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New exhibition under construction at Orlando Science Center
With sledgehammers in hand, the first wall was knocked down Wednesday at the Orlando Science Center to make room for a new permanent exhibit focused on nature, conservation, and Earth's changing climate.
ORLANDO, Fla. - With sledgehammers in hand, the first wall was knocked down Wednesday at the Orlando Science Center to make room for "Life," a new permanent exhibit focused on nature, conservation, and Earth's changing climate.
The $13.5 million exhibit, considered to be the largest project in the center's history, will replace the center's longtime "NatureWorks' exhibition – and is expected to open sometime in late 2023.
Spanning 10,000-square-feet, the exhibit will include a free-flight aviary, a 360-degree aquatic habitat, and animal encounters. It will also focus on preserving and protecting the planet and give people a closer look at the oceans, rainforests, and swamps, and the impact climate change has on them.
"Orlando Science Center’s ongoing educational efforts provide great support to our community and a tremendous benefit to our citizens. This exhibit will serve as a vivid, living resource to inspire others to protect this fragile blue orb we call home," said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings in a statement.
"As we improve our community, and we all go out the world with the knowledge that we have, I think we’re going to be improving the world," said Dr. Sarah Layton, who donated $3 million to the project.
"This exhibit is the science center’s response to do what we do best, which is to inspire, to make calls for action, to show people how they can all be part of the solution," said JoAnn Newman, president and CEO of the science center.