Pacific Science Center Exhibits

New/Upcoming Featured Exhibitions

Nikon Small World
May 3-September 29, 2013
The Nikon International Small World Competition first began in 1975 as a means to recognize and applaud the efforts of those involved with photography through the light microscope. Since then, Small World has become a leading showcase for photomicrographers from the widest array of scientific disciplines. The Nikon Small World Gallery gives you a glimpse into a world that most have never seen. It is a window into a universe that can only be seen through the lens of a microscope. More

Imaginate
June 1-September 2, 2013
Do you have what it takes to innovate? Are you a good observer? Do you ask the right questions? Are you willing to take risks? Where do you get your inspiration and do you inspire others? You will soon find out as you open up your thinking, reflect on what you learn and create something new with Imaginate – a multi-activity exhibition that introduces you to the skills and attitudes that are part of the process of innovation. More 

Destination: Station
June 1-September 2, 2013
NASA's Destination: Station multi-media exhibit will immerse you in the story of the International Space Station. More

RACE: Are We So Different?
September 28, 2013-January 5, 2014
The exhibition RACE: Are We So Different? brings together the everyday experience of living with race, its history as an idea, the role of science in that history, and the findings of contemporary science that are challenging its foundations. Interactive exhibit components, historical artifacts, iconic objects, compelling photographs, multimedia presentations, and attractive graphic displays offer guests to RACE an eye-opening look at its important subject matter. More

Permanent Exhibits

Professor Wellbody's Academy of Health & Wellness 
Pacific Science Center has created an innovative and highly immersive exhibit, Professor Wellbody's Academy of Health & Wellness. Exhibit guests are encouraged to get their game on in the Fitness Play Zone, dodge flying particles at the Sneeze Wall, glimpse their future self with the interactive aging software and climb musical stairs to a second floor of discovery. More

Dinosaurs: A Journey Through Time
Travel back in time to the Mesozoic Era, where you'll meet seven moving, roaring, robotic dinosaurs in a lifelike environment. You can also stand in the footprint of a giant duckbill dinosaur, take the controls of the Pneumoferrosaurus -- "Air and Iron Lizard" -- to see how animatronic dinosaurs work, and explore the Mesozoic world with interactive exhibits, real fossils, dioramas and more. Educators' pre-visit sheet.

Tropical Butterfly House
Enjoy year-round sunshine in the Tropical Butterfly House! Temperatures are in the low 80s, humidity is 60 to 70 percent, and full-spectrum lighting keeps the plants and butterflies healthy. Watch beautiful, exotic butterflies fly, sun themselves, and feed among tropical flowers. See a brand-new butterfly emerge in the chrysalis viewing window. New butterflies are released into the exhibit each morning. Learn More

Science On a Sphere
An astonishing piece of technology that uses computers and video projectors to display dynamic, animated images of the atmosphere, oceans and land on an illuminated sphere six feet in diameter. Learn More

Nano
Nano is an interactive exhibition that engages family audiences in nanoscale science, engineering and technology. Hands-on exhibits present the basics of nanoscience and engineering, introduce some real world applications and explore the societal and ethical implications of this new technology. Learn More

Portal To Current Research
Located in Building 2, Pacific Science Center's newest exhibit and presentation space, Portal to Current Research, brings guests up close and personal with fascinating research happening in our region. We showcase local scientists' advances in current research through a combination of digital media, graphics, objects and interactive displays and programs. Content and themes will change several times throughout the year. Entry to this exhibit is included with the cost of general admission - FREE for Pacific Science Center Members. Learn More

The Studio
The Studio is a new exhibit and program space showcasing current health-related research occurring in the Pacific Northwest. The featured theme and content in The Studio will change every six months, giving visitors an opportunity to learn about new advances in health research and the methods, challenges, and opportunities associated with scientific innovation. Learn More

Sound Atmosphere
There's a little something high up on the Space Needle that's doing some big work! Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have installed a device that measures the amount of CO² in the atmosphere around the Seattle Center region and this real time data is streamed right to our monitoring station. Visitors can see how levels of CO² change from morning to evening, from spring to winter and from weekdays to weekends. When interacting with this data, visitors are doing the same thing as the NOAA scientists: working with real scientific data in real time! Learn More

Insect Village
Giant robotic insects, interactive exhibits and live animal displays give you a close-up look at the world of insects and other arthropods. Educators' pre-visit sheet.

Puget Sound Model and Saltwater Tide Pool
Explore the life and science of northwest Washington's large and ecologically diverse estuary, Puget Sound. See real tides and currents in action at the 100-square-foot scale model of the sound. See and touch living Puget Sound animals in the saltwater tide pool.

Kids Works
Experiment with water at the stream table. And for the smallest scientist, there's a special area just for tots.

Animal Exhibits
See live creatures of all kinds, from the domestic to the exotic. Animal displays feature reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, including a colony of East African naked mole-rats.

Body Works
Find out how your body works in Body Works. Test your reaction time. See how much energy you produce on the Calorie Bicycles. Try out the computer games in the Nutrition Cafe and many other interactive exhibits. Body Works is all about you. Educators' pre-visit sheet.

Adventures in 3Dimensions
Have you ever wondered how 3D movies are made? Or how some artists create incredibly realistic 3D images with only the use of paint and canvas? Pacific Science Center's Adventures in 3Dimensions exhibition explores how our eyes and brain work together to operate in a three dimensional world and examines the technology used to create 3D illusions.

Science Playground
How does an electric motor work? What does a gyroscope do? Who wins the bubble race? Find the answers to these and other questions in the Science Playground.

Technology Exhibits
Computers, robots, and more!

Outdoor Exhibits
Spin a two-ton granite ball with your bare hands, play with the water cannons or walk in the giant water wheel in Water Works. Nearby, ride the High Rail Bicycle 15 feet above the ground -- on a rail one inch wide! The High Rail Bicycle is open seasonally, weather permitting.