Pirates will invade the Saint Louis Science Center when the blockbuster exhibition Real Pirates opens on May 1. The exhibition, the world’s first exhibition of authentic pirate treasure, explores early 18th-century piracy and includes more than 200 artifacts recovered from the first fully authenticated pirate ship discovered in American waters.
The exhibit, organized in part by National Geographic, tells the true story of the Whydah, a real pirate ship that sank off the coast of Cape Cod, Mass., nearly 300 years ago. It showcases chests of gold coins, jewelry, cannons, pistols, knives and a life-size replica of the ship’s stern that visitors can board. St. Louis is one of just 10 cities the exhibition will visit.
The Whydah, the ship at the center of the exhibit, was located in 1984 by underwater explorer Barry Clifford, who is still actively excavating the wreck site and continues to bring treasures to the surface every year. Real Pirates relates the stories of four members of the Whydah crew, including John King, the youngest known pirate on board the ship, who was believed to be younger than 11 at the time of the shipwreck.
As part of the exhibit, a dozen multimedia galleries showcase the reality of the slave trade in West Africa and the economic prosperity in the Caribbean in the early 18th century, the Whydah’s journey, the ship’s capture, the violent storm that sank the ship, its discovery by Clifford and the recovery and conservation of its artifacts. More information about the exhibit can be found at www.slsc.org.
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
Young visitors and their families are invited to the Energy Stage to enjoy interactive read-alouds of science-themed picture books. Story times are followed by a short demonstration or discussion connected to the book's main concepts.
Enjoy two hours of horse and pony rides at Castlewood Stables during Parent & Me Pony Rides. Your little ones will also get to interact with other farm animals, like mini potbelly pigs, bunnies, tortoises, a miniature donkey, a zebra and more.
Explore the Saint Louis Zoo in the evenings at the new Animals Aglow exhibit. Bring your family to experience the luminous glow of 50 towering lanterns depicting animals, plants and traditional Chinese elements. Don't miss this celebration of culture and art!
Dinoroarus is back for a limited time at the Saint Louis Zoo. This engaging attraction for all ages features 14 groupings of animatronic and stationary dinosaurs - colorful, prehistoric creatures that move realistically, some roaring and spiting or placidly munching on lush vegetation.