MOSH's newest permanent exhibit, "Currents of Time: A History of Jacksonville and Northeast Florida," gives museum visitors a comprehensive and detailed look at northeast Florida's time line, from 10,000 BC to present-day headlines. Photographs and artifacts chronicle the area's rich cultural heritage, giving you a glimpse into: the time of the Timucuan Indians; plantation life and the fight for control over Florida; the growth of northeast Florida by way of the St. Johns River and railroad industries; its near destruction in the Great Fire of 1901, and even Jacksonville's heyday as the silent film capital of the country during the early 1920s.

MOSH'S permanent marine mammal exhibit, "Atlantic Tales: Whales, Dolphins and Manatees of Northeast Florida," recently won two environmental awards and was host to a national press conference in which the U.S. Navy announced its initiative to help protect the Northern Right Whale. "Atlantic Tales" is an interactive learning exhibit featuring five marine animals that inhabit Northeast Florida's coastal and inland waters. If you sense a deja vu while exploring "Atlantic Tales," it may be because you saw the exhibit featured on CNN's "Earth Matters."

One of MOSH's most popular and enduring attractions is the Alexander Brest Planetarium. There, young and old alike can enjoy educational and entertaining shows about subjects ranging from grizzly bears to outer space to Native American sky legends. The Planetarium, named for one of Jacksonville's most loved community figures, created a Mars panorama from images taken during NASA's Pathfinder mission. It's the only panorama known to be in existence for use in planetariums and has been purchased by planetariums around the globe, including Germany, Belgium and Italy.

Other interesting spots inside the museum include "Maple Leaf: Port at Last," a Civil War exhibit and the MOSH Explorer, a ride simulator that takes you from ancient Egypt to the Glaciers.

Young children get a real kick out of "The Living World," which gives you an up-close and personal look at many species of wildlife living in northeast Florida, including birds of prey, alligators, turtles and snakes. And Kidspace, a hands-on science playground, can entertain kids for hours.

In the works for MOSH is a meteorology lab designed to teach middle schoolers all there is to know about weather. The lab is being built with the help of the U.S. Navy. MOSH also participates in summer internships, allowing middle school students to shadow area professionals in their work environment. The museum's Fun Science to Unite Families (Fun STUF) outreach program, funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, provides an enjoyable learning experience to economically disadvantaged and minority youth and their families. MOSH is located at 1025 Museum Circle, on the beautiful St. Johns River south bank.