The Florida Panthers and the Museum of Discovery and Science have teamed up to unveil two new exhibits that bring the science of hockey to life for South Florida visitors.
The exhibit, called "Hockey: Faster Than Ever," is now open at the Museum of Discovery and Science, known locally as MODS, in Fort Lauderdale. Joe Cox, President and CEO at MODS, explained the connection between hockey and science.
"Our mission is connecting people to inspiring science, and we do that each and every day through all of our exhibits and our programs. But you look at hockey, if have you ever played table hockey, and not thought of physics, geometry, and math? Have you ever seen a little rumble on the rink and not wondered about the forces that go into that? This really looks at the equipment that's used and the evolution of the equipment. This is a fast-paced, amazing sport because of the tools and the skills the players have. You can test out different hockey sticks, you can even drive a digital Zamboni around the rink to see if you can actually do the work of getting the rink ready," Cox said.
The exhibit also features a dedicated section celebrating the Florida Panthers, the reigning Stanley Cup champions. The museum worked closely with the Panthers and History Fort Lauderdale to bring the display together, including items from the collection of Panthers founder Wayne Huizenga.
"This exhibit is one that I really wanted to bring to South Florida for a long time. We have an amazing team here at MODS, and we've been working with the Panthers all the way back to the 90s. They literally sent over bags and bags of gear, rats, and mementos. We also worked with the great team at History Fort Lauderdale, so we have some of Wayne Huizenga's collection here at the museum. It was really fun figuring out how we encapsulate the history of the Panthers into this exhibit," the representative said.
Visitors can interact with displays featuring Panthers players including Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, watch game replays, and test their own hockey skills. With the Olympics currently underway, the museum said the timing makes the exhibit especially relevant for fans of the sport.
"With the Olympics going on, the timing couldn't be better to come to MODS, see this exhibit, and see if you could be a future Barkov," he said.
A visit to the "Hockey: Faster Than Ever" exhibit is included with a MODS Discovery Pass. Tickets are available at mods.org/tickets.
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