Greensboro Science Center
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Adults and kids enjoy the thrill of touching a stingray at Hands-On Harbor in the Carolina SciQuariumI heard from a friend that the Greensboro Science Center was worth a visit. The center is an aquarium, museum and zoo all in one location. Having a 4 year old that is very inquisitive and loves animals, I planned a visit.
We arrived on a Thursday about 1:30 in the afternoon and the center was not crowded at all which made it pleasant to explore. Our first stop was the museum which includes several informative and interactive exhibits. My daughter enjoyed the Extreme Weather Gallery in which she was able to attract electricity and feel the strength of a hurricane. She also liked the Prehistoric Passage exhibit in which large replica’s of dinosaurs and dinosaur skeletons are on display. Animal lovers will enjoy the indoor herpetarium which has a great display of amphibians and reptiles. There is also an indoor play area for children 5 and under and an exhibit called Health Quest that is perfect for older children.
After exploring the museum, we headed outside to check out the Animal Discovery Zoo. We were impressed with the variety of animals which included: tigers, maned wolves, giant anteaters, lemurs, monkeys, gibbons, crocodiles, tortoises, meerkats, red pandas, wallabies, coatis, tamandua and a variety of domestic farm animals. The animal habitats were small but well maintained. Our favorite animal was the maned wolves which we had never seen or heard of before. It is an endangered species that is found in South America and looks like a cross between a fox and a wolf.
After the zoo, we headed to the newest addition to the Greensboro Science Center, the SciQuarium. The 22,000 square-foot, LEED-designed complex is North Carolina's only center-of-state aquarium. Along with many species of fish this aquarium features African penguins, sharks, otters, a fishing cat, stingrays, moray eels, an anaconda, a two-toed sloth and mata-mata turtles. There are enrichment talks and feedings throughout the day for guests to enjoy. We were happy to see the penguins being fed when we walked through. My daughter also enjoyed touching a sting ray for the first time in the sting ray touch tank.
Overall, we enjoyed the Greensboro Science Center. It was a great place to spend a few hours and learn some new things.
The Greensboro Science Center is open daily except on Thanksgiving and Christmas day. The hours for the museum and SciQuarium are 9am-5pm. The animal discovery zoo hours are 10am-4pm. Admission is $12.50 for ages 14-64, $11.50 for ages 3-13 and seniors and free for children 2 and under. Omni Sphere Theaters Shows are also available on site for an additional fee. For more information, visit http://www.greensboroscience.org/index.shtml