Special Exhibits

Be the Astronaut

On exhibit Saturday, June 24-Monday, September 11, 2023

Be the Astronaut takes guests through the excitement of spaceflight with missions to the Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, Ceres, and Jupiter through touch-screen stations, artifacts and simulator pods built to look like space capsules.

Celestial Navigation: Chart your course! Learn the core concepts of astronomy and physics to prepare you for your journey in a virtual spacecraft.
Science & Technology: Explore the machines making space travel possible, the science of astronomy, and the methods keeping human beings healthy in the harsh conditions of space.
Fly: Fly a virtual spacecraft on the flight path you designed, in a simulator module. Pilot a lander and drive a rover on the moon, Mars, Ceres and Jupiter.

The spacecraft in Be the Astronaut were designed with assistance and oversight from advisors at NASA Langley Research Facility. Wherever possible, the exhibit uses 1:1 simulations derived from actual NASA data.

Be the Astronaut is sponsored by Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists.

Mindbender Mansion

On exhibit Saturday, September 30, 2023-Sunday, May 12, 2024

Enter the wonderfully puzzling world of Mindbender Mansion, an eclectic place full of brainteasers and interactive challenges guaranteed to test the brain power and problem-solving skills of even the most experienced puzzlers.

Guests to this fun and quirky mansion are invited to join the Mindbender Society by gathering hidden clues and secret passwords scattered throughout the various thematic rooms of the house. The clues and passwords are revealed by solving select brainteasers and group challenges. Visitors are encouraged to think outside the box and collaborate with their fellow mansion guests to meet individual and group challenges, which include manipulating a tilt table, keeping up with T.V. trays on a conveyer belt, and disco hopscotch spelling.

Mindbender Mansion is incredibly engaging for all ages and generations as grandparents, parents, and children learn from each other to solve the 40 brainteasers and five group activities.

Mindbender Mansion was produced and is toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland, Oregon, and is sponsored locally by Bank of America.

Permian Monsters

On exhibit Saturday, October 12, 2024-Sunday, May 11, 2025

Step back in time 290 million years when bizarre-looking animals dominated life on land and sea to discover the greatest extinction the world has ever seen. Using a blend of art and science, this unique traveling exhibit brings the past back to life with fossilized skeletons and full-size models of animals, including giant insects, bizarre sharks and strange reptiles that ruled the world millions of years before the age of dinosaurs.

Permian Monsters showcases an amazing collection of fossils and models from this relatively unknown period. View fossilized skeletons and reconstructed models of amazing creatures that dominated land and sea. Meet the top predator, the largest sabertoothed creature of all time. The Permian Period ended with the extinction of 80% of all species. Find out how a huge volcanic eruption set off a chain of events that led to the greatest extinction of all time to make way for Earth’s next rulers: the dinosaurs!