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Visit the Newly Expanded Discovery Cube OC- Win 1 year Membership!

July 3, 2015

Macaroni Kid Walnut had the privilege to preview the new science exhibits in the expanded and remodeled 44,000 square-foot Discovery Cube OC prior to it's grand opening on June 11th. This was already our favorite place with the kids prior to the expansion.  Now with all the additions and updates, this museum is absolutely fantastic!  You would need to plan a long visit to have enough time to enjoy everything.  We would suggest planning for a 3-4 hours visit  but to be stress free, an annual pass would be best.   

What makes it convenient is now there's a new healthy dining option inside the museum!  
A new onsite Bean Sprouts Café debuted at the grand opening. Bean Sprouts Café, a kid-friendly café and cooking school, specializes in healthy foods for visitors of all ages, supplements its regular menu with vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, casein-free, nut-free and egg-free options. Visitors can order pizzas, soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts as well as “Imaginibbles,” a signature line of themed, hand-held foods designed to make eating healthy fun.  
The new exhibits give families hands-on permanent exhibits, themed science adventures, interactive programs and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning spaces. They will focus on cultivating an appreciation for the smallest ecosystems on earth to the largest exploration of the cosmos.  

New Exhibit Information: 

  • Sherlock Holmes - The first exhibit on display in the new 10,000 square-foot Julianne Argyros Showcase Theater and Exhibition Hall will be The International Exhibit of Sherlock Holmes, a “who done it” mystery geared toward youth-sleuths in training. 
  • Helicopter Tour – Guests will hop inside a virtual helicopter and fly from the mountains to the sea, over the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, a biodiversity hotspot located in the heart of Orange County. Guests will learn about this collection of public parks and protected wildlands that serve as a valuable resource to many rare and endangered species of plants and animals that call Orange County “home.”  
  •  Inspector Training Course – This immersive exhibit, presented by the Orange County Vector Control District, has guests go on an adventure in their own backyard to find and eliminate invading vectors. Using a touch-screen tablet, guests will make their way through the Inspector Training Course to learn how to coexist with and keep their home free from mosquitos, fleas, and rodents in this competitive scavenger-hunt styled game.  Be prepared to spend some time at this exhibit.  Kids love the multi-media interaction and will not want to leave midway. 

  • Petersonville Healthy Kitchen – Expanding on Discovery Cube’s emphasis on teaching guests how their bodies function, this full, working demonstration kitchen, presented by Sheila and Jim Peterson, will let children become chefs creating good-for-them recipes. In addition, they will learn valuable kitchen safety tips as part of this health and wellness exhibit. 
  • Water Gallery – With Californians experiencing one of the worst droughts in history, the Water Gallery and Water Lab, presented by Pacific Life, will give families the opportunity to learn about one of nature’s most nourishing elements: water. From salt water to fresh water, frozen water to water vapor, guests will be exposed to the scientific side of the H20 chemical formula in a fun and engaging manner.  Our favorite experience here was traveling deep underground with the Aquavator.  It's the best display we've ever seen for kids and adults to visualize groundwater and it's pollutants. Another great display here is seeing water freeze up close with a magnifying glass! 
  • Mission Control- In Mission Control, you are in charge of the selected mission and it’s your job to successfully complete each one.  Land a rover on Mars or send a satellite up to space!  Mission Control allows you to step inside a replica of the Jet Propulsion Lab’s control room for the ultimate hands-on space mission! This immersive exhibit allows the next generation of innovators to learn about the wonders of aerospace and the science behind launching rovers and satellites. Kids will be so proud to see their own custom satellite orbit in space!

Details 

  • Tickets are available on-site or online at www.discoverycube.org/oc/. General admission prices are as follows: adult ($17.95), senior ($14.95), and children ages 3-14 ($12.95). Entrance to The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes is an additional $10 per person, with discounts available for a limited time. 
  • For complete, continually updated exhibit and program information, visit the Discovery Cube blog

Discovery Market grocery store game 

Rock wall challenge


Giveaway!

Readers can win a one-year family membership to Discovery Cube Orange County.  Contest runs through July 8, 2015 ending at 8:00 a.m.  Click here to enter http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9831683733/ .