Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear has concluded its run at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Special Exhibition: February 13 - May 3, 2009

Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear is a fun, hands-on way to explore a basic human emotion—and one that is critical to our survival. You'll confront some of the most common fears in a controlled and safe environment, and you'll discover the scientific explanation behind some of your body's most dramatic responses.

Highlights of Goose Bumps! include:

• Four different Challenge Courses that invite visitors of all ages to confront four common fears—the fear of falling, the fear of electric shock, the fear of loud noises, and the fear of animals—in a controlled and safe environment. Visitors can experience free fall, reach into a box connected to a terrarium of snakes, or startle themselves with a sudden loud noise, all while monitoring—and delighting in—their physical reactions.
• Fear Lab, with activities that help visitors explore the inner workings of the brain and its impact on the ways we respond to frightening situations. In this section of the exhibition, visitors will meet Mr. Goosebumps, a larger-than-life figure that comes "alive" through cartoon animations to show how the brain and the body work together when we're afraid. Here, they'll also have a chance to compare the anatomy of real brain specimens from a variety of different animals, as well as explore the relationship between memory and fear.
• The Freeze Game, an immersive, life-sized video game in which visitors hunt for food on the African savannah, testing their freeze response and being careful to evade a hungry virtual leopard. If the leopard sees them move, they may be lunch!
• A live demonstration featuring a live creepy creature in the Fear Theater, where visitors will learn how scientists produce fear in the lab through a process known as fear conditioning. Please note: Show times vary throughout the week; view this week's schedule here.

Official Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear website | Buy Tickets