The WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology is a hands-on science museum

Science museum

A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...

 located in the city of Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....

, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Incorporated in 1995 as a private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Non-profit organization

Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...

, WonderLab’s mission is to provide opportunities for people of all ages, especially children, to experience the wonder and excitement of science. WonderLab is a member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers

Association of Science-Technology Centers

The Association of Science-Technology Centers is an international organization of science centers and science museums. Members are located in more than 40 countries...

.

History

WonderLab began operation as a traveling outreach program run by a dedicated group of volunteers. In 1998, WonderLab opened a small, interim museum on the north side of the Bloomington courthouse

Monroe County Courthouse (Indiana)

Monroe County Courthouse in Bloomington, Indiana is a Beaux Arts building built in 1908. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.-History:...

 square. At the same time, a capital campaign was launched to build a permanent museum on a downtown lot donated by the city of Bloomington. The current 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) museum opened to the public on March 29, 2003. Today, WonderLab is in the heart of the Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District (BEAD) and is a visitor attraction on the B-Line Trailhttp://bloomington.in.gov/b-line.

Inside the Museum

WonderLab is an accessible facility with two floors of hands-on science exhibits. Some of the highlights are listed below:

First Floor

A popular exhibit on the first floor is the Grapevine Climber, which allows visitors to climb up giant leaves to view the museum from a different perspective. The Bubble-Airium offers multiple exhibits that showcase unexpected ways of forming and using bubbles. The first floor is also home to the Discovery Garden, an enclosed area with age-appropriate science activities for toddlers and preschoolers.

Second Floor

The second floor is home to many of the live animal exhibits at WonderLab, as well as exhibits about southern Indiana’s geologic past as interpreted through fossils. In addition, the floor features exhibits relating to health, the human body and the science of sound.

Lester P. Bushnell WonderGarden

WonderLab’s WonderGarden is a small nature area set between the museum building and the B-Line Trail. The garden includes a selection of outdoor science exhibits and an amphitheater for science programs. Museum visitors may check out nature packs at the welcome desk to use for exploring the science of the garden in different seasons.

Other Educational Activities

WonderLab presents a rich selection of hands-on science programs for all ages, conducts a summer science camp, is a partner in the MCCSC after-school enrichment program, provides outreach services, and offers professional development workshops for teachers. In addition, the museum provides work experiences for Indiana University college students, summer internships for high school students, and a variety of volunteer opportunities for hundreds of teens and adults.

Selected Awards

Certified Wildlife Habitat (WonderGarden)

Certified by the National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over four million members and supporters, and 48 state and territorial affiliated organizations...

 in 2009

Best Place to Volunteer

Awarded by the Indiana Daily Student

Indiana Daily Student

The Indiana Daily Student is an independent, student-run newspaper that has been published for the community of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana since 1867. The IDS is free and distributed throughout the campus and city.- Circulation :...

 in 2009http://www.idsnews.com/news/weekend/bob.aspx?id=45

Top 25 Hands-On Science Center in the United States

Ranked #17 by: Parents

Parents (magazine)

Parents, published by Meredith Corporation, is the oldest parenting publication in the U.S. It was first published in October 1926.Its editorial focus is on the daily needs and concerns of mothers with young children. The glossy monthly features information about child health, safety, behavior,...

(September 2008 issue)

Community Enhancement Award

Awarded by the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce in 2003

Attraction of the Year

Awarded by the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention and Visitors Bureau in 2003

External links

• Museum website
• WonderLab Facebook Page