Edgerton Explorit Center
The city of Aurora in Nebraska also known as the county seat of Hamilton County and the site of the largest hailstone ever measured (the hailstone, which has a diameter of seven inches and a circumference of about nineteen inches, fell in Aurora in 2003), may seem to be just any other American city with a fairly mundane settlement history. This however, does not mean that it has to be boring or unexciting. There are many places to visit in the area – outdoor parks, natural attractions, art galleries and museums could be found all over the territory. Listing all the favorites, however, one mustn’t forget the Edgerton Explorit Center.
Of course, it was named after the father of flash photography, Dr. Harold Edgerton (“Doc” to those who know him), who happened to be a proud Aurora local. On top of flash photography, he invented the side scan sonar and the strobe light – his achievements inducted him into the National Inventors Hall of Fame back in 1986, four years before he passed away. In 1995, five years after his death, the Edgerton Explorit Center was opened in his honor.
The Edgerton Explorit Center is actually one of the best educational and recreational places one could visit in Aurora, Nebraska. As with most centers geared towards encouraging people to bask in the wonder of scientific discovery, the Explorit makes sure that its guests have as much fun as possible when exploring and experiencing the exhibits.
Contrary to popular belief, this place is actually for persons of all ages; the stigma of most fun science centers suffer is the notion that the goal is to simply get kids interested in science. In actuality, what the Edgerton Explorit Center does is recreate for people the exhilarating feel of learning and discovering something new and exciting – the feeling that most likely got buried after years of standardized education cloaked in difficult words, terminology and numbers.
Visitors to the Edgerton Explorit Center are allowed to experience the “unseen world of science and technology” through a variety of exhibits – generally hands-on and interactive, of course – demonstrations, and the occasional skits. True to the legacy of “Doc” Edgerton, the staff, displays and facilities at Explorit are geared towards re-creating the passion and enthusiasm for discovery that he once inspired in many through his work.
The Edgerton Explorit Center could be easily found in 16th Street Aurora City, Nebraska and is open every day of the week, except most holidays. They open at nine from Monday to Saturday and at one every Sunday.
