Experience ‘Above and Beyond’ at Great Lakes Science Center

Explore the future of aerospace technology in the traveling exhibit Above and Beyond, which has touched down at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, Ohio, until Jan. 2, 2022.

Nationally sponsored by Boeing and presented locally by Parker Aerospace, Above and Beyond features 5,000ft² of interactive demonstrations showing how aerospace has advanced from the first powered flights to the latest innovations in aircraft and spacecraft design.

The exhibit is suitable for families, students (especially those ages 7 to 14), adults, and has content sure to be appreciated by aviation and space enthusiasts as well as aerospace industry professionals.

Within the exhibition, guests can design and fly a supersonic jet in a virtual high-speed flying competition, step into a simulated space elevator that takes them to the edge of the universe, and fly like a bird in an ingenious flight simulation using motion-sensing technology.

Five main interactive galleries focus on up, faster, farther, higher, and smarter with exhibits showcasing advanced technology, including additive manufacturing, tackling the problem of space debris, concepts for future aircraft, carbon fiber materials, and uses of unmanned aerial systems.

The historical roots of aviation are revealed with an expansive multitouch timeline and stories about the people behind the advances in flight. A montage of dreamers and doers share their excitement for their jobs and the next century of flight. There’s even a place to add your own dreams to a collaborative vision of flight 100 years from now.

Child-friendly, informative, learn-by-doing educational exhibits emphasize interactions accessible to anyone who’s ever played a video game. Evergreen Exhibitions produced these engaging experiences with extensive input from a wide range of experts from NASA and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

Great Lakes Science Center’s Associate Director of Strategic Content Claire Dorsett says Above and Beyond tells a story that resonates with audiences. “They can walk out our doors still thinking about what they’ve experienced and can start to identify in their world where those concepts are relevant to them.”

Dorsett adds Above and Beyond is a perfect complement to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, as it attracts children’s attention to the STEM pathways that may lead to possible careers.

Dorsett explains, “First comes awareness, then deeper exposure, immersion, and then guiding them to those pathways. Our goal is to galvanize students’ curiosity into the confidence to pursue STEM.”

The interactive exhibit develops a context, she adds, that ties in with what national and local manufacturers are doing. “It’s not just something that someone else is doing, it emphasizes it’s something happening right here in your own back yard, and you can be part of it, too.”

Above and Beyond, which runs through Sunday, January 2, is included with general admission to the Great Lakes Science Center at GLSC, 601 Erieside Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114. Great Lakes Science Center also includes the NASA Glenn visitor center featuring an Apollo space capsule.

Watch a video with highlights of the exhibit.