The Mid America Science Museum

            The 57,000-square-foot facility was constructed in Mid-America Park on 21 beautiful wooded acres. To find the place you just go towards National Park Community College! The address is 500 Mid America Blvd.  It’s a beautiful drive down to the place, and even more breathtaking once you actually get to the museum building itself.

Mid-America Science Museum was conceptualized as the first interactive, informal learning environment in Arkansas when the Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 515 establishing the Arkansas Museum and Cultural Commission in 1971. In September 1974, the State Commission's initial staff opened temporary offices in the Medical Arts Building located in Hot Springs National Park. Here the first museum offices were established and original exhibit designs and development took place.

It became the ninetieth museum in the nation to receive this honor and the first institution in Arkansas to have this recognition. In 2003 the Museum became a partner in a statewide network of Museums; The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation’s Arkansas Children’s Museums Discovery Network. In 2006, this museum collaboration received a 7.3 million dollar grant to continue their work over the next five years.

Mid America Science Museum has over 100 hands-on exhibits for visitors to see, touch and explore. New exhibits are constantly added to keep the experience fresh and exciting. There is an upper level, which has Virtual Reality Simulator Ride, Mirrors, Stimulators, and Lights. A Middle Level, which has Energy Island, and the Underground Arkansas Cave. And a lower level, which has the famous tesla coil demonstration, Earth Science, Matter Island, and the Van De Graff Generator.  And last BUT not least the outdoor space, which has things like the nature trail, and cretaceous park.

Some of the exhibits have fascination things that you can explore inside them. Like in the Underground Arkansas Cave Trek through "Underground Arkansas", a gigantic indoor cave filled with awesome twists, turns, tunnels, and slides. There’s swinging bridges, rope ladders, and realistic underground adventure. Energy Island is a changing array of experiments demonstrates the various effects of energy, its characteristics and behavior. The Tesla Demonstration, experience the power of "caged lightning" as you watch 1.5 million volts of electricity spark from the world's most powerful conical Tesla Coil. Nature Trail you can take a short walk on this beautiful trail. Keep an eye out for birds, woodland creatures, native plants, fish and other aquatic animals in the flowing creek. There are many more fascinating exhibits waiting for you here though! 

A visit to this amazing museum will surely be a memorable one. It has tons of scientific knowledge to share, and thousands of breathtaking sights from the outside of the building. Just from coming here you’ll be sure to learn something new that you never knew before. So come on! It’s only a short drive down from the Mountain Pine Junction in the historic Hot Springs Arkansas!

By: Amanda Poole