Current Exhibits

Special Exhibit:
Making Meaning

On December 15, CMB welcomes the second in a series of traveling exhibits from San Francisco’s world-famous Exploratorium. Making Meaning features a dozen interactive activities that pull visitors together-- and toward new insights into the workings of nature, technology, and the brain. Curious kids and adults can explore their senses with this collection of optical illusions, brain-bending puzzles and mind-twisting experiments.

Think you know how to shoot free throws? Try a pickup game in Hoop Nightmares. It’s a bit of a shock to realize how easy it is to throw off your eye-hand coordination! The architectural Angel Columns look like they’re only holding up a ceiling, but what the columns are really holding up is our ability to see the figures standing between them. Language Blocks demonstrates that what we mean to say and what another person understands are not always the same thing.

Making Meaning was developed at the Exploratorium and is touring Montana as part of the newly created Montana Network for Exhibit-based Science Learning and Teaching (MontNET), a partnership between the Children’s Museum of Bozeman, the Exploratorium, spectrUM Science Learning Center at the University of Montana, and other informal learning centers.

Explore with MEL!

CMB introduces the Mobile Experiment Laboratory (MEL), where scientists of all ages get to test out the way things work! Mess around with the provided materials, make predictions, try your own ideas, and talk about what you see. Can you connect your discoveries to things at home and in the world? MEL is part of the daily CMB experience, included with admission. MEL also provides activities and resources that you can take with you to continue experimenting at home!

MEL presents: miniRACEWAYS

Zip! Zoom! Crash! Rev up your brain as you investigate questions like: What makes an object slide or roll? Why do some objects travel faster than others? What makes a moving object slow down? Along the way you'll find out about gravity, friction, energy, and more-- and why it's really important to wear your seat belt. This round of experiments includes Super Sliders, Spool Racers, Momentum Magic, and Crash!

Permanent Exhibits

	Our Big Sky Home Designed and built in cooperation with Montana Outdoor Science School, this permanent exhibit is an evolving showcase celebrating the natural world in southwestern Montana. It explores many avenues of learning using one of Montana's most treasured resources: the outdoors.
	Bubble Wall How big of a bubble can you make? Come and check out our refurbished Bubble Wall. A big thank you to Jim Hanley and Revelation Powder Coating for helping us to make the Bubble Wall look like new!
	Magnetic Canvas Gears, shapes, and marble runs!
	Toddler Area Sensory table, giant blocks, bead table, puzzles and puppets!
	Visit the Old West Build your own log cabin and play dress-up in our tipi as you explore the Old West!
	Bobcat Court Be a star on or off the court at our MSU Bobcat area!
	Doctor's Office Pretend play in our doctor's office complete with x-rays and anatomical models!
	Reading Corner Enjoy a quiet moment with a book.
	Puppet Theater Let your imagination run wild behind our charming puppet theater!
	Pinbell Machine Make your own melody with our take on the classic pinball machine!