Museum of Discovery & Science
Museum of Discovery and Science Opened Outdoor Science Park on March 23, 2018
Museum of Discovery and Science Opens Outdoor Science Park on March 23, 2018
On March 23, 2018 the Museum of Discovery and Science opened its outdoor Science Park where giant full-body exhibits demonstrate key principles of physics and engineering while also providing entertainment and group interaction. This dynamic outdoor expansion of the Museum’s hands-on learning experiences is a family based zone of discovery welcoming visitors of all ages. Before the ribbon cutting, Peyton Robertson, Founder of the Multiplied Foundation, and Museum STEM Educator and PhD candidate, Matt Woodstock, conducted expansion-based science experiments to mark the expansion of Museum into its new outdoor space! The experiments were the first part of a four part Science Minutes series.
Visitors explore together to strengthen science understanding and science thinking skills through hands-on exploration in a beautiful outdoor setting. The exhibits provide multiple, content-rich opportunities in which visitors can experiment with basic principles of the physical world and come to intuitive understandings about how they work.
The exciting, skill-based experiences and environment of the Science Park increase the capacity of the Museum by encouraging open-ended experimentation in the physical sciences and the development of science-thinking skills. By creating a playful world where the mind, the senses and the emotions are all engaged in exciting and interconnected ways, the exhibits at the new Science Park generate those surprising “a-¬ha” moments where true discovery, learning and skill-building take place.
Science Park Interactive Exhibits
Ball Range - Bottle Rockets - Cool Fan - Giant Levers – Kaleidoscopes – Pulleys – Roller Coaster - FPL SolarNow™ Tree - Sound Station - Sun Spotter - Tennis Ball Launcher – The Forest - Wheel Roll
The Science Park has an activity guide that was created by 50 students from Deerfield Beach Middle School. During the 2017 school year, these students participated in an innovative program at the Museum called Science in Action, supported by the School Board of Broward County. They learned the program and exhibit design process by studying the Museum’s new Science Park and the physical science concepts in its exhibits and then created the guide.
The Science Park is part of Phase II of the Museum’s Expansion and Renovation Capital Campaign. Phase I of the $35 million campaign has already funded the EcoDiscovery Center wing that opened in 2011, more than doubling the Museum’s exhibit and classroom space. The campaign’s second phase included development of a 27,000-square-foot Science Park facing Broward Boulevard, exhibit upgrades and renovations to the 25-year-old original facility, and renovation of the AutoNation IMAX 3D Theater, adding laser projection systems.
Phase II of the capital campaign received major support from AutoNation, Broward County, City of Fort Lauderdale, and the State of Florida, Division of Cultural Affairs. Other donors who have provided significant support to the campaign include: BBX Capital, Berkowitz Pollack Brant, Christine and M. Austin Forman, Florida Power & Light Company, Gunster, Catherine and Herbert Yardley, JM Family Enterprises, Katy and Jon Ferrando, Keith Koenig of City Furniture, Pepsi, Ron Book, Rose Miniaci Family and Paramount Refreshment Solutions, Stiles Corporation, SunTrust Bank, The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust, and Tom Angelo.