CLAY CENTER FOR THE ARTS & SCIENCES OF WEST VIRGINIA INC

Focusing on the human body in motion, Healthy Me provides a safe environment for guests to test their physical skills, and help them learn why regular physical activity is essential to their health. Within the exhibit, guests will investigate body systems (skeletal, muscular, circulatory, nervous, as well as organs) to learn about their function and how they work together. They will also measure themselves as they stretch, raise their heart rates, test their balance and reaction time, and try to increase their skills at various sporting events. Healthy Me will help guests understand that engaging in healthy lifestyle choices now will reduce risk of disease later in life and will allow guests to challenge themselves physically and receive positive feedback in exchange for effort.

In WaterWorks visitors play and work with water along sweeping flow routes, dramatic water falls, controlling the water to animate and energize everything in its path in an expression of water’s power. Along the way, they will experience the potential, kinetic and mechanical energy of water. Activities include turning a large water wheel to generate “electricity”, opening and closing a dam’s water into the river, guiding boats through a lock system blocking, releasing and re-routing water, and many other engaging activities, including water play (funnels, scooping and pouring) for toddlers.

Generously underwritten by the Maier Foundation, the Maier Foundation Music Studio is a place where visitors make and explore music together. Visitors see, listen to, move to, and create their own music; examine the scientific foundations of music they hear; and explore the mathematical concepts of rhythm, pattern, and harmony. Some instruments will, at first glance, be a puzzle – how can this thing make music? Other instruments will appear to play themselves. Group “events” can be seen throughout the space: a multi-station futuristic music machine, a circular thumb piano that multiple people can play simultaneously; a giant slinky suspended overhead that teaches children the basics of longitudinal waves. At the Recording Studio, visitors play sound engineer mixing “tracks” of a song to perfection. The exhibit is comprised of four basic areas: Experience Music, the Instrument Studio, Composing and Good Vibrations.

Explore art in new and exciting ways! The Juliet Art Museum is now home to a brand new, interactive Art Space! In Art Space guests of all ages can explore basic art principles while having fun! Spin the wheel of color and learn about the basic elements of color and color theory. How do we perceive color and what the context of color? Explore digitized art and the basics of digitized illustrations on our giant pixel wall! Test your balance by making your own mobile, create your own mural and curate your own exhibition! The creativity doesn’t stop there – budding film makers can explore stop motion animation and make their own films.

See all three stories of the Clay Center from a new perspective as you climb a work of art. From kids to adults, everyone can take part in this interactive exhibit.

The Juliet Art Museum was once located at the former Sunrise Museum that entertained visitors for decades. The Museum hosts traveling exhibits from artists and museums nation-wide, as well as exhibits that feature work from an incredible permanent collection, providing visitors with completely new experiences every few months. The Museum offers a large variety of educational programs including tours through the art galleries, and daily school workshops. With a 2018 renovation to the Juliet Art Museum galleries, new exhibits will facilitate art explorations that bring the art museum experience to all ages. New permanent exhibits in the art museum, combined with educational programming and traveling exhibits, will function like a self-guided tour into creative expression for visitors.

Host to limited time exhibits from all over the country, previous exhibits have included: Innovation Station where visitors can experience design, prototyping, analysis and redesign through building structures using Playground blocks; and Heart and Seoul: Growing up in Korea where visitors got a taste of everyday life in school, at home, and throughout the city of Seoul.

Transport yourself around the globe and across the universe in the Caperton Planetarium and Theater! The Planetarium, located in the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences, features a giant-screen theater with an upgraded, 8K projection system! This sophisticated system offers exceptional brightness and resolution, with crisp images, sparkling stars, stunning details, and 3D capability. 3D views are provided by utilizing “active” 3D glasses rather than polarized lenses found in traditional cinemas offering a larger than life experience! Join us for a variety of films and live presentations daily.

When the gallery lights go down, the fun turns up! Check out Art After Dark, following the monthly Downtown Charleston Art Walk! This free event features live music and a hands on, take home activity! Takes place from March - December.