Science on Wheels from Pacific Science Center is visiting Mercer Island this month. The van will be at Northwood Elementary on Oct. 20, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3.

Science on Wheels vans brings the excitement and curiosity of Pacific Science Center from Seattle to classrooms beyond its signature arches.

It delivers educational fun across the state of Washington, with plenty of visual exhibits and opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning in subjects such as physics, space and geology.

Each year, the program delivers exciting, interactive science curriculum to elementary and middle schools in Washington, offering one hour and 45 minutes of student contact including a lively, 30-minute opening assembly, 30 interactive exhibits set up in the library or gym, and five to 15 individual classroom visits by Pacific Science Center teachers.

The Science On Wheels program at Pacific Science Center, an independent, not-for-profit educational institution, began during the gas crisis of the 1970s, when groups of school children could no longer visit the museum on field trips. Educators were quick to respond to the needs of these science-starved children, and they began loading lessons and small exhibits into station wagons.

Science on Wheels quickly grew into one of the largest science outreach programs in the country. The demand for in-school and community based programs expanded so quickly that its offerings were expanded in 1999. Beyond school children, new programs inspired a love for science at libraries, community centers, fairs, and festivals.

Over the past decade, Science On Wheels has brought the fun of science and math to more than 1.5 million children and adults in Washington. Its staff’s varied backgrounds in science, education and theatre provide an exciting day for students and families as its inspires a fascination in math, science, and technology.

For more, see www.pacificsciencecenter.org/science-on-wheels.