Lehigh Valley Marketplace

By Laura B. Teter

Perhaps most famous for painting the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci was also a distinguished scientist, engineer and inventor. His approach to science was based upon curiosity and observation and his vast studies included anatomy, engineering, mathematics and geology. The Da Vinci Science Center (DSC) embraces Leonardo’s philosophy in its mission “to inspire the exploration, understanding, and appreciation of science through curiosity, creativity, and imagination.” Located at 3145 Hamilton Boulevard in Allentown, the DSC promotes learning about science by featuring more than 200 hands-on exhibits and encouraging visitors’ curiosity.

At the La Laguna ocean touch tank, part of the “What on Earth?” exhibit, sea creatures can be observed underwater or brought to the surface so visitors can touch the shells of hermit crabs and study other water dwellers. In addition, visitors can create a weather forecast at the virtual WFMZ Channel 69 Weather Center, observe a working beehive and discover fossils while digging at the erosion table. At the “What’s The Matter?” exhibit, kids learn how atoms form materials while watching water freeze. As part of a new feature, “Let’s Get Down to Nano,” visitors are exposed to Nanotechnology, the science of things approximately one billionth of a meter in size and can find out exactly how big, or small, they are in nanometers.
Additional exhibits include:

Watt’s Up?  Visitors experiment with energy by walking away from their shadow, converting themselves into a human battery and crawling through a dark tunnel.

What’s Alive? What do living things have in common that non-living things do not? The earth is covered with living organisms – guests get an up-close look at them here.

What Hurts? This exhibit focuses on motor vehicle safety. Activities include a safety car exhibit where “drivers” can test their ability to pick out distractions and unsafe driving behaviors.

What Works? Visitors discover how machines work. Up and coming physicists can experiment with pushes, pullies and learn how to build a bridge or construct an airplane.

All exhibits feature hands-on demonstrations where participants experience active learning about subjects including electricity, living things, safety and machines. Visitors can take self-guided tours through the exhibits where volunteers are on hand to entertain, answer questions and share their knowledge.

Certainly the Da Vinci Science Center is a great venue for families to spend time together, but the DSC is more than just an area attraction; it’s also a resource for hands-on science learning for the community and educators and assists with workforce development. According to Dr. David Smith, Director of Professional Development, children are curious about science as youngsters, but often that interest wanes as they approach middle and high school. To encourage children to continue being inquisitive and remain interested in science and to pursue college degrees and careers in science and technology, the Da Vinci Science Center partners with area educators by offering outreach programs at schools and hosting class visits at the Center. DSC also offers professional development programs for teachers to help them promote student interest in science utilizing inquiry-based teaching. Historically, DSC has focused on grades K-8 but recently launched pre-K programs to capture the inherent curiosity of pre-school aged children and spark their interest in science.

When asked to describe the role Leonardo da Vinci plays with the science center, Dennis Zehner, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator replied “Leonardo da Vinci serves as an inspiration for DSC; he had an acute sense of curiosity which drove him to experiment and explore and become an inventor, even though not always with great success. His ability to appreciate the balance between science and art and his willingness to embrace uncertainty in order to learn is instilled in everything we promote at the Da Vinci Science Center.”

The Da Vinci Science Center is open to the public seven days a week and hosts summer camps, workshops, birthday parties, camp-ins and corporate events. In addition to the ever-changing exhibits, guests can take a whirl on the GyroSphere, a simulation of a device used by NASA to help astronauts train for the weightlessness and tumbling motions they would experience in space; listen to a science-related guest reader or pick-up a science kit and other souvenirs in the Curiosity Shop.
The impetus behind Mona Lisa’s famous whimsical smile has prompted speculation for centuries. That same sense of inquiry and curiosity is promoted and encouraged in young future scientists every day at the Da Vinci Science Center.

Da Vinci Science Center
3145 Hamilton Boulevard Bypass
(484) 664-1002
www.davinci-center.org

Laura Teter is a lifelong Bethlehem resident, Laura enjoys researching and writing about new and exciting venues for families in the Lehigh Valley.