Gallery: Spy Science at the Discovery Center

Gabby Elliott, 6, right, gets some help getting dressed in her disguise from Natalie Hoyt, 10, left, at the Spy Science exhibit at the City of Ocala Discovery Center in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. The exhibit, which will be open through Sept. 17, is sponsored by the Marion Rotary Duck Derby, Ocala Electric Utilities, Fun4Ocala Kids and Duke Energy and will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Discovery Center. According to a press release, the new exhibit takes visitors inside the world of espionage. Guests can go undercover as an “Agent of Discovery” to find out the secret identity of the spy villain and solve puzzles and challenges along the way. They can also learn how disguises help spies to catch the “bad guy” and even rescue people while crawling through the villain’s lair, looking for clues, creating their own secret decoders and more, the press release also states. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.

If you’ve ever wanted to pretend to be James Bond, the new “Spy Science” exhibit at the City of Ocala’s Discovery Center might help you get a little closer to secret agent status.
The exhibit showcases the history, science and even Hollywood connections within the world of espionage. As part of the fun, guests can create secret decoders and use them to solve encrypted messages, play with spy gadgets such as periscopes, voice changers and lasers, and even solve a jewel heist labyrinth.
Visitors can go undercover as an “Agent of Discovery” to find out the secret identity of the spy villain and solve puzzles and challenges to find him, and even crawl through the villain’s lair while looking for clues hidden in everyday objects. They also can learn how disguises help spies catch bad guys and even rescue people.
The Discovery Center is located at 701 NE Sanchez Ave. The exhibit is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, through Sept. 17. It is sponsored by Marion Rotary Duck Derby, Ocala Electric Utilities, Fun4Ocala Kids and Duke Energy.
General admission to the Discovery Center is $8 per person or $28 for a family of four. Annual memberships also are available.
By reservation only, StarLab Planetarium shows are held on Saturdays and tickets are $30 per 10-person group. Guests are encouraged to call ahead to book a reservation time for the planetarium. An alternative planetarium-like show, NASA Solar System Exploration, is available for a $3 add-on to the price of general admission.
For more information, call 352-401-3900 or visit mydiscoverycenter.org.