Masks and vaccinations are recommended. Plan your visit
Osher Gallery 1: Human Phenomenon
Experiment with thoughts, feelings, and social behavior.
Humans think, feel, and interact, and these phenomena are all open to scientific investigation and creative exploration. Here, you and others are the exhibits—so play with social interactions, observe others, and contribute your reflections.
Sort and Switch
See how fast you can assign words to categories–then switch sides and try it again. Do you notice a difference?
Where: This exhibit is not currently on view.
Spectral Meadow
Watch the patterns change as the Earth turns and the Sun moves across the sky.
Square Wheel
A square wheel can roll smoothly—if the "road" is the right shape.
Survival Game
Players struggle to keep their livestock herds alive and thriving—despite disease, drought, and other dangers. When your neighbor suffers a major loss, the question arises: Can you afford to share? But the real question may be, can you afford not to?
Tactile Dome
Learn about the history of the Tactile Dome, our largest interactive exhibit.
Where: This exhibit is not currently on view.
Text Fish
Manage an ocean ecosystem. Will you help maintain the fish population or just catch as much as you can? Here you’ll get a clear picture of a phenomenon known as the tragedy of the commons—overexploitation of shared resources—and a chance to rethink social strategies after an environmental catastrophe.
Where: This exhibit is not currently on view.
Velvet Hands
A surprising—and as yet unexplained—tactile illusion can occur when you slowly rub your palms across this mesh. You may feel a strange, slippery sensation, as if there’s a thin film of velvet between your hands.
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