yea so i lvve by MOSI and this new attraction sounds pretty cool iv been there before its like a museum but it has a IMAX Theature and some cool stuff, its by Tampa, Florida http://news.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB3B2QFHQE.html By DEBORAH ZIFF The Tampa Tribune Published: Aug 5, 2006 ADVERTISEMENT More from this channel: Search for more information: Site Search Archives Keyword TBO.com Site Search | Tribune archive from 1990 TAMPA - What nickname did your parents give your messy childhood bedroom? What's another way to refer to the 17th century, disease-ridden Virginia settlement of Jamestown? What's the newest big-name attraction in the Tampa Bay region? The answer to all three is Disasterville, and MOSI is hoping the name will draw crowds anyway. A permanent exhibit, Disasterville funnels visitors through interactive displays of eight natural disasters and spits them out with a new appreciation of nature's power. It opens today, two months into the Atlantic hurricane season. The stars are hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, floods, tornados and more. The exhibit teaches about the science behind the phenomena and how to prepare for the worst. The Tampa Bay area is vulnerable to nature's most damaging forces - including lightning strikes, hurricanes and floods - but after years of dodging natural disasters, people here have grown complacent, said MOSI President Wit Ostrenko. "It's meant to scare the hell out of you," said Ostrenko, who was in the thick of last-minute hammering, painting and wiring Friday as he helped workers scramble to finish the exhibit. "This is meant to be as lifelike as possible. It's meant to inspire people to really share stories." Disasterville has been in the works for about four years. It's the next big thing after the ongoing "Bodies" exhibit at MOSI, which has drawn more than 1 million visitors to the museum during the past 12 months - more than ever before. The exhibit begins with a walk through Disasterville, an unincorporated, unlucky town that has fallen victim to not one, but four savage shocks from nature. Buildings rise up on both sides of a walkway, showing signs of damage. One green apartment building bears the scars of a hurricane - railings bent by wind, scattered branches, shattered windows. Inside four of the buildings are immersion rooms, virtual-reality exhibits torn by fire, tornado, hurricane and earthquake. Once out of Disasterville, visitors can play games to learn more about why natural disasters occur and how to create survival plans. Where do you put photos of grandchildren? Do you have a paper list of phone numbers? Do you have tie-downs for your roof? The exhibit asks these questions, in case you haven't, and helps answer them. Among the games is a glass case the size of a phone booth, big enough for one visitor at a time to step in and feel the eyelid-flapping force of an 80 mph wind. It's strong enough for an adrenaline rush, but still only equivalent to the lowest-level hurricane. Warned MOSI communications manager Tanya Vomacka, "Don't come in if you're worried about what your hair will look like." IF YOU GO MOSI, at 4801 E Fowler Ave., is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Ticket prices are: adults, $23.95; seniors, $21.95; and children (2-12), $19.95. IMMERSE YOURSELF What to expect at the new MOSI exhibit Disasterville: Hurricane: Industrial-size fans swirl wind around visitors, while misters spray to simulate humidity. An audio track plays freight train and other sounds to mimic screaming gusts. Earthquake: This room looks like the lobby of a bank, but tending money quickly turns to terror as the floor trembles and pictures shake. Flat screen video monitors show buildings falling. Tornado: Designed to look like a windowless reinforced basement, this is exactly where you should be when a tornado hits. Don't worry, no debris will strike you in here, but monitors will show you potential damage. Wildfires: An infrared heater raises the temperature while smoke creeps through a log-cabin facade. The logs are already charred black, and windowlike video screens show fire raging through forests.
we already have one of these in Australia at a place called QUESTACON. we have the earthquake cyclone which they turn into waterspouts sometimes
