It doesn’t matter if you are the Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers or the CEO of the Connecticut Science Center. If a giant Mr. Potato Head waddles out during your speech, nobody is listening to you talk anymore.
For the record, they all seemed pleased to be upstaged in this way before the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday.
The Connecticut Science Center will be hosting two traveling exhibits through the end of August. Mindbender Mansion returns with support from Travelers and Comcast; Citizens Bank is sponsoring The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head.
Mindbender Mansion offers puzzles that might have most appeal for older children and some adults. A hopscotch spelling challenge requires some physical coordination, in addition to basic phonics. The “flying machine” has a height and upper body strength requirement.
There are games and puzzles that can be played independently or socially.
On the other side of the large room is the other new exhibit: The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head.
Expect puns and fun that can be enjoyed by a wider range of abilities and ages; the classic toy links various types of adventures including space, underwater, safari, and an archaeological dig.
The exhibit is more than hands-on. There are things to climb onto and into.
If you are not lying on the floor at some point, you’re doing it wrong. This is the only way to really appreciate “Jacques Coustato,” pictured below.
There’s a “patatophon,” a fortune-telling clam, and cameras to play with. There’s a massive pit of parts.
This is the place for those who are curious and don’t need to take themselves and everything else so seriously.
Not that Mindbender Mansion is solemn. There is a conveyor belt that can be set at different speeds while visitors fill TV dinner trays moving on it. It would lend itself to I Love Lucy reenactments if any actual food were involved.
If you look beyond the physical puzzles, you’ll notice decorations on the walls of this “mansion.” These include tchotchkes and a photograph collage depicting North Dakota’s Roadside Attractions.
The traveling exhibit had been in this space in 2011 and is returning after visitors have been asking the Connecticut Science Center to bring it back.
These two interactive exhibits are scheduled to open for the general public on Saturday, May 24, 2014 and are included in the price of general admission.
Various discounts are available for active military personnel, educators, museum professionals, and college students.
On May 24 & 25, active, retired and reserve members of the armed services, fire, police, state troopers, and EMS receive free general admission to the Connecticut Science Center. Family members of those who serve receive half price general admission. To get that free or discounted admission, bring proof of service.
For adults who want to experience these exhibits without children present, the next Liquid Lounge event (21+) will be on June 5, 2014. Liquid Lounge tends to sell out, so keep that in mind when deciding to purchase tickets and arranging for when you will arrive. Hint: if you don’t like crowds, get there on the early side.