Discovery Museum’s Two New Exhibits: “Adventure Science” and “Rainforest Explorers”

The action-packed world of zip lines and tree-top aerial obstacle courses meets science face-to-face in an exciting new exhibit opening at The Discovery Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut in April, 2013. Entitled “Adventure Science” this highly interactive exhibit will invite visitors to see, touch—and, if they wish—actually climb on sample displays of zip lines and aerial obstacle courses.  At the same time, they will learn about the scientific principles behind these structures, the natural science of the forest as well as what takes place in the human mind and body while participating in zip line activities. The exhibit will run into September 2013.

Inspired by The Adventure Park, a popular five-acre aerial forest park that opened last summer behind the Museum, “Adventure Science” incorporates many of The Park’s most popular features in a reduced-size format in the Museum’s North Gallery. The exhibit will show how the laws of physics, human physiology and even psychology all play their parts when people are enjoying climbing activities at The Adventure Park.

“The Discovery Museum is all about interactive learning and we saw this as an ideal way to capture people’s imaginations like nothing else,” says Jeffrey Bishop, Museum Director, adding, “This exhibit will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that science can be a lot of fun!”

Zip lines and obstacle course bridges between aerial platforms with names like, “Rope Trapeze,” “Pushback,” “Escalator,” “Rolling Trapeze” and “Dangling Discs” will be used to help demonstrate scientific principles. Museum visitors will be able to climb aboard the exhibit, which will be at playground heights—considerably lower than the actual Adventure Park courses in the forest behind the Museum.  There is no age or height restriction for those wishing to enjoy the exhibit.  Open to the public on April 6^th, the official grand opening of the exhibit will take place on April 20^th.

“Adventure Science” is underwritten by the Outdoor Ventures Group, which also designed and fabricated the exhibit’s structures in cooperation with Museum staff.  The Outdoor Ventures Group is the leading authority in the United States on aerial forest parks and largely responsible for bringing this increasingly popular activity to the United States from Europe. The Group designed, built and operates The Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut as well as The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School in Maryland. It has also designed and built other Adventure Parks throughout the United States for its clients.

“Rainforest Explorers” from NRG! Exhibits also opens in April, making for an exciting spring at Discovery.  Like “Adventure Science,” it will be available to the public on April 6^th, but will have its official grand opening on April 20^th. 

Rainforests are home to 50% of the Earth's plants and animals although they cover less than 2% of the Earth’s surface. Rainforests are critical to our planet, acting as the world's thermostat by regulating temperatures and weather patterns and maintain the Earth’s limited supply of fresh water. Rainforests are favorite habitats for frogs. However, frog populations are rapidly declining as Earth's climate is undergoing dramatic change. “Rainforest Explorers” will visit a field research tent and try on climbing gear. Their journey takes them to the tree canopy where they will cross a bridge to the canopy raft. Hiding in a blind, visitors observe and identify a variety of tree frogs. Young scientists will learn first-hand about our fragile rainforest ecology through such activities as: collecting air temperature and rainfall data; counting tree rings to find the age of a tree; entering jaguar "footprints" and leaf "specimens" in a field journal; using microscopes, maps and compasses; identifying frog species; and comparing Rainforest and Connecticut forest trees.