Science Spectrum Museum | Lubbock

The Science Spectrum Museum & OMNI Theater in Lubbock, Texas, is a comprehensive science and technology center designed to engage the public—especially children and families—with interactive learning. It combines traditional science exhibits with live demonstrations, a public aquarium, and a large-format dome theater.

Origins and Mission

Established: 1989

Type: Nonprofit science and education center

Purpose: To inspire interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through hands-on exhibits, public programs, and educational outreach

The museum plays a major role in Lubbock's cultural and educational landscape, drawing school groups, families, and tourists.

Exhibits Overview

The Science Spectrum spans three levels and offers over 250 interactive exhibits in various fields of science.

Upper Level

Light, Sight & Sound: Learn about optics and acoustics through experiments with prisms, lenses, lasers, and sound tubes.

Science of Sports: Interactive stations explore body mechanics, balance, strength, and motion in athletic performance.

Gallery of Flight: Focuses on aerodynamics, space exploration, and aviation history—includes flight simulators and aircraft models.

Space Exhibit: Displays artifacts like an astronaut suit, rocket engines, and interactive games about the solar system.

Ground Level

Physical Science Zone: Covers fundamental physics concepts—magnets, motion, electricity, and simple machines.

Bubble Room: Children explore surface tension and geometry with giant bubble wands and bubble walls.

Lubbock Children's Museum: A miniature “city” for children under 5, with role-play areas like a grocery store, vet clinic, and construction site.

Science Stage: Hosts daily live science shows with experiments involving fire, chemistry, and physics—highly visual and family-friendly.

Lower Level

Texas Alive! The Brazos River Journey: A small indoor aquarium with over 100 species from the Texas ecosystem including turtles, fish, and amphibians. It traces the path of the Brazos River from headwaters to Gulf.

Dinosaur Exhibit: Features life-sized animatronic dinosaurs such as T. rex and Triceratops, along with fossil replicas and paleontology facts.

Nano Exhibit: Introduces visitors to the invisible world of nanoscience—scale comparisons, atomic models, and future applications.

OMNI Theater

Type: Giant domed screen theater (160-degree wraparound)

Screen Size: 58 feet in diameter

Audio System: 18,000-watt surround sound (Dolby DTS)

Films: Educational documentaries about deep-sea exploration, outer space, prehistoric life, extreme weather, and more

The OMNI Theater provides a fully immersive experience and is one of only a few dome theaters of its kind in the U.S.

Traveling Exhibits

Science Spectrum regularly hosts national traveling exhibitions. Examples include:

"Expedition: Dinosaur" (Spring 2025): Featuring interactive fossil digs, animatronic dinosaurs, and augmented reality activities.

"Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition", "Body Worlds", and similar large-scale traveling displays have appeared in past years.

Educational Programs

Field Trips: Popular with schools across West Texas

Camps: Summer science camps for children and teens

Workshops: STEM-focused events for specific age groups

Birthday Parties: Packages include exhibit access and themed science shows

Special Events: Includes seasonal events like "CritterFest" (live exotic animals), "Spooky Science Carnival," and engineering challenges

Admission and Hours

Museum Only:

Adults: $9.00

Children (ages 3–12) & Seniors (60+): $7.50

Under 2: Free

OMNI Theater Only:

Same pricing as above

Combo Ticket (Museum + OMNI Theater):

Adults: $15.50

Children & Seniors: $13.00

Hours:

Mon–Fri: 10 AM – 5 PM

Saturday: 10 AM – 6 PM

Sunday: 1 PM – 5 PM

Location

Address: 2579 S Loop 289, Suite 250, Lubbock, TX 79423

Parking: Free onsite parking with ADA access

Summary

The Science Spectrum Museum & OMNI Theater is one of the most complete science centers in West Texas. Its wide variety of hands-on exhibits, the unique dome theater, and its aquarium make it a standout destination for informal science learning. It’s especially effective at serving families with children, while still offering intellectually engaging content for teens and adults.