All-new exhibit on nature and conservation, Life now open at Orlando Science Center

Learn the story of our planet from the animals that call it home. An all-new exhibit on nature and conservation, featuring animals and immersive habitats – the largest and most complex exhibit in OSC's history.

Life - Presented by Dr. Sarah Layton, is an all-new exhibit at Orlando Science Center that tells the story of conservation through the animals that share our planet.

Through direct encounters within immersive environments that simulate various ecosystems and hands-on exhibit experiences, visitors can better understand how their actions affect all living things, both within Central Florida and beyond. We are all connected.

Animals are the storytellers of Life’s diverse habitats.The exhibit focuses on three distinct world environments: Rainforest, Ocean and Swamp.

These areas feature hands-on experiential learning that vividly demonstrates our own interconnectedness with the natural world. Visitors can engage and be empowered to take positive action to conserve our natural resources and protect our fragile planet.

Rainforest

Step into the warm, lush landscape of the tropical Rainforest as you meander through this immersive exhibit.

This temperature and humidity-controlled environment features free-flying birds of the rainforest, such as tanagers, honeycreepers, and blackbirds. Look to the canopy to see if you can spot a sleeping sloth or playful tamarin. Or simply relax to the sound of a 17-foot-tall waterfall cascading down into a pool filled with vibrant, freshwater fish.

Healthy rainforests have abundant biodiversity, driven by stable climate with high humidity, warm temperatures, and plentiful sunlight. The layers of height within the forest provide habitats for plants to grow and animals to thrive. Amazon rainforests absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and provide us with oxygen that we, like other animals, need to breathe.

Ocean

Swim on down to the Ocean gallery and come face to face with a 360-degree viewing area full of colorful reef fish and sleek, shimmering sharks. Here you can find amazing interactive exhibits that highlight the crucial role that our reefs play in the environment. From live coraldisplays to hands-on experiences, you can “get your feet wet” as a marine biologist and learn how sea stars eat and how crabs grow!

The ocean covers most of Earth's surface and plays a huge role in life on our planet. It produces much of the oxygen we breathe. It regulates our climate and drives weather patterns. Teeming with an amazing diversity of life, ocean waters also provide fishes and other sea life we eat. Coral reefs and seagrass meadow habitats connect to the vast ocean beyond. They serve as breeding places, nurseries, and feeding grounds for all sorts of sea life.

Swamp

The Swamp gallery features the iconic cypress swamp with towering cypress trees. Here, you can find Florida native species such as alligators and turtles taking a swim among the freshwater fish. Keep your eyes peeled and look up to see if you can spot squirrels running above your head through multi-dimensional tunnels. This area also features a presentation space for our beloved animal ambassadors, who will make regular appearances to teach our guests how to be active stewards of the environment.

Almost anywhere you go in Florida you can find swamps: wetlands where trees grow! Some swamps sprawl across low-lying floodplains. Other swamps trace the edges of rivers or are shaped like doughnuts. Swamps change with the seasons: covered in water during wet times and dry when rains are scarce. Vital to wildlife, swamps provide food, living space, and breeding places for birds, fishes, and others. Vital to us, swamps filter and purify much of Florida's water supply.

For more information on this fascinating new exhibit, and Orlando Science Center, click here.

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