Rubik's Cube speed solvers from all over Southeast will race at Discovery Place Speedcubing Competition this Saturday

CHARLOTTE - Rio may have the Olympics, but Charlotte has Speedcubing. On Saturday, August 13, competitors from all over the Southeast will gather at Discovery Place to find out who will claim the title of the fastest speedcuber at the Discovery Place Speedcubing Competition 2016.

The sold out competition will bring 100 cubing competitors together at Discovery Place as they race to complete different variations of the Rubik’s Cube in the quickest time. Competitors will participate in multiple categories including the 2x2x2, the 3x3x3, the 4x4x4, the skewb and a blindfolded 3x3x3 event. A Rubik’s Cube mosaic competition will also take place throughout the day, where competitors twist individual Rubik’s Cubes into specific patterns to create a larger mosaic design.

Registration for competitors has reached capacity but spectators are welcome with Museum admission. The competition will take place in Discovery 3D Theatre and will be live streamed on Levels 1 and 2 of the Museum. Events will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will run throughout the day. Champions will be awarded at an official award ceremony at 5:15 p.m.

Discovery Place’s speedcubing competition is an official World Cubing Association (WCA) event. The WCA is the governing body for all competitions for puzzles labelled as Rubik puzzles, and all other puzzles that are played by twisting the sides known as ‘twisty puzzles’. WCA events require Cubers to solve their Rubik’s Cubes in the least number of moves, as quickly as possible. The current world record for a single solve of a standard 3x3x3 Cube is 4.904 seconds, held by 14-year-old Lucas Etter of Clarksville, Maryland.

The Discovery Place Speedcubing Competition 2016 celebrates Discovery Place’s current exhibition, Beyond Rubik’s Cube, the world’s first museum exhibition all about the Rubik’s Cube puzzle. The exhibit explores games, puzzles, history, art and engineering, all inspired by Ernő Rubik’s best-selling masterpiece, the Rubik’s Cube. Beyond Rubik’s Cube is on exhibition at Discovery Place until Monday, September 5 and is free with Museum admission.

Discovery Place admission is $17 for adults (14-59); $13 for children (2-13); $15 for seniors (60+); and free for Discovery Place Members and children younger than 2, plus tax. IMAX® tickets may be added for an additional $5 per person. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more. Children age 13 and younger must be accompanied by a responsible adult while in Discovery Place. Guests can purchase tickets online at discoveryplace.org., via phone at 704.372.6261 x300 or in person.


About Discovery Place
One of the top hands-on science museums in the nation, Discovery Place provides ever-changing, entertaining facilities that engage people in the active exploration of science, technology and nature. The Museum brings relevant, contemporary science to life through groundbreaking exhibitions, interactive educational programming and hands-on activities.

Discovery Place is located in uptown Charlotte at 301 N. Tryon Street. Convenient parking is available in the Museum’s parking deck - the Carol Grotnes Belk Complex - at the corner of Sixth and Church Streets. For more information about Discovery Place, call 704.372.6261, visit discoveryplace.org or connect with Discovery Place on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Discovery Place, Inc. owns and operates Discovery Place, Charlotte Nature Museum, Discovery Place KIDS-Huntersville and Discovery Place KIDS-Rockingham and is supported, in part, with funding from the Arts & Science Council.