The Lawrence Hall of Science
The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.
Wednesday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Animal Discovery Zone 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
We’ll bring our science programs to you.
We partner with school districts to support science learning. We offer district-wide elementary, middle, and high school programs, either virtually or in-person.
We collaborate with a range of partners to innovate in science education. Together, we go further.
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Activity
Explore the dynamics of flight by designing, building, and testing your own paper airplanes. Use one of our easy-to-follow “flight plans” or experiment with your own custom airplane designs, then test your aircraft using our mechanical launchers.
Will your plane hit the highest target or fly through distant hoops & arches? Try changing the size of your plane’s wings. Do larger or smaller wings carry the plane higher? What happens if you launch your plane backward?
As you experiment with your airplane’s design, you’ll notice principles of drag and lift, both of which affect performance. For example, air resistance works to slow the plane down as it pushes through the air; this force is called drag. If the wings move through the air in a way that changes the direction of the airflow and pushes some of the air down, the airplane experiences lift, making it fly farther. It all depends on how you fold it!
Admission
General
Age 3+: $20
Kids under 2: FREE
Members: FREE
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3D Theater
$4 + Admission
Planetarium
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