Gathering Place relaunches Discovery Lab

For those who have visited Gathering Place recently, there is a new addition. It is called The Discovery Lab. The lab is a children’s museum specifically for children, located at the Gathering Place.

Alexandra Waetjen, executive assistant of Discovery Lab, said the Discovery Lab has been in the works since 2008.

“The original site opened at Owen Park in 2013 and our new site at The Gathering Place opened in January 2022,” said Waetjen. Waetjen explained that many years of planning, fundraising, and various exhibit designs went into the execution of the newest iteration of Discovery Lab.

A demonstration featuring an Energy Coaster. Photo provided by The Discovery Lab / Gathering Place.

When asked what guests can expect from the facility, Waetjen replied, “We still have the tape tunnel, which is a Discovery Lab original, but we’ve expanded on many of our past exhibits.” Waetjen went on to say that the lab has a Little Lab for early learners and various other labs that focus on subjects such as science, math, and music. 

The Discovery Lab visitor slides down a slide. Photo provided by The Discovery Lab / Gathering Place.

The “Hydrolab” at Discovery Lab features an underwater world that guests may explore in a “steampunk submarine.” The “Ballapalooza” features a nod to Oklahoma’s oil and gas industries and history.

The Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math, otherwise known as STEAM, education topics and the Imaginarium are also highlighted at the Discovery Lab. The Discovery Lab’s mission statement is, “To inspire children, connect families, and build communities through exploration, exhibits, programming, and play.”

A demonstration featuring liquid and smoke at The Discovery Lab.Photo provided by The Discovery Lab / Gathering Place.

Visitors can also become members of the Discovery Lab. The membership includes invitations to members-only events, 10 percent off birthday parties, camps, rentals, and at the Gizmo Museum store, alongside additional discounts. The membership includes access to members-only hours on Mondays from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. and free admission to over 350 participants in the Association of Science and Technology Careers (ASTC) and the Passport Program Museums.

The membership prices range from $65 for one adult and one child. Two adults and up to four children at $175. Membership is on a yearly basis. The hours of operation are Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 5 pm… Members-only hours occur on Mondays from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Adults must be accompanied by a child to enter the Discovery Lab.

Discovery Lab is located at 3123 S. Riverside Dr. Its phone number is (918) 295-8144 and more information is available on its website at https://www.discoverylab.org.

A contraption with rings overhead at The Discovery Lab facility. Photo provided by The Discovery Lab / Gathering Place.

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