Giveaway! Enter to Win Tickets to The Franklin Institute Your Brain Exhibit!

Disclosure: My children and I were provided with a free tour of the exhibit in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own.

Last week, The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia debuted the new Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion.  The new, 53,000 square foot wing features their new interactive exhibit, Your Brain, the largest exhibit in North America dedicated to the brain!  In addition,  the new pavilion also contains a Conference center, an Education Center  and an awesome climate controlled Traveling Exhibit Gallery, which is currently home to the awesome Circus! Science Under the Big Top exhibit, running through September 1, 2014.

Prior to the grand opening of the new exhibit last Thursday, my children and I were invited to an intimate guided preview of the new Pavilion.  Along with just three other guests and their families, including friend and fellow #PSMM blogger Heather of Diapered Daze and Knights, our tour through the Your Brain exhibit was guided by the lead developer of the exhibit, Chief Bioscientist  Dr. Jayatri Das.  My children were full of questions and Dr. Das politely and enthusiastically answered them all! Her passion and excitement for her amazing exhibit is so contagious that it made me love the exhibit even more after experiencing it through her perspective.  All and all the exhibit is simply awesome!

The Your Brain exhibit is full of over 70 interactive experiences that will keep your kids (and yourself) entertained from start to finish.  Get ready for some climbing and active play as you encounter the Neural Climb, an 18 foot tall glass and wire climbing structure.  My children had a blast making their way through the structure and they would have gladly spent an hour inside if they could.  The structure is capable of accommodating adults as well, and although I passed on the opportunity, several of the other attendees did follow their children inside.  Inside the Neural Climb area, the lights are dimmed and guests experience the simulation of brain activity though visual effects, sounds and their own motions through the structures.  Spark lights represent the neurons firing electrical messages through the brain along with sweeping sounds as they fire.  It’s a really cool way of experiencing what the neural network of the brain is all about.

We enjoyed making our way from exhibit to exhibit.  It is amazing how interesting and complex the brain really is.  You are likely to find yourself scratching your head as you encounter the displays that cause your mind to play tricks on you! You know it is a success when you finding yourself having to think about what you are thinking. The entire exhibit is simply awesome and full of fun; I guarantee you will be utterly amazed just how much you will learn through the array of experiences!

During our visit, we also got a sneak peek at Circus! Science Under the Big Top, a traveling exhibit that will be running through September 1, 2014.  Once again, the exhibit features an array of interactive experiences, which teach visitors about the science of circus performing.  Are you feeling brave? Guests are welcome to try their hand at tight rope walking, flipping like an acrobat, or squeezing into a contortionist’s box! Engage your sense of smell as you encounter the life size circus food cart, complete with scents of circus favorites like popcorn and cotton candy.  (You may be surprised when you close your eyes which smells you may or may not distinguish from one another.)  There is also opportunity to dress up like a clown, experience the feeling of firing a cannon and learn how circus animals communicate through sound.

I highly suggest adding the Franklin Institute to your list of places to visit this summer.  It’s a great way to squeeze in some educational fun while still keeping the family entertained and engaged. You can plan your visit by checking out more at The Franklin Institute website .

Who is ready for summer summer fun?  Thanks to the generosity of The Franklin Institute, one very lucky Delco Deal Diva reader is going to win a family 4 pack of tickets to visit The Franklin Institute and check out the new Your Brain exhibit for yourself!  Simply enter via the easy Rafflecopter form below.  Winner will be selected on 6/30/14.  Good Luck!

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