Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts

Welcome to Whitaker Center

Plan Your Visit

The G.O.A.T. has arrived at Whitaker…

See It On The Big Screen

New Exhibit: Above And Beyond!

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2025 Whitaker Summer Camps: Now Available!

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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.

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!

EXPLORE

Mar 7, 2025 – May 25, 2025

Above And Beyond

ABOVE AND BEYOND celebrates the power of innovation to make dreams take flight. This 5,000-square-foot traveling aerospace exhibition features: immersive simulations, interactive design challenges, iconic historical touchstones, visionary concepts for the future, and inspiring stories from game-changing innovators, past and present. Packed with fun interactive challenges, vehicle concept models and prototypes, immersive media presentations, and inspiring stories, this large-scale exhibition invites you to experience what it takes to make the “impossible” possible. Explore ever more advanced aircraft and spacecraft that change our lives and transform our world. And join the epic journey into the sky and beyond!

INFO & TICKETS

Permanent Exhibit

KidsPlace

A destination for the youngest explorers! Designed with a cityscape theme this gallery includes a life-sized Operation Game, X-Ray Table, Pin Ball Falls, and much more.

EXPLORE

Permanent Exhibit

Carnival of Health

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls — step right up and experience the one and only Carnival of Health. More than 2,200 square feet of fun-filled themed entertainment opens your eyes to the wonders of healthy living and the human body.

EXPLORE

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.

EXPLORE

All Science Exhibititions

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!

Showtimes

Dec 31, 2025

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.

INFO & TICKETS

Apr 14, 2016 – Dec 31, 2025

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.

INFO & TICKETS

Dec 31, 2025

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.

INFO & TICKETS

May 16, 2024 – Dec 31, 2025

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.

INFO & TICKETS

Dec 31, 2025

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.”

INFO & TICKETS

All Movies

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.

Upcoming Shows

Apr 25, 2025 – May 11, 2025

Murder on the Orient Express

“I believe it was the greatest case of my career, but who am I to say? Modesty forbids it.” Our fourth show of Season 99 will be a real nail-biter… AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS! Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again. Running April 25-May 11 at the Whitaker Center.

INFO & TICKETS

Jun 29, 2025

Girls Night The Musical

See the Off-Broadway sensation that audiences can’t get enough of from coast to coast! Share the fun and laughter in this hilarious, feel-good comedy as five girlfriends re-live their past, celebrate their present, and look to the future on a wild night out! Featuring the most famous female empowerment hits of the last four decades including “Lady Marmalade,” “It’s Raining Men,” “Man I Feel Like A Woman,” “I Will Survive,” and many more.

INFO & TICKETS

May 23, 2025 – May 25, 2025

Hershey School of Dance & Arts: Celebrate 2025

Hershey School of Dance & Arts proudly presents “Celebrate!” 2025 Join us for our annual recital as we celebrate a year of growth and learning, our wonderful students and community, and dance and the arts! At HSDA, we believe that there is always something to celebrate!

Jun 27, 2025

Killer Queen

Lead singer Patrick Myers said “It’s been an amazing journey. That first show changed my life. We thought our band would last maybe a summer at the most but it’s a very addictive thing performing these songs. The concerts grew and grew and we’ve ended up playing and selling out the same arenas that Queen played at their peak. It’s been quite a surreal ride. Becoming regular performers Red Rocks Arena in America is another highlight . The Beatles, U2, Springsteen, Dylan all played on that stage. It’s really got it’s own kind of magic going on there”

INFO & TICKETS

May 26, 2025 – May 27, 2025

Dance Revelation Presents “Identity”

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Dance Revelation presents Identity. Our talented Company Performers will take you on an inspiring journey through three powerful themes: “Journey,” “Acknowledgement,” and “The Revelation.” Expect an upbeat and exciting blend of performances across multiple dance styles including hip hop, ballet, jazz, contemporary, and tap. Come witness the magic, the passion, and the artistry as we explore what it truly means to find and embrace one’s identity through movement. Don’t miss this captivating performance — an experience you won’t want to miss!

INFO & TICKETS

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!