Are you curious about how electricity is made? Do you have vague memories of what you were taught in school? Are your kids asking numerous questions you can’t answer? My advice, head out to Stave Falls Visitor Centre. It is a drive (even more so with the current construction detour in effect, but that is set to end by October), but it is worth the drive!
The surrounding scenery is spectacular. The visitor centre, operated by BC Hydro, is incredibly informative, has loads of kid-friendly activities and isn’t jammed to the gills with crowds.
You start you visit with a short video called Rain. The video gives you a crash course in how rain contributes to the production of electricity. The video is quick, kid-friendly and interesting.
After the video you proceed, at your own pace, into two rooms filled with hands on activities. Our boys love to push buttons, these rooms offered tons of buttons. From driving a train with solar power, to turning the earth to understand hours in a day and seasons in a year, the educational rooms were fantastic. Upon the conclusion of our tour we returned to the educational rooms for a Tesla demonstration. It was absolutely amazing. If my high school physics class had explained alternating current to me in such a clear manner…well let’s just say my career path may have been different!
Following the education rooms you enter the walkway above the old turbines. The room is massive; the sound echoes; I can’t even imagine how loud that space would have been when the turbines were operational. You are actually able to proceed down onto the floor with the turbines, look into them, read fascinating information, and participate in hands-on displays.
We happily spent an hour at the Stave Falls Visitor Centre. If your kids are slightly older than our 2 & 4 year olds, I’m sure you would have a terrific time! We did with our little guys. Be sure to check out their website as there are frequently 2 for 1 admission deals.
