Discovery Center of Idaho
Discovery Center of Idaho
Admission
General $6.50
Children (3-17 yrs) $4.00
Seniors (60+ yrs) $5.50
Members & Children
2 yrs and under
FREE
Hours
Summer (current)
Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm
Friday 9am-7pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday noon-5pm
Winter
Monday closed
Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday noon-5pm
Home Page > discover > exhibits : Featured
Discovery Center of Idaho
Featured Exhibit

OPENED JUNE 12TH, 2009
GOOD VIBRATIONS

click here to see more on our other exhibits

Good Vibrations

On June 12th, the Discovery Center of Idaho will open our newest exhibition, Good Vibrations.  As with DCI past exhibitions, Mapping, MAKE IT! and Phenomenal Forces this entire exhibition was created in-house by our talented exhibits team.  Also, as with Mapping, MAKE IT! and Phenomenal Forces, Good Vibrations will have exhibits that appeal to all ages and promote hands-on interaction.  Over 20 new exhibits will explore the phenomena of vibrations, sounds, cycles and repeating patterns in ways that will entertain as well as inform. Good Vibrations will also bring out the musician in all of us as our visitors tap out new tunes on the Slap-A-Phone, or explore combinations of sounds on the Organ Pipes. As always, be prepared to have a fun time with your entire family, but don't expect to have much peace and quiet!

GOOD VIBRATIONS
A Sampling Of What There Is To See (video & photos below)

 

Visible VibrationsVibrations are all around us. Some we are aware of, but many we are not. The Discovery Center uses a variety of clever new exhibits to bring the world of vibrations to life with the Good Vibrations exhibition. Many of the new exhibits focus on how vibrations result in sound, but not all of them. Take, for example, the Visible Vibrations table that allows our visitors to control the modulation of vibrations through different shapes of metal plates. When sand is placed on those metal plates, the patterns that emerge right before your eyes are amazing as well as beautiful. Crop circles anyone?

Organ PipesEasily, the most engaging of our new sound vibration exhibits will be the Organ Pipes. Our exhibit creators at the Discovery Center are building more exhibits that resemble works of art. Organ Pipes lets visitors control both the very large bellows to create air flow, and control the combination of "Pipes" that make a variety of strange and wonderful sounds. You will imagine a train coming down the tracks when you blow the multi-chambered train whistle, or feel like you are in church listening to a pipe organ with combinations of our single chamber pipes. And, by controlling the intensity of the pressure that is applied to the bellows, you also control the volume and tone of the sound coming from the pipes.

Bite-A-PhoneFor sheer amazement, the new exhibit that will leave you wondering "how does it do that?" will be the Bite-A-Phone. You may be reluctant to actually bend down and bite on an exhibit with your teeth, but that is how it works! Also, you may wonder how that can be sanitary? The Discovery Center protects our visitors by requiring that a clean straw be placed on the exhibit rod after each use. That way, you know you will not be sharing your bite experience with anyone else. So, what happens when you bite the rod on Bite-A-Phone? Well, that is something you will have to come in and experience for yourself.

 

Slap-A-Phone Have you ever admired street musicians and their ability to make music from just about anything, from garbage cans to stair railings? Now you too can slap out your favorite Beach Boys tune on our Slap-A-Phone. By just using a pair of flip-flops as your drumsticks, and slapping them on our set of very tall PVC pipes you CAN make your own music. So, come on by to see these new exhibits and many more. Good Vibrations will be running from June 12, 2009 to January 10, 2010.