GET READY, GET SET, GO!

SCIENCE MUSEUM’S EXHIBIT GALLERIES WILL TRANSFORM
WITH THE BRAND NEW SPORTSOLOGY EXHIBIT

Opening Friday, January 6, Sportsology invites visitors
to explore the science of their bodies in motion

Members of the media will get first look on
Thursday, January 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saint Paul, Minn. – On Friday, January 6, the Science Museum of Minnesota will celebrate the completion of the first major exhibit gallery renovation in its riverfront facility when the Sportsology exhibit opens its doors.

Presented by HealthPartners and TRIA, Sportsology will turn every field, court, track, and gym into a full-body science lab, inviting visitors of all ages to explore the science at work helping our bodies meet the demands of all kinds of sporting activities – for high-performance professional athletes, hobby sports enthusiasts, people who exercise for fun and good health, and everyone in between.

Using large-scale interactive activities, multimedia stations, and even items from the Science Museum’s vast collection, Sportsology digs deep into the role that sporting activities play in our lives. The exhibit gives visitors the chance to run, kick, swing, and jump their way to a better understanding of the extraordinary human processes that allow us to compete.

“We’ve been working to make this exhibit and its programs just right for our visitors, and we are eager for them to experience Sportsology,” says Alison Rempel Brown, president of the Science Museum of Minnesota. “Whether you’re a tennis player, a dancer, or a sideline spectator, you’re using your body in complex and amazing ways. Sportsology represents a fun way for visitors to get a better understanding of what it takes to throw that ball, run that race, shoot that basket, or just move your body for joy.”

Originally designed by the Science Museum of Minnesota for the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, Texas for its grand opening in 2012, Sportsology is built from the ground up here in Saint Paul. It draws on the health and fitness expertise of sponsoring partners HealthPartners and TRIA, the exhibit development, design, and production expertise of the Science Museum, and the skill and inspiration of some of Minnesota’s – and the nation’s – top athletes.

In Sportsology, visitors will:

• Step into the Motion Lab, record themselves throwing a football, completing a goal kick, doing a cartwheel, and more. Then, they’ll play back their video, analyze the components that make up the movements, and compare them to those of professional athletes like Minnesota Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen, Minnesota Twins infielder Joe Mauer, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Taylor Heinicke, Minnesota United FC defender Justin Davis, Minnesota Gopher gymnast Abby DeMuse, dancer Alanna Morris-Van Tassel, and more.
• Learn about the physiology of running, then race against a T. rex (spoiler alert: you won’t win!) , Christen Press of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen, Minnesota Wild center Erik Haula, Paralympic athlete Mark Braun, former WNBA star Candice Wiggins, Minnesota Twins mascot T.C. Bear (spoiler alert: best start), and more.
• Use a tennis racket and a target to explore the science of the “sweet spot.”
• Delve into the hand-eye coordination that makes hitting a fastball or blocking a goal kick possible, as well as the principles of balance at the heart of gymnastics, ice skating, and more.
• Practice their high jumps, then measure them against other visitors and some of the most famous basketball players in the world.
• See items from the Science Museum’s extensive scientific collection – atlatls, bows and arrows, Tchungkee stones, lacrosse sticks, and more – that illustrate the role of sports and sporting activities to cultures around the world.
• Plan a nutritious meal that will support their bodies during a workout.
• Explore the sports injury issue that’s on everyone’s mind: concussions. What is a concussion? What are its symptoms? How do we recover
• Visit the Coaches’ Corner and hear from physicians from HealthPartners about the benefits of physical activity, common injuries and ailments and their treatments and prevention practices, nutrition strategies for peak performance, and much more.

Sportsology invites visitors of all ages to perform, practice, review, and refine their skills in their favorite sports – and see the role that science plays in the incredible workings of the human body.

“We are committed to improving the health and well-being of the communities that we serve throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin,” said Donna Zimmerman, HealthPartners Senior Vice President of Government and Community Relations. “While we are able to provide care within the walls of our clinics and hospitals, this partnership allows us to better connect visitors of all ages and help educate on everything from sports medicine, orthopaedics, nutrition, and neurology. We are very excited about working together with the Science Museum of Minnesota to further our combined message of education and wellness.”

Sportsology is located on level 3. A new addition to the Science Museum’s resident exhibit galleries, Sportsology will be open during regular Science Museum hours. Admission is included in regular exhibit gallery admission ($18.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 4 to 12 and seniors).

About HealthPartners
HealthPartners, an integrated health care organization providing health care services and health plan financing and administration, was founded in 1957 as a cooperative. It's the largest consumer governed nonprofit health care organization in the nation - serving more than 1.5 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. Our care system includes a multi-specialty group practice of more than 1,700 physicians. HealthPartners employs over 22,500 people, all working together to deliver the HealthPartners mission.

About the Science Museum of Minnesota
The Science Museum of Minnesota is the Upper Midwest's most popular museum, inspiring more than one million people each year to explore their changing world through science. Among the nation’s largest and most-esteemed science museums, the Science Museum of Minnesota conducts research, collects artifacts, produces and distributes exhibits and giant screen films, and offers educational programs for all ages. For more information, call (651) 221-9444 or visit www.smm.org.