Lansing - A giant inflatable green dinosaur greeted both runners and visitors to the reopening of the Impression 5 Science Center on Sunday.
The ninth annual Capital City River Run began at 10 a.m. with several races for adults and kids and was held at the center, 200 Museum Drive. All profits from the race were donated to the center.
Race Director Dick Miles estimated $6,000 was raised, which was a combination of registration fees and numerous sponsors.
With 580 adult racers and 70 children who participated in the run, Miles called the event a success.
“It was a very good turnout,” he said. “We had a great day.”
The center reopened after numerous renovations, including the completion of a children’s puppet theater, a Sept. 11 memorial garden, and general cleaning and repair of the exhibits, Impression 5 Science Center spokeswoman Marion Contompasis said.
“We’ve been doing a whole series of renovations over the past three years,” she said. “Our building is more than 100 years old, so lots of renovations are necessary now and then.”
Contompasis said the center can be an attraction for the young and old.
“It’s where everybody from 2 to 92 can learn by exploring, playing and touching,” she said. “You can stay fascinated easily for a couple of hours.”
And for many young visitors, the real action was inside the center while their parents or other family members participated in the races.
Michelle Savala, 13, and Brian Savala, 15, both from Charlotte, wandered through the center as their father and stepmother ran the 5K race.
“I wanted to make slime, but she didn’t want to,” Brian said of his younger sister.
But Michelle said there was plenty else to see.
“There’s a lot of neat stuff,” she said.
The slime-making was left to younger visitors.
Sandy Bostwick of Whitmore Lake watched as her two oldest children, Alexandria, 8, and Trevor, 6, made slime with dozens of children as one of the many activities available at the center.
“It’s actually really, really nice,” she said of the renovations. “It’s changed a lot.”
Alexandria summed up her favorite part of making slime in two words.
“Squishing it!” she said.
Other popular exhibits at the center included the “HeartWorks” exhibit, where an emergency room section teaches visitors about medical procedures like X-rays. A pink, pulsating model of the human heart sat at the center of the room, where the curious could walk through and learn about its different functions.
Astrophysics senior Beth Purdue works at the center as a museum aide and was on hand to help guide children through different exhibits.
“Working with the kids, watching their faces light up when they do the slime,” she said “They love that.”
She encouraged those interested to come to the center.
“Come back and see everything we’re doing,” she said. “We’ve got lots of plans for the year.”
