Field Trip Friday: WonderWorks

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Last week I shared with you about our little mini vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC and our visit to Medieval Times for a history experience. Today I want to share about our visit to WonderWorks. With its creative architecture it is hard not to notice this venue as you drive through Myrtle Beach. We had seen it several times on past visits but never had the opportunity to visit. Thankfully we had done some research before this visit and realized that it was home school days and the perfect time to check it out.

When I told the children (and my parents) that we would be going to WonderWorks I called it a science museum. While this is a true statement it is more than just a science museum. I would say it is a cross between an amusement park and a science museum. They call it ‘edu-tainment’ for educational entertainment. There is lots to learn but most of it is very hands on and often active.

It would take a small book and not a blog post to do justice to all of the various exhibits but I will give you an overview and tell you more about some of our favorite exhibits. We spent between 3 and 4 hours there and easily could have spent a whole day if we had the time.  They have a cafe where we ate a late lunch, but you can also leave and come back with your ticket and hand stamp.

The first room included a Titanic exhibit in which you could put your hand into the freezing water, a hurricane exhibit where you could feel the hurricane force winds, and a computerized display and game about other weather disasters. We were having fun and enjoying our visit in this room, but soon learned that most of WonderWorks was even more interactive. For example, in the next room, you could use a pulley system to pull yourself up a tower, play various ball games (football, baseball, etc) by throwing the ball against an interactive video screen to see how well you played, and if you were brave enough even peddle a bicycle upside down and in a 360 degree turn.

In one room they had a bed of nails that you could lay on. This really interested my older children because they had recently seen a performance where the guy laid on a bed of nails. They enjoyed trying for themselves and learning about the science behind why it works. My daughter said this was her favorite exhibit, but she also spent quite a bit of time on the glow in the dark ropes course that was hanging above the top floor. She spent almost 30 minutes just climbing/walking around on the various obstacles that were suspended above the over exhibits.

The baby really enjoyed the bubble exhibit where we were able to make giant bubbles and pull the bubbles over ourselves. He also enjoyed the giant piano. He may not have understood how to really play it, but he enjoyed hearing it make noise as he crawled over the keys.

My four year old loved the giant 8 foot tall pin art wonder wall. Many of us had a small pin art toy growing up, but I had never seen one this large. Instead of just your hand or nose you could press your whole face and body into this pin art board. We had a great time making impressions, taking pictures, and then starting it over. The baby even got involved with his hands and feet.

My oldest enjoyed the 6D motion theater. They had multiple movies that you could watch in 6D with 3D glasses and lots of movement. Personally, it was a little much for my stomach and I’ll fully admit to closing my eyes but my son and husband really enjoyed it and watched several of the options.

You can check out this educators guide for more information on all of the exhibits that they offer. You can learn about space, light and sound, weather, robotics, gears and more in a hands on way. They even offer laser tag (included in regular admission and a $3 charge with home school tickets). I highly recommend this trip for a fun science adventure. If you are not near or planning to visit Myrtle Beach, check out the website to see if they have another location near you. Also, for more great ideas in Myrtle Beach check out this great idea from my friend Jennifer over at Homeschool Fanatic.

 

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Where: 1313 Celebrity Circle Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Hours of Operation:

Costs: Adults (13+): $28.99  Children (4-12): 18.99  Children Under 4: Free

Homeschool Discount: If you go during home school days the price is $12 per person (an additional $3 if you want to play laser tag)

Website: https://www.wonderworksonline.com/myrtle-beach/

Food: There are drink machines inside as well as a cafe in the gift shop. You cannot bring food into the museum but you can come and go throughout the day if you wanted to leave for lunch.

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