DES MOINES — To commemorate its 40th anniversary and fifth year in downtown Des Moines, the Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater (SCI) will house its largest-ever traveling exhibition, “Da Vinci — The Genius,” from Oct. 2 through Jan. 16, 2011.
A renowned exhibition that is the most comprehensive ever compiled on Leonardo Da Vinci, “Da Vinci – The Genius” previously has been on display in international markets such as Taiwan and the United Kingdom, and the Science Center of Iowa is honored to be among only five venues in the U.S. to host this exhibition. The 14,000 square feet of components will appeal to a wide range of visitors, from children and families to adults and grandparents, and features all aspects of Da Vinci’s life work that was far ahead of its time. To accommodate this massive exhibition, SCI will be making adjustments to the interior infrastructure of its lower level.
“During this milestone year and into the future, the Science Center of Iowa is striving to expand our offerings. This exhibition will help us continue on the path toward being an in-depth educational resource for all members of our community,“ said Dr. Paul Jennings, SCI president and CEO. “Da Vinci is not only for those interested in science, but also in art, engineering, music, architecture and history. We are fortunate and proud to be able to provide the public with this engaging experience, the largest exhibition in SCI history and, as far as we know, in central Iowa as well.”
“Da Vinci – The Genius” demonstrates the full scope of Leonardo Da Vinci’s remarkable genius as an inventor, artist, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, musician and architect. Ten years in the making, the exhibition features a vast array of full-scale machine inventions crafted from Da Vinci’s personal codices (notebooks), as well as reproductions of his most famous Renaissance art, including the Mona Lisa and The Annunciation, amazing anatomical sketches, the preparatory drawings of the Anghiari Battle and three-dimensional interactive presentations of the Last Supper, the Vitruvian Man and the Sforza Horse sculpture that offer never before seen perspectives on these famous works.
“This exhibition was created to celebrate Leonardo Da Vinci’s great works and place them all together in a single location where people can come and marvel at the brilliance of this great mind,” said Bruce Peterson, founder and managing director of Australia-based exhibit development company Grande Exhibitions. “Leonardo Da Vinci is arguably the greatest genius the world has ever known, and this show makes it abundantly clear why that proposition is virtually irrefutable.”
The Science Center of Iowa will enhance the Da Vinci exhibition with live, interactive programming appropriate for all audiences that allows visitors to experience the concepts on which Da Vinci based his works. In addition, SCI will be open Thursdays and Fridays until 8 p.m. during the run of this exhibition to allow more convenient visiting times.
SCI’s “Genius Package,” which includes all-day admission to the Science Center and a timed ticket to “Da Vinci – The Genius,” is $17.75 for adults, $12 for children ages 2 to 12 and $15.75 for seniors. Estimated visiting time inside the exhibition is two hours, and audio tours will be available for $3.
Admission to the Da Vinci exhibition alone is available only to SCI members. “Total Experience” tickets are available to explore Da Vinci, SCI and an IMAX film together at a discounted price.
Tickets are on sale for SCI members only now through Sunday, and tickets go on sale to the public on Monday. For more information on the exhibition and to purchase tickets, visit www.davincithegenius.com, call (515) 274-6868 or visit www.sciowa.org/davinci.