Wallis Annenberg Building, Science museum in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, United States.
The Wallis Annenberg Building is a 1912 brick armory designed by J.W. Wollett in Exposition Park, originally the 160th Regiment State Armory. Its large drill hall seated 1,800 spectators for the 1932 Olympic fencing events. Since 2004 it has housed the Science Center School and the Amgen Center for Science Learning as an annex of the California Science Center.
The structure was originally built in 1912 as a military armory for the 160th Regiment and served defense purposes for decades. It later hosted fencing events during the 1932 Summer Olympics before being repurposed as a science education facility.
The building functions as a gathering place where visitors of all ages engage with science and nature through hands-on exploration and group activities. Indoor and outdoor spaces are actively used by families and students to discover how the natural world works.
The building stands in Exposition Park, next to the California Science Center, and since 2004 has housed the Science Center School and the Amgen Center for Science Learning. It is an annex rather than a public exhibition hall, so check access arrangements before visiting. The 1912 armory was closed in 1990 over seismic concerns and later adapted for school use.
The Big Lab area provides experimental learning spaces where visitors can explore scientific concepts through hands-on manipulation and direct observation. This section differs from typical museum exhibits by encouraging independent experimentation rather than passive viewing.
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