While no actual pets are allowed inside the venue, the California Science Center still found a way to let the dogs in with the return of a popular exhibition that takes a deep look at our furry companions.
First created by the Center in 2019 before going on a national tour, the “Dogs! A Science Tail” exhibition returned this month to the Los Angeles venue once again offering a hands-on, interactive experience that will help dog lovers understand their pets in a new way.
“We know that people love dogs, people connect with their dogs,” said Lucy Chang, curator of Life Sciences for the Science Center. ‘So we thought this was a great opportunity to capitalize on this passion people have for dogs,” she added.
The 8,000-square-foot free exhibition takes a fun and educational look at the history and science behind the strong bonds between humans and dogs as it looks at how both species are wired for social connection as well as exploring dogs’ senses and abilities.
“There’s a lot of interesting science happening behind understanding how people connect with dogs and understanding dogs themselves,” Chang said.
Highlights of the exhibition include a portion where people can experience dog’s senses and abilities as visitors look through an oversized dog head that lets them see and hear things like dogs would.
“You will be able to see the space in front of you and speakers will play what humans would hear and then what dogs would hear,” Chang said.
There’s also a section where people can find out how fast they are in comparison to different dog breeds by running on a track that will tell you if you run as fast as say a greyhound or as slow as a tiny dog.
“Basically you’re encouraged to see if you can run as fast as certain dog breeds. So people can take off and try to beat the speed of a chihuahua or a German shepherd,” she said.
Visitors can also walk through an interactive neighborhood exploring how pets support the community and compete in “Jeopawdy!”— a dog-themed trivia game hosted on screen by the late Alex Trebek. Other areas highlight dog jobs and visitors will be able to tell stories about their own dogs which will be recorded and become part of the exhibition.
“Dogs are incredible and we have a really unique bond with dogs and we would love for people to leave understanding that connection a little but better,” Chang said.
Dogs! A Science Tail
When: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibition runs indefinitely
Where: California Science Center, 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles.
Cost: Free
Information: californiasciencecenter.org