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Science Museum Oklahoma is a
science museum in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The museum is home to the Kirkpatrick
Planetarium, the
International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and a number of specialized galleries. The facility covers over 390,000 square feet, which makes it one of the largest science museums in the nation. It began as the Kirkpatrick Planetarium in 1958 with major additions in 1980, 1985, 2000, and 2007.
History
The Science Museum Oklahoma was originally named the Kirkpatrick Planetarium in 1958. It moved to a permanent home at the
Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in 1962.[1] Later that year, the Oklahoma Science and Arts Foundation was completed on the fairgrounds.[1] In 1978, the foundation changed its name to Omniplex Science Museum, then moved with the Kirkpatrick Planetarium to the newly built Kirkpatrick Center museum campus.[1] Later additions include the Oklahoma Air and Space Museum in 1980, the Kirkpatrick Gardens and Greenhouse in 1985, and the OmniDome Theatre, Oklahoma's first large-format, dome-screen theatre, which opened in 2000.[1] In 2007, Omniplex changed its name to Science Museum Oklahoma. Since the rebranding the museum has undergone extensive remodeling, adding numerous new exhibits and galleries, including a kid-friendly space exhibit, and art galleries.
Notable exhibits
Kirkpatrick Planetarium - Planetarium shows
CurioCity - This is a Children's Museum inside the museum - a playful area which includes options like playing instruments or balancing on a tightrope
Light Minded - A section of the museum dedicated to light and electricity
smART Space - An exhibit which explores the interactions between science and art
Elemental Worlds - A digital 220-degree simulated forest
Science Floor - Main section of the museum with multiple hands-on science exhibits
Tinkering Garage - Focuses on how engineering, art, and technology interact
Destination Space - An exhibit which explores NASA's space program and it's connections to Oklahoma
KidSpace - An exhibit specifically targeted to a younger audience
Gardens - A garden made up of plants native to Oklahoma
Aviation - An exhibit which focuses on the history of aviation
Gadget Trees - Learning experience which focuses on simple machines
USS Oklahoma - An exhibit consisting of the ship's bell, a screw and two of her anchors in front of the museum.