We went to the Orlando Science Center last weekend. Because they had three new movies we hadn't seen, we didn't have much time for the exhibits, but that's okay since we know them all pretty well. However, they do have a new traveling exhibit called Invention at Play, at which we spent all the rest of our time, and which is one of the best new exhibits I've seen in a long time, at any science musuem.
What makes it so good? Content, content, content! That's what's missing in so many exhibits these days.
My absolute favorite science museum was always the old Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. When I was in college, I worked for two summers at their research labs, which were located across the street, and nearly every lunch hour I took advantage of the tunnel between the buildings and the fact that my ID badge let me into the museum for free. That was heaven for someone who never had enough time to explore when we actually paid money to visit! You can't see much in half-hour bites (lunch "hour" was never an hour) but over a summer of days the time adds up.
While I was there, the museum opened a large addition, full of new exhibits, and I was so excited! And then so disappointed. All that space, and so little content. The old part of the museum had been focused on education, with information presented in an interesting and multi-dimensional form: hands-on activities (puzzles illustrating mathematical concepts), interactive exhibits (buttons to push), physical involvement (a large locomotive to ride, a model of the heart to walk through—my perennial favorite as a child), and detailed descriptions and explanations to read. One could enjoy it on many levels, at many ages, and there always seemed to be more to learn.
The new section, however, seemed to care more about entertainment than education. This was primarily evident in the striking reduction in the number of words associated with each exhibit. It was as if they wanted people to walk by, take in the flashy display, push a button, and move on. In the old museum I could often explore one display for 15 minutes; not so the new.
In the years since my Summers of Fun I have visited science museums in several other cities, and alas have found them to be modelled on the new (now many years old, of course) Franklin Institute rather than the old. Oh, I've certainly enjoyed them! But the low content density discourages frequent revisits, and I often feel I've been more entertained than educated, which makes me feel I've been cheated.
The Invention at Play exhibit, while not quite up to my old Franklin Institute standards, has a significantly better content/fluff ratio than usual. In addition to all there is to see and do, there is a lot to read, which is why we were able to spend so much time enjoying the displays. Definitely an exhibit for all ages to enjoy!
(Did you know that kevlar, used to make bullet-resistant vests, is also used in many other products, including hockey sticks, heat-resistant gloves, and canoes? The exhibit includes a full-sized, kevlar-based canoe that weighs only 36 pounds.)
Oh, and about the movies. Once again, my complaint is lack of content:
- StarQuest Take a look at some of astronomy's most common questions. Where did the planets come from? What is a black hole? How do you find a constellation? How will the sun die? Plus much more. Sounds good, but the question most seriously considered by the movie was the whereabouts of an escaped hamster. The lame subplot was nothing but an annoying distraction. Maybe they answered all those good questions in the latter part of the movie, but by then I was sound asleep.
- Aliens of the Deep Did you ever see the TV show, 48 Hours? Where they take an hour to cover 10 minutes' worth of material? Aliens of the Deep has the same problem. Lots of shots of deep-diving vehicles maneuvering underwater, and interviews with people telling us much they love their jobs, but almost no explanation of what they actually learned from the explorations.
- Greece: Secrets of the Past This one was great! Lovely pictures, great history, lots of content. The only one of the three films worth watching.
