Reptiles and planets and brains, oh my!

Let your curiosity take flight at the Ontario Science Centre this March Break

TORONTO, March 10, 2015 /CNW/ - School's out! Let your curiosity take flight at the Ontario Science Centre this March Break. With IMAX^® films, exhibitions and special programming, the Ontario Science Centre has science-filled fun for the whole family.

Learn about ecosystems, balances in nature and ancient dinosaurs with Safari Jeff and his live reptiles. Discover how gases become fluids at extreme temperatures and chill out with liquid nitrogen. Explore the workings of the human brain in the exhibition BRAIN: The Inside Story. Make your data count by participating in live research on the effects of concussions. Get your feet moving and your heart pumping with the musical aerobic adventure JiggiJump, or relax under our dome screen for a larger-than-life IMAX^® film. Take in a planetarium show, have a hair-raising experience at an electricity demo or dive into a creative hands-on papermaking workshop.

Here is a sneak peek of what you can expect at the Ontario Science Centre this March Break: bit.ly/MarchBreakOSC2015

For more information, including extended hours, admission prices and March Break tips, please visit www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca.       

Make your March Break stress free by purchasing tickets online and printing them at home. We simply scan your barcode, allowing you to go straight through one of two express entry points.  

March Break is supported by Hydro One and Ontario Electronics Stewardship. 

MARCH BREAK PROGRAMS & EXHIBITIONS
All March Break programs and exhibitions are free with general admission.

BRAIN: The Inside Story
Take an unprecedented journey through the essential bundle of neurons that is the human brain, the control centre for our thoughts, senses and feelings. Walk through a forest of tangled wires and flashing lights that evokes trillions of firing synapses inside the brain. Watch a video projected on a giant brain model that provides an introduction to the many areas and functions of this remarkable organ. Explore how your brain processes language, organizes the visual world, and stores memories. Learn about the surprising ways the brain continually rewires itself through different stages of life and discover how new knowledge about the brain's inner workings may help scientists repair and improve brain function. Along the way, be challenged with puzzles and games that probe neural connections and pathways. Finally, relax in the "Brain Lounge" and observe how different parts of the brain are stimulated by various activities - like listening to music, sporting events or foreign languages.
Time: Daily
Location: Level 6

TRIASSIC:  Dawn of the Reptiles with Safari Jeff
Join Safari Jeff as he leads you on a thrilling adventure where you will discover amazing animals from around the world. Safari Jeff and his live reptiles will teach you about the ecosystem, balances in nature, roles of wildlife and ancient dinosaur history all in one show. Seating on the floor only.
Time: Daily | 11:00, 1:00, 3:00
Location: Procter and Gamble Great Hall, Level 2

Cool Science
Chill out with liquid nitrogen.Watch flowers take a dip in liquid nitrogen and then see them  shatter into a thousand pieces at the flick of a finger. Experience the science of the ultra-cold and discover how gases become fluids at extreme temperatures.
Time: Monday – Friday | 10:30, 12:00, 2:30, 4:00
Location: Studio 2, Level 2

JiggiJump: The World's Greatest Machine
Bring your jumping shoes for this musical aerobic adventure, live on stage! JJ Kangaroo is loose in the Science Centre looking for the world's greatest machine and he needs our help to find it.
Time: Daily | 11:00, 12:30, 2:30
Location: Rock Paper Science Hall, Level 6

Electricity Demo
Don't miss the Science Centre's most shocking demonstration! You'll get a charge out of the Van de Graaff generator (a.k.a. "The Ball That Makes Your Hair Stand Up") and find out "what's watt" with this whole electricity thing!
Time: Weekends | 11:30, 1:30, 3:30, 5:00
Weekdays | 10:30, 11:30, 1:00, 2:30, 3:30, 5:00
Location: Science Arcade, Level 6

Research Live! Concussions Happen: What do we know?
Explore and learn through interactive research. Following a concussion, there is a disruption in overall brain function that may not be easily identified. The Holland Bloorview's Concussion Research Centre will test visitors attention and balance using novel interactive systems called Neurotracker and Neurobalance. The data collected will be used to establish a healthy population baseline to compare against children and youth who receive treatment for a concussion.
Time: Daily
Location: Rock Paper Science Hall, Level 6

The Extreme Universe
Experience our Universe like never before. Journey through space to witness the explosive death of a star. Discover the destructive powers of black holes and learn how astronomers "see" the invisible. Closer to home, witness the breathtaking beauty of a solar storm and learn about instruments that are pushing our ideas of the extreme to new limits. Ages 8+. Limited seating.
Time: Daily | 12:00, 1:00
Location: Planetarium, Space Hall, Level 4

The Sky Tonight
Discover what's visible in the sky tonight in this live planetarium demonstration. Take in the beauty of the night sky while our presenter points out constellations and other objects of interest. Learn about upcoming celestial events and take home a star chart that will help you stargaze from your own backyard. Ages 5+. Limited seating.
Time: Daily | 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 5:00
Price: Free with general admission
Location: Planetarium, Space Hall, Level 4

Eyes on the Skies
This lively program introduces children to the nighttime sky through singing, connect-the-stars-constellations and a journey to the Moon! This experience is designed for children under the age of 5. Limited seating.
Time: Daily | 10:30, 11:00
Location: Planetarium, Space Hall, Level 4

Papermaking
Transform plants and cloth into paper. Watch the papermaking demonstration and note the steps used to make paper, and then take the instructions and try it at home.
Time: Daily | 1:30, 3:30, 4:30
Location: Rock Paper Science Hall, Level 6

Make It!
Join our Science Centre hosts as we create and innovate together in this hands-on experience daily in our Challenge Zone.
Time: Daily at 11:00, 1:30, 4:00
Price: Free with general admission
Location: Challenge Zone, Weston Family Innovation Centre, Level 6

Electricity Discovery Centre
Visit Hydro One's Electricity Discovery Centre, a 1,000 square-foot (93 square-metre) interactive mobile education centre filled with exhibits and activities that engage visitors of all ages about Ontario's power system. Learn about electricity safety, conservation and how Hydro One delivers electricity safely and reliably to customers in your community and across the province.
Time: Daily
Location: Outside IBM School & Tour Group Entrance, Level 2

Recycle Your Electronics
Join the Recycle Your Electronics team at this hands-on, interactive exhibit that includes video featuring Alan Nursall from Discovery Canada's Daily Planet. Follow the path of technology as it gets recycled right here in Ontario, and explore how we can all design technology for the future. Go head-to-head in challenges, design new tech ideas at interactive displays and get engaged with science and technology! Presented by Ontario Electronic Stewardship.
Time: Daily
Location: Carlton Cards Mezzanine, Level 1

The Ontario Science Centre has welcomed more than 49 million visitors since it opened in 1969, implementing an interactive approach adopted by science centres around the world. Today, the Science Centre is a leader in free-choice science learning and a key player in Ontario's innovation ecosystem, offering lifelong learning through hands-on, engaging experiences. It is a prime venue for public dialogue about science, technology and society. The Ontario Science Centre is an agency of the Government of Ontario funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. As a publicly assisted organization, the Science Centre relies on generous individuals, corporations and foundations who share a commitment to science and education for additional operating support. For more information about the Ontario Science Centre, please visit www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca.

For images and b-roll, please visit: www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/Media/ImagesVideo

For broadcast quality footage to support this story please visit: http://cnw.pathfireondemand.com/viewpackage.action?packageid=852

Social media links
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/OntarioScienceCentre
Twitter: @OntScienceCtr | #MarchBreak
YouTube: www.YouTube.com/user/OntarioScienceCentre

SOURCE Ontario Science Centre

Video with caption: "Video: March Break 2015 at the Ontario Science Centre: Curiosity takes flight!". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPoBGDnvPkg

Video with caption: "B-Roll: March Break 2015 at the Ontario Science Centre". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20150310_C5462_VIDEO_EN_12954.mp4&posterurl=http%3A%2F%2Fphotos.newswire.ca%2Fimages%2F20150310_C5462_VIDEO_EN_12954.jpg&order=2&jdd=20150310&cnum=C5462

Media contacts: Anna Relyea, Director, Strategic Communications, 416-696-3273, c: 416-668-1967, [email protected]; Jefferson Darrell, Media Relations Officer, 416-696-3154, [email protected]; Andrea Mus, Media Relations Officer, 416-696-3191, c: 416-895-5482, [email protected]

Related Links

https://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca