The California Science Center in Los Angeles is one of those museums where individuals can easily spend hours without realizing how much time has passed. With its mix of hands-on activities, large-scale displays, and detailed science exhibits, it offers an experience that is both engaging and completely free, making it a solid option for anyone looking for an affordable and interesting day in the city.

Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the California Science Center features over 150 interactive exhibits, ranging from Ecosystems to Air and Space, and even includes the IMAX Theater, which boasts a seven-story high and 90-foot wide movie screen that takes audiences to different continents, oceans, and even outer space through breathtaking visuals and immersive sounds.

Some notably popular exhibits are the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the World of Life Gallery. The Space Shuttle Endeavour, located in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, is a real, retired NASA space shuttle that flew 25 missions. Seeing the full shuttle in person provides a true sense of scale that photos or descriptions cannot fully convey, and it is one of the main reasons why visitors flock to this museum. Additionally, the World of Life Gallery is also a popular exhibit, primarily because of Tess, a 50-foot tall animatronic woman who demonstrates how the body works. There is a separate room where people can take a seat right in front of Tess and learn about the circulatory system through a simulated experience.

Although the California Science Center boasts a wide range of activities and displays that are all unique and interesting in their own right, when I visited, the most memorable part of the museum for me was undoubtedly the Ecosystems exhibit. It is made up of 10 different zones, such as Desert, which has an infrared camera to reveal how the body temperatures of desert animals like tortoises and fennec foxes change; Polar, which features a large ice wall with different types of furs and insulators to demonstrate how polar bears and other polar animals stay warm in extremely cold temperatures; and Kelp Forest, which is a 188,000-gallon tank full of kelp, fish, sharks, and sea stars. This breathtaking environment can be viewed from above through underwater microscopes, or visitors can go down to the floor and watch the entire scene through a giant glass panel.

However, out of this whole section, my favorite was the small but visually striking jellyfish display. The soft lighting that illuminated the vibrant blue jellyfish truly caught my eye and stuck with me until the end of my trip. Although this exhibition is not as widely known as the Space Shuttle Endeavour or as large as the vast Kelp Forest, it is remarkably beautiful and also quiet, making it a relaxing oasis amidst the various loud activities of the museum.

Overall, the California Science Center is a well-rounded museum that mixes education with hands-on fun. Whether one is interested in space, healthcare, ecology, or simply wants a place to explore for a few hours, there is something for everyone at this museum.

<Emily Lee 서니힐스 고교 11학년>