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February 28 2006

For more information:

Gabriel Brown - Himmelrich, Inc.
410-528-5400
gabe@himmelrich.com

Keep Up With the Volvo Ocean Race at the Maryland Science Center
Maryland Official Race Tracking Station Opens

The Maryland Science Center has unveiled the Maryland Official Race Tracking Station, which will allow Inner Harbor visitors to follow the Volvo Ocean Race as seven international teams sail around the world. The Tracking Station is located in the atrium lobby of the museum, and is accessible to the public at no charge. The Tracking Station is the only such facility officially-sanctioned by Ocean Race Chesapeake, the organization managing the Baltimore/Annapolis leg of the Race.

The Maryland Official Race Tracking Station includes an internet kiosk where visitors can access sites featuring up-to-the-minute Race information. On the Virtual Spectator site, computer generated images recreate every moment in the Race; visitors can follow any boat at any point during the Race, and discover its course, speed, and position, as well as the current weather conditions. The Ocean Race Adventure web site in the Tracking Station uses the Race course, weather conditions, and information from the boat to teach science concepts.

In addition, a "Magic Planet" in the Tracking Station features a three-dimensional globe on which the earth's surface is displayed. Information that Volvo Ocean Race crews need, such as wind speed and ocean current, is updated daily and projected on the orbital screen.

In the Volvo Ocean Race, seven boats and teams of sailors are competing on a 31,250 nautical mile course that follows the route of the old clipper ships. The Race began in November 2005 with an in-port race in Sanxenco, Spain and an off-shore race in Vigo, Spain. The Race includes nine off-shore legs, and in-port races at seven stopovers including Baltimore and Annapolis in April. The Race will end June 17, 2006 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Maryland Science Center stimulates and cultivates awareness, interest and understanding of science through exciting interactive experiences and educational programming. More than 550,000 people visit the Inner Harbor location each year, where they learn about the Earth and the environment are are awed by 12 life size dinosaurs in Dinosaur Mysteries, explore a day in the life of the human body in Your Body: The Inside Story, experiment with dozens of interactive activities in Newton's Alley, thrill to adventure in the five-story St. John's Properties IMAX Theater, travel through space in the Davis Planetarium, and engage their younger children in the Kids Room. The Maryland Science Center reaches an additional 100,000 Maryland residents each year with its interactive programs delivered at schools, community centers, and public events.