Welcome
to Catawba Science Center, where hands-on
learning makes science
fun!
Our Mission
To change lives and inspire learning through science and wonder.
CSC’s
permanent exhibit areas explore Physical, Natural and Earth sciences,
while interactive traveling exhibits rotate throughout the year.
Freshwater and saltwater aquarium exhibits – featuring a marine
touch pool with LIVE sharks and stingrays —offer exciting hands-on
learning experiences in immersive habitats.
Featured
Exhibits
May 18, 2013 to September 1, 2013
Located int the Science Courtyard, Flutter-By Butterfly Habitat offers adults and children the unique opportunity to get an up close look at numerous species of live butterflies. This seasonal butterfly house will feature native North Carolina and semi-tropical varieties of butterflies.
Once visitors walk through the door of the Science Courtyard, they will be transported to a butterfly friendly environment filled with a variety of aromatic flora and a babbling brook.
Walking through the lush, vibrantly colorful surroundings, guests will discover an assortment of butterflies including Monarchs, Swallowtails, Buckeyes, Viceroys, Orange Barred Sulphur and Painted Ladies, just to name a few. Visitors will be amazed how delicate and beautiful these insects are, and enjoy the unique opportunity to feed these fluttering works of art.
SPONSORED BY:
Conservation Quest
January 19 – May 26, 2013
GO GREEN
Join the quest to learn about
Energy and Conservation.
• Find ways to save with light bulbs, electricity and recycling
• Explore solar, wind and hydropower
• Connect circuits to power up lights, radios and fans
• See how much electricity your family uses compared to others
• Take the green challenge – a computer interactive on green choices
• Check out the latest energy-saving inventions and learn about the
future of energy
SPONSORED BY:
  
 
MEDIA PARTNER:
Conservation Quest® was created by Stepping Stones Museum for Children
RetroView
Opens January 19, 2013
EDGERTON GALLERY
Celebrate CSC’s 38th Anniversary Year; visit this special “old”- yet new exhibit tracing the history of Catawba Science Center!
HAVE YOU EVER:
- Stuck your head in an aquarium to watch fish swimming?
- Seen an animal skeleton, colorful minerals, strange fossils, and insects up close?
- Seen rocks and minerals glow under “black light?”
- Looked through a large microscope at feathers, insects, or other tiny items?
- Seen photos of children and wondered if they are now Science Professionals as adults?
- Been told to open drawers to see what is inside?
You will get do experience all of this and more as you explore this special exhibit!
Infectious Diseases: Evolving Challenges
to Human Health
Now Open – First Floor
Visitors get an in-depth view of the microbes that cause some
of the world’s most deadly diseases and explore the challenges
facing researchers today.
Infectious Diseases: Evolving Challenges
of Human Health was prepared
by the Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Science.
Copyright 2007 National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Funded in part by a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA)
through the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes
of Health.
Infectious Diseases: Evolving Challenges of Human Health
is sponsored locally by Northwest Area Health Education Center
(AHEC) of
Wake Forest University School of Medicine and part of the NC AHEC
program,
Catawba Valley Medical Center and Frye Regional Medical Center.
Permanent
Exhibits
Saltwater Gallery
Sharks & Stingrays
See and touch different species of LIVE sharks and stingrays in
this hands-on marine habitat. Live shark feedings are held daily.
Coastal North Carolina
Explore a coastal habitat for marine creatures, and the chance
to see and touch sea stars, urchins, conchs, horseshoe and hermit
crabs, reef fish and more.
Freshwater
Gallery
Featuring Expedition Amazon
Amazon Basin
See rare and remarkable fish, frogs, snakes, turtles and birds
native to the Amazon Basin. Look closely for freshwater stingrays
and brilliantly colored poison dart frogs.
Amazon Oxbow
Get an underwater view of a variety of fish found in an Amazon oxbow lake – including
Silver Arowana, Eartheaters, Catfish and beautiful Peacock Bass. Learn
about oxbows, or crescent-shaped lakes in lowland Amazonia that form when a
river changes course.
Wall of Life
Biotope aquariums display species native to various habitats in
South America – whitewater, brackish and blackwater streams,
as well as an up-close look at predator, camouflage and endangered
fish species. Expedition Amazon includes electric fish, including
knifefish and a three-foot electric eel.
Hall of Astronomy
Explore the surface
of Mars using a robot arm, view live images of our solar
system downloaded from the Hubble Spacecraft, create a dust devil
and see a model of NASA’s
Mars Exploration Rover in this hands-on exhibit area located
just outside the doors to the Millholland Planetarium.
Energy Avenue
Create and launch rockets, race a friend on pulley playground,
take a spin in Spin Circle, power a TV and electric fan, and more.
Energy Avenue is located in the lower level of CSC.
Inventor's Workshop
Design your own invention, build a rocket, experiment with circuits,
make a car that runs on air and bring your invention to life at
the “Wall of Moving Art.” Activities feature Take-Apart-Days,
weekend demonstrations and cool events.
VR Xtreme
Be part of a water cycle, slam dunk on the basketball court and
make your own music in VR Xtreme, Catawba Science Center’s
virtual reality theater, located just off Energy Avenue on the
lower level of CSC.
EarthWatch Center
Learn about conditions on the Sun, experiment with forces of water
and experience 78 MPH of fun in CSC’s Tornado Simulator.
Located off Energy Avenue on the lower level of CSC.
Science
Courtyard
Discover science North Carolina style. Climb the mountain wall,
experiment with sound and search for fossils at the end of the
brook. This outdoor exhibit space is closed during inclement weather.
Naturalist Center
Visit CSC's recently remodeled Naturalist Center – home
of Swampy the Alligator and Seymour, an African spur tortoise,
and Pedro, a desert tortoise. Observe live reptiles, amphibians,
insects and arachnids, in addition to an eclectic collection of
preserved animals, insects, fossils and more.
Explore It!
Explore the world around you - visit a farm, treehouse and play
with the puppet animals inside, experiment with light, go fishing
and build an igloo with "ice blocks" in this colorful, interactive
learning space for CSC's youngest visitors.
RaceWays
Explore the principles of motion in this high-speed exhibit area
with hands-on activities using balls and various types of tracks.
COMING SOON!
ARRIVES MAY 18, 2013
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