Simulated Caving Experience Returns to Science Museum Oklahoma, Oct. 21
October 3, 2017
A child enters the CaveSim experience in June 2017 in New Mexico. Photo by Thomas Graves.
Oklahoma City metro residents with an interest in cave exploration can get a free, hands-on experience with the hobby from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, when CaveSim returns to Science Museum Oklahoma.
The museum will host a one-day caving experience with the Colorado-based company that teaches people how to cave safely and responsibly through CaveSim’s crawl-through electronic cave simulator. The mobile cave experience will be located near the entrance to the museum and is free and open to the public.
“CaveSim was such a popular activity at SMO when we visited earlier this year. We're excited about bringing our programs back so that more museum visitors can put on helmets and explore our mobile cave system,” said CaveSim creator Dave Jackson.
When a caver enters CaveSim, video game-style scoring begins. The object is to avoid touching any of its cave formations — a computer keeps track of how many times each formation is bumped. Jackson noted that the CaveSim team adds to experience frequently, so even guests who experienced it in May will find new elements to explore.
The idea for CaveSim was born in 2008 while Jackson was taking a cave search and rescue class. The class was taught in a real cave, and he noted how much damage was caused to fragile cave formations in the process. He thought there was a better way.
In addition to the 60 feet of mobile cave passage, the CaveSim experience will include fire and ice demonstrations with calcium carbide, a cave rescue stretcher, bat lessons and games, hands-on geology, and more.
Jackson and the CaveSim team will be on hand to facilitate each of the elements.
Located at 2020 Remington Place in Oklahoma City, Science Museum Oklahoma is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Daily general admission is $15.95 for adults (ages 13 to 64) and $12.95 for children (ages 3 to 12) and seniors (65 and older). Annual memberships begin at $95.
For more information about Science Museum Oklahoma, visit www.sciencemuseumok.org.
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