SCIENCE CENTER GOES “GROSS” FOR SUMMER EXHIBITION
“Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body” to open on Saturday, May 7
(WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.) What is and is not snot – that is the question – and many more that will be answered by the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium’s summer 2016 exhibition, Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body. Based on the best-selling book, the exhibition is described by leadership at the Science Center as fun, exciting and educational. It will open to the public on Saturday, May 7 with the goal of educating children ages 6-to-14 and their families about why their bodies produce mushy, oozy, crusty, scaly, stinky things, which many people consider gross.
“Kids love gross,” said Lew Crampton, Science Center CEO. “The more gross, the more engaged in learning they become, which is why we selected Grossology as our summer exhibition. Grossology is incredibly interactive and is aimed at educating kids about their bodies and how they function. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to engage young Einsteins to show an interest in science – including getting ‘gross’ for the summer. It is also important to engage kids when they are naturally curious, so they continue to be curious. This is how future problem solvers are born, and we are happy to meet that need in our community as the leader for informal science education.”
Grossology takes visitors on a tour of their bodies, by way of Magic School Bus-style, as they literally step through the mouth of the exhibit. Once inside the exhibit, “Nigel Nose-It-All” will explain why people have runny noses, allergies and sneeze; “Tour Du Nose” takes guests on a tour through a nose replica – standing at 10-feet-tall; “Burp Man,” a larger than life cartoon character, who drinks from a three-foot-tall soda can pumped by visitors, details the cause of burps; and “Click Ick” allows visitors an opportunity to play nine different activities, including exploratory labs, puzzles, games and more. As visitors wind their way through 5,000-square-feet of human science, they will also learn about skin issues, “gas attacks” and vomit.
Grossology is based on the best-selling book by science teacher Sylvia Branzei. The colorful exhibit incorporates sophisticated animatronics and imaginative exhibits to actively engage visitors. Learning is achieved through the use of interactive experiences, challenges and just plain fun. Grossology was developed by Advanced Exhibits in collaboration with Science World British Columbia. Grossology will run through October 10, 2016.
The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium is located at 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach and is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Admission to the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium during Grossology is $15 for adults, $11 for children ages 3 to 12 and $13 for seniors aged 60 and older. Science Center members and children under 3 are free. Planetarium shows are not included in general admission pricing. The Science Center is home to the only planetarium in Palm Beach County, which recently went through a major modern-day technology upgrade to feature the latest in quality advancements. The upgrade was courtesy of a $250,000 gift from the Marvin and Elsie Dekelboum Foundation.
For more information about Grossology, or other Science Center programming, please call 561-832-1988 or visit www.sfsciencecenter.org. Like the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @SFScienceCenter.
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