Information
Landmark: COSI (Center of Science and Industry)City: Columbus
Country: USA Ohio
Continent: North America
COSI (Center of Science and Industry), Columbus, USA Ohio, North America
Overview
In Columbus, Ohio, the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) ranks among the nation’s top science museums, where visitors can tinker with hands-on exhibits, step into immersive displays, and spark a love for science, technology, engineering, art, and math.Founded in 1964, COSI has evolved into a lively hub that draws more than a million visitors each year with hands-on exhibits, far-reaching programs, and engaging online experiences.COSI sits along the scenic Scioto Mile in downtown Columbus, inside a bold 320,000‑square‑foot building crafted by renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki.The building mixes sleek modern lines with thoughtful touches, opening into airy, sunlit galleries where visitors feel drawn to wander and try things for themselves.COSI’s mission is to spark curiosity, inspire people, and change lives by being the go-to partner for learning in science, technology, and industry-whether it’s through hands-on exhibits or community programs.It aims to make science easy to reach and thrilling for everyone, from curious kids to seasoned learners, sparking a love of discovery that lasts a lifetime.COSI packs over 300 hands-on exhibits into nine immersive themed galleries, each exploring a different corner of science.In the Ocean Gallery, you can slip into oceanography-crawl through a shadowy shipwreck cave, study vibrant marine habitats, and stroll beneath the towering columns of the Temple of Poseidon.It shines a light on why ocean ecosystems matter, from coral reefs to deep-sea currents, and underscores the value of studying marine science.Energy Explorers invites visitors to step into a town planner’s shoes, guiding them through how energy is produced, used, and conserved-right down to deciding where the wind turbines go.In hands-on decision-making simulations, they watch how each choice shifts energy use and nudges the environment-like a single light left burning all night.At the Space Gallery, you can step up to a gleaming replica of John Glenn’s Friendship 7 capsule, try your hand at guiding a rover across a rocky terrain, and explore exhibits packed with discoveries about distant planets.It’s meant to spark curiosity about the universe and our drive to explore far beyond Earth, like gazing at a night sky scattered with cold, distant stars.At Gadgets Gallery, you can roll up your sleeves for classic science experiments-try lifting weight with a pulley, feel the rush in a wind tunnel, or watch a bulb flicker to life.In this gallery, you’ll explore simple principles of physical science through playful, hands-on displays that invite you to touch and discover.Life Gallery: Centered on biology and the human story, it dives into the mind, body, and spirit-down to the rhythm of a heartbeat.You can explore hands-on displays that dive into the brain, the senses, and how the body stays healthy-like pressing a button to see neurons light up.Dinosaur Gallery: A crowd favorite, it brings prehistoric life to vivid scale with a towering Tyrannosaurus rex cast, fossil displays you can study up close, and engaging stories about paleontology and Earth’s distant past.Little Kidspace® is built for the youngest guests-from newborns to first graders-offering a safe corner filled with age-appropriate, hands-on exhibits where they can spark an interest in STEM while stacking blocks or splashing in water play.Ohio’s largest planetarium uses cutting-edge digital projection to pull visitors into dazzling astronomy shows, sweeping them past glowing nebulae and through the vast reaches of the cosmos.At the National Geographic Giant Screen Theater, Ohio’s biggest digital screen fills your view with stunning films on nature, science, and history-think soaring glaciers and ancient ruins in crisp, vivid detail.COSI offers a wide range of special events and community programs that take science learning far beyond its museum doors.Each May, the COSI Science Festival brings the city to life with more than 65 activities for all ages-from gazing at constellations during the Citywide Star Party to joining the lively Big Science Celebration.Across Columbus, it brings science to life with hands-on activities and playful experiments you can see, touch, and try.COSI After Dark is a monthly night out for adults 21 and up, where you can mingle over drinks, explore interactive science exhibits, and dive into themed experiences under the glow of museum lights.COSI Connects is an outreach program that offers free science videos, hands-on activities, and a mobile app, letting learners of any age discover the wonders of science from home-whether that’s watching a volcano erupt on screen or building a paper rocket at the kitchen table.COSI on Wheels is a traveling science program that rolls into schools and community centers across Ohio and nearby states, bringing hands-on demonstrations and workshops to more than 300,000 students each year-sometimes with the fizz of a baking soda volcano or the flash of a lightning tube.Right next to COSI, Dorrian Commons Park spreads across 6.5 acres, offering a splash pad and playground where kids can laugh and cool off, picnic tables and swings for families to unwind, and shaded walking paths winding through open green lawns.Together, the park and museum create a lively community hub that blends learning indoors with fresh-air fun outside.Planning a visit?Head to 333 West Broad Street in Columbus, OH 43215.You’ll need a general admission ticket-grab one online ahead of time or pick it up at the door where the scent of fresh coffee drifts from the nearby café.Hours change with the seasons, so check the official COSI website before you plan your trip-especially if you want to catch the morning light in the atrium.Accessibility: Visitors with disabilities can easily get around here, with wheelchairs ready at the door, assistive listening devices available, and quiet, sensory-friendly spaces for comfort.Amenities include onsite dining, gift shops, and cozy seating areas where visitors can relax with a warm cup of coffee, all of which make the experience more enjoyable.COSI isn’t just a museum-it’s a lively science playground where you can touch, build, and experiment, all crafted to spark curiosity and nurture a love of discovery in visitors young and old.With its diverse exhibits, inventive programs, and deep ties to the community, it stands as Columbus’s flagship institution-and for anyone curious about science or education, it’s a place you’ll want to see, right down to the gleaming hands-on displays.From peering into the deep blue to gazing at distant galaxies or standing face-to-face with towering dinosaurs, COSI gives you an experience you won’t forget.
