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Live Presentations

Every day, the Museum offers a number of live demonstrations, most of which are free with Exhibit Halls admission, A current listing of live presentations is below. Check the Museum's daily schedule for presentation times on a given date.


Climate Change (Live Presentation)

Discover evidence for natural and human-caused climate change, explore projected consequences, and learn about ways to reduce CO2. (details).


Design Challenges (Live Presentation)

This live Museum offering is designed to introduce students and visitors to the engineering design cycle. By participating in a hands-on activity to design, build, and test a prototype solution to a given problem, visitors have a fun and engaging experience with engineering and innovation processes. The ... (details).


Electricity! (Live Presentation)

Learn about the connections between electric and magnetic forces with this high-voltage presentation. Witness a demonstration of lightning created by the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator. (details).


Fantastic Forces (Live Presentation)

An exploding newspaper and other moving objects demonstrate fundamental physics concepts. Available: January - March; Tuesdays - Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. (details).


Health Research Headlines (Live Presentation)

What's happening in health research? Learn which new developments are making the news. (details).


Lightning! (Live Presentation)

Indoor bolts produced by the world's largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator spark exciting explorations of lightning, electric charge, and storm safety. (details).


Live Animal Presentation (Live Presentation)

With help from members of the Museum's live animal collection, our knowledgeable staff address behaviors, environments, classification, and adaptations. Students will observe a live animal and be exposed to characteristics of the animal and adaptations that help the animal live in its environment ... (details).


Making Weather (Live Presentation)

Discover how air, water, and temperature create weather, and witness the formation of indoor clouds and falling snow. (details).


Mind Games & Optical Illusions (Live Presentation)

Volunteers from the audience participate in demonstrations that reveal how the brain can be tricked. See the world the way it really isn't, and investigate how our senses trick us. Visit the exhibit Seeing Is Deceiving before or after this presentation. Available: October - December; Tuesdays - Thursdays, 10:00 a ... (details).


Our Bodies, Our Health (Live Presentation)

Hear about exciting health research on topics such as obesity, cancer, nanomedicine, and stem cells. (details).


Sound and Music (Live Presentation)

We all love music — whether it's Rachmaninoff or rap. Find out how science shapes sounds into pleasing harmonies. Available: April - June; Tuesdays - Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. (details).


Super-Cold Science (Live Presentation)

When temperature goes extreme, see materials break all the rules. Liquid nitrogen produces remarkable state or pressure alterations in substances when they get super cold. Find out how such extreme temperatures can cause materials to undergo dramatic changes. (details).


Survivor: Planet Earth (Live Presentation)

Explore ancient life on planet Earth through real fossils and learn why some animals evolve and others go extinct! Visitors can examine the evidence for evolution and learn about the important scientific concepts behind this theory. These concepts will be explored through hands-on activities and demonstrations ... (details).


Updates in Current Science and Technology (Live Presentation)

Join us for updates in the science and technology that we hear about in the news, read about in research journals, and see emerging in our society. (details).