This page contains the material submitted to the local paper - The Davis Enterprise - for Explorit Science Center's news column published in that paper on Fridays.

Explorit Science Center is pleased to announce its 2000-01 Changing Exhibition Season. In typical Explorit fashion, exhibitions change frequently, allowing visitors the opportunity to explore a variety of topics over the course of a year.

“We’re extremely excited about the diversity of topics planned for this year,” said John Gallagher, exhibit director.

The topics, which range from astronomy to wildlife, are actually part of a year-long theme called “Science and Art.” According to Gallagher, this year’s theme is not as unusual as it sounds.

“Science and art are not mutually exclusive,” Gallagher said Thursday. “Science is an art and art is a science.”

The arts theme will be woven into each exhibition through Explorit’s unique brand of hands-on activities called explorits. These open-ended explorits will offer visitors the opportunity to explore creatively—a necessary ingredient in art.

Each exhibition will touch on one or more aspects of the art world. The visual arts will feature prominently in “Figure it Out! Puzzles and Challenges.” Music will be explored in “Hey, What’s that Sound? The Science of Music.”

The art of constellations and various cultures’ interpretations of the stars will be spotted in “2001: A Space Adventure.” In “Creature Features: Exploring Wetlands Wildlife,” the role that nature plays in inspiring the arts will be investigated.

Finally, the annual theme will be wrapped up with the summer exhibition, “Picture This! Math and Science in the Arts.”

Available for all ages, but designed with elementary children in mind, the 2000-2001 Changing Exhibition Season offers an exciting opportunity to discover “Science and Art.”

continuing through October 1, 2000

From DNA to fingerprinting, scientists use many techniques to investigate and solve perplexing mysteries with science. Use this exciting science to solve a mystery of your own.

October 7 - December 2, 2000

Problems can be solved in many ways. Tease your brain as you try different approaches to interesting challenges and experiment with real-life problem solving from architecture to engineering.

December 9, 2000 - February 3, 2001

From cricket chirps to songs on CDs, music is a part of our everyday lives. Expand your appreciation of music by understanding it as ascience.

February 10 - April 7, 2001

Contrary to its name, space is not empty! Follow in the footsteps of astronauts and astronomers by exploring the wonders of space and the complexity of our universe.

April 14 - June 10, 2001

Our local wetlands are important ecosystems. Investigate the diversity of species that depend on wetlands and learn about their fascinating ways of life.

June 23 - September 29, 2001

Dancers, painters, sculptors, musicians...Creative people use many scientific principles in making art. Discover how science and math are involved in the methods and materials used by artists around the world.

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