The impressive power of electricity is displayed by a multitude of exhibits in the Power of Electricity gallery.
At the Power it Up exhibit, operate hand-cranked generators to provide the power to make a clock, TV, blender and hairdryer in a house-shaped structure work. Once you generate enough power, you can share the electricity to power a ceiling fan.
You’ll be entranced with the Plasma Globe as you watch this glass globe filled with electrified gases that create bright, violet lightning bolts that respond to your touch.
Launch aluminum rings propelled by a magnetic field at the Ring Launcher. At the Circuits exhibit, learn about and experiment with electric circuits as you configure components to power different lights, bells, fans and motors.
At the Wind Build and Test interactive station, you design and construct a wind turbine from an assortment of different styles of blades and components. A wind tunnel allows you to test the efficiency of the wind turbine you constructed.
Learn how nuclear power generates electricity and see what’s inside the Byron Generating Station (nuclear power plant).
Discovery Center gratefully acknowledges the following contributors to Power of Electricity:
and the "Public Museum Capital Grants Program" – Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois State Museum