When the Da Vinci Science Center reopened in May 2024 at its new home on West Hamilton Street in Allentown, the reviews from kids could be summed up in two words: "Again! Again!"
The new facility, housed in the PPL Pavilion, is a dramatic upgrade from the previous location. It is bigger, more interactive, more ambitious, and includes at least one exhibit that involves climbing through a giant intestine, which is exactly the kind of thing that makes a science museum unforgettable.
Curiosity Hall
The centerpiece of the new building is Curiosity Hall, a fifty foot tall immersive multimedia experience that surrounds visitors with light, sound, and imagery. It is the kind of space that makes adults gasp and children stand with their mouths open. Stations within the hall let you build a flying machine, design a self portrait, and explore what it means to be a "fit kid" through interactive activities.
My Body
The LVHN My Body exhibit is a two story immersive human body. You literally climb through it. Crawl through intestines. Feel a heartbeat from inside the chest. See emotions lighting up the brain. It is educational in the way that the best science museums are educational: by making you forget you are learning.
Kids who claim to hate science will spend forty five minutes inside this exhibit without realizing they just absorbed a semester of biology. Parents will learn things too, though they may be too busy trying to keep up with their children to notice.
The Lehigh River Watershed
One of the most creative exhibits recreates the Lehigh River watershed inside the building. A simulated limestone cavern leads to a Pocono ravine environment, complete with running water and live animals. The stars of the exhibit are four North American river otters, who are exactly as playful, chaotic, and entertaining as you would hope.
The watershed exhibit connects the museum to its Lehigh Valley context in a way that feels natural rather than forced. Kids learn about the ecology of their own backyard while watching otters do backflips.
Rotating Galleries
The City Center Group Gallery provides eight thousand square feet for rotating exhibitions that change throughout the year. Past exhibits have covered topics from space exploration to engineering challenges, ensuring that repeat visits always offer something new.
Planning Your Visit
The Da Vinci Science Center is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM. Plan for two to two and a half hours, though families with young children often stay longer. The museum is located at 815 West Hamilton Street in Allentown, near the revitalized downtown corridor.
Weekday mornings are the least crowded. School groups dominate during the school year, so summer and school breaks bring a different kind of busy. Either way, the space is large enough that it never feels oppressively crowded.
For Lehigh Valley families, the Da Vinci Science Center is the kind of attraction that justifies a membership. Kids will want to come back, and the rotating exhibits give them a reason to. It is one of the best things to happen to Allentown in years, and it is worth every minute of your visit.
