to enhance the tornado with color and use glitter to represent debris.

Explanation:
Swirling the jar in a circular motion forms a vortex and is an easy way to create your own tornado!

*Note: The instructions for this experiment came from weatherwizkids.com

Frame grab from Tornado Alley IMAX film

Frame grab from Tornado Alley IMAX film

 

Mar. 20

“Bodies Human: Anatomy in Motion” Provides Unique Look at the Human Body

Ever wondered what your body looks like underneath the surface of your skin? Well, we are featuring an exhibit that provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do just that. You will get a chance to see below the skin and get an inside look at the body’s internal workings – a view typically reserved only for scientists and doctors!

The traveling exhibit, “Bodies Human: Anatomy in Motion,” features more than 100 specimens, including organs, transparent body slices and even whole bodies! These real human bodies are preserved through plastination, a technique that replaces body fluids with plastics. The bodies displayed at the exhibit are positioned “in motion,” so you can see what your body looks like internally when shooting a basketball, throwing a disk or kicking a soccer ball, to see what it would look in real life activities.

This unique exhibit is a real eye-opener about why healthy lifestyle choices are so important for our well-being and the effects smoking and diet can have on our bodies. Human bodies are very complex inside and consist of multiple systems, including the skeletal, muscular, respiratory, and circulatory, that allow us to function each day. Here are some interesting (and weird) facts about how our bodies operate:

  • On average, a person sheds more than 100 pounds of skin in their lifetime
  • Adult humans take approximately 23,000 breaths a day
  • Vocal chords open and close 100 times per second during normal speech
  • The human brain generates more electrical impulses in one day than all the telephones in the world

“Bodies Human: Anatomy in Motion” will be on display at Mi-Sci until May 26 and is recommended for visitors 12 and over. Visit our admission section to learn more about ticket prices and package options.

Mar. 12

We’ve Got Fun Down to a Science

Welcome to the Mi-Sci Blog, your newest resource to learn more about the exciting activities and current events of the Michigan Science Center, as well as interesting facts, experiments and tidbits about science, technology, engineering and math, or what we call STEM.

It is the Michigan Science Center’s mission to help inspire children and their families to discover, explore and appreciate STEM in a creative, dynamic learning environment. Oh yeah, and we’re looking to have a lot of fun while we do it.

The Mi-Sci Blog is an extension of our unique and comprehensive technology museum. We invite you to visit here regularly (go ahead add us to your bookmark) for inspiration and information that will help shape Michigan’s next generation of engineers, scientists and innovators. Stay tuned for awesome info including behind the scene looks at how the Science Center operates, sneak peeks at new exhibits, insights from famous innovators, do-it-yourself experiments and much, much more.

That said, nothing compares to experiencing the Michigan Science Center first hand. So come on down and check us out.

We’ve Got Fun Down to a Science!