29 Jul 2016
Educational institution puts scientific spin on Pokémon Go
BY Tom Anstey
With visitor attractions all over the world using Pokémon Go to entice would-be customers to their various offerings, Pennsylvania’s Da Vinci Science Center is using the game as an education tool to teach guests about the science behind its workings.
The science centre, based in Allentown, has been identified by the popular mobile game as a gym – a location where players can battle and train the Pokémon they catch, while exploring the real world.
On the back of increased attention from Pokémon Go players, the institution is holding its very first Pokémon Go Day tomorrow (30 July). During the day, educators from the science centre will offer hands-on scientific activities and explaining the game’s mechanics, a Pokémon exhibit scavenger hunt, and an opportunity for young people to play the game in a friendly environment.
Activities included in the day will encourage visitors to experiment using slime modelled after the Grimer Pokémon, recreate Pikachu’s lightning attack using a Van de Graff generator, form a cloud in a bottle with Haunter eyes attached, and create their Pokéballs and Pokémon cards.
In addition to the scientific feast laid out for visitors, the centre will also be dropping lures in-game to attract more Pokémon to the building, which offers free WiFi for the data-hungry game.
Developed by former Google subsidiary Niantic, Pokémon Go immediately became the top free app in the US and Australia when it was released and has now been downloaded more than 75 million times across IOS and Android.
The game offers great potential in its current form for the attractions industry, with players actively seeking out cultural sites such as Da Vinci Science Center marked as Pokéstops and Gyms. Iconic locations such as Times Square or the Eiffel Tower have been touted as places where rare Pokémon will appear at certain times, driving gamers to attractions they might not have visited otherwise.
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