Discovery Center of Idaho | Boise

The Discovery Center of Idaho, located near Julia Davis Park in downtown Boise, is the state’s premier hands-on science museum-an energetic space where curiosity takes physical form through interactive exhibits, experiments, and demonstrations. Since its founding in 1988, the center has become one of Idaho’s most beloved learning environments, blending fun with discovery in a way that appeals to both children and adults.

Setting and Overview

The Discovery Center sits along Myrtle Street, within Boise’s cultural corridor that includes the Idaho State Museum, Boise Art Museum, and Zoo Boise. From the outside, the building appears modern and modest, with clean lines and glass panels, but inside it opens into a bright, buzzing world of motion, sound, and invention.

The air hums with energy-children spinning gears, launching paper rockets, or controlling magnetic fields-while educators move through the space explaining how things work. Every corner encourages participation rather than observation, reflecting the center’s motto: “Be Curious.”

Origins and Mission

The center was created by a group of local educators, scientists, and civic leaders who wanted to foster STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning through experience rather than textbooks. Opening its doors in 1988, the Discovery Center quickly became a key educational resource for Idaho schools and a model for interactive learning in the region.

Its mission remains simple but profound: to inspire lifelong curiosity by engaging people of all ages in hands-on exploration of scientific principles. The exhibits are constantly refreshed, making each visit slightly different from the last.

Main Exhibition Areas

Physics and Motion Zone

This section is alive with kinetic energy. Visitors experiment with gyroscopes, pendulums, levers, and pulleys, testing balance, gravity, and momentum. A favorite feature is the “Giant Bubble Wall”, where visitors can stand inside a ring of soap film and pull it up around themselves, forming a shimmering bubble big enough to step into. Nearby, the Bernoulli Blower lets users suspend balls in midair using air pressure, a visual and tactile introduction to fluid dynamics.

Engineering and Design Lab

This area invites creative construction. Using magnetic tiles, blocks, and modular components, guests can build bridges, towers, and marble runs, testing their stability and strength. Staff encourage problem-solving through trial and error, letting children grasp engineering concepts intuitively.

The Tinkering Studio offers a deeper dive into design and invention, with real tools, craft materials, and electronics for open-ended experimentation. This hands-on workspace often hosts mini-workshops on robotics, circuits, and mechanics.

Electricity and Magnetism Zone

Flashes, sparks, and static play dominate this space. Visitors generate electric currents, light bulbs, and electromagnets by turning cranks or moving coils. A plasma globe pulses under fingertips, and magnetic sculptures demonstrate how invisible forces shape physical movement.

Biology and Human Body Exhibit

This section explores life sciences through interactive models-skeletons with moving joints, heart rate monitors, and microscopes revealing the hidden world of cells and fibers. Displays on anatomy, senses, and energy use make abstract biological processes accessible.

Rotating Featured Exhibits

The Discovery Center hosts temporary blockbuster exhibits from major institutions around the country, often drawing large crowds. Past themes have included:

Body Worlds: Animal Inside Out - preserved anatomical specimens revealing biological systems.

Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion - wooden reconstructions of the inventor’s designs.

Space: A Journey to Our Future - NASA artifacts, meteorites, and virtual reality experiences.

These rotating installations keep the experience fresh and encourage repeat visits.

Outdoor Science and STEM Plaza

Beyond the main building, the Discovery Center’s outdoor plaza extends learning into open air. It includes large-scale exhibits like solar panels, water wheels, and weather instruments. During warmer months, visitors can experiment with sound tubes, shadow play, and water flow tables that demonstrate hydrodynamics.

From this plaza, there’s also a view of nearby Julia Davis Park and the Boise River Greenbelt, visually connecting scientific discovery with the surrounding natural environment.

Educational Programs and Events

Education lies at the heart of the Discovery Center’s work. It offers programs for all ages-ranging from preschool STEM workshops to advanced robotics and coding camps for teens.

School Field Trips: Thousands of Idaho students visit each year for guided tours linked to classroom science curricula.

Maker Mondays and Science Saturdays: Weekly hands-on activities focused on topics like renewable energy, chemistry, and physics in everyday life.

Adult Nights (21+ Events): After-hours events where adults can explore exhibits with live music, themed cocktails, and special science demonstrations-proving that curiosity has no age limit.

STEAM Camps: Summer programs combining art and science through creative building and experimentation.

Staff scientists and educators often conduct live shows demonstrating chemical reactions, air pressure, or optical illusions, keeping the experience engaging and theatrical.

Atmosphere and Visitor Impressions

Inside the Discovery Center, the energy feels contagious. The air buzzes with conversation and laughter, and almost everything is designed to be touched, twisted, spun, or explored. The staff foster a sense of playful experimentation, encouraging visitors to “try and fail-then try again.”

Parents appreciate that the center bridges entertainment and education seamlessly, while adults without children often visit for its creative, nostalgic joy. On any given afternoon, you might see a child carefully adjusting a pulley system beside a parent grinning at a Tesla coil demonstration.

Role in the Community

The Discovery Center serves as both a museum and a learning hub, supporting Idaho’s broader educational ecosystem. It partners with Boise State University, local schools, and STEM organizations to promote careers in science and engineering. It’s also deeply involved in environmental awareness programs that tie technology to sustainability and conservation.

Through its accessible approach, the center has helped thousands of Idaho students develop early scientific interest-a fact visible in the number of local engineers, researchers, and teachers who recall childhood visits here as their first spark of inspiration.

Legacy and Significance

The Discovery Center of Idaho stands as a dynamic symbol of Boise’s intellectual and creative life. Its spirit is one of exploration-of turning wonder into understanding. By blending experimentation, art, and technology under one roof, it reminds visitors that science is not confined to laboratories or textbooks but lives in the movement of gears, the swirl of air, and the imagination of the curious.

In a city known for its natural beauty, the Discovery Center adds a different kind of landscape-one of ideas, invention, and the simple joy of discovering how the world works.