Greensboro Science Center
The Greensboro Science Center (formerly the Greensboro Science Center, originally the Greensboro Junior Museum) is a science museum and zoo in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, founded in 1957. It has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 2008 and is member of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). The Greensboro Science Center (GSC) was founded in 1957 as the Greensboro Junior Museum. Before its 0th anniversary in 1997, it attracted approximately 200,000 visitors each year, and as of 2017, it has continued to grow to 34,718. The current CEO, Glenn Dobrogosz, was hired in 2004. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited the facility in 2008, allowing patrons to take advantage of the AZA Reciprocity Program, where they receive discounts on admission to the Greensboro Science Center if they are AZA members. As part of a $20 million renovation, GSC opened the Time Warner Cable Extreme Weather Gallery in May 2011 and the HealthQuest exhibit in June 2011, but the HealthQuest exhibit is currently no longer open to the public.
On May 2, 2015, the Greensboro Science Center opened Skywild, its treetop adventure park. On June 4, 2021, the Greensboro Science Center’s newest expansion, Revolution Ridge, opened to the public and is the largest addition in the center’s history. Animal Discovery Zoological Park is home to animals such as red pandas, Sumatran tigers, okapis, pygmy hippos, lab wolves, servals, sand cats, white-billed jackals, meerkats, fossas, black howler monkeys, silver gibbons, red frills, ring-. tailed lemurs, cassowaries, Aldabra tortoises and Nile crocodiles and is designed to demonstrate the “science of survival”. Zoo attractions include Friendly Farm, Kavanagh Discovery House, Revolution Ridge, and the Davis Kelly Fountain of Youth and Discovery. The museum has prehistoric passages: Dragon Kingdom, SciPlay Bay, Time Warner Cable’s Extreme Weather Gallery, and touch labs with live snakes, lizards and invertebrates, and Komodo dragons. The OmniSphere Theater is a full-dome theater where visitors experience everything from stars to coral reefs in 2D and 3D. The Wiseman Aquarium is an aquarium with animals such as stingrays, African penguins, Asian clawed otters, fishing cats, sharks, Mata-mata, moon jellies and several other species of fish. The Rotating Club of Greensboro Carousel is the largest carousel in North Carolina, featuring both science center animals (red pandas, octopuses) and state mascots (NC State Wolf, UNC TarHeel). The ride is at an additional cost, but is designed for all ages and abilities. In 2009, Greensboro voters considered a $20 million bond referendum for a science center. $10 million was spent on the SciQuarium, a 250,000 US gallon (950,000 L) aquarium with over 75 animal species and a Stingray touch tank. $10 million is planned for renovation and expansion of existing parts of GSC.
The master plan for this renovation was developed with the help of Cambridge Seven Associates and Moser-Mayer Phoenix and Associates, and Phase 1 (SciQuarium) opened in the summer of 2013. Phase 2 will include renovations to the existing museum and Phase 3 will include new animals such as for example pygmy hippos, kasurs and red pandas. Named “Endangered Species Village”. The final form became the current name “Revolution Ridge”. Go behind the scenes at Wiseman Aquarium and learn how we bring a world-class aquarium to central North Carolina. See their Shark Reef Tank from a new perspective, feed our rays a special treat and feed the seahorses. See some of their zoo animals up close with our amazing keepers. Learn from their experts as we offer pet supplements and treats with a unique behind-the-scenes look. You will have fun and meet our meerkats, cassowaries, lemurs, Aldabra tortoises or trumpeters. Explore the zoo on their wanderings and learn about each of these species, their lives at GSC and conservation efforts for their wild companions. Prepare our afternoon diet for African penguins while learning the benefits of feeding, care and general management. The keeper will then feed the fish and you will have the opportunity to help feed our African penguins.