Worcester Mascots Will Help Open New EcoTarium Sports Exhibit

WORCESTER, MA — If you've ever seen a basketball player sink a perfect 3-poiner or a pool player make a perfect break, you're watching math in action. A new exhibit opening Saturday at the EcoTarium museum in Worcester will show young people the role of physics and geometry in athletics.

Here's more from an EcoTarium news release:

How fast is your fastball? How do you make a perfect bounce pass? These questions and many more are posed in the new traveling exhibition at the EcoTarium, kicking off Saturday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., where you can meet local mascots from your favorite teams. "TEAM Up! Explore Science & Sports" is an exciting new hands-on exhibition that gives visitors an in-depth look at the science and math tied to the sports we all love.

Children, families, and groups are invited to check out the fun and fascination involved in becoming a winning athlete and meet local mascots WooSox's Smiley Ball, Worcester Braveheart's Jake the Lion, Railers HC's TRAX, and Massachusetts Pirates' Arthur the Pirate during the opening event. Visitors will have opportunities to test their skills in sports like basketball, football, baseball, tennis, soccer, and even extreme sports like snowboarding while learning principles of geometry, physics, force, and friction.

Worcester is no stranger to sports excellence and fame. Did you know Worcester Country Club was host to the first Ryder Cup back in 1927?

"We know how much New England sports fans love their teams, but we don't often think about the science behind our favorite sports. This new exhibition demonstrates the physics behind these sports and makes the learning experience interactive and fun for the whole family," EcoTarium Director of Education & Exhibits Katie Chappell said.

"Team Up! Explore Science & Sports" will be on display at the EcoTarium until April 7.

The Discovery Center Museum of Rockford, Ill., and the Family Museum of Arts and Science of Bettendorf, Iowa, developed "TEAM Up! Explore Science & Sports." The exhibition is presented locally by MEFA's College Savings Plans; for more information, visit fidelity.com/529-plans. For more details on this exhibition and all the programs at EcoTarium, visit ecotarium.org.