What's New and What's to Come in Tampa Bay Summer 2008

ATTRACTIONS

Busch Gardens

Jungala

On April 5, 2008, Busch Gardens Africa opened Jungala – its newest and most ambitious park enhancement project to date. Set in the Congo area, the 4-acre attraction invites guests to discover exotic creatures, explore a colorful village hidden deep in the jungle and connect with the inhabitants of the lush landscape through up-close animal interactions, multi-story family play areas, rides and live entertainment.

At Jungala’s center, a vibrant village comes alive with the sights and sounds of this jungle paradise. Towering trees, cascading waterfalls and elaborate stone structures shape the landscape, transporting guests to a mythical place where the inhabitants – both human and animal – live in complete harmony with nature.

For more information on Busch Gardens Africa, call 1-888-800-5447 or visit www.buschgardens.com

Summer Nights

Play late this summer at Busch Gardens Africa. The adventure park hosts Summer Nights June 6 through Aug. 17. There’s more time to explore Jungala – the park’s newest attraction. Experience up-close encounters with exotic Bengal tigers and orangutans and explore the sights and sounds of a lush jungle village. Ride thrilling coasters, including floorless SheiKra. And the entire park takes on a street-party atmosphere, with special entertainment, such as DJs and festive stiltwalkers, refreshing food and drink, including ice-cold Anheuser-Busch products. Summer Nights is included with a day’s paid admission or any annual pass.

Henry B. Plant Museum

The Henry B. Plant Museum’s newly opened exhibit, Mementos from under the Minarets, will evoke the tourist and collector in all of us, and give visitors a glimpse of the Tampa Bay Hotel that Henry Plant publicized so enthusiastically when he began developing Florida. Mementos from under the Minarets showcases rare souvenirs, trinkets, remembrances and memorabilia featuring the hotel and explores letters and collectibles from well-known quests such as Frederick Remington, Clara Barton and Richard Harding Davis. Museum quests will hear excerpts from historic postcards and letters and view antique photographs of the hotel from a stereoscope. The time period spans 1891 through 1932, when the hotel closed its doors.  This exhibit continues till year-end.

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo

Beat the heat this summer with great ways to keep cool at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo.  Opening in early June, guests can enhance their outdoor adventure by hopping on "Gator Falls," a water flume ride over a section of the Florida Wildlife Center.  Ride a log down the "river" and explore Florida’s native wildlife by water, including the new gator habitat. Watch out for falling waters as the ride plunges almost 30 feet with a splashy finale.  The zoo also offers two exciting water play areas – the Manatee Fountain and Billabong – designed for little ones to cool off during their day at the zoo.  In addition to new attractions, the zoo offers summer fun events called “Summer Safari Nights” where the zoo stays open late until 8:30 p.m. with free rides after 5 p.m. on June 6 & 20, July 11 & 25, and Aug. 15.  www.lowryparkzoo.com

MOSI, Museum of Science & Industry

The Saunders Planetarium Grand Opening July 12, 2008!

After 15 years in its present location, Tampa’s only planetarium is moving and changing. The Saunders Planetarium will feature an all-new star projection system - the GOTO Space Simulator Chronos. The amazing new projector, located inside Kids In Charge!, can recreate the night time sky from any time -- past, present, or future -- and transports audiences to any viewing site on Earth in 20 seconds or less!

Dinosaurs! The Exhibition Grand Opening June 13, 2008

With a stomp and a roar, dinosaurs galore! Gigantic dinosaurs roamed the earth millions of years ago and now they are making a comeback. Dinosaurs will make its debut at MOSI on Friday, June 13, 2008. The exhibition offers guests an opportunity to travel back in time to the Mesozoic era when dinosaurs ruled the earth. This 5,000-square-foot exhibit will give visitors an up-close view of nine robotic dinosaurs. Gaze at the Pteranodon–a huge flying reptile with a 23 foot wingspread–soaring high overhead. Enter the realm of the carnivorous Tyrannosaurus Rex – the “dinosaur king!” See a Maiasaura, the “good mother” dinosaur, with her three young and a nest of eggs and hatchlings, and marvel at the Pachycephalosaurus, a large herbivorous dinosaur with a domed ten-inch thick skull.

For more information, visit www.mosi.org.

Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center

This summer, the Tampa
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