Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center, Shreveport, LA

On rainy days or summer afternoons, Sci-Port is brainy fun for kids and adults

by Alex Contess | February 15, 2010

Sci-Port Discovery Center, located on the Clyde Fant Parkway in Shreveport's busy Riverfront District, is Louisiana's largest and Shreveport's only science center. The 92,000 square foot facility houses dynamic exhibits of electricity, anatomy, light, sound, cosmology, and more. Sci-Port is also home to the state's only IMAX dome, which features regularly changing educational and documentary films. Catch Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure and Hurricane on the Bayou on the stunning 60-foot domed screen until early April, when a new set of films will premiere.

Sci-Port prides itself on being a "hands-on" facility, making it a great choice for an educational outing with kids, or an unconventional date for Mom and Dad. Visitors may discover their weight on Jupiter, see the stars as they appeared on their birthday (or any special day), lie on a bed of nails, and tell secrets into a whisper dish.

In addition to Sci-Port's fascinating and varied science exhibits is an educational look at the Ark-La-Tex region from both natural and industrial viewpoints. The Red River Gallery, located downstairs near the entrance, is the first thing that most of Sci-Port's visitors head to, and with good reason. The exhibit features wildlife native to the Red River (the real thing rolls along just across the street), including turtles, snakes, and alligators (but don't worry; you can view the critters from safely outside their terrariums). Also on display is a replica of Captian H.M. Shreve's riverboat, the Heliopolis. The Heliopolis was an integral part of clearing a log jam on the Red River in order to later establish the city of Shreveport. A moving, life-size pumpjack and brief exhibit discussing the importance of the oil and mineral industry to Shreveport's local economy makes the Red River Gallery a must-see for both tourists and residents alike.

Sci-Port is open seven days a week, except major holidays. They are the host of year-round parties, including exciting star parties on their rooftop observatory. Sci-Port even offers facility rentals and birthday parties, with customized themes and supervised tabletop experiments to suit any child's preference.

Next time you're stuck inside on a gray day, or the dinner-and-a-movie date has lost its luster, consider Sci-Port for an enlightening experience; there's never any shortage of knowledge to absorb.