Explore the Adventure Science Center in Nashville

My daughter and I spent a couple of hours at the Adventure Science Center during our trip to Nashville. But we could’ve spent twice that long exploring all the interactive exhibits spread across the three floors of the museum.

Here’s a rundown of why you should include Nashville’s Adventure Science Center the next time you’re in Nashville.

Build Something Unique in the Tinkering Garage

After picking up our tickets at the front desk, we were debating where to begin. We decided to start with the Tinkering Garage. We saw dozens of wooden creations on shelves just outside the garage door.

After a brief orientation, we put on some safety goggles and began creating. On the wall of bins, we found pieces of wood, dowels of different sizes, string, plastic caps, paper towel rolls and many other items.

My daughter decided to build a little toy for her Guinea Pig, Cocoa. We grabbed all the supplies and build a little food holder. We were pretty proud of our creation. Others were drilling, sawing and gluing their creations together.

Once your creation is complete, you can test it in a wind tunnel, put it down a slide or even test its buoyancy.

I was pretty impressed with the variety of projects kids were creating and it was fun to watch them hard at work.

Float through Space Chase at the Adventure Science Center

I’m sort of a space nerd. So the Space Chase exhibit of the Adventure Science Center was fantastic. We decided not to wait in line for the zero gravity walking exhibit (as shown above), but that activity is included in the general admission tickets.

There were many other exhibits we were able to enjoy, including “Working in Zero G”. We sat on a wheelie chair and tried turning and twisting things on a wall – similar to what astronauts would be doing on the International Space Station.

Another interesting exhibit was a 2-liter bottle rocket. You could build up the pressure in two different bottles and see how different pressure levels and different rocket weights affect how far up it launches.

Other hands on activities teach you about different aspects of space travel. There were also facts and figures about the space program, including the Apollo missions to the moon. The exhibits also extend onto the second floor of the museum, so be sure to explore those exhibits, too.

Visit the Planetarium for a Show

The dome theater at the Adventure Science Center offers multiple shows. We were lucky enough to get a good seat for the NightWatch presentation. While it was expected to be a cloudy night in Nashville, the show brought us out under the stars and showed us many of the popular constellations as they would be seen from Nashville.

Other shows include:

• Habitat Earth
• The Powerhouse of the Universe: Stars
• Dynamic Earth: Exploring Earth’s Climate Engine
• The Secrets of Gravity: In the Footsteps of Albert Einstein

Shows in the planetarium are an additional cost.

The planetarium does offer some laser shows at special times, so check out the full schedule to see if you’re able to catch one during your visit.

Enter a World of Virtual Reality at the Adventure Science Center

We were excited when we learned there were some virtual reality exhibits at the Adventure Science Center. After exploring the Space Chase area and watching a show in the planetarium, we came across the Virtual Reality exhibit.

Lucky for us, there was no line when we arrived. I went back to one of the roughly 12’x12′ rooms and the guide got me all set up. There are four different experiences. I chose the “Water Cycle”, while my daughter decided to walk with dinosaurs. There was also “Building a Skyscraper” and a honeybee pollinating flowers.

After grabbing my control stick and having the virtual reality goggles place on my head, I began to interact with a mountain scene. I made water evaporate with my ray gun. I blew clouds around with a giant fan. And after completing the water cycle, my turn ended.

We both thought it was a pretty neat experience to play with the goggles. But on the way out, a line had formed and it looks like the line can get to the point where people would be waiting 15-30 minutes. So if your heart is set on doing this activity, just know there could be a wait.

Learn About the Human Body in Body Quest

The Body Quest exhibit was… disgustingly amazing!! We began with a Gross Game Show, answering different questions that would make your stomach churn. My daughter says it’s because I work in healthcare that I got 100% of the questions right. I just think it’s because I’m a genius! 😉

Another exhibit walked us through the digestive system. We fed balls to a giant mouth. Squeezed some food through an esophagus – bodily burping sounds included. We churned up the food in the stomach and then slid down the Colon Slide to finish it all up. Gross, but informative. Am I right?

It would be hard to explain all the exhibits that were there, but they covered many of the elements of the human body. From blood flow through the arteries, to muscle contractions that help you pedal a bicycle.

I loved the exhibit that measured the forces placed on the brain during an impact with and without a bicycle helmet. I am a big proponent of wearing a helmet when riding a bike. So that exhibit totally supports the need to wear one and does so in a way that makes it understandable for kids.

The Body Quest exhibit is informative and presents a lot of information in fun, interactive ways. It made learning fun and gross all at the same time.

Play Around in Adventure Tower and See Downtown Nashville

The Adventure Tower spans three floors of the museum, connecting with each floor in the center of the building. On the first floor, the area is reserved for younger children – A kinder playground of sorts.

The second level has piano keys you can walk on, some wind tubes that play a pipe organ, and the inside of a guitar. It’s fun to play around on some of those pieces to see what music and sounds you can make.

The third floor has the tunnels and playgrounds for the older kids, and even adults. From the top of the tower you can climb through the roof and get a spectacular view of downtown Nashville.

In total, you can learn about air and space, health, sound and light, energy, and more in the Adventure Tower alone. Combine that with all the interactive exhibits through the Adventure Science Center and you’ve got a full day of fun and learning for the whole family.

The Adventure Science Center was my daughter’s favorite stop in Nashville. And like I mentioned at the beginning, we could’ve spent twice as long there as we did. I guess that means we’ll just have to go back.

If you’re looking for something else fun to do in Nashville, try a photoshoot with some of music’s biggest stars at Madame Tussauds Nashville.

The Details

Address: 800 Fort Neglet Blvd., Nashville, TN 37203

Cost: An adult ticket (ages 13+) is $15.95; children 2-12 are $11.95. Shows in the Planetarium are an additional cost.

Hours: Adventure Science Center in Nashville is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It’s closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas day. Plan on anywhere from 2-4 hours.

Website: http://www.adventuresci.org/

Phone: (615) 862-5160

Disclosure: I received two complimentary admissions to the Adventure Science Center in Nashville for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

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