Carnegie Science Center

After reading all the reviews and checking out the website for the Science Center, we went in with pretty high expectations. We were not disappointed because this place was AMAZING!!!! It made me sad to see what COSI could be and doesn’t come close to achieving. At least not new COSI, and since I see old COSI through childhood eyes it’s hard to compare. The first floor boasted an amazing interactive area examining gravity, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and more. We played in a wind tunnel, built and flew paper airplanes, dined in an Earthquake cafe, captured shadows on a special wall, and played with an echo tube.

After leaving there we checked out a few interactive rides that Kendyl wouldn’t try but looked really fun. There was a flight simulator like the roller coaster ride that used to be at Game Works at Easton, a harnessed trampoline jump, and a zero gravity spinning circles ride that reminded me of Space Camp!

Then we decided to head outside and check out the submarine!!! This was such a neat experience for the kids (and even us adults). It was eye-opening to see how tight and cramped the quarters were and how everything was divided up. I can’t imagine doing a tour of duty on one of those, since I felt seriously claustrophobic after 30 short minutes on board! The view from the seaboard was amazing. We could clearly see Three Points Park, the place where all three rivers in the area converge.

After enjoying the fresh air, it was back inside and up to second floor to see the miniature trains and robots. The trains were UNBELIEVABLE. The level of detail was incomprehensible. The model scenes looked so real and the animations to all the people and things made it so much fun to look at. One of the volunteers told me that it took 50 people (14 of them expert train modelers, the rest volunteers) an ENTIRE year at full time hours to finish it. Looking at all the detail it is easy to believe that is true. Lauryl's favorite animation was the "outside house" (aka the outhouse!)!

Just outside the door to the trains was the visiting robot exhibit. There was a robotic machine programmed to shoot a basketball and a scoreboard detailing how much better it was then the humans attempting baskets in an adjacent setup. Rob got to see R2-D2 and C3PO, and the girls got to explore lots of interactive robotic attractions.

Then we were off to watch the girls first ever IMAX movie-Under the Sea. It was narrated by Jim Carey and was an in depth look at life on the ocean floor. The overwhelming experience held their attention for awhile, but by the end they were ready to go do some more exploring. They both kept asking us if they were moving, and Rob watched through closed eyes;-)

We saved the aquarium and the kids area for the afternoon. The aquarium was interesting, but not extraordinary. The kids area on the other hand was a ton of fun. There was water play, an area with balls that the kids could shoot and catch and play around with, there were building blocks, a huge bridge overlooking the whole area where the kids could climb up to observe everything, a tree house puppet theater, an animal area with a turtle and a lizard, and a classroom type area where adults could help kids pretend to be different kinds of scientists.

I can’t rave about this place enough. 100% worth the drive from Columbus to experience it!