WonderWorks Works Wonders For Curious Minds

They say that truth is stranger than fiction. And that’s exactly what visitors are discovering at Pigeon Forge’s WonderWorks attraction, an interactive science museum where the real-life wonders of the natural world unfold in a unique hands-on experience.

The adventure begins even before guests walk through the doors. The building’s 82-foot-tall façade is a marvel in itself, creating the illusion that the stately WonderWorks Institute has crash-landed upside-down in the heart of town. Hissing steam emanating from a crack at the museum’s entrance enhances the illusion that a disaster of staggering proportions has just taken place.

Legend has it that one experiment—an attempt to harness the power of a man-made tornado—went awry, spawning a giant swirling vortex so powerful that it sent the entire laboratory skyward, only to land hundreds of miles away in Pigeon Forge.

As you step inside the 45,000-square-foot facility, however, legend blends seamlessly into reality in the lobby, where the topsy-turvy interior of the institute looms overhead, fresh from its sky-high plummet. From there, more than 100 exhibits await exploration as you move Wonder Zone to Wonder Zone, each of which has a different theme.

In the Natural Disasters zone, for example, simulators help you experience a 5.3-magnitude earthquake, or you can go head to head with hurricane-force winds. You can create people-sized bubbles in the Physical Challenge zone as well as find out what it’s like to pitch to a Major League baseball player or throw a 50-yard touchdown pass in the NFL.

In the Space Zone, you can try your hand at landing a space shuttle orbiter or flying a fighter jet. In the Lights and Sound room, you’ll learn the science behind a variety of visual effects, and in the Illusion Gallery, you’ll discover some of the world’s most unique art pieces – which are more than meets the eye.

In the years since it first opened, WonderWorks has added several activities that require full physical participation, including an indoor ropes challenge, laser-tag arena and a glow-in-the-dark ropes challenge.

WonderWorks is also home to a live magic show called The Wonders of Magic, starring acclaimed illusionist Terry Evanswood. In fact, he’s the longest-running performer in town, selling out shows to all ages thanks to his blend of large-scale stage illusions and close-up magic, all wrapped up in one visually stunning and thoroughly captivating performance.