Science Center Field Trip 2025
by Alex Namgung and Noa Berson
On Monday, September 29, the 6th and 7th graders at the Science Academy STEM Magnet went on a field trip to the California Science Center. First thing in the morning, we all loaded up onto four buses and headed past downtown Los Angeles to Exposition Park, near the University of California. Once we got there, we admired the cool buildings, which were beautiful and imposing, with a large plaza-like area in front, with a pink and purple stained glass roof that cast light everywhere, and large mirrored spheres hanging from the ceiling.
The Center has many interesting sections to visit. One of the most popular areas is the Ecosystems exhibit. At its entrance, there is a video continuously playing that introduces the various biomes we could experience. Once inside, many people were drawn to the Kelp Forest exhibit with a large aquarium containing eels, tiger sharks, bright orange garibaldi fish, and two giant sea bass. Surprisingly, they were only babies; they were about 4 ft. long, but when they are adults, they can grow to 7 ft. long and weigh over 500 pounds! Outside, there is a touch tank with sea urchins and starfish. Nearby is the Desert Zone with animals like lizards, tortoises, and even foxes. This area also features a flash flood model. At first, there is just a trickle of water, but then there is a simulation of thunder and lightning, after which water just started pouring down, reaching about 3 ft. tall, which is what can actually happen during a flash flood. Other biomes include the Polar Zone, River Zone, and a Rot Room that shows decomposition with maggots and beetles.
Upstairs, some groups visited the Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear exhibit. It had many little rooms, and in each one you learned about different fears. In some, you even got to experience that fear in a mild way. There was also a phobia wall, where you could learn about the names of different phobias. The fear exhibit also included a fear theater, where you pretended to speak in front of a crowd and learned about fears of public speaking and other social situations. Finally, outside in the metal shed that used to house the shuttle was the “Game On!” exhibit, which is described in more detail by Jayen Aggarwal:
On May 15, 2025, the new exhibit, Game On!, opened at the California Science Center. The exhibit was created to honor the 2028 Olympics, which are to be held in Los Angeles, and it is sponsored by the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and the LA84 Foundation. Game On! is a hands-on exhibit focused on educating visitors about the science of sports. It contains interactive stations such as rock climbing, batting cages, and soccer nets. Each station is paired with a lesson about the science behind it, which makes it truly unique. The exhibit is to inspire young people and their families to explore the exciting connection between sports and science, and it was thoughtfully designed to be welcoming and engaging for all visitors, with features that ensure people of all abilities can fully participate and enjoy the experience. Visitors don’t just view exhibits; they actively engage with them, whether it’s testing reaction times, experimenting with equipment, or learning how physics influences a curveball. It’s a dynamic blend of education and play and offers an experience unlike any other. Not only is it fun, but it is free. So, get your cap, jersey, or helmet on, because Game On! is ready to explore!
After getting lunch at the food court, we lined up for the IMAX movie, Superhuman Body 3D. It was about people who had been in horrible accidents, or who had once had life-threatening diseases, but were cured by amazing medical technologies. After the movie, we had a chance to visit the gift shop. Then it was time to board the buses for the trip back to school. The day was a really fun bonding experience for both grades!
We asked the sixth and seventh graders what they most enjoyed from the field trip, and here are some of their responses:
Lucas B., Gr. 6: My favorite part of the field trip was the Game On! exhibit. It had rock walls, virtual swimming, soccer goals, volleyball practice, basketball hoops, and baseball simulators. In addition, it featured shoes and prosthetic legs that disabled athletes can use to play sports. The reason this exhibit was my favorite is because it was very interactive, and there were many activities to explore.
Mukunth I., Gr. 7: My group went to the touch tank area, where I was able to touch starfish and sea urchins with different colors and textures. Then, we headed to the kelp forest area where we saw many types of marine animals in a massive aquarium. After that, we went to the L.A. Zone where we saw how much energy is needed for powering different types of light bulbs. The final exhibit was the Game On! exhibit, where we learned the proper techniques, reaction time, accuracy, and athleticism needed for a variety of sports.
Colin I., Gr. 7: A section that I really liked was the Game On! section where we played a lot of different sports. We visited the baseball pitching area and I managed to hit the ball over the Dodgers logo, which was the farthest distance among my friends.
Clover D., Gr. 6: The IMAX movie was definitely my favorite part of the field trip. They showed a 17-year-old girl who was diagnosed with leukemia at age four, and she survived because of a new treatment that is able to stop white blood cells from multiplying and attacking the body. She was one of the first kids to receive the treatment so the fact that she survived is a medical miracle.
Ansh S., Gr. 7: I really enjoyed the aquarium experience at the Science Center. It’s very calming to watch the marine animals and how they interact with each other. Some fish would be scared of the oncoming sharks, while others would not be affected. This got me thinking about how the fish that were scared of the sharks were probably newer to the tank because the older fish had learned that the sharks are properly fed and don’t attack.
Daniel Z., Gr. 7: My favorite part of the trip was the sports center. It had a bunch of different exhibits like a basketball hoop that measured the angle of your shots and a soccer field that passed you the ball so you could kick it. They also had a simulator where you stood on a board and you got to choose between snow boarding, skate boarding, and surfing. You were then able to control the board and you would try to collect as many coins as possible as you finished the course. This was a new addition to the Science Center and I loved it. It was an incredible interactive experience. It also helped me a lot with my shooting form in both soccer and basketball.
Vehaan M., Gr. 6: One part of the field trip that I really enjoyed was the IMAX movie called Superhuman Body 3D. The movie was about how incredible the human body is and how some technologies make the life of other people better. Some examples of the technologies that were shown in the movie are CAR-T cells, heart valves made from cow tissues, and artificial lenses that help humans see. Car-T cells were made for people who have leukemia, meaning their white blood cells duplicate too rapidly. So CAR-T is an immunotherapy inserted in T-cells that tells it to kill bad white blood cells; the drug keeps reproducing in T-cells so you don’t get leukemia again. The heart valves made from cow tissue opened up blocked valves in affected people so they get more oxygen through their valves. This allows them not to feel fatigue and keeps them functioning, even during intense rock climbing. The artificial lenses were made for people in Ghana who have cataracts that cloud their vision, and now they can see clearly. It was really cool seeing how technology can impact other peoples’ lives.
Evan M., Gr. 7: One exhibit I enjoyed was called the L.A. Zone, where we got to experience how news broadcasters record their programs. My friends and I rehearsed the script while also having fun at the same time. It gave all of us time to socialize with each other while experiencing something new. We also got to look at the amazing views of the area around the Science Center through telescopes. Photographs and maps of the city of L.A. were displayed all over the walls and on the floor, so we got time to interact with it and find different places there. Overall, I really liked this place and it brought together the spirit of our group, while we all learned something new.
Mabel P., Gr. 6: The IMAX movie during our field trip was my favorite. It was fascinating to learn about how individuals with disabilities have overcome their challenges. The movie was about Emily Whitehead, James Garrett, and Ty Duckett. As a child, Emily was diagnosed with leukemia but was cured using CAR T-cell therapy [which trains your own immune cells to recognize and destroy cancer]. She was the first child to be able to fight leukemia successfully through this treatment. James Garrett, who had a heart condition, didn’t want to do open-heart surgery because of the many things that could go wrong. Instead, he was treated with a specialized, artificial valve. Ty Duckett was in a motorcycle crash and had to get an above-the-knee prosthetic leg. Due to this leg, he is able to continue surfing. Thanks to the help of many surgeons and scientists, these people, along with many others, have been able to succeed over their challenges.
Thank you to all our parent chaperones and the SCIFi Parents for sponsoring this fantastic trip! It was a great way to launch the new semester, make new friends, and create lasting memories!
For more information on the IMAX movie “Superhuman Body,” click here: https://californiasciencecenter.org/imax/superhuman-body-3d
