Robert H

San Diego's Balboa is the largest urban cultural park in the nation. Here you'll
find various performing arts, international cultural organizations and the San
Diego Zoo. It's home to 15 museums as well, the most visited of these is the
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is hands on education for the young and
young at heart. With more than 100 science exhibits one can take away from
here a better understanding of our planet. Draw random pictures with sand,
watch a tornado form, or make conversation to another across the room by
just by talking into a big dish. It's some pretty interesting stuff.

The Virtual Zone had some photo opportunities as well as the DO-UNDO exhibit
where your movements are recorded and played forward, backwards and fast
forward. We were coming up with some funny stuff. There is also a 23-
passenger motion simulator ride at the Virtual Zone, but tickets ($4) must be
purchased separately for this ride and passengers must be 40" or taller.

Kid City is for the very young. It's here that those 6 years and under can play
on computers, in miniature houses, at a grocery store and at the Power Plant
inserting balls into vertical air shoots and watching them pop out.

The Fleet hosts major national traveling exhibitions several times a year such
as GROSS OLOGY "The (impolite) science of the body". It's the only place
where burping, boogers and puke are fun. Identify foul odors (and I mean
REALLY foul), crawl across skin and play "URINE The Game".

The Science Center is also home to the world's first IMAX Dome Theater
showing the biggest films on the planet. The screen wraps around the sides of
the theater, filling the viewers peripheral vision making it feels as if they were
really there. Film topics take audiences to fascinating places to learn about
the "Mystery Of The Nile" , "Volcanos Of The Deep Sea" and "Hurricane On The
Bayou". Classic IMAX films play every Friday at a discount.

Stop in for soup, a sandwich, a slice of pizza or a latte at Galileo's Café.
Seating is outdoors at a table on the patio or around the Bea Evanson
Fountain. Food and drinks may not be taken into the museum.

The last stop is the North Star Science Store where $.51 will get you a souvenir
from their penny press. It's also a great place to do a little birthday or
Christmas shopping for educational toys, books and videos.

Other Sky Tonight, a live planetarium show, covers visible objects in the sky
and information on a different astronomy topic each month. This is held the
first Wednesday of every month at 7:00 P.M. There's always something new
and interesting at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

This is a great place for science freaks. For those that aren't it does takes a bit
of patience and willingness to read to really soak it in. To get the most from
the Fleet Center check their website for new exhibits and show times so you
don't miss the big stuff, which is the most fun.

Prices to access all exhibit galleries is $7 for adults 13+/juniors (3-12) and
seniors (65+) $6.25

To add one IMAX film is $11.75/$9.75

Yearly memberships are available to individuals as well as families and can be
a great bargain for those who can frequent the place.

Buy a 7 day passport to see 13 of the museums in Balboa Park for $35 adults/
$19 children, add the San Diego Zoo and it's only $59 adult/$33 children

Open every day at 9:30 A.M.

Parking is free.

Located at 1875 El Prado in San Diego.

Telephone (619) 238-1233

Website: www.rhfleet.org