October 11, 2008
The Maryland Science Center provides a very interactive way for young minds to learn science. The topics range from physics to archaeology to biology, and a great deal more. The museum is overwhelmingly intended for children, as most of the displays have a very simplified explanation for the underlying processes behind the experiments. The majority of the displays are very exciting and engaging for the children, which helps them grasp fun facts and concepts. However, some of the displays misled the children in terms of the information presented, oversimplified explanations, or just plain boring displays.
The first gallery I went to was on level one and was easily one of the better galleries in the museum. It was called Newton's Alley, which explored a variety of physics concepts for children to experiment with and learn from. One display was called "Can You Predict Where the Balls Will Land?" It involved a slanted ramp with slots for five balls. When released, the balls would land in predestinated cups below the ramp. The display was excellent in practice and was an effective, interactive model for children; however, the explanation was a little misleading. The board stated that the balls would build up force, which is not exactly true. The ball at the highest point has the highest potential energy, which translates into greater speed as the ball is released. Overall, the display was excellent and fun for children, but its explanation could use a little more expansion.
The second gallery I visited was also on level one. It was called Terralink, which enjoyed prehistoric events, creatures, concepts, and facts. The display I visited was called One Degree and was probably the worst display in the museum. It attempted to explain how much energy a person wastes in a week, month, or year. At first, it grabbed me because that is a prevailing issue in today's world. However, the computer that calculates an individual's emission per unit time was terrible. The controls were extremely confusing and hard to understand. In addition to that, the program was very unresponsive and often took long periods of time to process a simple click of a mouse. I did not find this to be a good display because the information was presented very unenthusiastically as simple readings. Children would most likely lose interest very fast and not understand the concepts anyway.
The third gallery I visited was on the third floor. The name was fun in itself, the Science Arcade. I went to a display called "Color Light." It was a giant container that held many paperclips, all of which were either black or gray. Once a button was pressed however, the container lit up and reveals that all of the paperclips were actually colored. This is because when the button is not pressed, only one color of light is shining down on the object. Anything that does not reflect that color will appear dull. This was a very good display because it explained the basic concepts of light in a simplified manner for the child to understand and a good experiment to back it up. I think speaking of frequency and wavelength might have been too overwhelming for them, so an appropriate amount of information was covered.
The rest of the displays I wanted to visit where the biological ones because that is my favorite topic! The fourth gallery I went to was on level two and was called Body Link. The display I visited was called "Without Balance." Essentially, one would balance on a pivot, grasping metal handles that would determine how long you could stay perfectly balanced for. The display provides a good way to explain how balance is controlled. It is a very fun and addicting display which is great for kids!
The fifth display I visited was in the "Your Body, the Inside Story" gallery. The name of the display was "Test Your Nutritional IQ." It was a great display as two people played tic - tac - toe and only could make their move if they answered a question about nutrition. They were good questions for children to know about at a young age, such as how milk is good for you, and how many servings of fruits and vegetables you need in a day. It is fun for the kids as it is interactive and teaches them fun facts that will stick with them.
The last display I went to was also in the "Your Body, the Inside Story" gallery. The name of this display was called the "Wetlab." Children would get a lab coat, and, while looking under a microscope, extract DNA from a weak germ cell. This was a great display I thought because it made the kids feel like scientists. The mentor explained DNA extractions in a manner that is simplified for kids to understand without losing its value and merit. The display also has gram - staining for high school students to keep things interesting for the older students. I think this is a very good way to get kids interested in biology because it is interactive and keeps there level of interest up.
Overall, the Maryland Science Center was a very enjoyable trip, which deserves a second trip to explore the IMAX movies and observe a few more displays. As mentioned before, a majority of the displays were very interactive, which allowed the children to keep their interest levels up. However, the interactive displays do have their flaws. One major flaw is that the board explaining how the display works is usually very short and brief. This leads to oversimplification of facts and concepts as well as sometimes inaccurate explanations. It is understandable that the main focus is the displays for the children, but it is worth noting that the concepts and facts behind the display should not suffer as a result. Another disadvantage is quite simply the fact that these oversimplified explanations to do not translate for the kids to understand. The information might be presented in a manner that is too brief, leading to the children not understand exactly how the display works. They might enjoy the display, but at the end of the day, it is useless if the child walks away with no gain of knowledge.
The Maryland Science Center, in order to stay competitive, must keep their exhibits entertaining, leaving the customer wanting to come back. The museum I believe certainly achieves this, because I feel I want to explore more displays and see a few IMAX movies. This is a double edged sword however, because this leaves other sciences such as global warming, psychological problems, etc. This museum is very much intended for children, leaving the adults to simply relearn or refresh their memory on the various displays. Overall, the Maryland Science Center is an excellent program, stays true to education as best as it can, which is ultimately, what we want for the young minds of the next generation.