WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology | Bloomington

WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology, located in downtown Bloomington, Indiana, is a nationally recognized hands-on science museum that offers interactive, engaging learning experiences for visitors of all ages. With its dynamic exhibits, live animal displays, educational programs, and focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), it serves as both a community anchor and a destination for visitors seeking immersive, playful education.

History and Purpose

WonderLab was founded in 1995 by a group of dedicated volunteers, including educators and scientists affiliated with Indiana University, who initially operated the museum as a mobile science outreach program. Their mission was to make science accessible and exciting for children and families across southern Indiana. By 1998, WonderLab opened its first physical space in a historic downtown building.

In 2003, the museum moved to its current purpose-built facility on West 4th Street in Bloomington’s Arts and Entertainment District, just steps from the B-Line Trail. The new two-story, 15,000-square-foot space expanded WonderLab’s capabilities and allowed it to house permanent galleries, outdoor gardens, and specialized exhibit areas. Its mission is to “ignite the joy of discovery and exploration through the sciences,” and it achieves this by blending education with entertainment in a format that encourages hands-on, inquiry-based learning.

Facility Overview

WonderLab’s building features two main exhibit floors, a certified WonderGarden, classrooms for educational programming, and a dedicated area for toddlers. The layout supports easy navigation and interactive engagement.

First Floor: Features large-scale exhibits like the Bubble-Airium and Grapevine Climber, with stations centered on motion, water, and sensory exploration.

Second Floor: More science-intensive exhibits including geology, health, acoustics, and live animal displays.

Outdoor WonderGarden: A landscaped natural play area with educational signage, an amphitheater, pollinator habitats, and nature kits.

The facility is fully wheelchair accessible, stroller-friendly, and equipped with sensory support tools, making it welcoming to families with various needs.

Major Exhibits

🧬 First Floor Highlights

Bubble-Airium: A room filled with bubble-making stations where visitors can experiment with surface tension, air flow, and fluid dynamics. It includes a giant bubble wall, smoke bubbles, and hoops for making person-sized bubbles.

Grapevine Climber: A towering two-story climbing structure shaped like a twisted vine, designed to promote gross motor skill development and creative movement.

Lego Water Table: A flowing water table combined with LEGO architecture for dam-building, problem-solving, and experimentation with water currents.

Science Sprouts Place / Discovery Garden: A secure, enclosed area for toddlers and preschoolers with age-appropriate exploration spaces featuring mirrors, puzzles, tactile surfaces, and light-focused experiments.

🦎 Second Floor Highlights

Live Animal Ambassadors: A collection of reptiles, amphibians, insects, and aquatic creatures such as snakes, axolotls, cockroaches, and tarantulas. Used for both passive observation and live demonstrations.

Fossil and Rock Exhibit: A showcase of Indiana’s rich geological history, including fossils, minerals, and interactive stations where guests can identify rocks or dig into paleontology.

Human Body and Health Exhibits: Interactive displays where visitors explore heart rate, hearing, balance, and body systems.

Sound and Music Zone: Hands-on sound tables and devices that allow users to experiment with pitch, resonance, and acoustics.

Special and Rotating Exhibits

HoverCraft Wind Tunnel: A large exhibit allowing guests to design and test hovercrafts in a wind tunnel environment. This NSF-supported exhibit focuses on principles of aerodynamics, propulsion, and design iteration.

Beehive Builder: Children and families build and connect five-foot hexagonal cells, learning about the mathematics and engineering behind nature’s most efficient shape.

Science of Art Series: Rotating exhibits that blend artistic creativity with scientific concepts like light, texture, and pattern recognition.

Programs and Educational Outreach

WonderLab offers year-round public programming designed to engage children, parents, educators, and science enthusiasts. These include:

Science Sprouts (ages 0–3): Weekly activities targeting sensory development and basic science principles.

Animal Hour: Live sessions featuring WonderLab’s animal residents with opportunities for learning about their behaviors, biology, and habitats.

Dive Deeper Saturdays: Themed science sessions tied to current exhibits or seasonal topics.

STEM Story Time: Combines literacy with science concepts in a relaxed setting.

Summer WonderCamp: A flagship series of week-long camps during summer for children in kindergarten through 8th grade, focused on immersive STEM experiences.

Special Events: Including “Pythagorean Theorem Day,” “BubbleFest,” “STEM Halloween,” and “Sensory Friendly Days.”

WonderLab also collaborates with Indiana University and other local organizations to host community science nights, teacher training sessions, and inclusion-focused programming.

WonderGarden

This outdoor space is a Certified Wildlife Habitat that introduces children to environmental science in an informal setting. It includes:

Raised beds with native plants.

Pollinator gardens.

Interpretive signage with facts about birds, insects, and plant life.

Natural materials for unstructured creative play.

Open-air amphitheater for performances or educational programs.

The garden is accessible via the B-Line Trail and is often used for nature walks, outdoor classes, and hands-on botany programs.

Visitor Information

Address: 308 W. 4th Street, Bloomington, IN 47404

Hours:

Tuesday–Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Friday–Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM (first Sunday opens at 11:00 AM for immunocompromised guests)

Closed most Mondays (special openings may apply)

Admission:

Adults & Children (ages 1+): $14.50

Access Pass holders (low-income eligibility): $5

Children under 1: Free

Free admission for WonderLab members

Discounts for military families and during certain promotional events

Amenities: Gift shop, restrooms, family restrooms, private nursing areas, coat hooks, snack vending area, and sensory backpacks.

Community Impact

Draws approximately 80,000 visitors annually from southern Indiana and surrounding states.

Recognized as one of the Top 25 hands-on science centers in the U.S.

Member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC).

Serves schools and youth organizations through field trips, outreach programs, and free educational visits funded through donor-supported community access initiatives.

Summary

WonderLab is a highly interactive and intellectually stimulating space designed to engage minds of all ages in science, technology, and health education. With its unique blend of playful exploration, academic rigor, and community-centered programming, it offers a model of how informal learning environments can foster curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong love of discovery. Its thoughtful design, quality exhibits, and welcoming staff make it a must-visit attraction in Bloomington for families, educators, and curious individuals alike.