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During Your Visit
At Pacific Science Center
What is Reality
What is Reality is a series of evolving experiences that prompt us to think about what’s “real.” Challenge your perceptions while exploring a broad variety of mind-bending topics alongside scientists and innovators who are shaping the future.
Experiences are constantly rotating and evolving as they highlight immersive and innovative technologies.
Featured Experiences
Zooples
Through April 30, 2020
See yourself come to life as an animal! See what you look like while interacting with friends and family in your new form in this projected augmented reality experience produced locally. Located in Building 4. Included with general admission.
Alternative Mythologies
Through April 30, 2020
If flora and fauna had co-evolved, what myths might have resulted? Alternative Mythologies, created by artist Ginny Ruffner, uses augmented reality to visualize possible outcomes of that thought experiment. Read a PacSci Blog post, then try this experience! Located in Building 4. Included with general admission.
Drip Sculpture
Light and sound merge in this new sculpture by local artist, Robb Kunz. Water “drops” from the sculpture, sending ripples of waves and sound through space. Read about this installation in the PacSci Blog. Located in Building 4. Included with general admission.
Intro to VR
New to the VR scene? Try out Intro to VR. Every day we will offer a rotating set of experiences that demonstrate the diverse, captivating and often times magical possibilities of VR as an immersive technology–all in bite sized chunks. Intro to VR is included with admission and no ticket is required. Please sign up for experiences in Lower Building 4. Ages 6 and up required.
Intro to VR Experiences
Additional Experiences
Here is a sample of the types of questions raised and activities to take part in throughout the Science Center:
- A Rock with a Reputation: Go ahead, Google the Coso Artifact. Now come see the real thing at PacSci.
- Augmented Reality on the Big Screen: These experiences rotate, and currently showing are Light Writing and Astronauts, Dinosaurs, and Droids, Oh My!
- Breaking Bias: If our beliefs form our reality, then each person’s reality is different and constantly changing. What does that look like in day-to-day life? Guests speak up in this contributed experience.
- Color and Light: This color wall is a cool selfie spot: the actual colors remain the same despite what your brain tells you. Truth.
- The Future Machine: A merger of old and new, familiar and alien, this art piece heralds the role of creativity and collaboration in determining the shape of our future, brought to PacSci by Electric Coffin.
- Impossible Triangle: A simple interactive that’s all about your point of view.
- The Mirror Path: When your brain has to re-figure how to do an activity like walking the results can be surprising and surprisingly silly.
- Shades of Reality: Remember that internet dress? The one that still sparks arguments about color? Shadows and light help us understand shapes and colors but what happens when they are positioned in unfamiliar ways?
- Recalling Reality: Test your memory to find out how imperfect our recall can be! “Do I know you?” will make you think about the accuracy of eye-witness testimony.
- Self Reflected: A new technique called reflective micro-etching enabled these scientist-artists to create a view of the brain that provides an intimate look at the beauty of consciousness.
- Swinging Stripes: Our brains constantly use sensory feedback to interpret the physical reality around us. What happens when your brain is tricked?
- Through your Eyes: A rotating series displaying opinions from our guests on everything from “What makes something alive?” to “What’s the most important invention in the history of humankind?”
Read More on the PacSci Blog
Subscribe
PacSci Podcast: New Excitement For ‘Reality’
PacSci’s What is Reality project reaches new heights this summer and with new developments, expect things to go to places as yet unimagined.
Explore New Virtual Worlds
Take a selfie on the moon, visit with penguins, and more during our newest virtual reality experiences. PacSci’s offerings are changing this summer.
PacSci Podcast: Dance To A Song, Beat the Bad Guys
There’s something new in Pacific Science Center’s What Is Reality program. Our latest experience is called Chorus.
PacSci Podcast: Pacific Science Center’s Most Valuable Assets
Our guests, already quite valuable to us, now play an exciting role in some emerging businesses. Find out how in this quick PacSci Podcast then come experience it yourself.
“Coolest Thing I’ve Ever Seen”
Hyperspace XR is expanding its extended reality experience now showing at Pacific Science Center.
Coso Artifact: Small Rock With A Reputation, Part of Larger Story
PacSci now has on display a small rock. While it’s never before been seen in public and it’s not very big, its story is huge.
PacSci Podcast: Taking VR To The Next Level
In recent months, Pacific Science Center has been focused on what we call our What Is Reality effort...a new set of experiences that highlight immersive technologies...that's virtual reality, augmented reality, and so on. We've teamed up with local startups,...
Artful Spaces
Discover Pacific Science Center’s Artist Living Studio space in Building 4, where four local artists are participating in our pilot Artist in Residence program.
A New Building 4
In Pacific Science Center’s Upper Building 4, you can watch the world change in the blink of a T-rex eye.
PacSci Podcast: New Immersive Reality Experiences
Our What Is Reality project enters new realms this summer as we add two exciting immersive reality experiences. Young and old alike will be amazed.
Members Get More
Ignite your curiosity day after day! Members enjoy unlimited free admission for a year, discounts on events and programs, invitations to exclusive events, as well as passes and discounts on IMAX and Laser shows, and ticketed VR experiences.
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During Your Visit
At Pacific Science Center
