Welcome to Whitaker Center
Visit Us!There’s Something Big On The Way…
Your Expedition Starts HERE!The Art of Science Annual Benefit
Tickets Available Now!Your Next Night Out is HERE!
Show And Ticket InfoExplore 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.
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.
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.
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!
EXPEDITION DINOSAUR: Rise of the Mammals
Adventure back in time with us — 66 MILLION YEARS INTO THE PAST — to experience the moments before, during and after the extinction event that ended the age of dinosaurs! EXPEDITION DINOSAUR: RISE OF THE MAMMALS opens to the public September 28, and will be at Whitaker Center through January 3!
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.
Select Medical Digital Cinema
Select Medical Digital Cinema (formerly IMAX Theater) is a large-format cinema arts theater which primarily focuses on both educational documentaries and Hollywood films and brings it all to life on the largest screen in Central PA!
Wings Over Water
Wings Over Water tells the story of the epic journeys of three amazing bird families – the Sandhill Crane, the Yellow Warbler and the Mallard Duck – with extraordinary footage of their fascinating behaviors.
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.
Great Barrier Reef 3D
Every year millions of visitors travel by way of fins, flippers and feet to see one of the seven wonders of the natural world: the Great Barrier Reef – a living treasure trove of biodiversity.
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.”
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.
Sunoco Performance Theater
This Broadway designed theater is home to almost 700 seats, with an intimate experience for all guests no matter where they sit, and has showcased local and regional talent as well as welcoming performing artists from national and international backgrounds.
Taste of Ireland
“A Taste of Ireland” arrives at Whitaker Center on October 3, 2025! After premiering Off-Broadway last season, “A Taste of Ireland ― The Irish Music & Dance Sensation” returns to stages across the USA in 2025, performing the show that has entertained thousands around the globe. Laugh, cry and jig into the night with a production that is Celtic, for this generation.
Solar Federation
Solar Federation, an American RUSH tribute band, brings its award-winning interpretation of the iconic progressive rock band’s music to Whitaker Center on Saturday, November 29.
Michael Cavanaugh
Now is your chance to see Michael Cavanaugh’s incredible showmanship live at Sunoco Performance Theater, arriving for the holiday season on December 15, 2025. Heralded as the new voice of the American Rock & Roll Songbook and a charismatic performer and musician made famous for his piano/lead vocals in the Broadway musical Movin’ Out. Handpicked by Billy Joel to star in Movin’ Out, Cavanaugh evokes a style rivaling the Piano Man. He appeared in the show for three years with over 1,200 performances and received multiple accolades. The show culminated in 2003 with both Grammy and Tony award nominations.
The Machine performs Pink Floyd
Join us at Whitaker Center on November 26, 2025, 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.
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.
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!