Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts - Harrisburg, PA

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Explore Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts

Located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts is Central Pennsylvania’s premier center for education and cultural enrichment. Whitaker Center is a thought leader in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) engagement for all ages and backgrounds. We believe that by investing our resources in educating, entertaining, and engaging visitors, we can spark a movement that makes our community a better place to live, work, and play. Composed of four main venues – UPMC Science Center (formerly Harsco Science Center), PNC Innovation Zone, Sunoco Performance Theater, and Select Medical Digital Cinema Theater, Whitaker Center has something for everyone as a destination of choice.

Plan Your Visit

UPMC Science Center

Fascinating exhibits about Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math all combine to make a visit to the UPMC Science Center an extraordinary educational experience cleverly disguised as a whole lot of fun.

Science Exhibitions

Little Learners

Little Learners meet September through May, and is designed for children aged 3-6. Sharpen science process skills and experiment, read, explore, sing, and create! Learners will have time for structured weekly themed activities.

Permanent Exhibit

Forces of Nature Exhibit

Through compelling stories of natural forces and environmental change, Forces of Nature is both an exciting thematic area and a relevant science topic that affects everyone’s daily life. The permanent gallery provides guests with the opportunity to experience a variety of extraordinary weather wonders featuring physical “phenomenon-based” exhibits.

Grades K–2

Junior Labsters

In Junior Labsters, young learners and their grown-ups team up to tackle exciting STEAM challenges and unleash their creativity through hands-on art and science activities. Together, they’ll explore the wonders of the world around us — building, experimenting, and imagining side by side.

Permanent Exhibit

STEM Design Studios

Get hands-on with different STEM topics. These engaging activities will allow parents and kids to explore STEM topics together, learning as a team. Enjoy activities and design challenges with Ozobots™ , Spheros™, 3Doodler™ 3D printing pens, tangrams, K’NEX® and much more!

Permanent Exhibit

Backstage Studio

Funded by The Alexander Grass Foundation, Backstage Studio features fascinating exhibits that reveal the science and technology behind movies, TV, music, and theatre. Create your own stop-action film, put yourself into the movies in the Foley Studio, and explore the creation of different sound effects in this interactive gallery.

All Science Exhibititions

Select Medical Digital Cinema

Select Medical Digital Cinema (formerly IMAX Theater) is a large-format cinema arts theater that primarily focuses on bringing educational documentaries to life on the largest screen in Central PA!

Showing Until: Dec 31, 2026

Dream Big: Engineering Our World

From the world’s tallest building to underwater robots and a solar car race across Australia, Dream Big celebrates the human ingenuity and stories behind engineering marvels big and small, and reveals the heart that drives engineers to create better lives for people around the world.

Showing Until: Dec 31, 2026

Great Bear Rainforest

Journey to a land of grizzlies, coastal wolves, sea otters and the all-white spirit bear — the rarest bear on earth — in the film Great Bear Rainforest 3D, narrated by Ryan Reynolds.

Showing Until: Dec 31, 2026

Super Human Body: World of Medical Marvels

Super Human Body: World of Medical Marvels combines state-of-the-art CGI and live-action cinematography to explore the inner workings of our bodies and show how science and technology can help us intervene, and even save lives, when our bodies fail us.

Showing Until: Dec 31, 2026

National Parks Adventure 3D

Narrated by Academy Award® winner Robert Redford, National Parks Adventure takes audiences on the ultimate off-trail adventure into the nation’s awe-inspiring great outdoors and untamed wilderness.

Showing Until: Dec 31, 2026

Astronaut: Ocean to Orbit

Astronaut: Ocean to Orbit explores the ways in which NASA uses underwater environments to simulate life and work in space, offering a fascinating look into the high-tech world of astronauts.

All Movies

Sunoco Performance Theater

This Broadway-designed theater seats almost 700, offering an intimate experience for all guests, no matter where they sit! Often featuring local and regional talent as well as welcoming performing artists from national and international backgrounds.

Nov 25, 2026

The Machine performs Pink Floyd

Join us at Whitaker Center on November 25, 2026, for an unforgettable night with The Machine, the acclaimed Pink Floyd tribute band that has been extending the legendary group’s musical legacy for over 30 years.

Oct 28, 2026

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Experience the Glenn Miller Orchestra today, performing beloved hits and modern selections in the unforgettable Miller style.

Sep 18, 2026

The Wooten Brothers

See the sonically inventive, soulful, musically driven, blood kin, that fill the dance floor. The Wooten Brothers come to Whitaker Center on September 18, 2026!

Oct 15, 2026

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live

Experience the magic of Fraggle Rock as the Fraggles embark on an adventure to restore the legendary Celebration Stone. Join them at Whitaker Center on October 15, 2026!

Sep 19, 2026

The Magic of Motown

Journey through Motown’s best including: The Temptations, The Jackson Five, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and more!

All Theater Shows

PNC Innovation Zone

Get connected to the latest technology in the PNC Innovation Zone! In addition to educational programming and purposeful gaming, this zone provides businesses and organizations transformative spaces to create, meet, and connect.

About Innovation Zone

Kids & Schools

Create memories that will last a lifetime! Bring your students to Whitaker Center on a field trip or visit us on the weekend for an educator-led program. Fun and learning for all ages!

Little Learners

Sensory Saturdays

During Sensory Saturdays, exhibit lights and sound effects are adjusted, and additional hands-on activities are included to foster a safe, welcoming, and most importantly — FUN — environment for all visitors.

Grades 6–12

Girls Who Code

Join a sisterhood of STEM with Girls Who Code, a place to make new friends and learn about computer science. Computer science is an expansive field that includes a way of thinking, planning, and problem-solving in addition to programming.

Grades K–2

Junior Labsters

In Junior Labsters, young learners and their grown-ups team up to tackle exciting STEAM challenges and unleash their creativity through hands-on art and science activities. Together, they’ll explore the wonders of the world around us — building, experimenting, and imagining side by side.

Little Learners

Little Learners meet September through May, and is designed for children aged 3-6. Sharpen science process skills and experiment, read, explore, sing, and create! Learners will have time for structured weekly themed activities.