The Experimenta Science Center in Heilbronn, Germany, seen on June 16, 2024, attracts more than 1,000 visitors daily with its engaging science and technology exhibits. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
You’ve probably heard of the butterfly effect, but what about the Brazil nut effect? Imagine shaking a can of mixed nuts and finding that the largest, like Brazil nuts, have risen to the top.
Also known as granular convection, this phenomenon, in which larger particles end up on the surface while smaller ones settle at the bottom, is just one of many that can be explored hands-on at the Experimenta Science Center in Heilbronn, Germany.
Experimenta is a playground consisting of a changing array of 275 interactive exhibits designed to engage visitors. My wife, a passionate biologist, and I recently spent a Sunday afternoon there and got lost in the experiments.
From the moment we entered, we were immersed in a world of discovery. At the door we were issued RFID bracelets to interact with the exhibits. These bracelets allowed us to save images and videos of our experiments, which we could access later at home.
The technology added a layer of engagement, making the learning process even more enjoyable. Best of all, each experiment is explained fully in English, leaving nothing to guesswork or cumbersome cellphone translation.
We started by exploring the various materials making up a car, and a wind studio where we could feel the effects of varying wind speeds and capture fun selfies in a wind tunnel. This wasn’t just child’s play; the science behind aerodynamics was right at our fingertips.
A young girl examines the textures and shapes of sea shells and pine cones at the Experimenta Science Center in Heilbronn, Germany, where interactive exhibits engage visitors of all ages in hands-on learning. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A visitor uses a heat camera to explore the conduction of heat and cold through different materials at the Experimenta Science Center in Heilbronn, Germany. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A guest scans an RFID chip at an interactive station in the Experimenta Science Center, allowing them to save images and videos of their experiments for later access. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Brazil nuts rose to the top of a container of rice, demonstrating the Brazil nut effect, one of the many intriguing phenomena explored at the Experimenta Science Center in Heilbronn, Germany. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
One exhibit that stood out involved exploration of different materials like plastics, metals and leather, and understanding how they conduct heat, light and electricity.
On the second floor, the focus shifted to sensory experiences. We navigated a dark room that tested our eyes’ perception of colors and examined how refraction and wavelengths of light allow us to see.
Another activity tested our sense of smell, which can sometimes be deceptive. We identified scents from metal dispensers activated by pressing a button, before revealing the source of the aroma.
The third floor, dubbed WeltBlick, or “World View,” afforded us the chance to study weather phenomena. Other stations showcased mold and fungal spores, and we could observe microscopic organisms.
Some stations are more scientific than others. One exhibit that made us laugh and think was the dropped-sandwich experiment. It tested the age-old question “Does a dropped slice of bread always land butter-side down?”
Using different heights and recording our results, we engaged in a simple yet effective demonstration of the scientific process and probability. Spoiler alert: Nature often conspires against your lunch.
The buttered bread experiment at the Experimenta Science Center tests whether a dropped slice always lands butter-side down, and how many times it turns. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A visitor tries to sneak past a computer-screen samurai by stepping carefully on sound-sensitive floorboards at the ninja obstacle course in the Experimenta Science Center. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A family explores the world of microorganisms at the Experimenta Science Center, observing microscopic life and learning about complex biological systems. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A boy tests his balance on a circular cycling station at the Experimenta Science Center, discovering the principles of physics and motion. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
The packaging station explores the effect of color, shape and materials of packaging on marketing and perception by allowing visitors to select appropriate packaging for different products and comparing their selection against other visitors’. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
One particularly whimsical exhibit was the ninja challenge, where we tried to sneak up to a computer-screen samurai by stepping carefully on sound-sensitive floorboards. It was a playful way to understand sound and movement.
In the Explorer Land area, we found a water playground where kids could build obstacles and observe water flow dynamics by letting small plastic balls travel through a whirlpool and be elevated by high-pressure streams.
I also enjoyed the Strandbeesten, Dutch for beach beasts, which are lightweight, wind-driven constructs that mimic animal-like movements. Watching these wooden structures come to life highlighted the beauty of engineering and design.
Experimenta’s highlight arguably is the Science Dome, a combination of a planetarium and theater that is worth a visit on its own. With 3D glasses, visitors embark on a virtual journey through space, enhanced by laser effects.
While we missed out on it during our visit, the center also features Germany’s first all-sky cupola, offering an immersive look into space when the weather is right.
A girl plays with a small Strandbeesten, wind-driven constructs that mimic animal movements, at the Experimenta Science Center, in Heilbronn, Germany. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Two kids play in the wind tube station, exploring how air pressure can transport items in a vacuum at the Experimenta Science Center. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A visitor listens to an audio guide at a nature station, learning about how trees grow and the science behind their development at the Experimenta Science Center in Heilbronn, Germany. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A family works together on lighting fixtures in the Maker Lab at the Experimenta Science Center. The lab features instructors that walk visitors through guided creative experiments with a variety of materials. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
A girl tries the air parcour hang glider station at the Experimenta Science Center, learning about aerodynamics and balance in a fun and interactive way. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Every exhibit is clearly designed to be accessible and engaging for children. But I found it particularly amusing to watch adults of all ages find themselves just as captivated as their youngsters.
My wife and I both found ourselves engrossed in the stations, turning into big kids as we experimented and learned a thing or two along the way.
Our three hours flew by — a sign of the relativity of time, perhaps — but we barely managed to scratch the surface of all that Experimenta had to offer.
On the QT
Address: Experimenta-Platz, Heilbronn, Germany
Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Cost: Entry is 12 euros per adult; kids under 18 pay 6 euros or free for children under 3. A not-so-secret tip: Experimenta has its own adjacent parking garage, which is more convenient than the nearby city car park. Validate tickets at the Experimenta ticket counter for a reduced rate.
Online: experimenta.science
