By Chip Chandler — Digital Content Producer
A trio of traveling exhibitions will challenge young minds at Don Harrington Discovery Center.
Little Builders, which previously was on view in 2014, will return alongside Brain Teasers 2 and Strange Matter, offering insight into motion, math and materials.
"We've got a little bit of something for everybody," said Aaron Pan, the center's executive director.
The exhibits are on view from Saturday through May 14 following a VIP preview party at 7 p.m. Friday at the center, 1200 Streit Drive. Party admission is free for members.
Little Builders, designed for children ages 7 and younger, allows hands-on exploration of construction, motion and simple machines. Hand operating a pulley or conveyer belt displays cause and effect, for example. Children also can build structures with blocks, pipes and other objects.
"Little Builders was a great success for little kids (in 2014)," Pan said. "This will be the last museum stop for that exhibit in the United States."
Brain Teasers 2 features puzzles like mathematical conundrums and block puzzles for visitors of all ages. The exhibit encourages creative thinking and problem-solving strategies like spotting patterns, logical reasoning and more.
"It has all of these great challenges that you have to try and solve," Pan said. "It'll work your mind."
Strange Matter examines materials science from the molecular level and beyond, allowing visitors to test, break, mix and heat materials.
"This is our big one. ... It's got different materials of the future and of today," Pan said.
Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 4:30 p.m. Sundays.
Admission is $11 for adults and $8 for children 3 to 12, students ages 13 to 22, military and seniors.
Thanks to a special offer through Visit Amarillo, visitors to this exhibition will get $1 off admission at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum with a receipt. All three entities are opening new exhibitions over the weekend; the offer is good through Feb. 5.
Call 806-355-9547.
Chip Chandler is a digital content producer for Panhandle PBS. He can be contacted at Chip.Chandler@actx.edu, at @chipchandler1 on Twitter and at www.facebook.com/chipchandlerwriter on Facebook.
