ORLANDO, Fla. — An exhibit called “Life” is under construction right now at the Orlando Science Center.

The transformation of the center’s NatureWorks is a 10,000-square-foot exhibit that will take over the first floor. It is expected to open in late 2023.

“Life” promotes messages of sustainability and conservation, reinforcing them with live animal interactions and hands-on displays.

“We’re bringing some new and exciting species from different parts of the world that have never been here before,” said Sharon Zimmerman, curator of conservation and welfare at Orlando Science Center.

Captain, a blue and yellow macaw from the Amazon, will soon live inside “Life,” which will include a free-flight aviary extending up to the bottom of the fourth floor.

A lot of deforestation is going on in Captain’s native habitat, and Zimmerman said she hopes visitors will learn about that, too.

“For me, personally, it’s just a never-ending roller coaster of learning about these species and how we can help them,” Zimmerman said.

The aviary will be part of the Rainforest, one of 3 distinct environments in the exhibit. The others are Ocean and a re-imagination of the Swamp.

That’s where you might meet an animal ambassador, Betsy, a Burmese python.

“The impact of letting animals like this, that were formerly pets, out in the wild has had is really destructive,” Zimmerman says. “So we’ll bring her out into a space that we can talk about invasive species within our Swamp."