The Paul Dennis Science Hall encourages visitors to learn and explore various scientific disciplines with hands-on activities and interactive displays. Admission to the Paul Dennis Science Hall is free.
In our weather section, you can experience a Category 1 hurricane with winds up to 78 MPH in our Hurricane Simulator ($2 per “hurricane” for 2 adults or up to 5 children). Our rooftop weather station (provided by a generous grant from ATMC), shows real-time data on wind speeds, humidity, and temperature. Track jet streams and learn about their role in aviation and weather forecasting in the interactive jet stream exhibit. Finally, learn about North Carolina’s hurricane history with a film about Hurricane Hazel, a strong Category 4 hurricane that hit the Carolinas before we had the life saving technology to track these powerful storms.
Ingram Planetarium has three exciting exhibits in our space area. Experience the International Space Station with our interactive touch screen exhibit. You can explore the station, watch videos about the ISS and its mission, and virtually interact with some of the technology and equipment on board. We have revamped our View Space exhibit and it is better than ever. See the very latest news on space and the environment with DAILY updates and new videos directly from NASA. It is like a new exhibit every day! In addition, we regularly feature exciting and fun citizen science projects on our Zooniverse and Eyes on NASA consols.
Our robotics and nano tech section is a peek into the most current developments in technology. Learn all about the nano scale and its applications in our seven interactive nano exhibits. Learn early coding skills with “Colby,” the coding mouse. Children and adults alike love the hands-on experience of building a maze and coding Colby’s step-by-step instructions to find the cheese at the end.
The most diverse section is all about FUN! Explore magnetic forces and magnet interaction by making the clowns hop, skip, and spin in the Magic Circus. See who can get their astronaut into space first. Take aim and use the fast action water guns to propel your astronaut up to victory in this carnival classic game. Finally, commemorate your visit to Ingram Planetarium and the Paul Dennis Science Hall by becoming an Astronaut! Snap a picture in our “space suit” and don’t forget to tag us on Facebook and Instagram when you share your space travels with family and friends.
