"Mapping," 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday now through June 8, Discovery Center of Idaho, 131 Myrtle St., Boise. $6.50 general, $5.50 seniors (60 and older), $4 children (3-17), free children 2 and younger and members. 343-9895.
No matter your age, knowing where you are and how to get around are important. Without this knowledge, well, you're just lost.
Kids can learn to find their way with the Discovery Center of Idaho's current "Mapping" exhibit, a fun-filled look at geography and the science of cartography.
"Mapping," running now through June 8, features more than 20 interactive stations ranging from ancient navigation tools to high-tech maps made with images beamed from space.
TOPO YOUR FACE
Topographic maps use series of contour lines to show differences in elevation, and one of the "Mapping" stations demonstrates how they work by letting Discovery Center visitors "topo" their faces.
Light is projected onto the face to create contour lines showing the difference between steep features (the nose) and flat features (the forehead).
BOISE BY AIR
Use a magnifier to explore Boise from above on a flat table map of the city. Find your house, look inside Bronco Stadium and visit other Boise landmarks.
VIRTUAL NAVIGATION
Before they fight wildfires, firefighters train on 3D simulators that help them find their way to fires by applying their knowledge of contour lines to real terrain. The simulator also is helpful training for the sport of orienteering.
Similar to a video game, the exhibit's virtual navigation station lets visitors travel over hills and valleys with a mouse pad and keyboard to find their way to a fire.
GEOCHRON-OLOGY
A geochron is a flat wall clock showing all 24 of the Earth's time zones. The map is illuminated to show which part of the world is receiving daylight at a given time.
Kids can locate Idaho on the map and see how much sunlight is left in the day.
NOT-SO-PUZZLING MAP
Piece together your Idaho geography with a gigantic floor puzzle map (16 feet by 11 feet) of the Gem State.
The map is an easy way for kids to locate Idaho's rivers, mountains, deserts and other natural features.
'FINGER OUT' A MAZE
A map is used to get from Point A to Point B, and the same principle is applied when working your way through this finger maze.
Guests can time themselves as they run a finger through a maze hidden behind a curtain.
GOOGLE EARTH
Google Earth, which uses satellite imaging to zoom in on any location in the world, is addictive fun.
The "Mapping" exhibit has multiple computer stations to allow visitors to find their houses, favorite vacation spots and everything else on the globe with Google Earth.
Chad Dryden: 672-6734
