Ecosystems at the California Science Center

If you haven’t yet been to the Ecosystems exhibit at the California Science Center, start your visit feeling very cool at the white, giant polar ice wall in the polar research hut learn how species survive at the ends of the Earth. Then check out the three other areas of the “Extreme Zones” before you travel to all eight environmental Zones, each of which illustrates a different ecological principle. Ecosystems occupies 45,000 square feet and contains more than 250 species of plants and animals — an unprecedented blend of live plants and animals, and hands-on science exhibits in 11 immersive environments. From walking through a living kelp forest to experimenting on a polar ice wall, explorers will investigate some of the Earth’s most fascinating ecosystems. Highlights include a 188,000-gallon kelp tank populated with more than 1,500 live fish, kelp and other marine life; a desert flash flood; and a special gallery dedicated to the urban ecology of Los Angeles.

In the Extreme Zone, discover how even in the harshest environments, species adapt to their surroundings. In the Forest Zone, learn about the sources and importance of biodiversity in ecosystems. In the River Zone, investigate the ways flowing fluids carry energy and matter from place to place. In the Island Zone, look at how isolation reveals the processes of evolution. In the Rot Room, see how rot and decomposition release nutrients that nourish life. In the Global Zone, focus on the ways living and physical systems interact on a global scale. In the L.A. Zone, learn about the ecological challenges faced by urban ecosystems when it comes to water, waste, energy and wildlife. And in the Family Discovery Room, explore how our homes are habitats, providing us—as well as pets and pests—with food, water and shelter.

Ecosystems at The California Science Center and IMAX Theater

Exposition Park
700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles.
Hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: FREE Admission to Science Center (IMAX ticket costs apply)
Website

Photo Credit: Patrick Kelley, U.S. Coast Guard