WonderWorks Pigeon Forge launches National STEM Day exhibits

National STEM Day exhibit; image courtesy of WonderWorks

PIGEON FORGE, TN – November 8, 2020, is National STEM Day. This annual celebration of STEM, which is the acronym for science, technology, engineering and math, draws attention to STEM and the importance of STEM education. Wonderworks Pigeon Forge will use this day to launch a new exhibit on STEM careers, highlighting specific STEM jobs and will include career information, videos, demos and more. The exhibit is included in the price of admission.

"STEM careers are vitally important to our community and nation, so we are happy to put a spotlight on them," explains Ed Shaffer, general manager for WonderWorks in Pigeon Forge. "Exposure to STEM careers at a young age can help pique a child's interest in science, and WonderWorks makes science fun!"



The new exhibit will rotate its STEM career spotlight, and open with its first spotlight on becoming an astronaut. Think you have what it takes to become one? Guests will learn about some of the standard requirements to become an astronaut and hear directly from a NASA astronaut.

This permanent exhibit will rotate its STEM career spotlight using social media to solicit guest input on what jobs should be featured. Some of the future spotlights will include a physical education teacher, chemist, forensic scientist, zoologist and landscape architect.

According to the Pew Research Center, STEM-related careers have grown 79% since 1990, going from 9.7 million jobs to 17.3 million. Pew also reports that those in STEM careers earn a higher salary.

While the upside-down attraction already has many STEM-related activities, they will add varying pop-up STEM demonstrations, such as an egg drop, bed of nails and origami art as part of continued effort to highlight the importance of STEM. WonderWorks hopes this exhibit will bring interest to the ever-growing STEM field.




"We have a lot of fun things planned and look forward to offering them to the community," added Shaffer. "When kids choose STEM careers, we all benefit. It starts by introducing them to various careers in the field and showing them how interesting and fun they can be."

WonderWorks Pigeon Forge offers various STEM rides, activities, virtual labs, and science fair partnerships. To learn more about the program, visit the site. To learn more about the most recent career highlight, visit the site.

WonderWorks is also offering educational opportunities this fall, including homeschool days, SM-ART (Smoky Mountain ART) Contest and virtual learning labs. It also offers birthday parties, corporate events, scouting days, group rates, sensory days and more.

WonderWorks has adopted COVID-19 safety protocols, including having reduced hours, enhanced cleaning efforts, social distancing measures, employee health screenings and employee personal protective equipment (PPE). Guests are encouraged to review all safety rules before their visit on the webpage devoted to COVID-19.

WonderWorks in Pigeon Forge offers 35,000 square feet of "edu-tainment" opportunities, billing itself as an amusement park for the mind. It offers over 100 hands-on exhibits covering natural disasters and space discovery, an imagination lab, a physical challenge zone, a far-out art gallery and a light and sound zone. WonderWorks is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. For more information, log on to the site.

Sources: Pew Research Center. 7 Facts about the STEM workforce.

Published October 30, 2020