Paleontology Exhibit Hall
Miocene Exhibit Hall
Step back in time 5 million years and unearth the past while exploring the science of fossils and paleontology in the Miocene Exhibit Hall. Get a glimpse into the processes, tools, and technology used to unearth fossils right in our own backyard at the Gray Fossil Site. View articulated replicas of specimens found on site, explore deeper with touchscreen games and challenges, and even dig in a faux dig pit.
Wentzscope
Take a closer look at specimens with our large-lens microscope made for easy viewing. Slides include a termite, ant, dirt, bacteria, and an earthworm.
Saltville Paleontology Exhibit Hall
View a variety of specimens excavated in Saltville, VA ranging from a Mastodon tooth to a Giant Short-Faced Bear skull.
Discovery Lab
Explore the dynamic world of science through engaging, inquiry-based experiments and demonstrations that are sure to inspire the scientist within you. Our facilitated programs for field trips and pre-registered parties make your visit to Hands On! even more educational and exciting.
Ready to schedule your group visit to Hands On!? Click HERE to learn more!
Atrium
Paleontology Climbing Tower
Experience a one-of-a-kind paleontology-themed climber! This three-story interactive tower allows children and adults to discover the fossils of species endemic to the Gray Fossil Site. As you ascend each level and pass each corner you will see and touch actual 3D replicated models of the fossils being uncovered here at the site. This unique structure is the only of its kind in the United States.
Tesla Experience Theater
Witness an electrifying, Guinness record-setting experience that honors the great inventor, Nikola Tesla. Watch in amazement as the world’s most powerful, musical, bi-polar Tesla coil turns 240 volts into 200,000. Tesla Experience Shows are offered at 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 4:30 pm. Stop by the front desk for more details or to purchase tickets, $2 each with general admission. Click here to learn more.
This exhibit space is sponsored by BrightRidge Broadband.
Topobox
Shape the land and watch it come to life in this mesmerizing augmented reality sandbox! By simply moving the sand, you can create mountains, valleys, river deltas, and floodplains. As water flows and gathers across the landscape, explore watersheds and discover how geography, geology, and weather interact in real time.
This exhibit is sponsored by Cardinal Financial – Tuan Nguyen.
Main Exhibit Hall
Air Cannon
Ready, aim… fire! Pull back on the handle to load the cannon with air, then release it to launch a powerful puff toward the array of target flags. Explore principles of air pressure and aerodynamics while having fun! How many targets can you hit at once?
Air Cars
Experience Newton’s Third Law of Motion while racing a friend to the finish line! Test out a pre-made vehicle, or combine different frames, gears, wheels, and mechanisms to make a unique creation. Explore the effects of varying the air pressure to achieve a different result with each race.
Air Rockets
Choose a rocket or build your own, then place it on the launchpad to experience Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion first hand! Explore the effects of varying air pressure and visit the rocket maker station for even more opportunity to experiment with different rocket designs. This exhibit is sponsored by Tevet.
Bernoulli Table
Suspend plastic balls in mid-air and explore the science of flight! Keep a ball floating in a stream of air, or challenge yourself to balance multiple balls before the timer runs out. Discover how fast-moving air can make objects seem lighter than air and learn the aerodynamic principles that help things like birds and airplanes take flight.
Circuit Bench
Build a bridge of connectors and turn the generator handle to power up gadgets that can spin, flash, buzz, or spark! Discover how different components require different amounts of energy, and how connecting multiple gadgets at once requires more energy to keep everything running. This oversized circuit board invites you to explore, problem-solve, and spark your curiosity about electrical circuits.
Dynamic Floor
Step onto a floor that reacts to your every movement! This motion-sensing projection makes you the game controller in an assortment of fun and interactive STEAM-based games that get your brain and body moving!
This exhibit is sponsored by TVA.
Everbright
Everbright is a large-scale interactive light wall, inspired by the classic Lite-Brite toy. It’s a grid of hundreds of adjustable LED dials that turn endlessly in either direction through the color spectrum. Explore colors, experiment with hues, and design abstract patterns and geometric shapes. Everbright gives you an outlet for unique creative expression.
Infinity Mirror
Look through the eye holes to experience an endless tunnel of repeating reflections! This mesmerizing optical illusion is created when mirrors are arranged to reflect light back and forth. You may have seen a similar effect when standing between two mirrors (like in an elevator, dressing room, or hair salon). How many sets of reflections can you count?
Kinetic Gear Wall
Get your brain wheels turning! Explore motion and mechanics by arranging the magnetic gears into a multi-cog system. How many wheels can you get to spin at once?
Make It! Take It!
We supply the materials and you provide the creativity, so grab some supplies and let your imagination run wild! Build contraptions, craft artwork, or tinker on a new invention. When you’re finished, take your masterpiece home or show it off on our Shelves of Fame for others to admire.
One in a Million
Are you feeling lucky? Hidden among the thousands and thousands of small black beads is one special yellow bead. Rotate the clear acrylic tube to shift and stir up the beads, but keep your eye out for that lucky yellow bead!
Ophelia the Bionic Skeleton
This skeleton is outfitted with a number of medical devices and implants, including a cardiac pacemaker, silicone nose, carbon tooth root, artificial knee, hip, elbow and finger joints, and more.
Quantum Space
This motion-reactive display turns your movement into dynamic art. Perform an elaborate dance routine or simply wave your arms and watch the vibrant colors and abstract patterns shift in real time. Every motion creates a new kinetic masterpiece.
Ring Launcher
Crank a generator to charge the capacitors to send an aluminum ring flying high from the launch pad. Experiment with different ring sizes, weights, and air pressure to achieve different results. Get ready for launch!
Static Dome
The Static Dome consists of a transparent hemisphere containing small foam beads that seemingly fly and float around. Using various materials as “charging pieces”, visitors can create a static charge in the beads inside of a transparent dome. When the two objects are rubbed together, some of the electrons are removed from one atom and are transferred to another atom. The result is a whirlwind static storm!
Take Flight!
Turn the wheel to raise or lower the blower and watch the model plane soar! Fast-moving air across the plane’s wings creates a force called lift, sending the it into the air. How high can you make the plane fly?
Tot Spots
Designed for younger children ages infant to age 3, our Tot Spots offer the opportunity for discovery on the smallest of scales. With a variety of costumes for role-playing, and manipulatives for fine motor skill development, there is something to keep every tot engaged. A total of three Tot Spots include STEM careers, farming, nature exploration, and paleontology are located throughout both buildings.
Vertical Flyer
Fly over to select a paper cone to make your own propeller by cutting a custom design. Once you are ready to test your creation, press the button to turn on the fan and place your cone into the air column. Test out different flyer designs to discover which designs fly highest, accelerate fastest, and stay in the air column the longest. Up, up, and away we go!
Mezzanine
Fossil Preparatory Lab and Fossil Collections Viewing Windows
Get an up-close view of the work that goes on behind the scenes after digging in the field at the Gray Fossil Site. Check out recent finds and projects, and watch real paleontologists and other scientists at work.
Outside
Dig Site Viewing Deck
Get a bird’s eye view from a viewing deck at the amazing work that happens every day on an active paleontology dig site. Get a rare glimpse into the fascinating process in which fossils are searched for, discovered, identified, and excavated, all in real-time on location. Watch in amazement as new discoveries are being made every day!
Discovery Garden
The Discovery Garden features a wide variety of native trees, shrubs, grasses, vines, and flowering perennials that were selected to attract pollinating insects and animals that play an important role in the food chain and ecosystem. Many of these were also found here 5 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch when the fossil site was a watering hole that attracted the animals that are being uncovered today. There is also an outdoor fossil replica dig pit and two Seed to Table exhibits that allow visitors to discover how agriculture is connected to their everyday lives.
The Discovery Garden is open seasonally, weather permitting.
Scheu Family Exhibit Hall & Art Studio in the General Shale Learning Center
Art Studio
Let your creativity soar! In this vibrant space, kids and adults can explore self-guided art activities that stretch the imagination and encourage creative expression using a variety of materials, tools, and techniques. With ever-changing themes and projects, there’s always something new to discover!
Ball Ramp
Ready, set… roll! Experiment with relative motion and coordination by sending plastic balls racing down the ramp and into the cup. Sounds too easy? Hit the button to spin the platform and turn it into a tricky timing challenge for kids and grown-ups alike. Can you time it just right?
Catenary Arch
Use a curved and numbered set of blocks to put together one of the most important shapes in architecture. This self-supporting arch demonstrates catenary curves, similar to what form naturally when you suspend a chain or rope by its ends.
Draw Alive
Bring your drawings to life! This interactive exhibit combines art and technology to engage visitors of all ages. Color in a template, scan it in the cabinet, and watch as it appears and interacts in a wall-sized digital environment. With over a dozen rotating themes (like planes, trains, dinos, and more) each visit offers a new artistic adventure! Sponsored by Tri-Cities Airport Authority.
Everblocks
Build big with STEM! Discover what you can create with these giant, interlocking plastic blocks. Build towering structures, experiment with balance and stability, and see how your designs take shape. Made for curious minds of all ages, this hands-on exhibit encourages problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork.
Gravity Dish
Roll one or more balls around in this funnel-shaped exhibit to see the forces of gravity and momentum interact. Send balls spinning around the center before disappearing into a hole to get an idea of how gravity and momentum keep planets orbiting around our Sun.
Imagination Playground
These great big blue blocks are made out of dense foam and are easy to stack, line up, and move even for the novice builder. Bricks, cylinders, angles, curves, chutes, hinges, gears, and channels encourage motion and connectivity. Enjoy an endless variety of play including construction, pretend play, and even role-playing.
Keva Planks
Construct incredible and even stunning structures by simply stacking uniform shape and size maple planks. Create a building, tower, vehicle, animal, or even letters. The simplicity is compelling and you are only limited by your imagination. What will you create?
Kinetic Ball Wall
This interactive exhibit invites guests to build, test, and refine a large vertical ball run while exploring the principles of kinetics. Select from an assortment of magnetic tracks, tubes, chutes, and spinners to assemble a unique path. Observe how gravity, momentum, and friction shape each run, and how even small changes to the track can make a big impact.
Light Table
Build, stack, and watch the light shine through! Design vibrant geometric patterns using the translucent tiles to explore how light and color change when the tiles overlap.
Oscylinderscope
Take this interactive sculpture for a spin! Strum the guitar strings while the black and white cylinder is spinning to visually demonstrate how vibrating strings can produce sound. As the cylinder is spinning, your eyes retain a series of momentary images of the strings in motion, and you brain combines these images to create a mesmerizing wave pattern.
Pin Wall
Make an impression with our life-size Pin Art Wall. Similar to pixels on a monitor, our Pin Wall uses thousands of injection-molded pins to create a detailed representation of almost any object. Create a three-dimensional image of yourself or other objects simply by touching the pins.
Pop-Up Discovery Cart
Explore chemistry, biology, physics, and more with our fun and interactive Pop-Up Discovery Cart programs! With ever-changing themes and activities, there’s always something new to discover. Pop-Up Discovery Cart programs are announced periodically each day.
PVC Pipe Organ
Smack the open ends of the PVC tubes with foam paddles to create musical vibrations. Compose a new melody of your own creation or use the included songbook. Your symphony awaits!
Rig-A-Majig
Build, tinker, and create! Using wooden planks and plastic hardware, you can experiment with inertia, symmetry, and motion. Engineer an intricate machine or craft geometric sculptures, what will you make today?
Shake Table
Shake things up while exploring the effects of vibration on physical structures. By changing the frequency of vibration, find harmonic frequencies within your structure and explore options to increase your structure’s ability to withstand vibration. Your mission is to engineer a miniature earth-quake proof structure, then turn the dial to start an earthquake simulation.
