Science Museum Oklahoma

[TheTravellers]

This is good news!

I went to the Science Museum recently for the first time since I was a kid in the 90s. And I was shocked at how many of the exhibits from then are still the exact same. I was re-unlocking core memories that I had not thought of in almost 3 decades.

There was so much interactive stuff broken. Old CRT televisions on exhibits that didn't work or had terrible color. The place needs a wealthy philanthropist badly.

Totally agree with everything here. I used to volunteer at the Science Museum (Omniplex back then) about 40+ years ago, sat outside the old planetarium doors to make sure nobody snuck in, got to watch the star shows for free, carry snakes around, do all kinds of cool stuff. Maybe the new planetarium can do laser shows again, bet the tech advances of decades have made them pretty cool by now (assuming they still exist), wife has never been to one.

[Mississippi Blues]

To echo Anon’s experience, I went in 2020 when I moved back from Portland and having spent the last few years regularly going to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) it was very much like entering a time capsule. I’m all for anything that injects new blood into it.

[Pete]

High-quality planetariums are big draws and revenue generators.

I'm sure that is why they are focusing on this as a priority. Hopefully it will lead to more visitors, income and donations.

[Mr. Cotter]

SMO is a very high quality children's museum. It will be great to have the new planetarium reactivate the east portion of the building. There are a few outdated exhibits, but most of the museum is current.

[king183]

I haven't been to SMO since it with the Omniplex and I was in school. I remember thinking it was the coolest thing in the world, especially the clear climbing gym and the planetarium. I recently visited the Hayden Planetarium in NYC and thought it would be amazing if we could get something like that in OKC, so this news makes me really excited, especially for my daughter who will get to experience it.

Can someone remind me what currently occupies the east portion?

[Pete]

^

It used to be the Omnidome but it's been closed for a while.

[Decious]

SMO is one of the absolute best children’s museums in the country. That’s pretty much the universal opinion of every parent I know. Excited about this upgrade!

[Mississippi Blues]

For those saying most parents agree that SMO is one of the highest quality and up-to-date children museums in the country, are you referring to designated areas like CurioCity, KidSpace, etc? My son was only a few months old the last time I went so we didn’t spend any time in those areas except briefly walking near them while deciding if we should leave or continue exploring, which is hardly enough to get an impression of them.

[PaddyShack]

For those saying most parents agree that SMO is one of the highest quality and up-to-date children museums in the country, are you referring to designated areas like CurioCity, KidSpace, etc? My son was only a few months old the last time I went so we didn’t spend any time in those areas except briefly walking near them while deciding if we should leave or continue exploring, which is hardly enough to get an impression of them.

I assume these areas are what parents are loving, as last time we went, summer of 2021, it was my first time seeing these new areas and I was blown away as an adult. I look forward to the east end getting some love, but I selfishly miss the old omnidome, I remember when it opened. I believe I spent 5 or 6 birthdays going to the omnidome. I vividly remember the film on Everest and the feeling of watching an avalanche coming at you in the curved IMAX screen was amazing. Too bad it was built at the end of the analog film IMAX technology and there was not enough money or will to upgrade to digital IMAX. But I loved the curved screen and the seating arrangement, hopefully the new planetarium will have the same feeling.

[Mr. Cotter]

Yes, CurioCity specifically is amazing. Any kid between about 18 months and 8-10 years old would have a great time in there. As your kids get older, there are maker spaces with guided projects, large scale games (Battleship is a favorite of our family), and lots of open ended play opportunities throughout SMO. It is our go-to indoor activity in town with our now school age kid, and has been a favorite since toddlerhood. We visit similar facilities when traveling, but SMO is overall more engaging than anywhere else we have visited. The Perot Center in Dallas is beautiful, and if I could walk through it as an adult by myself, I would enjoy it more than SMO, but for kids under 10 or 12, there is not as much to do as there was at the old Science Place at Fair Park in Dallas that merged into the Perot Center about 15 years ago.

Again - I'm super excited for the new planetarium. That east end of the museum has felt sad for too long, and it will be really nice to get it reactivated like the rest of the building. If you can't tell, I've had a lot of really good times here with my kid. It's a special place.

[Mississippi Blues]

Thanks for those responses! Now that my son is about two years older we’ll have to visit again and see what all we missed out on the first time!

I’ve been to several natural history oriented science museums (Perot Museum is one) and my interest in science has always most closely aligned with observational science over experimental science - though experimental is fascinating to follow - so that very likely plays a role into my view of SMO, which isn’t a negative view at all, just wish it had more. I’m quite sure though that I’ll become more fond of the experimental and hands-on style of discovery having a young son that is (too) quickly coming into his own with discovering the world around him.

[bombermwc]

I'm super excited about the planetarium change. I get motion sickness, so sometimes i had to look down even in the old room but if i sit at the top of the projection booth in the Dome, then i dont have issues.

What i'm not looking forward to is not being able to just walk in line and watch as many shows as I want in a day. I fully expect that we'll have to start buying tickets specifically for the planetarium. That nickel and dime pricing for different parts of museums always chaps my butt. Fingers are crossed that this doesn't happen here, but i'm almost certain we'll have to start paying. The bummer here is that it will automatically reduce attenedence. Sure, it will be high at first. But just like the Dome before, it will taper off as people are less interested in spending the money on it.

[jn1780]

I'm super excited about the planetarium change. I get motion sickness, so sometimes i had to look down even in the old room but if i sit at the top of the projection booth in the Dome, then i dont have issues.

What i'm not looking forward to is not being able to just walk in line and watch as many shows as I want in a day. I fully expect that we'll have to start buying tickets specifically for the planetarium. That nickel and dime pricing for different parts of museums always chaps my butt. Fingers are crossed that this doesn't happen here, but i'm almost certain we'll have to start paying. The bummer here is that it will automatically reduce attenedence. Sure, it will be high at first. But just like the Dome before, it will taper off as people are less interested in spending the money on it.

Maybe they can do after hours ticketing From 5:30 to 9?

[warreng88]

Went to SMO yesterday and the Midwest wrecking crews were there. The entrances into the Omnidome was blocked off on both levels with three foot by three foot plexiglass openings so you could look in and see what they were doing.

I talked to someone there a few months ago and they said it was going to be completely torn down and a new one built in its place. They said there is too much mold, rodents and everything else to be able to renovate it. It's just easier to tear it down and start from scratch.

[bombermwc]

Wow, what a waste. All that money that went in to the building, and now it's just going to be torn out. Years of neglect. We could have had a campaign to ask for money to convert to digital IMAX, but didn't. And now here we are. I'm still mixed on the planetarium because I know it wont be as accessible as it is now, financially (ie, pay an extra ticket), so it will be less attended, and then we'll be in danger of losing a planetarium at all as ticket sales dwindle after such a large other project. I really hope I'm wrong here, but we'll come back in 10 years and see.

[king183]

Wow, what a waste. All that money that went in to the building, and now it's just going to be torn out. Years of neglect. We could have had a campaign to ask for money to convert to digital IMAX, but didn't. And now here we are. I'm still mixed on the planetarium because I know it wont be as accessible as it is now, financially (ie, pay an extra ticket), so it will be less attended, and then we'll be in danger of losing a planetarium at all as ticket sales dwindle after such a large other project. I really hope I'm wrong here, but we'll come back in 10 years and see.

The new planetarium is going to be light years ahead of the old in terms of technology and design, so I'm not worried that an extra ticket will be required, if that is in fact the plan. An extra ticket is standard in other cities that have these advanced planetariums and they do quite well.

[catch22]

That building isn't that old. I remember when it was being built.

[jn1780]

The 'shell' is probably being reused and the planetarium is being built within that shell. Otherwise I don't see how they build a full building for just 8 million dollars. I think of it as kind of like an AMC theater remodel: everything is being gutted and replaced with new. I mean even if they did take care of the interior, I don't see a 15+ year old auditorium being reused.

[PaddyShack]

That is sad, I loved the Omnidome concept and I only assume I was one of the few actually gutted about its closing.

[jn1780]

Looking at the plans posted on the last page, the actual planetarium uses the second floor of the existing building and the bottom floor is astronomy related exhibits which is a plus.

[barrettd]

I remember going to a presentation in the planetarium when I was a kid, but pretty much every visit to the Omniplex had it closed for repairs. I'm looking forward to a new exhibit, and taking my kids to the new planetarium.

Pretty sure when Halley's comet came through last, our middle school class went out to the Omniplex at like midnight and they had telescopes set up for us all to see the comet.

[Mr. Cotter]

They left a little window to watch progress on the planetarium construction. These were taken 1-22-23.

[Pete]

Courtesy of warren88:

[warreng88]

The Science Live area of the Science Museum is closed for renovations. Not sure how much of a Reno they are doing.

[scottk]

The Science Live area of the Science Museum is closed for renovations. Not sure how much of a Reno they are doing.

I think the core of it was from at least the early 90's. Solid painted red cinder block walls and the seat cushions were not in the best of shape. It's a fairly large auditorium, probably seats around 500.