The smell of fresh paint strong, a handful of workers cut tile and spackled small cracks in the wall.

Some had been working 50-hour weeks on the new Science Zone -- for free. Volunteers started remodeling the space below Mossholder's Design Center three weeks ago. The interactive children's science center will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday for an open house and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Monday.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Chad Nelson, president of the Science Zone board, said. "We want to let people know we're still here."

The Science Zone opened at the Nicolaysen Art Museum in 1997 as a partnership between the Natrona County School District and the city of Casper. The Science Zone outgrew the 2,000-square-foot space and moved to the Sunrise Shopping Center in 2005. The Science Zone closed in May when rent became too much of a cost. Nelson said Sunrise was good to them, but the new space rents for less than one-third of what they previously paid.

"We're trying to pick up where we left off but a little bit better, more organized and with a lower operating budget," Nelson said.

A year ago, people would have been happy to write a check, said Nelson. Facing tougher economic times, people are more willing to donate time and excess materials. The bathrooms hadn't been used in 20 years and needed a major overhaul. CK Mechanical Plumbing and Heating donated all the plumbing and labor. Sutherlands Lumber sold the Science Zone tile below cost. Nearly every object or fixture in the new space can be attributed to a local business.

Children will be able to walk around an indoor tree house as part of the Science Zone's first main exhibit. Delivery costs for the exhibit were donated by Cowboy Transportation.

"I wish we had kept track -- we've had hundreds of hours of help," Nelson said.

The 12,000-square-foot space is a little smaller than the previous location, but offers more usable area because it is so open, said Nelson. In addition to main exhibit space, the new Science Zone will have a toddler area, two classrooms, a gift shop and a few smaller rooms for exhibits.

"Nonprofits like us and the NIC give kids a place to explore their interests," Nelson said. "It provides a different learning environment, a little less structured."

Fans of the museum need not worry: Giant bubbles and shadow drawing will be back. Regular poker tournament fundraisers are expected to start again in December.

Reach education reporter Jackie Borchardt at (307) 266-0593 or at jackie.borchardt@trib.com. Read her education blog at tribtown.trib.com/reportcard