Regina Science Centre sustains safe STEM shows

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Does this exhibit spark joy? Wikipedia Commons

Joylab 2.0 remains open for physically distanced fun

by Hammad Ali, Contributor

While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of Regina city life this year, the Saskatchewan Science Centre remains a highlight, offering plenty of fun activities and learning opportunities for anyone with an interest in science.

To find out more about how the Science Centre is adapting its programming for a 2020 world, I spoke with Ryan Holota, VP of Operations at the Saskatchewan Science Centre.

At the moment, the exhibit floor is closed and will remain so until further notice. However, the Joylab 2.0 exhibition is open at a reduced admission price. Joylab 2.0 is a safe interactive exhibit, presenting a collection of experiences to help discover how simple things can spark joy. It is designed to get participants to ask questions about joy and start conversations about how our surroundings affect our mood.

Joylab also provides opportunities for beautiful photo backdrops and interacting with the Tornado Machine and the Bubble Pit, among others. To ensure safety of all involved, there is a limit of 40 people allowed inside the Centre to visit Joylab 2.0 at any given time. Those interested are able to reserve a time slot on the Science Centre website. All guests except children under the age of 2 are expected to wear a mask during their visit, and sanitizer stations are available throughout the premises. All surfaces are cleaned and disinfected multiple times a day.

Another fun addition for the fall is their virtual camp-ins. Once you have registered for one of the virtual camps, you get to experience it from your own home, joining others online. In order to make this happen, all those who register are sent a supply kit to set up before the event, stocked up with fun activities to do from home.

In addition to the events mentioned above, the IMAX theatre is now open at reduced capacity, with a new documentary called Asteroid Hunters currently running. There are also several other documentaries from the Science Centre library being shown, with exact titles and showtimes available on their website. Further, the 19+ IMAX events are also running again.

The Science Centre has also committed to keeping some parts of their programming almost like normal – last week, they offered a full slate of Halloween activities for mad scientists of all ages. Their annual Horror Double Feature, Feast of Films, ran as normal, and a ‘Spooktacular’ Halloween costume parade was planned to host up to 500 children at the Science Centre (at various times) on the day.

As the winter months approach, we will be spending more time indoors. The many things our Science Centre offers can be a very welcome respite to help us unwind and cope with the situation we find ourselves in. We hope you are able to check out their events and maybe make it out to some!

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