Mid-America Science Museum has over 100 "hands-on" exhibits to enjoy. You may want to pump a pump or press a button or even build your own bridge, all in the name of learning something about the science of our world. The exhibits are simply tools that illustrate a physical property or demonstrate a law of science in an interesting way. We all tend to remember things better by performing an action rather than just reading about it. With this in mind, the Museum attempts to kindle an interest that will lead to the curiosity that will make one want to learn more.

Permanent Exhibits

MASM has over 100 hands-on exhibits for visitors to see, touch and explore. New exhibits are constantly added to keep the experience fresh and exciting.

Upper Level

• Virtual Reality Simulator Ride
  Experience virtual reality technology on the simulator ride. Take a roller coaster type journey through Astro Canyon or enjoy the thrills from the inside of a "slot car" race. Programs vary throughout the year.
• Structures
  Discover what it feels like to be a building. This group of exhibits demonstrates the use of architecture throughout history and how man has used various structural components to withstand the forces of gravity. Try to lift a corbel, move a building wall, and build arches and supporting structures for buildings and bridges.
• Mirrors
  Explore various optical illusions that occur with mirrors. Create multiple identical images, combine two faces into one, defy gravity by walking on air, and much more.
• Light
  'Trap' your shadow on the special phosphorescent wall in the Shadow Trapper. Discover how cameras perceive the world in the walk-in camera. Make multi-colored shadows and test your peripheral vision skills.

Middle Level

• Underground Arkansas Cave
  Trek through "Underground Arkansas", a gigantic indoor cave filled with awesome twists, turns, tunnels, and slides. Maneuver swinging bridges, climb rope ladders, and experience a realistic underground adventure. Learn more...
• Energy Island
  This changing array of experiments demonstrates the various effects of energy, its characteristics and behavior. The numerous controls around the perimeter allow you to view and manipulate various experiments.

Lower Level

• Tesla Demonstration
  In this amazing presentation, experience the power of "caged lightning" as you watch 1.5 million volts of electricity spark from the world's largest publicly displayed conical Tesla Coil! This incredible show gives visitors an exciting - and safe - introduction to electricity. Learn more...
• Van de Graaff Generator
  The Van de Graaff generator is an impressive electrostatic generator that is capable of producing static electric potentials of up to 100,000 volts. Visitors can take their turn at having their hair raised by this incredible generator.
• Laser Show
  Our laser light show has animated graphics & beams set to country, rock and classical music. The lights appear to be projecting in mid-air. The beams project & rotate directly above your head. It is an awesome audio/visual experience acceptable for all ages.
• Matter Island
  Investigate the properties and states of matter by exploring water works, liquid walls, ice sculpture, mercury maze, and many other exhibits found on Matter Island.
• Earth Science
  This section of the museum allows visitors to create tornados, build mountains and rivers at the erosion table, crawl through a worm, view fish in the large aquarium, and size up the mastodon skeleton and sauropod foot prints.
• Nature Trail
  Take a short walk on this beautiful nature trail. Keep an eye out for birds, woodland creatures, native plants, fish and other aquatic animals in the flowing creek.
  
  Download current exhibits overview here!

From whimsical machines that are a curious oddity, to the latest technology in lasers, the exhibits at the Mid-America Science Museum showcase ENERGY, MATTER, LIFE and PERCEPTION in ways that are entertaining as well as educational. Stimulating your senses with a simulated adventure, a laser light show or a workout on a water pump will become memories you won't soon forget as you explore the multi-level exhibition floors where even the building itself is an exhibit. Designed by noted science center designer E. Verner Johnson, the building received an architectural award for design after it first opened in 1979.