MathAlive! At Science Museum of Virginia Scores High Marks for Families

The Science Museum of VA invites us to experience the world in a whole new way – through a mathematical lens. In MathAlive! visitors have the opportunity to learn about math in the real world as it impacts numerous aspects of our daily lives. Not only do visitors have the chance to read new information, but they can act out mathematical concepts through challenging and lively tasks! Interactive activities, interesting displays, and digital creations all add up to extreme fun for kids ages seven to fourteen.  

There’s nothing average about this exhibit! Climb on a snowboard and race your friends to learn about angles. Pedal a bike as fast as you can to see how data can be graphed. Play video games to discover a skyscraper’s height potential using varying foundations or manage a city’s power grid in times of emergency. Dance around as your colorful silhouette changes on a screen to learn about binary numbers. Construct a cyber security plan through gaming to stop hackers. Learn about weather patterns and record yourself as a meteorologist providing life-saving information to the community. Strike a pose in a 360-degree photoshoot to learn about sequences in animation. There are truly activities for every interest, and all have their foundations in math (and you can e-mail several of these photos and videos to yourself as keepsakes).

Connecting Kids with Math Concept in a Memorable Way

Perhaps the coolest thing about the Science Museum’s newest exhibit MathAlive! is that it fully captures the attention of kids who may not love their math classes in school. Visitors are so busy being entertained by the bright and upbeat projects, they don’t even realize how much they are actually learning. The exhibit hits the mark for all ages, too. It is targeted for ages seven to fourteen, and the exhibit perfectly executes a variety of games with different levels to challenge and engage students of all abilities. 

While we were there, we saw toddlers and college students alike enjoying the learning fun! The exhibit focuses on inclusivity, making sure anyone with mobility challenges will have the same opportunities as other visitors. The snowboarding and biking sections have space for an average-sized wheelchair to pull up to a joystick or arm cycling. Many of the featured professionals explain the ways their jobs include math, and also share that their own learning journeys included difficulties such as dyslexia. Visitors will leave inspired by these stories. 

MathAlive! Runs through January 12 at Science Museum of Virginia

This exhibit, which is included with museum admission, will be on display through January 12, 2025 – making it the perfect attraction to explore over the holidays. Out-of-town guests will be wowed by MathAlive!, but also by the Science Museum of Virginia overall. Be sure to see what is playing in the Dome theater and sign up for hands-on projects in The Forge. Teenagers can apply for their own membership and have access to The MiX Makerspace.  My family always appreciates gifts of experiences. Consider gifting the children in your life a ticket or membership to the museum to share in the fun!

Don’t miss the new MathAlive! exhibit. Math in art, math in engineering, math in history, and math in today’s professional world: Math truly is alive and all around us! 

Included with admission to the Science Museum of Virginia, visit smv.org for details.