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A spoonful of sugar will help the science lessons go down at the Carnegie Science Center, which on Saturday will open an interactive exhibit that is all about sweet treats.

Mmmm, mmmm.

"Candy Unwrapped" -- a travelling exhibit that began at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Canada -- provides 17 interactive stations in a 6,000-square-foot exhibit, which is designed to tickle the taste buds and the mind, officials say. The exhibit, sponsored by Jelly Belly Candy Company in Fairfield, Calif., teaches visitors about subjects ranging from the chemistry of chocolate and sugar crystals to foreign confections around the world.

"I like the idea of promoting the science of making the candy," says Bill Kelley, vice chairman of the board for Jelly Belly Candy Co., and a fourth-generation candy maker.

"We work with science, and particularly organic chemistry. If you don't understand that, you can't make candy. We like the idea of tying that together as maybe somewhat of a public service."

Components of Candy Unwrapped include the Taste Bud Tango, where kids can jump on a giant, cushy tongue and learn about human taste receptors, including those that taste sweetness. Energy Burn allows visitors to peddle on a bike to determine how much of a sugar cube and how many calories they can burn off in one minute. A Bar is Born teaches about the history of chocolate, and Extreme teaches about the history of gross, "extreme" candy products, such as sweet and slimy goo.

Ann Ensminger, public programs coordinator for the center, says the candy concept fits perfectly with one of Carnegie Science Center's missions: to show that science is fun, especially to kids.

"We like to promote that science is everyday life, and everything is science," she says. "That's how we pull them in. They learn about something they like, and leave the knowledge and hopefully more curiosity."

Kelley agrees.

"Anytime you get children interested in something that their initial reaction to is boredom, ... I think it has tremendous value."

The Carnegie Science Center plans to enhance "Candy Unwrapped," which stays through Sept. 5, with other corresponding programs. The center is calling this summer Sweet Summer, and will host at least two half-day Sweet Science summer camps. In July, the center's Omnimax Theater will begin showing "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Meanwhile, the Kitchen Theater will host daily candy-making demonstrations called Sugar Shock.

Are you hungry yet?

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