Little Builders: Opening May 24th at the Virginia Aquarium

(Virginia Beach, VA) Even the youngest visitors will become movers and shakers in the Virginia Aquarium's newest changing exhibit, Little Builders. This summer season's exhibit runs May 24 - September 14. Donning child-size hard hats and construction vests, young children will create, play and learn as they explore the concepts of construction, motion and simple machines. Little Builders is also a learning laboratory for parents, teachers and childcare providers. 

"With our $25 million dollar renovation in progress, this exhibit was a perfect choice," said Maylon White, Aquarium director of exhibits and husbandry. "On any given day, guests may see some of the building principles in action or equipment that is highlighted in the exhibit."

Five themed areas in the Little Builders exhibit include the Construction Site, Structures, Aerodynamics, Cranes and Simple Machines.  
* Construction Site - Guests will explore the physics of movement by climbing through four levels of the construction site, transporting objects by turning the wheels of a hand-operated crane. They can build patterns in a brick wall and "paint" with rollers. 
* Structures - Visitors will discover the concepts involved in building: size, weight, shape, balance, gravity and stability.  Visitors can create houses and more using blocks, Duplo® blocks (toddlers' large snap-on blocks) and PVC pipes. 
* Aerodynamics -Guests will experiment with the characteristics of moving air by inserting balls into vertical air chutes and watching them whiz through clear pipe and pop into a basket, demonstrating the path of air. 
* Cranes - Visitors will learn about mechanical physics by moving block cargo to a waiting flatbed car using a gantry crane and rotating a miniature crane to raise and lower its hook to move blocks.
* Simple Machines -Guests will explore and experiment with simple machines using plastic hammers, screwdrivers and wrenches at the Tool Wall.  Then they can work together at the conveyer belt moving materials back and forth.  Visitors can also drop plastic balls down a series of clear pipes and watch as they travel down a twisty path.

In addition to the hands-on elements of the exhibit, the Virginia Aquarium has added live animals that demonstrate unique and superior building skills.  Beavers, alligators, finches and corals will reveal how they change the terrain by building dams, nests or reefs.

Little Builders was created by and is on loan from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland, Oregon. The Virginia Aquarium Foundation exhibit is sponsored by the Helen G. Gifford Foundation.

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. The Aquarium is among the first attractions in the state to become certified as a Virginia Green Attraction. It is located at 717 General Booth Boulevard, just south of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach.  For more information on exhibits, movies, boat rides and special events call (757) 385-FISH (3474), (TDD 711) or visit VirginiaAquarium.com.

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