by Melissa Roe

Created on: May 19, 2009   Last Updated: June 09, 2009

A fun and educational venue to explore is the Great Lakes Science Center located on the shores of Lake Erie next to Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

This museum opens its doors for admission at 10:00 AM on any day of the week, except for Thanksgiving or Christmas. If you are planning a trip to visit the 400 hands on exhibits the museum has to offer, you will want to arrive when they open, because the museum closes promptly at 5:00PM.

Admission is not as expensive as other area attractions, an adult can expect to get in for $9.50, and a child under the age of 17 years old will cost $7.50. If you are a military member, or senior citizen you can expect to get an admission discount if you make your status known at the door.

The Great Lakes Science Center houses one of the most exciting and the largest theaters available, it is called the OMNIMAX theater. They present films that are shot in IMAX format, which is the worlds largest film format that has ever been made to date. Inside a building that is six stories tall, and shaped like a dome, you will feel like you are living inside of the movie picture with the digital surround sound that produces over 11,000 watts of digital sound. Tickets for the OMNIMAX theater are separate from general admission tickets, for a few dollars more than the general admission they can be purchased when you arrive at the museum.

This museum houses hundreds of exhibits including the towering 150 foot tall renewable energy iconic wind turbine located in the front of the Science Center. Along with the wind turbine, the 300 foot solar canopy, the beautiful sunshine and the winds off of the lake, the renewable energy exhibit helps to produce 6% of the Science Centers daily power consumption. These exhibits show the importance that renewable energy has in our everyday lives.

There are exhibits in the Science, technology, biomedical, and environmental areas. You can see exhibits like the indoor tornado in Science Phenomena , or explore stem cell research and DNA in biomedical.

Half way through the day, when everyone begins hearing their stomach growl, you don't even have to leave the museum. Just head to the lower level to the Elements Caf. They offer personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut, and daily specials on soups, salads, and sandwiches.

Before you leave the museum make a trip to the Science Store for a souvenir to remember your adventure! There are items like tee shirts, stuffed animals, puzzles, games, kits and books. You can be sure to find something to enjoy.

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