In the heart of downtown Reno is an incredible, world-class interactive science discovery museum that is intriguing and fun for the entire family. The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum—lovingly referred to as “The Discovery”—opened on 10 September 2011 as a “hands-on museum dedicated to inspiring lifelong learning in science, technology, engineering, art, math, and the world around us.” And inspire it most certainly has. Take a look at this truly marvelous Nevada discovery museum.
The Discovery is located at 490 S. Center Street in Reno. This massive science museum contains 67,000 square feet of science, art, animals, construction and destruction, invention, nature, history, and live performances through its many exhibits. Originally founded as a children’s museum, The Discovery has quickly morphed into a world-class science center that serves much more than families with young children. In fact, the museum sets aside certain days specifically for adults, for educators, for teens, and for groups. It even hosts a summer camp each year.
The best way for children (or anyone, for that matter) to learn is hands-on, and The Discovery provides numerous interactive exhibits to foster a love of learning.
Little Discoveries is a special place for the museum's smallest and youngest visitors where they can roll, creep, crawl, sit, stand, look, feel, explore, and discover. A centerpiece of this area is the Piazza; an interactive exhibit in which the "tentacles" can be changed to provide a different experience each time.
The Cloud Climber is the centerpiece of The Discovery where visitors can learn about Nevada’s water cycle. Masqueraded as a jungle gym, the Cloud Climber stretches to the highest reaches of the museum; its many levels challenging visitors to reach, climb, take risks, be adventurous, blaze a trail, be brave, and have fun while learning about the environment.
Visitors can learn about contemporary, endangered, and extinct animals while also discovering how efforts are being made to halt the extinction of endangered animals.
The Shop lets visitors get hands-on serious by using real tools and materials to build, tinker, re-purpose, recycle, dismantle, and put back together various materials to discover and/or create something all their own. Best of all, they get to keep their creations!
In addition to its permanent exhibits, The Discovery hosts other, featured ones. The most recent is A T. Rex named Sue that features the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. This 42-foot long, 12-foot high skeleton is the largest, most complete, and best-preserved T. Rex ever discovered! In addition to Sue, the centerpiece of this new blockbuster exhibit, digital and hands-on exhibits serve to teach and inform about the field of paleontology while learning about Sue's past.
For more information such as hours, admission prices, directions, and a schedule of current and upcoming exhibits, you can reach the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum at (775) 786-1000. You can also reach them via their Facebook page.
Have you visited this amazing Nevada discovery museum? What were your favorite exhibits? Please share your experiences below.
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