Outdoor Science

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Our Backyard

Opens at 10 a.m.

Our Backyard is the summer space to create, build, splash, wander, and reminisce — or simply take a break and enjoy the river view. In this interactive outdoor exhibit, experience large-scale, full-body, nature-based, messy, and noisy experiences that reconnect you with the world around us. Our Backyard, where engineering meets creativity on the Mississippi River, offers sophisticated outdoor fun for all science enthusiasts. 

Demonstration fields and gardens provide a living laboratory for exploration of cultural connections, sustainability, and the future of food. Food service, shaded seating, and a 1,700-square foot pavilion — thanks to our friends at Best Buy Foundation — are new this year, offering space for events and community gatherings. 

We’re introducing Exploring Energy, powered by Xcel Energy, a set of interactive exhibits that give you the chance to experiment with energy and wind power.

Exhibit features:

Drop a small parachute, experimenting with wind resistance 

Create and run your own obstacle course

Make music in hammock chime chairs

Create a small wind turbine, testing its effectiveness

Share secrets across the park using whisper dishes

Design a game using water blasters and targets

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