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

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.

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.

Nov 24, 2026

Light Up The Night

Light Up The Night is a special holiday event from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24, for families and friends to explore, learn, and have fun together. Enjoy an exciting selection of hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity, and creativity for all ages.

Grades 3-8

LEGO SPIKE Robotics

Junior engineers dive into the world of robotics by building and programming robots using LEGO® Education SPIKE™. Whether they’re new to robotics or simply ready to level up, each workshop offers a fresh opportunity to build, code, and innovate.

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!

Now Showing

Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West

The film chronicles a group of explorers – the Corps of Discovery – led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark into uncharted territory to find a water passageway to the Pacific Ocean and describe for science the wonders of the West.

Now Showing

Space: The New Frontier

Space: The New Frontier captures a time as epic as the Giant Screen, and as real as our present moment. Come aboard: life on Earth or in space will not be the same again.

Now Showing

T. REX

For over a hundred years dinosaurs have inspired and thrilled audiences, commanding blockbuster status in museums and at the box office. But among them towers a king — a tyrant lizard king. Working with top tyrannosaur scientists, a coalition of natural history institutions, and pioneering paleo and visual effects artists, GSF’s original giant screen production on this iconic dinosaur — and its carnivorous Cretaceous cousins — aims to be the most dazzling and accurate T. rex documentary ever made.

Now Showing

Tornado Alley 3D

Tornado Alley is a giant-screen adventure that takes viewers on an epic chase through the “severe weather capital of the world.”

Now Showing

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.

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.

Dec 16, 2026

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Experience the magic of Broadway legend, Brian Stokes Mitchell, as he showcases his rich voice in an evening of unforgettable music.

Mar 19, 2027

ZOSO: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience

ZOSO Celebrates 28 Years as America’s Premier Led Zeppelin Tribute Band

Mar 21, 2027

Laurie Berkner

The Queen of Kids’ Music is coming to Harrisburg in March 2027!

Dec 4, 2026

Studio 22 Holiday Classic

Join Studio 22 Dance Academy at the Whitaker Center for a breathtaking performance of a beloved holiday classic.

Jun 12, 2027

Paula Poundstone

Paula Poundstone Brings Laughter to Whitaker Center

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