Atoms On Display

Scenario

High school students in Oregon walk into a giant mouth and down a cavernous esophagus into a spherical and moist room filled with liquids and loud sounds. An elementary student in California melds a picture of his or her face with that of a friend to see how pretty or ugly a composite face would be. Middle school students in New York try to improve their "major-league" batting skills or their "professional" golf swing using computer video analysis. All of these students are visiting their science museums.
Science museums ensure that learning and fun are indistinguishable. They feature hands-on exhibits that stimulate, educate, and entertain. They provide exciting experiences that help visitors develop an understanding of science.

The visitors at a science museum can come and go as they please. Research has shown that there are only 30 seconds available at an exhibit to capture people's interest or they walk right by. Once they stop at the exhibit, you must get them involved. Often this involvement includes some kind of interaction with the exhibit. Some of the exhibits are targeted for a specific age group. Other exhibits are for a broad audience.

If you have never been to a science museum, it's worth a visit. If you are not able to get to a city that has a museum, you may want to visit one of the many virtual science museums on the Internet.