Marie Wilson

McWane Science Center

The McWane Science Center, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is a science museum and research archive located in downtown Birmingham, Alabama (USA). The state-of-the-art science center, aquarium and 280-seat IMAX Dome Theater is housed in the historic and refurbished Loveman's department store building. It opened to the public on July 11, 1998. Inside are more than 40,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, including the Challenger Learning Center of Alabama. The World of Water exhibit showcases more than 50 species of marine and freshwater aquatic life. The Alabama Collections Center is the home for more than 500,000 artifacts from the former Red Mountain Museum. The center houses precious minerals, fossils and Native American artifacts. Highlights in the collection include the world's fourth-largest collection of mosasaurs; the Appalachiosaurus (similar to Tyrannosaurus); and the state fossil of Alabama, the Basilosaurus cetoides (an 80-foot (24 m) fossil whale).