SCI adds evening hours for end of Mind Matters exhibit
Exhibit ends Sunday, April 28 - will be open late on final two Wednesdays
- Friday April 12, 2019
More than 36,000 Iowans have visited the Science Center of Iowa since it opened the traveling exhibition Mental Health: Mind Matters on February 5, 2019, but leaders want to make sure as many people as possible have the chance to experience it before it closes on April 28.
That’s why, today, SCI announced special extended hours on the final two Wednesdays before the exhibit ends.
“We have been amazed by the response to this exhibit,” said Curt Simmons, SCI President and CEO. “It is sparking real conversations in our community, and it has provided a launching pad for critical dialogue. I know that when this exhibit ends, people are going to be disappointed that they weren’t able to see it – so we’re trying something new to make more opportunities available.”
SCI will stay open late on Wednesday, April 17, and Wednesday, April 24, and from 5:00-8:00 pm, admission will be just $5 per person. Only the Mind Matters exhibit will be open.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 18% of American adults live with mental illness. Mental Health: Mind Matters, presented by HealthPartners UnityPoint Health, seeks to build awareness and understanding around this often-stigmatized topic by giving visitors the opportunity to see how mental illness has been treated in the past and to better understand what it’s like to live with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In Des Moines, the exhibit was supported by a wide variety of sponsors and community partners who came together to host a series of events ranging from mental health in the workplace to early childhood brain science. Organizers estimate that more than 2,000 people have participated in these conversations. The final event before the exhibit closes is “Preventing Social Isolation,” a collaboration with AARP, on April 22.
Visitor Information:
Mental Health: Mind Matterscloses at the Science Center of Iowa on Sunday, April 28. In addition to these special evening hours, SCI is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and on Sunday from noon to 5:00 pm. The exhibit is included with general admission ($13 for adults; $9 for children 2-12 and seniors 65+). Complete visitor information is available at www.sciowa.org.
Mind Matters was produced by the Science Museum of Minnesota with Heureka, The Finnish Science Centre and their partners, Ciencia Viva and Cite des Sciences & L’industrie. It is presented locally by HealthPartners UnityPoint Health with additional support from community partner sponsor Polk County Board of Supervisors and exhibition sponsors Bank of America, Broadlawns Medical Center, Capital Crossroads, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Delta Dental of Iowa, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Mercy Medical Center, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, United Way of Central Iowa and UnityPoint Health – Des Moines.
Details on the exhibit are available at www.sciowa.org/mindmatters.
About the Science Center of Iowa
The Science Center of Iowa engages and inspires Iowans along their journey of lifelong science learning. The 110,000-sq. ft. facility located in Downtown Des Moines features dynamic experience platforms, large format theaters and daily interactive science demonstrations, including the NAEYC-accredited SCI Preschool. The Science Center of Iowa also provides educational outreach programs across the state of Iowa. For more information, visit www.sciowa.org.