Article originally published by WOWT anchor Bella Caracta. View original story here(opens in a new tab).
A new science museum is coming to the metro, and 6 News got a sneak peek.
“These exhibits don’t necessarily feel like science exhibits. They feel like playful, engaging experiences,” the Luminarium’s CEO Silva Raker said.
Sitting 50 feet away in a large dish, you could hear her as if she were right next to you. It’s an exhibit that shows how sound can be amplified based on the geometry of a dish.
The Luminarium is ripe with other interactive science exhibits encircling four main themes: universal phenomena, like the motion of a spinning umbrella to heat in different forms; built structures, like building blocks and gears; mathematical concepts, like compound interest; and deeper exploration into one’s identity, from a cellular level to their community.
Omaha’s newest science museum is set to open next month.
“Having this place being designed and developed during the last three years, when there’s massive change happening in the world at large based on the pandemic, based on reckoning with social justice, there are opportunities that we have actually been able to take advantage of working with the community,” Raker said.
Each plaque is in English and Spanish. The goal is to welcome a diversity of people and to encourage STEM exploration.
“We know there a big chunk of our community who are historically underrepresented from those careers and from those museums in general,” Raker said.
The privately-funded museum is experimenting with a membership model that they say prioritizes engagement instead of socioeconomic status.
For instance, on Thursdays, adults can expect programming like wine nights. The museum will have free parking and timed tickets at first. All ages are welcome.
