Attractions Blog

by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut

G.WIZ, the Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Center in Sarasota, Florida

G.WIZ stands for Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Zone, and the name couldn’t be more appropriate.

At the Harmonograph, each swing of the balls creates a one-of-a-kind design

At the heart of this unique museum are six permanent exhibits:

• Habitat: With its collection of resident snakes, box turtles, hissing cockroaches, and pond fish, this zone teaches about Florida’s native inhabitants.
• Tech Zone: Adults and kids alike love this zone, where they can interact with tools like screws, levers, pulleys, gears, and hydraulics to learn about the mechanics of things.
• ExploraZone: Build bridges and structures with giant magnets, bend voices with speaking tubes, make a bolt of lightning at the Plasma ball, hear someone whispering across the room with the giant whisper dishes, or create design in motion using a pendulum motion at the Harmonograph.
• Wave Zone: Experiment with light and sound waves with the laser guitar and laser harp, where you make music without touching a string!
• Body Zone: Test your speed, strength, flexibility; measure your height, heart rate, and how high you can jump.
• Mindball: Perhaps the most popular zone of all, Mindball let’s partners compete against one another to see who can move matter with their mind! (Hint: the person who is more relaxed wins)

At Mindball, participants strap on headbands that monitor brain waves and try to push the small white ball over to their opponent, using only their minds and the art of relaxation

Artifacts from the tomb of Egyptian King "Tut" were on display at G.WIZ during 2007

In early 2006, the museum board decided to expand the museum offerings, adding a series of traveling exhibitions that have to date included “Dinosaurs,” “Ice Age Florida,” “Tutankhamun,” and “Bodies Revealed.” Currently on display at G.WIZ through February 8, 2009 is “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition,” which features real artifacts recovered from the famous shipwreck.

G.WIZ is located on the bayfront of Sarasota, Florida, off US-41 (N. Tamiami Trail) on Boulevard of the Arts between the Hyatt Sarasota and Van Wezel Performing Arts Center. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Ann Weibel