Things to Do in Tampa: Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)

The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Tampa, Florida, is a non-profit, community-based institution that is dedicated to encouraging and advancing public interest, knowledge, and understanding of science, industry, and technology. The mission of the Museum is to stimulate an interest in science and make it available for all.

The Museum of Science and Industry is the largest science center in the southeastern United States and features more than 450 hands-on activities, as well as an IMAX Dome Theatre, the Florida Hospital DOME Theatre. More Things to do in Florida Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)

With over 450 hands-on activities across a variety of topics from science to technology, the Museum of Science and Industry has something for everyone. ‘Imagination Playground’ is an interactive experience and play space concept that encourages creativity and creation through play, using bricks, cubes, cogs, curves, and cylinders. Children are invited to build and engineer together, promoting creation and collaboration with each other. The exhibit’s innovative hands-on zone allows children to create, connect, engineer and piece together large foam pieces to bring their visions to life.

‘3D Printing the Future’ highlights 3D printing's endless and inspiring potential to re-shape how we live, work and play through 3D Printing. The display gives visitors a glimpse into the future with an array of 3D-printed objects, from fashion to toys, hands-on live demonstrations on how it works, and an in-depth look at how 3D printing technology works and how it is used. This new display allows visitors to watch 3D printers in action as they take an incredible and interactive journey through all the applications of 3D printing, including 3D-printed medical objects, how it can help solve crimes, and how ancient sites and artifacts are brought to life in 3D Archeology. Other 3D displays include 3D Fun, which includes everything from 3D-printed fashion and jewelry to musical instruments and toys, a 3D Workshop, where visitors can try their hand at 3D printing and make their 3D-printed models. The 3D Live Showcase is a live stage featuring a variety of impressive demonstrations, including step-by-step walk-throughs of the 3D printing process, and a 3D Music Jam Show with real 3D-printed instruments. Photo: Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)

Kids in Charge! Features four main exhibits, namely Activate, Investigate, Kids Create, and Fields to Meals, where children are encouraged to use different learning skills to test a variety of scientific concepts, such as lying on a bed of nails ant tug-of-war. ‘Slippery Science’ can be found inside Kids In Charge! and includes a series of interactive exhibits that teach the science behind reaction time, physics and friction.

Mission: Moonbase is a futuristic display of a simulated permanent lunar base in the year 2070 and offers a fascinating look at how it would operate with farming and mining facilities, while Gulf Coast Hurricane puts visitors inside a wind generator to experience winds ranging from a simple rain storm to a Category One Hurricane.

The Bio-Works Butterfly Garden consists of a butterfly garden, which is home to over 30 species of butterflies, and a self-sustaining fish pond, which features several aquatic species, most of which are native to Florida. Butterfly species include Florida’s state butterfly, the zebra longwing, the tiger swallowtail and the giant swallowtail - two of North America’s largest butterflies. The self-sustaining fish pond is home to tilapia and a variety of other species.

The Amazing You! Exhibit is a 13,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art exhibition about health and wellness at each developmental stage of life from birth to death. The display provides information about developmental milestones in life, how to stay healthy at each stage of life, and how to back to health after an illness or surgery.

Bay News 9 Project Weather Weather Quest can be found within Disasterville, which features several interactive exhibits on the science of natural disasters, including floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, hail storms, volcanoes, wildfires, tsunamis, earthquakes, and lightning. The display also offers children the opportunity to participate in a mock Bay News 9 newscast. Photo: Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)

The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) is located at 4801 E. Fowler Avenue in Tampa.

MOSI offers a variety of educational programs, workshops, and classes for learners of all ages, including the popular STEAM-powered programs for school-goers. MOSI also provides Science Camps during vacation times, which cover various scientific topics from designing video games to using DNA to solve crimes. The S.T.E.A.M. Career Camp gives teenagers the opportunity to explore careers in various fields such as math, science, technology or art, after which they receive a Certificate of Achievement for successful completion.

Back to: Best Things to Do in Tampa, Places to Visit in Florida Contact: 4801 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33617, Phone: 813-987-6000 Photo: Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)