Orlando Science Center
Much more than a simple museum, the Orlando Science Center is a hands-on world of discovery and special effects where you can touch a tarantula, become chief operator at a nuclear reactor or hang off the side of a building. The center is divided up into nine main areas all aimed at showing young people how science works in every day life through a series of attention-grabbing exhibits and live shows.
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One of the most popular areas at the Orlando Science Center is TechWorks, a light and imagery hub where you can create your own virtual landscapes, explore the science behind lasers, examine an ant's eye under a microscope and do your own experiments in Dr Dare's hands-on laboratory. The area also includes a section on Showbiz Science where you can discover how to 'hang' off the side of a tall building, learn about special effects make-up and how computer generated images are used in the movies.
In the BodyZone you can check out real human organs and walk into a giant mouth to see how your body uses the food you eat. You can also attempt to put a skeleton together, learn how your brain works and measure your strength, agility and flexibility in fun ways. The section also looks at healthy living and how things like smoking can make everything harder to do.
At the experimental learning center, Science City, you can take control of a nuclear power station, have a go in the Inventor's Workshop or experiment with Wired Science and the laws of physics. You can also take on momentum and inertia and try hammering a nail with a banana after immersing it in liquid nitrogen.
You can pet an alligator or touch a tarantula in Natureworks, take a trip into the solar system at the Cosmic Tourist Center, learn about dinosaurs at DinoDigs and for young children KidsTown has a range of junior size activities for anyone under 48 inches tall.
The Darden Adventure Theater and Crosby Obersvatory
To top off the experience there are live science demonstrations at the large-scale Darden Adventure Theater, IMAX movies, and on Friday and Saturday nights, night sky viewing at the Crosby Observatory, home to the largest publicly accessible refractor telescope in Florida.
Entrance to the Orlando Science Center costs about $15 for adults and $10 for children. The IMAX and planetarium shows are $7 extra for adults and $5 for children.
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