The Exploratorium is one of the best places in San Francisco to learn about science, especially if you’re a kid. By releasing iPad apps, including today’s launch of Sound Uncovered, the institution can teach a broader audience.
As the name suggests, Sound Uncovered illustrates how sound and hearing work. It follows the Exploratorium’s first app, Color Uncovered (so if you’re trying to figure out what comes next, well, there are three senses left to explore), offering 12 “experiences” that bring different concepts to life — some of them based on exhibits in the museum itself, others entirely new.
Executive Associate Director Rob Semper stopped by the TechCrunch studio to demonstrate the app. I’m not sure how much scientific knowledge you can actually pick up from the video above, but it should give you some sense of how the app works. Like the Exploratorium itself, its biggest advantage is interactivity. You start out by just playing each part of the app (such as a circular keyboard where you’re trying to find the highest note), then, once you’re intrigued, you can read about the science behind the experience.
You can download the free app here. The launch also just comes a couple of months before the Exploratorium opens its new location at Piers 15 and 17 — opening day is April 17.