Science Pub McMinnville

"Paper, Plastic, or Cotton Tote Bag? Life Cycle Assessments of Everyday Items"

Every day we are confronted with choices that impact our environment: Paper, plastic, or reusable tote bag? Disposable plastic cup or reusable ceramic mug? Prius or Hummer? How do we really know what’s best for the environment? Learn more about how we evaluate the environmental impacts of various materials and products and some of the fundamental principles of green chemistry and sustainability as well. Warning: your intuition about environmental impacts is not always right!

Science Pub Portland

"The Evolution of Oregon's Dynamic Geologic History"

Science Explorer

Everyone can explore science at their own level and pace in this self-directed lab. Students will perform a variety of experiments, including Flubber, Simple Machines, Density, and observing a live animal. Visual aids, picture schedules, and a wide variety of challenge options are available. This class is well-suited for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.  PLEASE NOTE: If you would like more information or if your child needs any specific accommodations, please contact lblack@omsi.edu at least 48 hours before your visit.

Kinetic Sculpture

What is more awesome than a sculpture? A moving sculpture!  Discover the basics of simple machines, and use unique parts created from OMSI’s 3D Printer to design a personalized crank operated moving sculpture. One ticket provides enough materials for one sculpture. Maximum two people per ticket. Participants will be using a hot glue gun. 

To reserve a space for Kinetic Sculpture, buy tickets online or at the OMSI Ticket Desk.

Paper Circuits

Science and art collide when you combine conductive tape, batteries, and miniature LEDS into one-of-a-kind creations. Paper Circuits teaches the nuts and bolts of electric circuits. Here, participants design and fashion a greeting card to light up. One ticket provides enough materials for one card. Join us and spark your friends, neighbors, and loved ones’ curiosity this holiday. Maximum two people per ticket. Participants will be using tweezers

Animal Behavior

Visitors will learn and practice skills by observing feeding behaviors of live animals.  They will apply these skills to build pet puzzle feeders and explore more complex behaviors such as thinking.

To reserve a space for Animal Behavior, buy tickets online or at the OMSI Ticket Desk.

Squid Dissection

Participants will look for clues in the squid anatomy to figure out how these animals live. One squid per ticket, maximum two people per squid.

To reserve a space for Squid Dissection, buy tickets online or at the OMSI Ticket Desk.

Brain Fair

FIRST Tech Challenge

Don't miss the action when high school robotics teams converge on OMSI for a day of mechanical madness at the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) regional competition. Each team is given a kit of a LEGO NXT brain to design and build robots to compete in the challenge. Winners of the FTC regional competition will go to the state championships where they may qualify for the national competition.