Hands-On Science Centers
ALSO
BY
VICTOR J. D ANILOV
AND FROM
MCFARLAND
Living History Museums and Historic Sites in the United States (2010) Ethnic Museums and Heritage Sites in the United States (2009) Sports Museums and Halls of Fame Worldwide (2005)
Hands-On Science Centers A Directory of Interactive Museums and Sites in the United States VICTOR J. D ANILOV
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Danilov, Victor J. Hands-on science centers : a dir ectory of interactive museums and sites in the United S tates / Victor J. Danilov. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7864-4875-3 softcover : 50# a lkaline paper ¡. Interactive science museums—United States—Directories. I. Title. Q105.U5D36 2010 507.4' 73—dc22 2010009183 British Library cataloguing data are available ©2010 Victor J. Danilov. All rights reserved No part of this book may be r eproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, elect ronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Front cover photograph courtesy of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industr y Manufactured in the United S tates of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 6¡¡, Je›erson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com
Table of Contents Preface
1
Introduction: The Hands-On Science Center Movement
SCIENCE CENTERS (GENERAL) 31 Early Science Centers
31
Extensive Science Centers
41
Children’s Science Centers
103
SPECIALIZED SCIENCE CENTERS 122 Astronomy Science Centers
122
Aviation/Space Science Centers Energy Science Centers
148
Health Science Centers
151
Marine Science Centers
159
Natural History Science Centers Nature Science Centers
Selected Bibliography Index
v
211
197 207
135
177
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Preface This book is about one of the most popular t ypes of museums in the world—the American “hands-on” science center. Science centers were not considered museums by the American Association of Museums unt il the 1970s because most lacked collections of objects. The emphasis then and no w is on furthering informal science educ ation through the use of exhibits and programs that involve touching, handling, and interacting in an educational way. This participatory approach has created greater interest and been sho wn to be effective in conveying understanding and appreciation of the life and physical sciences, technology, and other science-based fields. As a result, hands-on science centers have become among the best-attended and fastest-growing t ypes of museums—and whose interactive techniques are being adapted to an increasing degree by more traditional museums in the United States and other countries. The first American hands-on science centers appeared in the early 1930s. They were patterned to a large degree on the hands-on exhibits and live demonstration techniques developed at European industrial museums. By the late 1960s, the ear ly science centers wer e changing and new types of American hands-on science museums were emerging. As the pioneering institutions became more contemporary and interactive, the new hands-on centers tended to be on a sma ller scale, more community and science educ ation oriented, and fr equently without collections. At the same time, both the old and new centers became more user-friendly, entertaining, and effective in communicating principles, applications, and the impact of science, technology, and related fields. Because of their effectiveness and popularity, science center hands-on techniques now can be found at science m useums cr eated just fo r c hildren and in suc h fields as astro nomy, aviation/space, energy, health, marine, natural history, and nature centers. Some children’s science museums even have been founded by school distr icts as par t of their science educ ation programs. An increasing number of museums in other fields also are making use of hands-on techniques in inter preting their tradit ional offerings and ar e considered specia lized science centers. A number of lo ng-established nat ural histo ry m useums have been co nverted into hands-on science centers by broadening their exhibits and programs to include other sciences and technology and by emphasizing interactive techniques. The increasing number of hands-on science centers has been assisted by the formation of the Association of Science-Technology Centers, founded in Washington in 1973. ASTC serves more than 570 member inst itutions in more than 40 countr ies, providing services to existing and developing museums and advancing the common objectives of science centers. It also was instrumental in convincing the American Association of Museums to inc lude science centers without collections as museums. This book is the first to pr esent a co mprehensive overview of the histo ry, exhibits, and programs of hands-on science centers in the United States. It includes information about 262 institutions—111 general science centers, 34 children’s science centers, and 117 specialized science centers, with many cross-referenced in several categories. This study was made possible o nly by the cooperat ion of many in the hands-o n science centers field. It is a field with man y differences in the siz e, exhibits, programs, and hands-on techniques of science centers, but one that has a common goal—the advancement of informal science education in the nation.
1
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Introduction: The Hands-On Science Center Movement omy, aviation and space, energy, health education, mar ine science , nat ural histo ry, and nature centers. Hands-on science centers ar e dist inguished from other types of museums and related institutions by their use of science-oriented exhibits and/or programs where visitors can touc h o r hand le objects and/ or act ivate devices that pro vide info rmation o r a r eaction. They a lso frequently have live demonstrations, immersion exper iences, and other activities usually not found at traditional history, ar t, science , and other t ypes of m useums. The largest and most popular American science centers are the early science and technology museums that bec ame contemporary science centers in the 1930s to the 1960s and several inst itutions that wer e founded later . They are located in such metropol itan areas as Chic ago, P hiladelphia, L os Angeles, Boston, Seattle, St. L ouis, and N ew York— nearly all with o ver 1 million visitors a y ear. A number of the specia lized science centers (in the natural history and aviation and space fields) have even larger attendances—ranging from 4 mill ion to 5.5 mill ion. However, the greatest number of science centers in the United S tates ar e the sma ller communityand education-oriented general science centers—often without collect ions—largely established since 1970. The fi rst A merican hands-o n science center was the New York Museum of Science and Industry, which opened in 1930 and once had 400 exhibits at Roc kefeller Center that were operating or could be set in mot ion by pressing a button, turning a crank, or pulling a lever. But it c losed in the 1960s for fi nancial reasons. The nat ion’s oldest curr ent op-
Hands-on contemporary science centers are a relatively new form of science museum. It was not until the first half of the twentieth century that these inst itutions with inter active exhibits and programs devoted largely to the physical and life sciences and technology emerged as a new and exciting type of science museum. The hands-o n approach has been so successful that many other types of museums, visitor centers, and museum-like institutions have become interactive science centers. The hands-on mo vement has changed the way many museums present their exhibits and programs, and what people expect in visiting museums—especially science museums and centers. Instead of static “hands-off ” exhibits and traditional lecture-style programs, an incr easing number of m useums—especially in the science field—now offer interactive and fun-like informal learning opportunities. The visiting public today often expects to be able to touch objects, interact with exhibits, and to be enter tained as par t of the museum exper ience—and hands-on science centers hav e been the pacesetters in suc h a transformation. This study traces the development of the hands-on science center mo vement and examines the histories, exhibits, and programs of 262 Amer ican science centers of var ious types. The descriptions range from the early science and technology museums that usually had collections of artifacts and hands-on activities to the gen eral and childr en’s science centers with interact ive science and so metimes technology exhibits and programs, but mostly without collections. In addition, it includes specia lized science centers using interactive techniqu es in the fi elds of astro n-
3
Introduction erating science center is Chic ago’s Museum of Science and Industr y, which open ed in 1933. It was followed by such hands-on institutions as the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia in 1934, Carnegie Science Center in P ittsburgh in 1939, Or egon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland in 1944, New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York, in 1964, Museum of Science in Boston and California Science Center in Los Angeles in 1951, Pacific Science Center in Seattle in 1962, Center of Science and Industry in Columbus, Ohio , in 1964, and Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkele y, California, in 1968. A few smaller hands-on science centers, some without collect ions, a lso wer e established during the 1950s and 1960s, including the Discovery Center in F resno, Ca lifornia, in 1956; Or lando Science Center , Or lando, Florida, 1959; Science Center of P inellas County, S t. Petersburg, F lorida, 1959; the Discovery Museum, Br idgeport, Connecticut, 1962; Science Center of Io wa, Des Moines, 1965; and Don Harrington Discovery Center, Amarillo, Texas, 1968. Most of the larger ear ly science centers had histo ric and co ntemporary scient ific, technological, and/or industr ial ar tifacts— and some st ill do—as well as hands-o n exhibits and pr ograms. The founding of the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley in 1968 began the increasing emphasis on science educational activities, and the 1969 establ ishment of the Exploratorium in S an Francisco de voted to hands-on educ ational exhibits and pr ograms—without collections—set the pattern for many future American science centers. These science centers without collections init ially wer e not accr edited by the American Associat ion of Museums bec ause they usually lacked tangible objects. This led to the 1973 formation of the Associat ion of Science-Technology Centers, whic h was instrumental in convincing the AAM to modify its definition of a museum and the accreditation cr iteria to inc lude any science and technology center that “ maintains and ut ilizes exhibits and/or objects for the interpre-
4 tation of scient ific and technologic al info rmation.” The associat ion, which no w ser ves informal science lear ning centers and seeks to advance their co mmon goa ls, has mo re than 570 member inst itutions in o ver 40 countries. It a lso has inspir ed the formation of similar organizations in Europe and elsewhere in the world.
EARLY EFFORTS TO INTERPRET SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY The st udy of the nat ural wo rld began with Aristotle and other ancient philosophers and was accelerated by Renaissance scholars. It a lso was dur ing the Renaissance that the first “ cabinets of cur iosities” of mo narchs, aristocrats, mer chants, scient ists, and other collectors began to appear. These cabinets actually wer e rooms with nat ural histo ry collections of plant, anima l, and mineral specimens, and so metimes human “ rarities” and cultural objects. They became the precursors to natural history museums. The world’s first museum was the Ashmolean Museum, a nat ural history museum founded in 1683 at Oxford University in England, that gr ew out of the nat ural histo ry collection of El ias Ashmole. Amo ng the other early natural history museums were the National Museum of Natural History in Paris in 1718; Museum of N atural Sciences in Madrid, 1752; and Natural History Museum in L ondon, 1756. In the United S tates, a number of early natural history societies were formed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that began collect ions that later r esulted in nat ural history museums—some of which have became natural history hands-on science centers. The societ ies inc luded the Maryland Academy of Sciences in Baltimore in 1797 (which established the Maryland Science Center in the 1940s); Worcester Lyceum of Natural History in Massachusetts in 1825 (it later bec ame the Worcester Natural History S ociety, New England Science Center , and eventually the EcoTarium); Boston Society of N atural Histo ry in 1830 (which founded the New England Museum of Nat-
5
Introduction
ural History in 1864 and converted to the interactive Museum of Science in 1951); California A cademy of N atural Sciences in S an Francisco in 1853 (which became the California Academy of Sciences and opened its initial museum in 1874); and Chicago Academy of Sciences in 1857 (which was Chicago’s first museum in 1865 and now is the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, an interactive natural history science center). A number of other nat ural history museums founded in the 1800s later adopted hands-on techniques, but basically remained collection-oriented natural history museums. They include the Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo, New York, founded 1861; American Museum of Natural History, New York City, 1869; N orth Car olina Museum of N atural Sciences, R aleigh, 1879; F ield Museum of
Top: Two boys interact with the “ Newton’s Alley” exhibit at the Mar yland Science Center in Baltimore. The hands-on science center was founded in the 1940s by the Maryland Academy of Sciences, which began in l797 as an amateur scient ific society to discuss the “ natural sciences.” Courtesy of the Maryland Science Center. Bottom: Students are shown par ticipating in a “Caldron” chemistry experiment at the Museum of Science in Boston. T he museum was among the ear ly natural histor y museums to e volve into a hands-on science center . T he Boston S ociety of N atural Histor y, which was founded in 1830, established the N ew England Museum of N atural Histor y in 1864. T he museum became the Museum of Science that inc luded the physical sciences and technolog y after World War II. Courtesy of the Museum of Science, Boston.
Introduction Natural History, Chicago, 1893; and Springfield Science Museum, S pringfield, Massachusetts, 1899. Among the other types of institutions founded in the nineteenth-century that later incorporated hands-on exhibits and programs are the Cha lot S pace and Science Center, whic h star ted as an obser vatory in Oakland, California in 1883; Lowell Observatory (v isitor center), F lagstaff, Ar izona, 1894; and N ew York A quarium, Brook lyn, 1896. Some of today ’s hands-on science and technology centers a lso wer e establ ished in the nineteenth cent ury, but did not beco me science centers unt il the 1930s o r 1940s o r later. The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia began as a training school for the mechanical arts in 1824, but did not open as a science and technology center until 1934. The Boston Society of N atural Histo ry, which began in 1830, star ted a nat ural histo ry m useum in 1864 that changed its name to the Museum of Science in the 1940s and became a handson gen eral science m useum in 1951. The Louisville Science Center in Kent ucky originally was the Museum of Histo ry and Science, which evolved from a cabinet of curiosities in 1871, but did not beco me a hands-on general science center until 1977. Among the other inst itutions founded in the early 1900s and developed into handson science centers or specialized science centers m uch later ar e the Denver Museum of Nature and Science , Den ver, 1900; Waikiki Aquarium, Honolulu, 1904; Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, 1907; National Museum of Natural History, Washington, 1910; and Rochester Museum and Science Center, Rochester, New York, 1912.
DEVELOPMENTS LEADING TO HANDS-ON SCIENCE CENTERS The concept of hav ing inter active exhibits and l ive demonstrations originated in Europe but did not beco me ful ly de veloped until r eaching the midd le of the t wentieth century in Amer ica. In so me way s, the exhibits and demonstrations also evolved from
6 collecting societies and personal cabinet-like collections like natural history museums. But science and technolog y m useums a lso wer e influenced by other factors, such early efforts to further inventions and industrial development, innovations during the Industrial Revolution, old-l ine tec hnical m useums, international exhibit ions, later scient ific and technological advances, greater public interest in science educ ation, and n ew m useum concepts and techniqu es in co mmunicating scientific and technologic al info rmation to children and adults. In the ear ly 1600s, Francis Bacon, the English philosopher and statesman who was one of ear liest and most influ ential supporters of empirical and scientific methods, proposed the establ ishment of a m useum of inventions and a gallery of portraits of inventors to sho w the pract ical impo rtance of the emerging mechanic al ar ts and sciences. In France, the N ational A cademy of Sciences was founded in 1660 and began col lecting models from those who wanted to receive the academy’s endorsement, and then publ ished descriptions of the in ventions in se ven volumes. This was followed in 1675 by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, the German scholar, mathematician, and philosopher, advocating having an exhibit ion o r m useum—as well as demonstrations—of machines and other inventions to enlighten and entertain the public. Chr istopher P olhem, the father of Swedish technology, suggested in 1695 that a permanent display of machin es be inc luded in a proposed Bureau of Mines laboratory for developing useful machines. The idea was not implemented, but the Swedish Royal Model Chamber was fo rmed in 1748 af ter Polhem provided a number of machine models for exhibit at the Royal Palace. These ear ly steps wer e fol lowed in the eighteenth cent ury by the fo rmation of a number of societ ies to encourage invento rs and industr ial de velopment. They inc luded the Society for the Encour agement of Ar ts, Manufactures, and Co mmerce (no w the Royal S ociety of Ar ts) in England in 1754 and the American Society for Promoting and
7 Propagating U seful Kno wledge, founded in Philadelphia by S amuel Merr ick, who later became the fi rst president of the P ennsylvania Railroad, and William H. Keating, a professor of c hemistry and min eralogy at the University of Pennsylvania, in 1766 with the backing of Benjamin F ranklin. The societ y later merged with the American Philosophical Society. Both societ ies sought to fur ther inventions and collected models. It also was dur ing this per iod that m useums of science histo ry and instr uments began to appear, such as the Medici and Lorraine royal family collections of instr uments that went to the Ro yal Museum of P hysics and Natural History in 1775 and later became part of the Institute and Museum of the History of Science in Florence, Italy, and the National Museum of T echnology at the N ational Co nservatory of Ar ts and Cr afts, which was founded in P aris by the F rench government in 1794, opened in 1802, and featured the extensiv e col lection of mac hines, instruments, and models bequeath by inventor and mechanic Jacques de Vaucanson. The latter became the fi rst of the stat ic technical museums developed in European countries in the nineteenth century. The Industr ial Re volution dur ing the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries influenced the de velopment of science and technology museums. The changes that took place in agriculture, manufacturing, industry, transportation, and other fields had an enormous impact o n socioeconomic and cult ural conditions as the wo rld moved from a manual labo r and draf t anima l-based societ y to machine-based manufacturing, accelerated by the development of steam power, canals, railways, and better roads. The Industr ial Re volution began in Great Britain and then spread to other European countries, the United States, and other parts of the wo rld. The changes that took place affected the formation and collections of early technical museums and some of the first contemporary museums of science and technology (also known as industr ial museums). In the 1820s, mechanics’ institutes were being founded in the United S tates and Gr eat
Introduction Britain to provide technical training and serve as a showcase for industrial progress. One of the inst itutes was the F ranklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts, established in 1824. The institute offered classes in such subjects as min eralogy, c hemistry, nat ural philosophy, mechanics, architecture, drawing, machine design, and mathematics. It also engaged in scient ific st udies; pr esented publ ic lectures on the progress of science and tec hnology by leaders in Amer ican science , invention, and industr y; and organized special exhibitions that wer e popular industr ial and technical fairs. Ho wever, by the 1920s, universities and tr ade schools had largel y assumed the institute’s role as a disseminator of useful technical knowledge and the Franklin Institute decided to r edirect its educ ational efforts. It opened the Franklin Institute Science Museum and P lanetarium in P hiladelphia in 1934 to further public understanding of science and technology by combining collections with exhibits and programs—some of which wer e hands-o n in nat ure. The m useum, which was among the early interactive science and technolog y museums, continues to be among the leading science centers. Trade and nat ional exhibit ions and the founding of technical museums became more common in the nineteenth century. The first major international exhibition was the Exhibition of the Industr y of All Nations (better known as the “Cr ystal Palace Exhibition” or the “Gr eat Exposit ion”) pr esented by the Royal Society of Arts in London in 1851. Its purpose was to simulate and promote British industry, but it included representation from throughout the wo rld. The foc al point was the huge glass and iron building—the “Crystal Palace”—that covered 18 acres. The exhibition was extremely successful, and the funds and sa lvaged display mater ials were used to establish the S outh Kensington Museum of Industrial Ar ts (later r enamed the V ictoria and Albert Museum), which opened in 1857. The science and technology collections were separated in 1909 to fo rm the Science Museum, which became one of the great technical museums with an extensive col lection of
Introduction scientific and technologic al ar tifacts—and later a major science and tec hnology handson center in Great Britain. The first industrial museum was the Bohemian Industr ial Museum, establ ished in 1862, which later became the National Technical Museum in P rague. It contained many industrial objects pur chased fro m L ondon and Paris expositions and was largely historical in nat ure. Many other internat ional expositions were held af ter the Cr ystal Palace Exhibition of 1851 in London, some of which influenced the founding of ear ly technic al museums in other countr ies. They inc luded
In the “ Amazing Machines” exhibit at the Franklin Institute , visitors c an use pulley s to make connections and see how power is distributed in a machine. T he F ranklin Inst itute in Philadelphia t races its or igin to the establishment of the F ranklin Inst itute of the S tate of P ennsylvania for the P romotion of the Mechanic Arts, basically a mechanical arts training school, in 1824. In the 1920s, the institute decided to redirect its educational offerings and create a m useum of science and technolog y, which opened in 1934. Courtesy of the F ranklin Institute.
8 the 1873 Internat ional Exhibit ion and 1908 Austrian Exposition that produced the Technological Museum of Industr y, Craf ts, and Trades in Vienna, and the Germany Electrical Exposition of 1882 and the succeeding International Electrical Exposition that resulted in the de velopment of the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia also was helpful in star ting the S mithsonian Inst itution’s National Museum and its Department of Arts and Industries in Washington. The fi rst hands-o n technic al m useum was the German Museum fo r Master works of N atural Science and Engin eering, better known simply as the Deutsches Museum, in Munich, Germany. It was founded by Oskar von Miller, a leading electrical engineer, who was involved in organizing the t wo German electrical exposit ions and wanted to star t a new t ype of science and technolog y m useum—one that inc luded working sect ioned models, demonstrations, and v isitor-participation devices in addit ion to histo rical artifacts to illustrate scientific, engineering, and industrial history and principles. He formed a foundation in 1903; convinced Prince Ludwig von Bayern (later King Ludwig III) to be patron of the foundat ion; enl isted the support of scient ific and industr ial leaders; and opened the museum in 1906. Von Miller wanted to show the development of science and technology, as he stated, with “ original appar atus and mac hines, as well as by means of models and arrangements for demonstrations, in a manner easily understood by all classes of people.” He sought to help students, workers, and the public understand the pr inciples and appl ications of science and technology and to stimulate human progress and fur ther a r espect fo r the gr eat researchers and invento rs and their achie vements. In addition to many historical objects of significance, the museum contained operating models, full-siz e machin e r eplicas, a walk-through coa l min e, a cutaway submarine, science demonstrations, and exhibits explaining principles and applications that that could be activated by visitors. Other histo rically o riented European
9 technical museums with participatory aspects were open ed af ter the Deutsches Museum was established, but it was the Munich m useum that largel y bec ame the protot ype for the early science and technology museums in the United S tates. Today, the Cit y of Sciences and Industry and the Palace of Discovery in Paris and the Science Museum in London, as well as the Deutsches Museum, ar e among the largest and most popular handson science museums in Europe. The first American museum to incorporate a large part of its offerings to science and technology was the histo rical Henr y Ford Museum and its Gr eenfield V illage, which opened in 1929 in Dear born, Michigan. It told of Amer ica’s gro wth, invent ive genius, and development of its tastes and modes, with collections and exhibits in such areas as agriculture, power, transportation, and co mmunications, as well as the deco rative ar ts and other fi elds. B ut it was not what is co nsidered a hands-o n contemporary science and technology center.
BIRTH OF THE AMERICAN SCIENCE CENTER MOVEMENT The first hands-on science and technology museum in the United States was in New York Cit y. The N ew York Museum of Science and Industry opened in 1930. It was industrially oriented, as were most of the other early science and technolog y centers. Its founding c an be tr aced to the fo rmation of “The Association for the Establishment and Maintenance fo r the P eople in the Cit y of New York of Museums of the Peaceful Arts” in 1914. Among those supporting the concept were inventor and industrialist Thomas Alva Edison and Henry R. Towne, president of the Yale and T owne Manufact uring Company. Although the proposal was not implemented at the time, Towne left a provisional endowment fund to help “the peaceful arts” when he died in 1924. Two y ears later , Char les T. Gwynne, a member of the proposed museum association’s execut ive co mmittee, went abroad with a team to study and make a film
Introduction of the n ew industr ial m useums of Europe. They came back impressed with the new European technical museums’ efforts to popularize science and tec hnology and that the exhibits moved, were hand led by v isitors, and were of gr eat interest to the gen eral publ ic. The study team recommended that an industrial museum that was educational rather than primarily histo rical be establ ished in N ew York City. As a r esult, the N ew York Museum of Science and Industry opened with industrial, scientific, and technological exhibits in 1930 in the lobby of the New Y ork Daily N ews Building. It initially was a small museum that struggled, but in 1936 it r elocated with expanded of ferings to 50,000 squ are f eet in Rockefeller Center ’s R CA B uilding. It had 400 exhibits—many of a hands-on nature—in 11 fields: food industr ies, c lothing-textiles, shelter, highway tr ansportation, r ailroad transportation, av iation, co mmunications, machines tools, power, and electrical science and technolog y. The m useum pro ved quite popular, but it continued to have financial and cooperating problems and moved to a smaller space on the second floor of the Hotel Claridge and too k a n ew name—the N ew York Hall of Science (no co nnection to the m useum of the same name open ed in 1966)— when its lease expired at Rockefeller Center. But the drastically reduced museum closed a few years later fro m the lac k of inter est and support. While the New York museum was being founded and open ed, inter ested par ties in Chicago and P hiladelphia were planning to start somewhat similar hands-on applied science m useums, but with mo re emphasis o n contemporary science and technolog y. In Chicago, busin essman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald had v isited the Deutsches Museum while vacationing with his family in Munich in 1911. He went to the m useum to see what fascinated his 8-year-old so n, William, who was going to the museum frequently with his go verness. Rosenwa ld a lso was impressed with the exhibits that could be activated and principles and applications that could be demo nstrated and c ame away co n-
Introduction
10
In addition to a wide ar ray of inter active exhibits, the Museum of Science and Industr y in C hicago offers floor science demonstrations like this one, extensive educ ational programming, and a collection of such historic objects as automobiles, airplanes, locomotives, and even a captured German submarine from World War II. T he museum, which opened in 1933, is the oldest and largest hands-on science and technology center in the United S tates. Courtesy of the Museum of Science and Indust ry.
vinced that a similar m useum should be established in Chic ago. But because of World War I and difficulties in finding a suitable site and additional support, the museum was not opened until 1933. The museum was founded in 1926 after Rosenwald, who was chairman of Sears, Roebuck & Co., had convinced the Commercial Club, consisting of Chic ago’s industrial and business leaders, to undertake the museum as a project and many of the members to ser ve on the m useum board. He a lso got the Chicago Park District to agree to make available and rehabilitate the deteriorating Palace of Fine Arts building from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposit ion as the m useum’s home. The park distr ict floated a $5 mil lion bond issue to restore and adapt the building for a science m useum, and Rosen wald pr ovided $7 million for exhibits and early oper-
ating costs and left Sears stock in his will that became the core of the museum’s endowment funds. For his leadership and suppo rt, the museum’s board of tr ustees sought to ho nor Rosenwald by naming the m useum the Rosenwald Industr ial Museum in the late 1920s. B ut Rosen wald, who was a modest person, argued against suc h a mo ve, threatened to withdraw his suppo rt, and said it would adversel y af fect publ ic inter est and support. The board then changed the name to the Museum of Science and Industr y. The 600,000-squ are-foot m useum opened to coincide with the 1933–34 Century of P rogress Exposit ion in Chic ago and after the fair received some of the historic and industrial objects displayed. The ear ly m useum exhibits dealt with industrial advances, scientific pr inciples, technologic al appl ications, and the human body and health—some
11 of which ut ilized push-butto n and other hands-on techniqu es, l ive demo nstrations, and/or immersion exper iences, such as the railcar tour through a simulated underground coal mine. In the years that followed, the museum placed greater emphasis on large-scale interactive co ntemporary exhibits, funded largely by companies, medical organizations, and government agencies (a practice later followed by many science centers). It now is the oldest operating science and technology center in the nation, as well as one of the largest and most popular with an annual attendance of over 1.4 million. In Philadelphia, the Franklin Institute, which opened in 1824 as a training school for the mechanic arts, sought to popularize mechanical science through classes, lectures, experimental wo rkshops, r esearch progr ams, publications, and even exhibitions. As times changed, it gave up some of its programs and was looking fo r n ew way s to fur ther publ ic understanding of science and technolog y. In 1922, it considered establishing a museum as a supplement to its progr ams for youth and adult education, but no action was taken. The m useum idea r esurfaced in 1927 when the Poor Richard Club of Philadelphia proposed that a national memorial dedicated to Benjamin Franklin be incorporated as part of a new museum built by the Franklin Institute. A civic committee, headed by Cyrus H. K. Curtis, raised $5.1 million for the program in 12 days. Among the other large co ntributors were Williams L. McLean, a newspaper publisher, and Samuel S. Fels, an industrialist and philanthropist, who funded the planetarium that still bears his name. The museum, which initially was called the Franklin Institute Science Museum and Planetarium and no w simpl y goes by the Franklin Institute, opened in a new building in 1934. It was largely historical, partly industrial, and featured early scientific instruments and inventions, but also had participatory exhibits and progr ams r elating to science and technology, inc luding a wa lk-through hear t exhibit. It has beco me mo re contemporary and interactive, and no w also has an IMA X large-format theater as well as a planetarium
Introduction and observatory. The 20-foot statue of Benjamin Franklin, which is a national memorial honoring the gr eat statesman , scient ist, and philosopher from Philadelphia, is loc ated at the entrance. The m useum’s annu al attendance is now 1 million.
OTHER EARLY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MUSEUMS European technical museums with their industrial emphasis and hands-o n exhibits, live demo nstrations, and other act ivities served as models fo r America’s fi rst interactive science and technolog y museums, but it was the n ew inst itutions in N ew Y ork, Chicago, and P hiladelphia that wer e mo re influential in the development of most other early hands-on science centers that open ed between the 1930s and 1960s. The fi rst of these institutions was the B uhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, which began largely as a planetarium in Pittsburgh in 1939, and then gradually expanded into a hands-on science and technology center. It was built by the B uhl Foundation as a memo rial to its founder, Henry Buhl Jr., a prominent department sto re o wner. In 1980, the inst itute’s name was changed to the Buhl Science Center, and in 1987 it became the Carnegie Science Center when it merged with the Carnegie Institute, an umbrella nonprofit that now inc ludes four m useums in ar t, nat ural history, and science and technology. The science center greatly expanded its hands-on offerings af ter mo ving into a n ew building along the Ohio River in 1991, and now serves about 500,000 visitors each year. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland was the fi rst of the nat ural history museums to convert to a hands-on science and technology center. It was founded in 1944 as the Or egon Museum Foundation for the pur pose of establ ishing a museum of history, science, and industr y, but the init ial exhibits in a Portland hotel consisted of a collection of nat ural histo ry objects. It then opened the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (kno wn as OMSI) in a do nated
Introduction house in 1949. The publ ic r esponse was so great that volunteers built a new home for the museum in W ashington Park in 1955, and then moved to an even larger facility—a donated fo rmer po wer plant a long the W illamette River—in the mid– 1980s. The po wer plant was renovated and later expanded to include fi ve interact ive exhibit ha lls, publ icly oriented science and technology laboratories, and an extensive educ ational program with hands-on act ivities. The annu al attendance is 825,000. Another nat ural histo ry m useum that became an interactive science and technology center dur ing this per iod was the N ew England Museum of Natural History, originally opened in Boston in 1864 by the Boston Society of N atural Histo ry. In the 1940s, the museum’s name was changed under the leadership of director Bradford Washburn to the Boston Museum of Science (later sho rtened to Museum of Science), mo ved the museum to its pr esent site a long the Char les River , and broadened its content to be the first museum to embr ace a ll the sciences under o ne roof. As the Bosto n m useum expanded, exhibits in the p hysical and l ife sciences and technology overtook the natural history offerings. It now has more than 400 hands-on exhibits and programs, a planetarium, observatory, and Omnimax and 3D theaters that serve 1.8 million visitors a year—the most of the nation’s early and general science centers. It also was in 1951 that the mission of the 1912 State Exposition Building in Exposition Park in L os Angeles was c hanged and the building was r enamed the Ca lifornia Museum of Science and Industry. Hands-on exhibits of science and technolog y r eplaced agriculturally based stat ic display s of the state’s natural resources and industrial products. In 1993, the museum was renamed the California Science Center after a long-range planning st udy r ecommended that the m useum become a state-of-the-art science education center that r esponds to the n eeds of diverse communities. Since then, a new main building with hands-o n exhibits, an educ ational r esource center , and a n eighborhood
12 science school hav e been added as par t of a three-phase master plan. The museum has an estimated annual attendance 1.3 million. In the 1960s, four mo re ear ly science centers wer e opened. The y wer e the P acific Science Center in Seattle in 1962, New York Hall of Science in Q ueens, N ew York, and Center of Science and Industr y (kno wn as COSI) in Columbus, Ohio , 1964; and Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley, 1968. All emphasized hands-on science and technology exhibits and programs, but were somewhat different in origin and implementation. Two science and technology centers—in Seattle and N ew Y ork—were spinof fs of world’s fairs. The P acific Science Center r esulted from the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair, and the New York Hall of Science originated with the l964 New York World’s Fair. The Pacific Science Center’s five connected buildings and many of its ear ly exhibits wer e par t of the United States Science Pavilion at the Seattle fair, but the fair exhibits wer e replaced with hands-on exhibits, science and tec hnology programs, and large-screen theaters over the next half century. It now has an annual attendance of more than 1 million. The N ew York Ha ll of Science , which originally emphasized science fiction, was one of the pavilions at the New York fair, continued to operate after the fair until 1979, when it was c losed, r emodeled, and r edirected. It reopened in 1984 as a co ntemporary science and technology center with a mix of handson science exhibits, space ar tifacts, outdoo r science playground, and a var iety of science educational programs. It no w has an annu al attendance of over 350,000. Another science center that open ed in 1964 was the Center of Science and Industry (now known as C OSI) in Columbus, Ohio . As so fr equently occurs e ven today, it was started by a resident who visited a science and technology center and c ame bac k to open a similar inst itution in his ho metown. It a ll began with busin essman S anford Ha llock after seeing the Museum of Science and Industry in Chic ago in 1957. He was able to convince the local historical societ y to make
13
Introduction
available the downtown Memorial Hall, enlist the support of civic leaders, and open the science center with hands-o n exhibits and programs in 1964. The center proved so popular that it later mo ved into a 320,000square-foot r enovated sc hool building with expanded exhibits and programs, and has an annual attendance of 536,000. The L awrence Ha ll of Science was established at the Univ ersity of Ca lifornia at Berkeley in 1968 in honor of Professor Ernest O. Lawrence, the university’s first Nobel laureate, inventor of the cyclotron, and founder and director of a university-operated government laboratory. The science center’s primary purpose was to ser ve as a resource center for preschool through high school science and mathematics education. In the process, it became a major developer of innovative educational materials and programs, a leader in activity-based, inquir y-driven lear ning, and a popular hands-on public science center. With the founding of the Lawrence Hall
Top: A young visitor feels the difference in temperature between the Earth and Mars in this exhibit at the New York Hall of Science. T he building housing the N ew York Hall of Science was one of the pavilions at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Courtesy of the New York Hall of Science. Bottom: Among the hands-on activities at the Pacific Science Center in S eattle is the “ Insect Village” exhibit, where visitors can touch live insects and which has giant robotic insects, live insect displays, and interactive exhibits. The museum is one of two American science centers that were spinoffs of world’s fairs. Courtesy of the Pacific Science Center.
Introduction of Science , Amer ica’s science center mo vement began to change. The center was pr eserving a f ew objects r elating to the prof essor, but the pr imary missio n was science education through interactive exhibits and innovative science pr ogramming, ser ving 200,000 visitors a year. It was a transition period that was accelerated by the cr eation of the next science center—the Exploratium—in San Francisco in 1969.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE CENTERS WITHOUT COLLECTIONS Until the late 1960s, the gr owth of hands-on science centers in the United States was primarily at large inst itutions in metropolitan ar eas with exhibits, programs, and usually some collections of scientific, technological, and/or industrial historical materials. Yet, sma ller science centers with hands-o n exhibits and little or no collections were starting to appear in the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Or lando Science Center in Or lando, Florida, 1959; Science Center of Io wa, Des Moines, 1965; Science Center of P inellas County, S t. Petersburg, F lorida, 1966; and Don Harrington Discovery Center, Amarillo, Texas, 1968. But it was not unt il the 1970s that the science center mo vement began to accelerate, influenced partially by the founding of the Lawrence Hall of Science in 1968 and the Exploratorium in 1969—and the increased interest in science and technology resulting fro m the e volving space r ace and Apollo 11 landing of American astronauts on the moon. Things began to change with the emphasis on school-related education programs at Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley and the founding of the Exploratorium in San Francisco by Frank Oppenheimer, a fo rmer ph ysics prof essor. The Exploratorium especially appeared to set off a new wave of interactive science centers of all sizes and types—mostly without collections—in sma ll and medium-siz ed cit ies as well as metropol itan ar eas. This expansio n
14 and popularity of America’s growing number of science centers a lso influenced the de velopment of similar hands-o n contemporary science centers around the world. Oppenheimer f elt that m useums, including the early science and technology museums and centers, should do more to explain scientific phenomena to the publ ic—with or without col lections. He cr iticized what he called their “passive pedagogy” and decided to open a science center in a building lef t over from the 1915 Panama-Pacific Inter national Exhibition in San Francisco. It was a handson science center of science, art, and perception that sought to integrate science , technology, and the ar ts with a core of materials with which the public can interact to explore the mechanisms of the perso n’s sensory perception. Oppenheimer and his staf f built nearly all the initial exhibits, which attracted great interest among the public and museum world. The hands-on exhibits were different from those at other science centers, containing no artifacts and having increased opportunities fo r indiv idual exper imentation and learning in usually overlooked areas. The Exploratorium’s annual attendance is no w over 600,000. Others sought to adapt the Explo ratorium’s concepts and exhibits. T o sat isfy inquires, exhibit construction guides were produced for over 650 interactive exhibits, other displays, and ar tworks r elating to biolog y, physics, v isual per ception, l istening, and memory. The Explo ratorium a lso made and sold versions of the exhibits to other science centers, circulated traveling exhibitions, and formed partnerships with eight science centers that r eceived exhibits and educ ational training. The 1970s began a surge that resulted in the founding of several hundred new general ands c hildren’s science centers and the co nversion of some natural history and other museums into specialized hands-on science centers. The centers wer e establ ished by suc h diverse founders as interested citizens, educators, civ ic and busin ess leaders, philanthropists, Junio r L eagues, ser vice c lubs, sc hool districts, and government agencies, and gen-
15
The “ Pulley Table,” where visitors link pulley s to drive intricate pulley systems and activate various mechanical devices, is one of the exhibits at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. Founded in 1969, the Exploratorium was instrumental in the development of hands-on science centers without collections. © Exploratorium.
erally were funded through community fundraising and/ or loc al g overnment suppo rt. Some science centers star ted in n ew buildings, but most began in r ecycled storefronts, schoolhouses, libraries, fire stations, department stores, government buildings, or old and sometimes historic houses. A fe w a lso were part of new cultural centers that included art, science, and performing arts organizations. Hands-on science centers c ame in a ll sizes and with dif ferences in exhibits, programs, and emphasis, but they usu ally had one thing in co mmon—a mission to fur ther knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the sciences, math, and/ or tec hnology among adults and c hildren. Some were children’s science m useums and others specia lized in such fi elds as astronomy, health, and
Introduction space. A number also were the result of mergers of children’s museums with natural history or other museums. In addition to being called museums and science centers, they have such unusual names as SciWorks, Discovery Center, Explo ration P lace, Sci- Tech Center , Imagination Station, Explora, and WonderLab. Among the gen eral science centers established during this growth period were such diverse institutions as Fernbank Science Center, a natural history-oriented center founded by the school district in Atlanta in 1967; Impression 5 Science Center , a science center that sought to ser ve c hildren pr imarily, in Lansing, Mic higan, 1972; Reuben H. F leet Science Center, which featured a large-screen theater fo rmat, S an Diego , 1973; Science Museum of Virginia, housed in a historic railroad station, Richmond, 1977; Mid-America Science Museum, funded by the state to serve partly as a tour ist attract ion, Hot S prings, Arkansas, 1979; Discovery Place, which developed from a popular nature center, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1981; Arizona Science Center, whic h began as a sma ll sto refront museum in a do wntown parking gar age, Phoenix, 1984; Tech Museum of Innovation, which sought to inspir e the inno vator in everyone, San Jose, California, 1990; Harsco Science Center , inc luded in a n ew ar ts and science cultural center, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1993; ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center, devoted to the ecology, culture, history, and opportunity of the Lake Champlain Basin, Burlington, Vermont, 1995; and Connecticut Science Center, built in connection with a do wntown r edevelopment program, Hartford, 2009. An incr easing number of m useums founded as natural history museums became hands-on science centers as the science center movement evolved. The conversions went beyond such early science centers as EcoTarium in W orcester, Massac husetts; Science Museum in Boston; Maryland Science Center in Baltimore; and Louisville Science Center in Kent ucky that emerged fro m nin eteenth-century natural history collections and museums. Among the others wer e the Sci-
Introduction
16 ence Museum of Minn esota, establ ished in 1977, which developed from the nat ural history col lections at the S t. Paul Inst itute of Science, establ ished in 1907; S t. L ouis Science Center, which changed from a 1959 natural history museum to a broad-based science center in 1985; and Museum of Disco very, which began as the Museum of Natural History and Ant iquities in Little Roc k, Arkansas, in 1927 and bec ame a science center in the 1990s.
DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN’S SCIENCE CENTERS The fi rst childr en’s m useums wer e founded at the turn of the twentieth century,
Top: SciWorks in W inston-Salem, North Carolina, is one of the hands-on science centers with an unusual museum name. In addit ion to indoor e xhibits on suc h subjects as phy sics, biolog y, health, technology, and biolog ical and geolog ical diversit y of the state , it has an environmental park with habitants of wild animals, water fowl, gardens, demonstration forest, composting site , nature walk, and barnyard with cows, goats, sheep , donkeys, and a miniature horse. Courtesy of SciWorks. Bottom: Visitors interact with the “ Pendulum Snake” exhibit at the Reuben H. F leet Science Center in San Diego. The exhibit has 10 pendulums of different lengths that swing together , become complex and out of phase, swing in unison, and then move like a snake. The science center, which opened in 1973, was the first science museum to combine interactive science exhibits with a planetarium and an Omnimax domed theater (the world’s first Omnimax theater). Courtesy of Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.
The hands-on Science Museum of Virginia opened in 1977 in Richmond’s historic 1919 Broad Street Railroad S tation. It was the culmination of ef forts since 1906 to establish a state-operated science museum. In addition to interactive exhibits such as this one showing children building an arch in the “Science Unplugged” exhibit, the museum has such historic objects as early railroad cars, a streetcar, and the wor ld’s first aluminum submar ine. Courtesy of the Science Museum of V irginia. Bottom: The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California, offers visitors an opportunity to experience the NASA “Jetpack” experience, which gives participants the feeling of real-life space training. The science center, which opened in 1990, seeks to eng age people in e xploring and e xperiencing technologies affecting their lives. Courtesy of the Tech Museum of Innovation.
Introduction
18
Among the many exhibits and demonstrations at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul is the flame spectroscope exhibit in the “ Experiment Gallery.” A family is shown adding various gases to a flame and watching the flame change color based on the content and quality of the gas. The museum began as the St. Paul Institute of Science in 1907 and gradually added the physical sciences and interactive exhibits during the second half of the centur y. Courtesy of the Science Museum of Minnesota.
and many later began having a science exhibit or two as part of their offerings. But it was not until the science center movement was under way and the space race began that some were named for and dedic ated to science. A mong the ear ly hands-on c hildren’s science m useums were the Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center, founded in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in 1952; Children’s Museum of Science and T echnology, Troy, New Y ork, 1954; the Disco very Center , Fresno, California, 1956; and East Tennessee Discovery Center, Knoxville, 1960. They were followed by such places as the Science F actory Childr en’s Museum and Planetarium, founded under a different name in Eugene, Oregon, in 1961; Science Center of Co nnecticut (no w the Childr en’s Museum), W est Har tford, 1970s; Ho ward B . Owens Science Center, Lanham-Scarbrooke, Maryland, 1978; Discovery Center Museum, Rockford, I llinois, 1983; Science Disco very Museum (par t of the Disco very Museums
started in 1982), Acton, Massachusetts, 1988; Children’s Science Explo rium, Bac a R aton, Florida, 1998; and Western Colorado Math and Science Center , Grand Junct ion, 2000. One institution, the Explora in Albuquerque, was even founded as a bilingual science center in 1996 and opened in 2003. Some science centers evolved from children’s museums, such as the Miami Science Center, Science Center of Co nnecticut, and Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. However, most children’s science centers were started and/or continued to be oper ated by educators, scientists, parents, women’s groups, city governments, and school sy stems interested in furthering science education among children in the co mmunity. Hands-o n exhibits and programs at children’s science centers became part of field trips and science instruction at man y schools. A number of school districts even operate science centers, including the F ernbank Science Center , founded as a general science center in Atlanta
Top: The Science Discovery Museum is one of two children’s museums that are part of the Discovery Museums in Acton, Massachusetts. The Discovery Museums complex began with the Children’s Discovery Museum in l982 and added the science center in 1988. In this photo, a father and his two girls explore the orbits and centripetal motion using everyday items such as a lazy susan board and various weighted balls. Courtesy of the Discover y Museums. Bottom: This photograph shows a por tion of the hands-on exhibits at the Explora, a children’s science center in Albuquerque that has bilingual exhibits and programs in English and S panish. The center, which opened in 2003, has 250 e xhibits, most of which are small hands-on tabletop units such as those in the photog raph. Courtesy of Explora.
Introduction
20
include some that wer e founded in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but did not begin using hands-on tec hniques unt il the latter par t of the twentieth century. Two of the nat ion’s largest and most popular natural history museums have developed into hands-on specialized science centers—the National Museum of Natural History, o ne of the S mithsonian Inst itution’s museums in Washington, and the Amer ican Museum of N atural Histo ry in N ew York City. The W ashington m useum has an annual attendance of over 5.5 million annually, THE EMERGENCE OF while the New York museum serves 4 million SPECIALIZED SCIENCE CENTERS visitors a year. The hands-on science center movement The National Museum of Natural Hisbecame so successful that m useums, v isitor tory, founded in 1910, had one of the earliest centers, and m useum-like inst itutions in hands-on “Discovery Rooms” in 1974 where other fields began to use hands-on techniques children and other v isitors could handle and and beco me specia lized science centers in explore suc h objects as fossils, plants, and such fields as astronomy, aviation and space, minerals (the fi rst Discovery Room was the energy, health education, marine science, nat“Touch and See Room” at the Bel l Museum ural histo ry, and nat ure centers. The most of Natural History in Minneapolis in 1968). popular of these specialized facilities are the The N ational Museum of N atural Histo ry natural histo ry m useums that emphasiz e still has such a room and has added other inhands-on exhibits and programs and have beteractive and immersive exhibits and pr ocome nat ural histo ry science centers. The y grams, as well as a satellite hands-on center, called the “Naturalist Center,” in Leesburg, V irginia. The Amer ican Museum of N atural History was established in 1869 and now contains 45 perman ent exhibit halls, a majo r planetarium-space center, and an extensive educ ational pr ogram. It has hands-o n exhibits, theaters, c lasses, and laboratories, as wel l as an interactive online experience. Among the other specialized natural history science centers are the Academy of Natural Sciences, the nat ion’s fi rst nat ural science research institution and museum founded in 1812 in P hiladelphia; The tortoise exhibit is among the attractions at the Miami Sci- California Academy of Sciences, ence Museum in F lorida. T he museum is one of the science established in S an Francisco in centers that e volved from a c hildren’s m useum. It init ially 1853 and now the featured attracopened in a house as a junior m useum in1950, and g radually expanded into a science center. It now is building a new $275- tion in Golden Gate P ark; B ufmillion new facility as par t of a downtown m useum complex. falo Museum of Natural History, Courtesy of the Miami Science Museum. a natural history museum and ob-
in 1967, which now has 850,000 children and adult visitors annually; Roper Mountain Science Center, where the idea for a science center surfaced in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1978 and opened in 1985, and which now has an annu al attendance of 238,000; and Howard B . O wens Science Center , whic h was established in Lanham-Seabrook, Maryland, in 1978 and serves 90,000 students each year.
21
Introduction
servatory founded in B uffalo, New York, in 1861 that a lso oper ates a nature pr eserve; N orth Carol ina Museum of N atural Sciences, the largest nat ural histo ry m useum in the S outheast, which was founded in Raleigh in 1879; Field Museum of Natural History, an outgrowth of the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chic ago in 1893; Den ver Museum of Nature and Science, which began as the Den ver Museum of Natural Histo ry in 1900 and changed its name in the 1990s to reflect its incr eased hands-on science offerings; and Housto n Museum of N atural Science , established in 1909 and no w one of the One of the most popular exhibits at the Den ver Museum of best attended nat ural histo ry m u- Nature and Science is “Space Odyssey,” which features handseums with a 2.7 million annual at- on exhibits. T he museum began as the Denver Museum of Natural Histor y in 1900 and changed its name in the 1990s tendance. to better reflect its increased hands-on offerings in the physAnother t ype of specia lized ical and life sciences. Courtesy of the Denver Museum of Nature science center in the nat ural sci- and Science (all rights reserved). ences is the nat ure center that has Center collaborates with the city of Bellevue, hands-on exhibits and programs about nature Washington, in the operat ion of the Mer cer and the env ironment. S ome nat ure centers Slough Environmental Education Center. are called museums or are nat ure center exSome nature centers are located at mutensions of m useums, but most ar e centers seums—and sometimes are part of the name, operated by local governments or nature and including Co yote Point Museum fo r Env ienvironmental groups. The child-o riented ronmental Education, founded in 1951 in San Charlotte Nature Museum, which has handsMateo, Ca lifornia, and SciW orks, the Scion exhibits and programs, animals, and trails ence Center and En vironmental P ark of in Char lotte, N orth Carol ina, is amo ng the Forsyth County, started in 1964 in Winstonearly interactive nature centers. It was founded Salem, N orth Carol ina. O thers ar e at inin 1947, opened in 1951, and now is part of the door/outdoor museums, such as the Museum Discovery P lace, a gen eral science center it of Life and Science, one of the nation’s largest started in 1981. Another ear ly nat ure center indoor/outdoor science centers with 65,000 that is part of a museum is the Roaring Brook square f eet of indoo r space and 13 acr es of Nature Center, founded in Canto n, Massaoutside exhibits o n a 70-plus-acr e site in chusetts, in 1948 and no w operated by the Durham, North Carolina; EcoTarium, an enChildren’s Museum in West Hartford, Convironmentally oriented museum started in the necticut. Among the other nature centers op1800s that has indoo r and outdoo r exhibits erated as branches of science centers ar e the and tr ails in W orcester, Massachusetts; Cumming N ature Center in N aples, N ew Austin N ature and Science Center , which York (part of the Rochester Museum and Sciwas founded in A ustin, Texas, in 1960 and ence Center); L ee and Rose W arner Nature has a m useum of exhibits and 80 acr es of Center, W ashington Count y, Minn esota trails; and Disco very Science and O utdoor (Science Museum of Minn esota); and T ifft Center, established in 1993 in a 23-acre cit y Nature Preserve, Buffalo, New York (Buffalo park in Ocala, Florida. Museum of Science). The P acific Science
Introduction One of the oldest and largest nature centers is the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside, New Jersey. Founded in 1941, it co vers 2,060 acr es. Another is the Kalamazoo N ature Center , establ ished in 1960 in K alamazoo, Michigan. It has 1,100 acres and an annu al attendance of o ver 265,000. Other large popular nat ure centers with extensive hands-o n exhibits and programs include the Chippewa Nature Center, created in 1966 in Midland, Michigan, which has over 1,200 acres; and the Schuylkill Center fo r Env ironmental Educ ation, whic h began in Philadelphia in 1965, with 360 acres. Among the other well-attended early nature centers ar e the Gr eenburgh N ature Center , founded in Sc arsdale, N ew York, in 1975; Western N orth Carol ina N ature Center , Asheville, North Carolina, 1977; and Hawai’i Nature Center, Honolulu and Wailuku, 1981.
OTHER TYPES OF SPECIALIZED SCIENCE CENTERS Two other t ypes of specia lized science centers with extensive exhibits and programs are the astronomy science centers, usually featuring planetariums with sky shows or observatories to explo re the solar sy stem and beyond, and mar ine science centers, which include popular aquariums with hands-on exhibits and often sea animal shows. The A dler P lanetarium, whic h open ed in 1930 in Chicago, was the Western Hemisphere’s fi rst planetarium. It has added “ and Astronomy Museum” to its name bec ause of its addit ion of extensive astro nomical and space exhibits—many of which ar e interactive. Amo ng the other plan etariums with hands-on exhibits and programs are the Clark Planetarium in S alt L ake Cit y; Mo rehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, which added “ and Science Center ” when it built a wing fo r hands-on science exhibits; and the Rose Center fo r Ear th and S pace, built around the histo ric Hay den P lanetarium at the A merican Museum of N atural History in New York City in 2000. Many of the nation’s leading observato-
22 ries now also have exhibit galleries or visitor centers with hands-o n exhibits, inc luding Griffith Observatory, which has an annual attendance of 1 million in Los Angeles; Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona; Kitt Peak National Observatory in Tucson; McDonald Observatory in F ort Dav is, Texas; Palomar Observatory in Palomar Mountain, California; and Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Other astronomy science centers include such places as the Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland, California; Mount Washington Observatory W eather Disco very Center , North Conway, N ew Hampshir e; and N ational Center for Atmospheric Research Visitor Center, Boulder, Colorado. Aquariums with hands-o n exhibits and sometimes dazzl ing sea anima l sho ws no w dominate the nation’s marine science centers, which once consisted almost entirely of static displays of fish and other sea l ife. The fi rst aquarium in the United S tates was the N ational Aquarium, a small federal facility initially founded in 1873 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and later moved to Washington. It still exists with a larger col lection of aquatic specimens as the N ational A quarium in Washington in the U.S. Department of Commerce Building, but now shares the “national aquarium” designat ion with the N ational Aquarium in Ba ltimore, whic h open ed in 1981 and serves more than 1.5 million visitors annually. Other early aquariums that have become marine science centers ar e the N ew Y ork Aquarium in Br ooklyn, founded in 1896; Waikiki A quarium in Ho nolulu, 1904; and Scripps Aquarium, which opened in 1905 and evolved into the Bir ch A quarium at the Scripps Inst itution of Oceanogr aphy in L a Jolla, California, in 1992. The largest and best attended aquarium in the United States today is the 580,000-squ are-foot Geo rgia A quarium, opened in A tlanta in 2005, which no w has an annu al attendance of 2.6 mill ion. Other large aquariums with between 1 million and 2 mill ion in attendance ar e Jo hn G. Shedd Aquarium, opened in Chicago in 1930; New England A quarium, Bosto n, 1968; Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, Califor-
23 nia, 1984; and Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach California, 1998. Among the other marine science centers are the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, a r esearch-oriented facil ity founded in 1930 that now has a hands-on exhibit center; Cabrillo Mar ine A quarium, the cit y of L os Angeles’s aqu arium, S an Pedro, Ca lifornia, 1935; Hatfi eld Mar ine Science Center , an Oregon State University research facility with a v isitor center in N ewport, Or egon, 1965; Seattle Aquarium, which opened on the waterfront in 1977; Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration, Mystic, Connecticut, resulting fro m a merger in 1997; and thr ee aquariums (Roano ke Island, P ine Knoll Shores, and F ort F isher) establ ished by the state of N orth Carol ina in 1976 to fur ther public understanding and appreciation of the state’s aquatic environments. The specia lized av iation and space science centers r ange from hands-on museums with aviation and space collections, exhibits, and programs to N ational A eronautics and Space A dministration v isitor centers. Founded in 1946, the National Air and Space Museum, which now consists of two museum exhibit sites (on the National Mall and Dulles International Airport), has the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world and o ne of the nat ion’s most popular museums with an annual attendance of 5 million. It contains portable interactive carts in exhibits, r ide sim ulators, hands-on lear ning experiments, science demonstrations, and inquiry-based programs. Among the other interact ive av iation/ space museums are the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, which began as a planetarium in Hutchinson in 1962 and expanded into a comprehensive space museum in 1980; U.S. Space and Roc ket Center , founded by the state in Huntsv ille, A labama, in 1968 and now has extensiv e space hardwar e and ar tifacts, hands-on exhibits and space simulators, a large space c amp, and ser ves as the v isitor center fo r N ASA’s Marsha ll S pace F light Center; and V irginia Air and S pace Center, which was establ ished in Hampto n in 1991 and has over 100 aviation and space exhibits
Introduction
Top: This telescope unit in the optics exhibit is one of the new exhibits at the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake Cit y. T he planetar ium opened in 2003 as a replacement for the histor ic 1965 Hansen Planetarium. It f eatures an IMAX bigscreen theater that is the world’s first digital star theater and the first “pitless” digital dome planetarium in the United States. Courtesy of the Clark Planetarium. Bottom: Two y oung visitors ar e examining mussel clumps and barnacles in one of the hands-on exhibits at the Scr ipps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego. The oceanographic institution has had a public aquarium since 1905. The aquarium became the Birch A quarium at Scr ipps in 1992. It is a major center for ocean and ear th science research, education, and public service. Courtesy of the Birch Aquarium at Scripps.
and serves as the visitor center for the nearby NASA L angley Resear ch Center and the Langley Air Force Base. Many science centers also hav e Challenger Learning Centers, which offer simulated space missio n exper iences. The specialized science centers in av iation/space and en ergy ar e largel y f ederally funded. They co nsist largel y of v isitor centers at NASA space centers and national laboratories. The t wo largest and most popular
Introduction NASA visitor centers are the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, established in 1962 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Space Center Housto n, founded in 1992 at the Manned Space Flight Center. Both have an arr ay of space hardwar e and ar tifacts, hands-on exhibits, IMA X big-scr een theaters, and guided behind-the-scenes tours of the space centers. O ther NASA visitor centers with hands-on exhibits include the Ames Research Center at Mof fett F ield, Ca lifornia; Glenn Resear ch Center , Cle veland; Goddard S pace F light Center , Gr eenbelt, Maryland; S tennis S pace Center , Hancoc k County, Mississippi; and Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia. Hands-on en ergy-oriented m useums and visitor centers ar e located largel y at national laboratories engaged in nuclear physics research. Three of the earliest were the American Museum of Science and En ergy, which began as the A merican Museum of A tomic Energy in Kno xville, T ennessee, in 1949;
24 Bradbury Science Museum, founded in 1963 at the L os A lamos N ational L aboratory in Los A lamos, New Mexico; and the Science Learning Center, establ ished in 1977 at the Brookhaven National L aboratory in Upto n, New York. A ll thr ee make extensiv e use of interactive exhibit and program techniqu es related to wo rk at the labo ratories, nuc lear energy, and other fields. Other museums and visitor centers at nat ional labo ratories with hands-on exhibits and progr ams include the Discovery Center at the Lawrence Livermore National L aboratory in Liv ermore, Ca lifornia, and L ederman Science Center at F ermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batav ia, Illinois. The N ational Ren ewable En ergy Laboratory in Golden , Colorado, a lso has a visitor center with hands-on exhibits on various alternative sources of energy. Health educ ation is another ar ea with specialized hands-o n science centers. The centers come in a number of different forms— health and medical science museums, health
Left: Visitors can explore the deep sea through interactive displays featuring high-definition footage of sea creatures in the “ Mission to the Deep ” at the Monter ey Bay Aquarium in Monter ey, California. The aquarium, which opened in 1984, is one of the largest and most compr ehensive aquariums in the nation. It has 322,000 square feet and more than 35,000 plants and animals r epresenting 623 species. © Monterey Bay Aquarium and photographer Randy Wilder. Right: This gyro exhibit is one of the hands-on act ivities at the S mithsonian Institution’s National Air and S pace Museum in W ashington. T he museum is one of the most popular in the nation, with an annual attendance of o ver 5 million. The museum was created as the National Air Museum in 1946, moved into its present building on the Mall with the new name in 1976, and opened the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center as a branch museum at Dulles International Airport in 2003. Courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and photographer Eric Long.
25
Introduction
This mission control photograph is from the “Future Astronaut Training Program,” a camp program where youngsters plan and execute a space mission at the K ansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson. The museum began as a planetarium in 1962 and expanded into a comprehensive space museum in 1980. It now features a large collection of space ar tifacts. Courtesy of Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center.
education progr ams fo r sc hool groups and teachers, health centers that ser ve people of all ages, and health education centers in special fields. The hands-on health museums include the John P . McGo vern Museum of Health and Medical Science, founded in 1962 in Houston; the Health Adventure, founded in 1968 in Ashe ville, N orth Carol ina, and now expanding into a gen eral science center as the Mo mentum Science and Hea lth Adventure Park; Globa l Hea lth Ody ssey Museum, an interactive visitor center opened in 1996 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta; and Y ouZeum, a health science museum launched in Columbia, Missouri, in 2008. The first fully instructional health education center for school groups and teachers rather than the general public was the Robert Crown Center for Health Education in Hinsdale, Illinois. It began as the Hinsdale Health Museum in 1958 and bec ame the Cro wn
Center in 1974. The center , which of fers structured hea lth programs with hands-o n exhibits in teaching theaters, was followed by many similar facil ities, such as the K ansas Learning Center fo r Hea lth in Ha lstead in 1965, Harold W . McMil len Center fo r Health Education in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1981, and Hea lth Works! Kids’ Museum in South Bend, Indiana, in 2000. These types of programs led to similar health education centers for adults as well as children, such as the Hall of Hea lth in Berkele y, Ca lifornia, in 1974; S usan P. By rnes Hea lth Educ ation Center in Y ork, Pennsylvania, in 1995; and Mills Regional Health Education Center in High Point, North Carolina, in 1998. Sometimes health education centers are devoted to fur thering publ ic educ ation in a single medical area, such as DNA. Two such health science centers are the DNA EpicCenter, a 1994 outgrowth of the former Thames Science Center and Science Center of East-
Introduction
26
Students check the heart rate of a mannequin at a hospital as part of the “Body Trek Summer Camp” program at the Robert Crown Center for Health Education in Hinsdale, Illinois. The center, which began in 1958, was the first of the fully instructional health education centers for students and teachers and no w ser ves 150,000 boys and g irls from more than 600 schools annuall y. Courtesy of Rober t Crown Center for Health Education.
ern Connecticut loc ated in the Co nnecticut College Ar boretum in N ew L ondon, that seeks to further understanding of the science of life, and Dolan DNA Learning Center, a genetics learning center af filiated with the Cold S pring Har bor L aboratory in Cold Spring, New York, that began in 1988 with traveling exhibit ions and no w has hands-o n exhibits and programs.
AN OVERVIEW OF HANDS-ON SCIENCE CENTERS Not a ll science m useums and centers have succeeded. They have closed for a variety of reasons, including lack of public interest, inadequate funding or facilities, and poor exhibits, programs, management, and/or marketing. The initial failure was the first hands-
on science center—the New York Museum of Science and Industry—which opened in New York Cit y in 1930 and simpl y faded away in the 1960s as it changed loc ations se veral times, reduced the amount and quality of its offerings, and lost publ ic inter est and support. Most science center closings are primarily fo r fi nancial r easons. The most r ecent major closure was the Science and T echnology Museum of Atlanta, kno wn simpl y as SciTrek, which shut down in 2004 for lack of sufficient funding . Amo ng the others that have closed are the L ong Island Museum of Science and T echnology in Garden Cit y, New York; Harmon Science Center in Tulsa; Children’s Science Museum in Cape Co ral, Florida; Dakota Science Center in Grand Forks, South Dakota (which was forced to sell its building for financial reasons, but is con-
27 tinuing its educ ational pr ogramming on an outreach basis); and COSI Toledo in Toledo, Ohio (which still has its closed building, but only offers limited educational programs). Despite these c losings, n ew hands-on science centers continue to appear. More than a dozen general science centers have open ed since 2000, from the community-focused ScienceWorks in Ashland, Oregon, in 2002 and the Science Z one in Casper , Wy oming, in 2005, to the regional Tellus: Northwest Georgia Science Museum in Car tersville and the large Connecticut Science Center in Har tford in 2009. Among the new children’s and specialized science centers ar e the W estern Colorado Math and Science Center in Grand Junction, 2000; K leist Hea lth Educ ation Center in F ort Myers, F lorida, 200 1; Clark Planetarium in S alt Lake Cit y, 2003; Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, 2005; and 335,000square-foot Rose Center for Earth and Space, part of the Amer ican Museum of N atural History in New York City, 2000. The Science S tation in Cedar R apids, Iowa, is oper ating only on a l imited basis at an interim site in a shopping center bec ause its main loc ation was bad ly damaged in a 2008 flood. O ther science centers a lso hav e suffered fr om nat ural disasters but have r ecovered nicel y, inc luding the Ca lifornia Academy of Sciences, whose facil ities wer e largely destroyed in the 1906 S an Francisco earthquake and then relocated to the Golden Gate Park in 1916; Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center , which was flooded and its building , exhibits, and collections wer e lost in the 1999 Hurr icane Floyd in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and later bec ame par t of a n ew ar ts center ; and Audubon Aquarium of the Amer icas, which lost most of its 10,000 fish and suffered other damage in the 2005 Hurr icane K atrina in New Orleans, but managed to r eopen a year later. At least nin e hands-on science centers are under development. In addit ion to making plans for a new facility, the organizers are trying to raise the necessary funds—the most difficult aspect of star ting o r oper ating any science center o r m useum. The Disco very
Introduction Center for Science and Technology, which is being planned for Thousand Oaks, Ca lifornia, has been operat ing as a “ museum without wa lls” with an outr each progr am since 1996 while seeking to fi nd sufficient support for a building, while the founders of the SciTech Discovery Center in Plano, Texas, have been presenting preview exhibit ions as the y raise funds fo r the opening of the m useum building. In Colorado, the planning committee for the Colo rado S prings Science Center has been wo rking fo r a number of y ears in the hope that a 60,000-square-foot center can be opened by 20 15. The Invent ion F actory, which is being de veloped in a 100-year-old machine shop of a histo ric wir e wo rks in Trenton, New Jersey, has a building, but still is wo rking to r enovate it. Organizing and funding efforts a lso ar e under way fo r such other plann ed inst itutions as the W orld of Wonders Science Museum in L odi, California; Northwest Arkansas Museum in F ayetteville; SciencePort, Northern Virginia’s Science Center in Woodbridge; and Ag Science Center in Modesto, California. It has become much more costly to start or operate a hands-on general or specialized science center, although it still is possible to establish a sma ll-scale science center o n a limited budget with a few staff members and the assistance of volunteers—especia lly after a successful co mmunity fund-r aising dr ive. Most large institutions, however, require millions of dollars in contributions from individuals and companies and/or grants from foundations and government agencies. It was only through large donations or fund-raising campaigns that so me institutions were founded, such as the Geo rgia Aquarium (made possible by a $250 mill ion gift from Bernie Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot); Monterey Bay A quarium (star ted with $50 mill ion in funding from Dav id Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard); and Connecticut Science Center (resulting from a $ 150 mill ion c ampaign). The Miami Science Center is de veloping a $275 million new building in the revitalized cit y center in F lorida, and a nationwide fund-raising effort is under way to
Introduction
28
In addition to numerous hands-on exhibits, the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix has live demonstrations (such as this fier y combustion demonstration), m useum and outr each programs, traveling exhibitions, and pr esentations in a planetar ium and IMA X theater. T he science center beg an as a small storefront museum in a parking garage in l984 and built a comprehensive $52.6-million center in 1996. Courtesy of the Arizona Science Center.
raise $250 mill ion fo r a proposed N ational Health Museum in Atlanta. Science centers a lso have been founded at much lesser cost. F or example, the F landrau Science Center and P lanetarium at the University of Ar izona in T ucson began in 1972 with a $1 million bequest and now is expanding into a larger Univ ersity of Ar izona Science Center . O thers have r anged fro m $3.6 million to build the East Kentucky Science Center in Prestonsburg in 2000 and $5.5 million fo r the Coc a-Cola S pace Science Center in Columbus, Geo rgia, in 1996 to $52.6 million for the Ar izona Science Center in P hoenix in 1996 and $62 mill ion fo r the Exploration Place in Wichita. The squ are footage of science centers also var ies gr eatly. The Science Disco very Center of On eonta in On eonta, N ew York, and the Terre Haute Childr en’s Museum in Indiana, hav e 3,000 squ are f eet, while the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has 656,650 square feet and the Science Mu-
seum of Minn esota in S t. Paul has 740,000 square f eet of indoo r and outdoo r space. Among the largest specia lized science centers ar e t wo nat ural histo ry m useums—the American Museum of N atural Histo ry in New York Cit y with 1.6 mill ion square feet and the N ational Museum of N atural History in W ashington with 1.5 mill ion square feet. Large facilities also are located at such specialized aviation and space centers as the National Air and S pace Museum in W ashington, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, and Space Center Houston in Texas. The annu al attendance at science centers ranges from 1,200 at the S outh Dakota Science Museum in P ierre and 5,700 at the Science Discovery Center at On eonta, New York, to 1.8 million at the Museum of Science in Boston; over 1.4 million at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago; 1.3 million at the California Science Center in Los Angeles; and over 1 million at the Pacific Science
29 Center in Seattle, Liberty Science Center in Jersey Cit y, N ew Jerse y, S t. L ouis Science Center and F ranklin Inst itute in P hiladelphia. Some specialized science centers attract even more visitors, such as the National Museum of N atural Histo ry, Washington, 5.5 million; N ational Air and S pace Museum, Washington, over 5 mil lion; American Museum of N atural History, New York Cit y, 4 million; Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, 2.6 million; Jo hn G. S hedd Aquarium, Chic ago, 2 million; and Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, California, over 1.8 million. Hands-on science centers have succeeded largely for two reasons—they fulfill a community n eed fo r info rmal basic o r supplemental science education and because participating in inter active exhibits and pro-
Introduction grams is an enjoyable experience. The public learns while having fun in a friendly environment. This bodes well for the future of society and the science centers. Because of their popular ity and ef fectiveness, the number of hands-on science centers is a lmost cer tain to incr ease and mo re museums are likely to adopt interactive techniques. The majo r obstac les are the state of the economy and the ability to raise the necessary funds to establish and/or operate such institutions. B ut e ven such fi nancial obstacles could be overcome because of the growing impo rtance of science educ ation in a world of global warming, energy needs, food shortages, space explo ration, and other scientific and technological issues.
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Science Centers (General) With Hands-On Exhibits and P rograms
Early Science Centers CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER
ogy, and math instruction, and a Science Center Sc hool, a n eighborhood sc hool within the Los A ngeles Unifi ed School Distr ict that is partnered with the California Science Center. A “Worlds Beyond” exhibit is plann ed as par t of the third phase. The “ World of Ecolog y” focuses o n the Earth’s ecosystems, while the “Creative World” explores invent ions and env ironments cr eated to meet the n eeds fo r communication, tr ansportation, and str uctures and the “ World of Life” examines how people, plants, animals, and the sma llest l iving cel ls a ll per form the same life processes to sur vive. The Air and S pace Gallery has a mixt ure of histo ric air craft and spacecraft and interactive exhibits. The science and technology center also has two galleries for changing exhibitions; two discovery rooms that offer hands-on science exhibits for children under 8 y ears of age; and a Science Court, where visitors can see science demonstrations and special exhibits, as well as take part in three participatory attractions—ride a high wire bicycle, experience a multi-sensory motion-based simulator, and make an ecology cliff climb. The science center a lso has an educ ation program with youth, sc hool, group, famil y, and prof essional development programs; laboratory experiments; and o nline and outr each offerings. Another attraction is an IMAX theater that presents science films on a seven-story screen.
The California Science Center in Exposition Park in Los Angeles is located at a site that has had several lives. It is wher e the State Exposition Building opened in 1912 to display agriculturally based display s of the state ’s nat ural resources and industr ial products. In l95 1, the exposition building was r enamed the Ca lifornia Museum of Science and Industry as the mission was c hanged to sho w the role of science and technolog y in e veryday l ife. The latest change began in 1987 when a co mprehensive long-range planning ef fort was init iated to transform the popular museum into a state-ofthe-art science educ ation facil ity design ed to respond to the n eeds of diverse co mmunities. As part of the modified direction, the museum’s name was c hanged to the Ca lifornia Science Center in 1993. It now has an estimated 1.3 million visitors a year. The science and technolog y center is expanding its offerings as it progresses through a three-phase master plan. In the first phase (1988– 98), the center’s main building—the Howard F. Ahmanson Building—was constructed, but kept the historical façade of the original State Exposition Building. Two permanent exhibits with over 100 hands-on act ivities—“World of Lif e” and “Cr eative World”—became the main exhibit components of the first phase. The Ca lifornia Science Center is in the midst of the second phase. It has renovated the Air and Space Gallery, added a 170,000-squarefoot “ World of Ecolog y” exhibit, built a parking garage with surrounding gardens, and opened t wo major educational facil ities in the historic Armory Building—the Amgen Center for Science L earning, an educ ational r esource center fo r st udents, teachers, and scient ists which offers professional development opportunities, training, and tools fo r science, technol-
California Science Center, 700 Exposition Park Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90037. Phones: 213/744-7400 and 323/724-3623. Fax: 213/744-2034. Web site: www. californiasciencecenter.org. Hours: 10 –5 daily; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: free.
CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER
The Carnegie Science Center is one of four museums that comprise the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. The other three are the Carnegie
31
Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and Andy Warhol Museum. The science and technolog y center e volved from the Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, an ear ly science center founded in the Oakland n eighborhood in 1939. In the 1980s, the name of the facility was changed to the Buhl Science Center. It became the Carnegie Science Center in 1987 when it merged with the Carnegie Institute. The science and technology center was expanded and moved to a new building along the banks of the Ohio Riv er in 1991. Its annual attendance now is about 500,000. The Carnegie Science Center began largely as a plan etarium with a f ew hands-on science exhibits that was a gif t from the Buhl Foundation in memory of its founder, Henry Buhl Jr., a prominent depar tment sto re o wner. Among its attr actions wer e plan etarium sho ws, a rooftop siderostat telescope that auto matically followed a star o r planet across the sky, a Foucault pendulum that demo nstrated the Ear th’s rotation, and so me of the init ial push-button exhibits that provided audio explanations of displays. P lanetarium and lasers sho ws no w ar e presented at the science center in the Buhl Digital Do me and sky v iews ar e of fered at the Henry Buhl Jr. Observatory. The science and technology center has four floors of exhibits, as wel l as the histo ric USS Reguin submarine from World War II that c an be toured outside along the Ohio River. Among the center’s hands-on exhibits are “Exploration Station,” where visitors can launch air rockets, construct working electrical circuits, control the flow of a r iver, and touc h sma ll anima ls; “roboworld,” with over 30 hands-on stations relating to robots; “S portWorks,” containing interactive exhibits on the physics of sports, sports lifestyle, and sports challenge; and “SciQuest,” where v isitors c an do suc h things as make an earthquake-proof building , spin a hurr icane, and step inside a wind tunnel. Among the other exhibits ar e the lo ngstanding “Miniature Railroad and Village,” with realistic animated western Pennsylvania scenes; “Seascape,” featuring five interconnected tanks with over 400 species of plants and anima ls in a l iving co ral r eef ecosy stem; and “ Building Green,” where visitors can see and feel environmentally desirable materials used in constructing “green” structures. The center a lso has suc h l ive demonstration ar eas as “ Works Theater ,” with science
32
(General)—Early
This high wir e bicycle ride is one of the exper iences at the Califor nia Science Center in L os Angeles. The center traces its origin to ag riculturally based displa ys of the state ’s natural resources and indust rial products at the S tate Exposition Building in 1912. It bec ame the hands-on Califor nia Museum of Science and Industry in 1951 and then the California Science Center in 1993. Courtesy of the California Science Center.
demonstrations in an industrial setting; “Kitchen Theater,” demonstrating the science and cooking of food in a1950s atmosphere; and “Science Stage,” where science demo nstrations are presented for school and other groups. Among the other educ ationally oriented act ivities ar e science workshops, camps, sleepovers, and a pr eschool program. Carnegie Science Center , 1 Allegheny A ve., P ittsburgh, PA 15212. P hone: 4 12/237-3400. Fax: 4 12/ 237-3375. Web site: www.carnegiesciencecenter.org. Hours: 10 –5 S un.-Fri., 10 –7 S at.; c losed Thanksgiving, Chr istmas, and so me P ittsburgh S teelers home game days. Admission: adults, $14; seniors and children 3–12, $10; children under 3, free.
CENTER OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, Columbus, OH. See COSI Columbus.
(General)—Early
COSI COLUMBUS
33
In 1957, S anford (S andy) Ha llock, a Columbus, Ohio , adver tising account execut ive, visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and came home determined to develop a contemporary m useum of science and technology in his hometown. He then convinced the Franklin Count y Histo rical S ociety and the Franklin Count y Commissioners to bac k the idea and make available the downtown Memorial Ha ll. Ha llock was named execut ive director and with the help of local community leaders l ike Hershel S tephen and W alter Engl ish, the histo ric building was co nverted into a hands-on science museum. It opened in 1964 as the Center of Science and Industry. That still is its name, but the science and technology center now goes by COSI Columbus. Much has happen ed at C OSI since Ha llock’s days. The interactive center proved to be very popular and kept expanding unt il it outgrew its o riginal home. Af ter 35 years at Memorial Ha ll, it mo ved to a n ew 320,000square-foot downtown building designed by internationally prominent architect Arata Isozaki at the site of the old Centr al High School and now ser ves 536,000 v isitors annu ally with a greater variety of exhibits and programs. In the 1990s, COSI also agreed to under take the development and operation of a similar new center in T oledo (c alled C OSI Toledo), but the arrangement was ter minated in 2006 and the center closed for financial reasons in 2007 (see separate listing). The Columbus science center has themed hands-on exhibits de voted to such subjects as space, ocean, life, and progress. In the galleries, visitors enter a world of rockets and rovers; explore the power and mystery of the sea with the aid of a miniat ure submersed submar ine; learn about the many aspects of our bodies, mind, and spirit; and travel through t ime to see ho w an early Midwestern to wn is changed by technological advances that af fect people ’s behav ior. Among the other exhibits ar e a collect ion of everyday gadgets that the v isiting publ ic c an operate, a laboratory in the sun with larger than life act ivities, a digita l media center with the latest in digita l technology and v isitor interaction, and a hands-on science exhibit for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. COSI also has daily and seasonal live shows and demonstrations dealing with such topics as electrostatic gen erators, per ils of deep sea ex-
Franklin ploration, effects of weather , opt ical il lusions, differences bet ween c hemical and ph ysical changes, science of fireworks, internal combustion engine, liquid nitrogen, and holiday lighting. Among the other educational offerings are camps, c amp-ins, and o vernight pr ograms; after-school, c lassroom, and o nline act ivities; early c hildhood, famil y, ho meschool, scout workshop, mentoring, and professional development programs; and “COSI on Wheels” school and other outreach programs. The John Glenn Extreme Scr een Mo vie Theater a lso pr esents films on science and nat ure on a scr een that is 83 feet wide and seven stories tall. COSI Columbus, 333 W. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. P hones: 6 14/228-2674 and 888/8 19-2674. Fax: 614/829-3226. Web site: www.cosi.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.-Sat., 12–6 Sun; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Independence Day and day befo re, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas Eve and Da y. A dmission: adults, $12.50; seniors, $10.50; children 2–12, $7.50; military, teachers, and children under 2, free.
THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE
The Franklin Institute, formerly known at the F ranklin Inst itute Science Museum and now c alled the F ranklin Inst itute o r simpl y “The Franklin,” was o ne of the fi rst hands-on contemporary science and technology museums, opening in Philadelphia in 1934. The Franklin Institute act ually was founded in 1824 by Samuel Vaughn Merrick and W ill H. Keat ing as the Franklin Institute of the S tate of Pennsylvania fo r the P romotion of the Mec hanic Arts, but it basic ally was a tr aining school for the mechanical arts until becoming a museum. With funds fro m the P oor Richard Club, Benjamin Franklin Memorial, Inc., City Board of T rust, and the F ranklin Inst itute, the Franklin Institute Science Museum and Planetarium (as it o riginally was c alled) moved into its present building as a science and technology museum and memorial to Benjamin Franklin in 1934. O ver the y ears, it has expanded, mo ved into new fi elds, and placed mo re emp hasis on hands-on exhibits and programs as the attendance has grown to 850,000 visitors annually. The F ranklin Inst itute no w co nsists of three centers of act ivity—a science and technology center with numerous science and technology exhibits and progr ams; the F ranklin Center, consisting of the Benjamin F ranklin National Memorial, awards program, and journal; and the Center fo r Innovation in Science Learning, devoted to progr am development in
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Visitors can test their react ion time in racing cars—and even compete ag ainst a fr iend in an adjoining racer—at the Franklin Institute in P hiladelphia. T he museum, which opened in 1934, contains contemporary and historic exhibits, many of which are interactive. Courtesy of the Franklin Institute.
K-12 education and grant-funded research. The annual attendance is 1 million. Among the many exhibits at the F ranklin Institute are a new interactive bioscience gallery featuring a giant pulsing wa lk-through hear t; “Amazing Machine,” where everyday machines are shown in “exploded” views and three kinetic mechanical ar t insta llations and l ittle-seen pieces from the m useum’s col lections ar e displayed; “ Franklin. He ’s Electr ic,” a hands-o n exhibit that explo res Franklin’s scient ific and technical genius; “The Franklin Air Show,” featuring the restored 1911 Wright Model B Flyer and 20 inter active de vices in thr ee sim ulated aviation env ironments—an air craft hanger , a midway, and a pilot tr aining area; “ The Train Factory,” where visitors are invited to help with a massiv e Ba ldwin 60000 loco motive exper imental test r un; “S ports Cha llenge,” a spo rts arena with hands-on activities showing the role of physics, physiology, and mater ial science in sports; “Space Command,” with space artifacts and where visitors can track their houses in real time v ia satel lite; “Science P ark,” an outdoo r exhibit space with an Apollo lunar module and such learning activities as mini-periscopes, sundials, sand pendulums, and t unnels; and “KidScience,” wher e c hildren ages 5 –8 c an lear n about the foundat ions of science per taining to light, water, earth, and air in hands-on exhibits.
The m useum a lso has the F els P lanetarium, Joel N. Bloo m O bservatory, Tuttleman IMAX Dome Theater , digita l 3D F ranklin Theater, traveling exhibitions, and such educational act ivities as l ive demonstrations, school programs, c amp-in sleepo vers, summer c amp program, and outreach activities. The Franklin Center, which is responsible for the 20-foot-tall Benjamin Franklin National Monument at the museum, celebrates the pursuit of excellence in science and tec hnology by recognizing outstanding achievement in a program of inter nationally r ecognized awards. It also publishes The Journal of the Franklin Institute, founded in 1833, and has a histo rical collection and extensive library. The Center for Innovation in Science Learning operates a Science Leadership Academy and Teacher Professional Development P rogram with the P hiladelphia School District, offers a science enrichment and career development program for students in the Philadelphia ar ea, and wo rks with the Gir l Scouts of the USA to pro vide gir ls and their families with oppo rtunities to lear n about science together. The Franklin Inst itute, 222 N. 20th S t., P hiladelphia, PA 19103-1194. Phones: 215/448-1200 and 215 /448-1208. Fax: 215/448-1081. E-mail: kcorbin@fi.edu. Web site: www .fi.edu. Hours: 9:30 –5 dail y; c losed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Eve
(General)—Early and Day. Admission: adults, $14.75; seniors, military, and st udents, $ 13.75; childr en 4 –11, $ 12; childr en under 4, free.
LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE
The Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of Ca lifornia at Berkele y has hands-o n exhibits and programs, serves as a resource center fo r pr eschool through high sc hool science and mathematics education, and is a major developer of innovative educational materials and programs. It was established in 1968 in honor of Professor Ernest O. Lawrence, the university’s first Nobel laureate, inventor of the c yclotron, and founder and director of the univ ersity-operated Radiation Laboratory. The Lawrence Hall of Science, which has an annual attendance of over 220,000, has such exhibits as “nanoZone,” one of the first exhibits to explore cutting-edge nanotechnology; “Math Rules!” and “Math Around the World,” two exhibits f eaturing mathemat ical games, puzzles, and activities; “Forces that S hape the Bay,” an outdoor exhibit park with sma ll-scale exper iences of geological forces that shape and reshape landmasses l ike those in the Bay Ar ea; “ The Idea Lab,” an exhibit/activity station with facilitators and changing science activities; and “Animal Discovery Room,” where visitors can touch and find out more about small animals. Among the other exhibits ar e “KidsLab,” a m ulti-sensory science play ar ea fo r young c hildren; an earthquake exhibit with a live seismic recorder; an insect z oo; a grav ity wa ll; and exhibit devoted to the life and work of Nobelist Ernest O. Lawrence. Lawrence Hall of Science also is a dynamic center for teacher, education, research, and curriculum development in science and math education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. The emphasis is o n act ivity-based, inquir y-driven learning. The center ’s school programs on site and through outreach programs provide classes, workshops, assembl ies, and fest ivals to mo re than 350,000 st udents annu ally, and o ver 22,000 teachers participate in L awrence’s professional development programs each year. Instrumental mater ials de veloped at the center now are used in all 50 states, including over 20 percent of the elementar y schools. They a lso have been tr anslated into 27 langu ages for use in this country and other nations. Lawrence Hall of Science, Lawrence Hall of Science #5200, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-
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Museum 5200 P hone: 5 10/642-5132. Fax: 5 10/642-1055. Email:
[email protected]. Web site: www.lhs.berkeley.edu. Hours: 10 –5 daily; closed Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $11; seniors, students, and disabled, 7- 18, $9; children 3–6, $6; and children under 3, free.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE
Boston’s Museum of Science , one of the nation’s leading science centers, evolved from a natural history background. It all began in 1830 when six men inter ested in nat ural science formed the Boston Society of Natural History, devoted to col lecting and st udying their nat ural history specimens. The society displayed the collections in numerous tempo rary loc ations until 1864 when it open ed the N ew England Museum of Natural History in the cit y’s Back Bay area. It operated under that name at that location until after World War II when the society under the leadership of dir ector Br adford Washburn changed the name to Bosto n Museum of Science (Boston later was dropped from its name), n egotiated with the Metropol itan District Commission to move the museum to a temporary building on public land at its present site along the Charles River, launched a traveling planetarium to pro mote the m useum, and built the East W ing of its pr esent building in 1951 to become among the first museums to embrace all the sciences under one roof. During the next two decades, the museum greatly expanded its facil ities and exhibits. It added the Charles Hayden Planetarium in 1958, built the W est W ing in the ear ly 1970s, and opened the El ihu Thomson Theater of Electricity feat uring the MI T-donated V an de Graaff electrostat ic gen erator in 1980. S ince then, the m useum has built the Muger Omni Theater and the Red W ing housing the Roger L. N ichols Ga llery for temporary exhibit ions, and de veloped inno vative and interact ive exhibits and programs as the physical and life sciences have overtaken the natural history offerings. In 1999, it expanded its computer holdings and exhibits when the Co mputer Museum closed in Boston and some of its historic collection was mo ved to the m useum. Today, mo re than 1.8 mil lion people co me eac h y ear to see the more than 400 hands-on exhibits and programs at the science and technology center. The m useum has hands-o n exhibits o n such subjects as co mputers, medic al imaging , wind turbines, biotechnology, astronomy, earth, weather, engineering, lighthouse, communica-
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tions, model making , maps, human body and reproduction, and scientific investigation. In the exhibits, visitors can do such things as co mmunicate with artificial intelligence in “Cahners ComputerPlace”; make their own maps in “Mapping the World Around Us”; explore gene and protein science in “ Frontiers of Biotec hnology”; examine the processes ben eath the Earth’s crust in “ Earth: Inside O ut”; and use equipment and mater ials to conduct experiments in “Investigate.” The m useum a lso has nat ural history exhibits—some of which ar e interactive—on such subjects as birds, Teachers are shown engaged in a DNA experiment as part of butterflies, bees, anima ls, dinosaurs, an educational program at the Museum of Science in Boston. fossils, rocks, nat ural habitats, nat u- The science center beg an as a nat ural histor y museum in ral my steries, and a r e-created safar i 1864 and bec ame a hands-on center af ter World War II. It trophy room. The m useum has 120 now features exhibits and prog rams in the phy sical and life live animals of 50 species, as well as a sciences as well as natural history. Courtesy of the Museum of garden of animal sculptures. In addi- Science, Boston. tion, it contains a “Discovery Center” Exposition in Chicago. Rosenwald got the idea exhibit that enables childr en up to 8 years of from a 1911 family visit to the German Museum age to engage in hands-on activities designed to for Masterworks of Natural Science and Engiencourage discovery through play. neering (known as the Deutsches Museum), the The Museum of Science a lso has sky and world’s first interactive science and tec hnology laser shows in the Charles Hayden Planetarium, museum in Munich, Germany. Friday night stargazing in the Gilliland ObserThe Deutsches Museum was the fi rst scivatory, science and nature films in the five-story ence and tec hnology m useum to use wo rking Mugar Omni Theater , and 3D digita l theater sectioned models, live demonstrations, and vispresentations. Among the many educational acitor participation devices. Rosenwald saw how tivities are daily live demonstrations, overnight much his 8-year-old son and other v isitors enprograms, lectures, outreach science programs, joyed the museum’s interactive exhibits and proteacher resource and professional development grams and decided to develop a similar museum programs, and podcasts, videocasts, and virtual in the United States. His efforts were delayed by exhibits. World War I, but af ter the war he co nvinced Museum of Science , 1 Science Park, Boston, MA Chicago’s influential Commercial Club to en02114-1099. P hones: 6 17/589-0100 and 6 17/5890222. Faxes: 617/742-2246 and 617/589-0454. Web dorse the project and the Chicago Park District site: www.mos.org. Hours: Jul y 5-L abor Day—9 –7 to make available and rehabilitate the crumbling Sat.-Thurs., 9 –9 Fri.; remainder of y ear—9–5 Sat.Palace of F ine Ar ts building fro m the 1893 Thurs., 9 –9 S at.; c losed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istWorld’s Columbian Exposition. mas. A dmission: adults, $20; senio rs, $ 18; c hildren Rosenwald pledged $3 million to the proj3–11, $17; children under 3, free. ect, and eventually more than doubled his conMUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND tribution. The museum trustees sought to honor Rosenwald by naming the m useum fo r him INDUSTRY (Chicago) (Rosenwald Industrial Museum), but he was a The Museum of Science and Industr y in modest person who did want the r ecognition Chicago is America’s oldest and largest operatand felt the public would support the institution ing hands-on contemporary science and techbetter if not named fo r a wea lthy co rporate nology center and m useum. It was founded in figure. The m useum g ot its pr esent gen eric 1926 by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, chairman of S ears, Roebuck & Co ., and open ed in name only after he threatened to withdraw his 1933 to coincide with the Cent ury of Progress support.
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Museum
When the Museum of Science and IndusRevealed,” a r eal-time v iew of plan et Ear th; try opened in the summer of 1933, it was o nly “Farm Tech,” featuring a modern-day farm with partially finished. But it already had its core inthe latest innovations; “Genetics and the Baby gredients—interactive exhibits, live demonstraChick Hatc hery,” showing the co mplex intertions, and a collection of scientific and technoplay between genes and environmental cues that logical advances and ar tifacts. The exhibits produce new life; “Petroleum Planet,” a look at included push-button devices, such as exhibits petroleum and its impact, and “ Henry Crown to il lustrate ho w l ighting is produced, ho w Space Center,” with the Apollo 8 spacecraft and sound travels, how music is made, and how moexhibits on the space program and the site of the mentum is sustained; machines and demonstraOmnimax dome theater with science , nat ure, tions that il lustrated other pr inciples of the and other showings. physical sciences; and a simulated working unIn addit ion, the m useum has exhibits o n derground coa l min e mann ed by r etired coa l such subjects as tr ansportation, naval technolminers who took visitors down a mining elevaogy, ship models, a 3,500-foot miniat ure rail tor shaft and on a guided railcar tour of the coal track with 30 operat ing trains, a huge pinba ll mine with demonstrations. machine, a whisper ing ga llery, and “ The Idea Today, the m useum, which has been exFactory,” offering scientific exploration for chilpanded, occupies 656,655 square feet and has an dren up to 10 y ears of age. T wo old-t ime faannual attendance of over 1.4 million. The muvorites are “ Yesterday’s Main S treet,” a r eplica seum st ill has the popular coa l min e exhibit of a 1911 Chicago str eet scen e with a silent (which has been updated se veral t imes), but movie theater and ice cr eam par lor, and nearly all the early exhibits, demonstrations, and “Colleen Moo re’s Fairy Castle ,” an elabo rate artifacts have been replaced with the latest physminiature house cr eated by silent fi lm star ical and l ife scient ific and tec hnological adColleen Moore in the 1930s. vances. It has become a leading hands-on conThe Museum of Science and Industr y, temporary science and technology center, but it which has 35,000 artifacts in its collections, also also has exhibits of some exceptional historical is known for exhibits of suc h historical objects objects. as the U-505 submarine, a captured World War The museum’s 14 acres of exhibits include II Ger man submar ine that c an be tour ed; the such interactive exhibits as “Imaging: The Tools of Science ,” showing how computer-based imaging technolog y is used in medicine, science, and technology; “NetWorld,” enabling visitors to get inside the Internet and interact with the technology that connects the world; “You! The Experience,” which houses the giant 13-foot hear t and where v isitors c an c heck their pulse , see themsel ves age, r un in a humansized “ hamster wheel ,” and diagnose medical conditions with a human patient sim ulator; “Science S torms,” which simulates a tornado, lightning, tsunami, and other fo rces of nat ure; “ToyMaker 3000: A n A dventure in Automation,” whic h explo res the world of auto mated manufact uring This young g irl is eng aged in a science demonst ration at “LabFest,” a Museum of Science and Indust ry science carwith 12 robots assembl ing to ys; and nival held as par t of a cit y-wide, year-long prog ram in “Fast Forward: Inventing the Future,” Chicago desig ned to raise awar eness of the impor tance of immersing v isitors in a wo rld of to- science. Opened in 1933, the 656,655-square-foot museum morrow’s in ventions and toda y’s v i- has 14 acres if exhibits, as well as extensive live demonstrasionaries. tions, educ ation prog rams, and special e vents. Courtesy of Other exhibits inc lude “ Earth the Museum of Science and Indust ry.
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Pioneer Z ephyr, the 1934 streamlined train that took passengers between Denver and Chic ago; and var ious tr ansportation artifacts, including the Empire State Express locomotive, fi rst mac hine to br eak the 100 mph barr ier in 1893; Spirit of America, Craig Breedlove’s race car that drove more than 530 miles per hour in 1966; the go ndola that was pulled by a hydrogen-filled balloon that Dr. A uguste P iccard used in tr ying to break the world altitude record in 1933 and later set a mark of 6 1,237 feet; and such historic aircraft as a 1917 Curtis JN4D, 1928 Boeing 40B mail transpo rt plane, 1930 Texaco T raveler Model R Racer, 1940 Supermarine Mar k 1A Spitfire, and 1941 Junkers Ju-87K2 Tropical Stutk a, The m useum a lso has a United Airlines Boeing 727 airliner that can be toured and a r eplica of the 1903 Wright Flyer byplane that was the first to achieve powered flight during the centennial of the W right Brothers’ fi rst flight. Among the many educ ational activities at the m useum are live demonstrations, science and 3D theater shows, laboratory exper iences, af ter-school clubs, youth development programs, and teacher workshops. Museum of Science and Industr y, 57th S t. and L ake S hore D r., Chic ago, IL 60637 . Phone: 773/684- 1414. Fax: 773/694-7 141. Web site: www.msichicago.org. Hours: 9:30– 4 Mon.–Sat., 11–4 S un.; c losed Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $15; seniors, $14; children 3–11, $10; c hildren under 3, fr ee; Chic ago residents—adults, $13; seniors, $12; children 3–11, $9; children under 3, free.
The New York Hall of Science , located in the renovated science building from the 1964 New York World’s Fair, has more than 400 interactive exhibits and an outdoor “Rocket Park” f eaturing the or iginal Atlas and Titan II booster rockets. It also has a miniature golf course in the park, where visitors c an e xplore g ravitational assist in spaceflight. In this p hotograph, a player m ust steer the ball around a sim ulated Mars and toward Jupiter . Courtesy of the New York Hall of Science.
NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE
Over the years, the museum became an expanded science center as space, exhibits, and educational program wer e added with N ew York City cult ural funds and indiv idual, co rporate, and foundation contributions. The Hall of Science no w has an annu al attendance of o ver 400,000 and more than 400 interactive exhibits. Among the exhibits are “Connections: The Nature of Networks,” which encourages visitors to explore the science of n etworks suc h as the World W ide Web and spider webs; “ Hidden Kingdoms: The World of Micr obes,” focusing on microorganisms and ho w they affect health
The New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York, was established in 1964 as part of the New York World’s Fair in F lushing MeadowsCorona Park. Unlike most other attractions that were closed after the fair, the Hall of Science remained open with its focus o n science fi ction. However, it c losed in 1979 fo r majo r r enovations and redirection. When it reopened in 1984 under the direction of physicist Alan Friedman, it was a co ntemporary science and tec hnology museum with hands-on exhibits and other improvements.
(General)—Early and the env ironment; “ Marvelous MoleculesThe Secret of Life,” which examines the shared chemistry of all living things; “Mathematica: A World of N umbers,” the fi rst interactive math exhibit that encourages visitors to explore topology, sy mmetry, and geo metry; “ Realm of the Atom,” featuring the first 3D dynamic model of an atom magnifi ed one bill ion t imes; “S eeing the Light,” devoted to color, light, and perception; “The Search for Life Beyond the Ear th,” which compares the env ironments on Ear th, Mars, and Europa and demo nstrates some of the o rganisms that l ive in extr eme env ironments; and “The Sports Challenge,” where visitors can test their sporting skills while learning about the science behind sports. The Ha ll of Science a lso has a “ Rocket Park,” a 5,000-square-foot outdoor exhibit that features two refurbished icons of the U.S. space program—the original Atlas booster rocket with a replica of the Friendship 7 Mercury space capsule that v isitors can climb into, and an o riginal Titan II booster rocket with a r eplica twoman Gemini capsule (the fi rst Mercury capsule ever made and flo wn a lso is o n display inside the museum); “Science Playground,” a 60,000square-foot outdoor exhibit with dozens of playground elements that il lustrate scient ific principles of mot ion, ba lance, sound, sight, and simple machin es, as well as sun , wind, and water; and “ Pfizer F oundation Bioc hemistry Discovery L ab,” the nat ion’s fi rst hands-o n workshop exhibit fo r explo ring the molecular basis of biology. Among the many educational activities are the Science Car eer L adder, wher e 200 high school and college students serve as exhibit floor “Explainers” and r elated progr am assistants in preparation fo r teac hing and science c areers; after-school and weekend science c lubs; pr eschool progr ams; science wo rkshops; famil y programs; outr each sc hool programs; teac her development inst itutes and a mater ial/equipment center; and such publ ic programs as lectures, fi lms, performances, and off-site science field trips. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Queens, NY 11368. Phone: 718/699-0005. Fax: 718/699-1341. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .nyscience.org. Hours: A pr.–June—9:30 –2 Mo n.– Thurs., 9:30 –5 Fri.; 10 –6 S at.–Sun.; Jul y–Aug.— 9:30 –5 Mo n.–Fri., 10 –6 S at.–Sun.; S ept.–Mar.— 9:30 –2 Tues.–Thurs., 9:30 –5 Fri., 10 –6 S at.–Sun.; closed Mon., Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. A dmission: adults, $ 11; senio rs and c hildren
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Oregon 2–17, $8; c hildren under 2, fr ee; free admission 2 –5 Fri. and 10 –11 Sun. in Sept.–June.
OREGON MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in P ortland has fi ve exhibit ha lls, eight science laboratories, hundreds of interactive exhibits, l ive demonstrations, numerous educ ational programs, one of the largest outreach programs in the nation, and such other attractions as an Omnimax Dome Theater, the Northwest’s largest planetarium, and the USS Blueback submarine. The 2 19,000-square-foot m useum, whic h has an annual on-site attendance of 950,000 and serves an addit ional 200,000 with its outr each programs, had its beginning in 1944 with the founding of the Or egon Museum Foundation. The foundation was formed to establish a museum of histo ry, science , and industr y. It fi rst displayed a collection of natural history objects in a Portland hotel, and then open ed the Oregon Museum of Science and Industr y (whic h became known as OMSI) in a donated house in northwest Portland in 1949. Oregon’s first public planetarium was added within a year. By 1955, the attendance had gr own to 25,000 and there was need for expansion. A site was obtain ed in W ashington Park and volunteers built the museum’s new home, which was designed for 100,000 visitors. When the attendance r eached 600,000 in the mid– 1980s, the museum moved to its current site—the donated former power plant of P ortland General Electric along the east bank of the Willamette River in Portland. The building was r enovated and the Omnimax theater and digita l planetarium were added af ter a majo r fund-raising c ampaign. They were followed by further expansion and impro vements, and the 1994 pur chase of the decommissioned USS Blueback, the last fastattack diesel-po wered submar ine built by the Navy (which now is available fo r guided tours and summer camps). The museum’s five major exhibit ha lls include “Turbine Hall” (named for the large steam turbine that do minates the floo r), which features hands-o n exhibits about engin eering, physics, chemistry and space tr avel; “Life Sciences Hall,” with exhibits about biology, human fetuses, aging , and a var iety of l ive anima ls; “Earth Science Hall,” containing interactive geology-oriented exhibits; “ Featured Exhibit
Pacific Hall,” used for temporary exhibitions produced by OMSI and traveling exhibitions; and “Early Childhood Educ ation Ha ll,” a science pla yground and discovery laboratory offering interactive science lear ning through play fo r young children. Science and technology laboratories relating to innovation, chemistry, physics, technology, laser/holograph y, l ife science , watershed, and pa leontology are par t of the exhibit ha lls. Visitors c an exper ience the excitement of invention as the y explore different tec hnologies; learn about various chemical interactions at six stations in a wet labo ratory; take part in a Van de Graaff static electricity generator demonstration, invest igate properties of lasers and l ight, dissect specimens, construct an erosion cycle out of a “river on a table ,” uncover new fossils and remnants of the past, and explore ice cube painting. The extensive education program includes a Boys and Girls Science Club, Science Pub sessions with leading r esearchers and scient ists,
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(General)—Early residential science camps and adventures, campins, nanotec hnology progr ams, teac her wo rkshops, Science Educ ation Resour ce Center , school and fair outreach activities, STARS program to br ing science educ ation act ivities to rural communities, Expedition Northwest distance lear ning progr am, and O utdoor Science School with hands-on investigations in biology, ecology, geology, and other fields. Oregon Museum of Science and Industr y, 1945 S.E. Water A ve., P ortland, OR 872 14-3354. P hone: 503/797-4000. Fax: 503/797-4566. E-mail:
[email protected]. W eb site: www .omsi.edu. Hours: mid–June-Labor Day—9:30 –7 dail y; r emainder of year—9:30 –5:30 T ues.-Sun.; c losed Mo n., Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $11; seniors and children 3–13, $9; children under 3, free.
PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER
The Pacific Science Center , whic h occupies fi ve buildings around a pool of water and serves over 1 million visitors annually near the Space N eedle and mo norail in S eattle, resulted from the Cent ury 2 1 Exposition, better kno wn as the 1962 S eattle World’s F air. The fair o riginally was planned to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the 1909 A laska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, but it soo n was replaced by the themes of space, science, and the future. The Pacific Science Center buildings and many of its ear ly exhibits were part of the United States Science Pavilion at the world’s fair. But over the next half cent ury, the fair exhibits wer e r eplaced largel y with hands-o n exhibits, large-screen theaters, and programs of science and technology. The fi ve co nnected buildings, which f eature beaut iful ar ches, contain such exhibits as “ Dinosaurs: A Journ ey Through T ime,” feat uring se ven mo ving and roar ing robot ic dinosaurs in a lifelike env ironment; “ Adventures in The “ Ball Room” in the “ Innovation S tation” e xhibit is 3Dimensions,” which explo res how the one of the many hands-on exhibits at the Oregon Museum eyes and brain work together in a threeof Science and Indust ry in P ortland. It shows way s to dimensional wo rld and examin es the move balls around a room by changing the path and experimenting with air pressure.. T he m useum, whic h first technology used to cr eate 3D il lusions, opened with a display of natural history objects in a Port- “Body W orks,” co ntaining co mputer games, reaction time testing, and energy land hotel in 1949, no w occupies a reno vated and expanded 219,000-square–foot building that formerly was measurement in seeing ho w the body works; “Science Playground,” where visa power plant. Courtesy of the O regon Museum of Science and Industry. itors can find out how an electric motor
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(General)—Extensive
Ag
works, learn about the operat ion of a gyroscope, test the speed of a baseball, and other qu estions; “Tropical B utterfly House ,” with hundreds of butterfl ies amo ng flowering tropic al plants; “ Insect Village,” housing giant robotic insects, interactive exhibits, and live animal displays; and Puget Sound Model and S altwater Tide Pool,” where visitors can explore the tides and curr ents of the r egion’s large and ecologically diverse estuary. The science center a lso has technology, anima l, and outdoo r exhibits, as well as an exhibit fo r This combustion demonstration at the P acific Science Center young childr en. The technolog y in Seattle shows how liquid nitrogen can make tennis balls shatexhibits co ntain co mputers, r o- ter or cause a real explosion. The science center, which occupies bots, v irtual r eality, and other five connected buildings around a pool of water , resulted from hands-on activities; the animal ex- the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Courtesy of the Pacific Science Cenhibits feat ure display s with r ep- ter. tiles, amp hibians, and mamma ls; ter, a biologically diverse 320-acre wetland naand the outdoor exhibits make it possible to spin ture park in nearby Bellevue. The science cena 2-ton granite ball with bare hands, wa lk in a ter offers science-based education programs regiant water wheel , and r ide a high r ail bicycle lated to the nat ural world—many of which are 15 feet above ground. In the “ Kids Works” exinteractive. Other educational offerings by the hibit, children can see themselves as a guest mePacific Science Center inc lude science c lasses, teorologist on television, freeze their shadow on field trips, camps, workshops, teacher programs, the wall, and experiment with water at a stream and a “Science o n W heels” school and group table. outreach program. The Pacific Science Center has thr ee theaters—two IMAX theaters (the smaller Eames Pacific Science Center , 200 2nd A ve., N., S eattle, IMAX Theater shows science and nature films WA 9 8109. P hone: 206/443-200 1. F ax: 206/443and larger Boeing I MAX Theater with a six3631. Web site: www.pacsci.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.Fri., 10–6 Sat.–Sun.; closed Mon., Thanksgiving, and story screen and 80 foot width offers 3D films) Christmas. A dmission: adults, $ 11; senio rs, $9.50; and the S eattle L aser Do me, f eaturing roc k children 6 –12, $8; c hildren 3 –5, $6; c hildren under music laser l ight sho ws. The W illard S mith 3, fr ee. Mer cer S lough Env ironmental Educ ation Planetarium a lso offers astronomy sho ws and Center, 1625 118th Ave., S.E., Bellevue, WA 98005. views of the night sky. Phone: 425/452-2565. Web site: www.ci.bellevue.wa. The Pacific Science Center and the city of us/mseec.htm. Hours: grounds—sunrise–sunset daily; Bellevue col laborate o n the oper ation of the visitor center— 10 –4 dail y; c losed f ederal hol idays. Admission: free. Mercer Slough Environmental Education Cen-
Extensive Science Centers AG SCIENCE CENTER
A 65,000-squ are-foot inter active science and technology center devoted to agriculture is being plann ed in Modesto , Ca lifornia. The nonprofit center, whic h wil l be loc ated on the campus of the Modesto Junio r Col lege, wil l focus on the nature, science, and careers of agriculture. It will have over 30 interactive exhibits and t wo learning laboratories that wil l explore
such fields as food and agricultural production, technology, and conservation. The “green” museum facility also will have an introductory theater, meet ing ha ll, educ ational facil ities, m useum store, and deli. A $30 million fund-raising campaign is now under way Ag Science Center , PO Bo x 4937, Modesto , C A 95352. P hone: 209/52 1-2902. W eb site: www .ag sciencecenter.org. Hours and admissions: undecided.
Ann
ANN ARBOR HANDS-ON MUSEUM
The Ann Ar bor Hands-On Museum got its start in 1978 when Cynthia Yao and a group of volunteers got approval from the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and began to co nvert an old brick firehouse into an inter active museum for children of a ll ages. The m useum open ed in 1982 with 25 exhibits o n t wo floors, one staff person, and 10 volunteers, and ser ved 25,000 visitors during the first year. The popularity of the m useum r esulted in gr eater fi nancial support; mo re exhibits, staf f, and volunteers; expansion to t wo more floors in the fo rmer fi rehouse and the pur chase of se veral adjoining buildings; and e ventual de velopment into a 40,000-square-feet complex with more than 250 interactive exhibits and an annual attendance of over 200,000. The science center’s has nine galleries with hands-on exhibits o n such subjects as ph ysics, geology, hea lth, mathemat ics, m usic, and nature. A mong the exhibits ar e “ How Things Work,” with explanat ions ranging from generating to rnadoes to pumping water with an Archimedes screw; “All About You,” devoted to the human body and measuring physical fitness; “Light and Opt ics,” wher e v isitors exper ience the characteristics of l ight and opt ics by playing a str ingless laser har p and c atching their shadows on the wall; “Legacy Gallery,” featuring experiments with simple machines and seeing ho w traffic l ights, the Intern et, and other things work; “MediaWorks,” which explains the science of tele vision, telecommunications, and the concepts behind cutt ing edge technolog y; “World Around You,” where visitors can encase themselves in a giant bubble, climb a rock wall, and interact with a walk-on piano and magnets; “Michigan’s Nature,” with native plants, flowers, and animals, containing a soundscape, interactive nature wall, Michigan lake fish, and geology samples; and “ Lyons’ Countr y S tore Exhibit,” whic h takes v isitors bac k to l ife in the 1920s. The center also has a “ Preschool Exhibit” for children under 5 years of age and fi rst floor concourse exhibits on whisper dishes, tornadoes, building, and water table. The educ ation program inc ludes “ScienceW orks” labo ratories, classes, camp-ins, and field trips. Ann Ar bor Hands-On Museum, 220 E. Ann S t., Ann Ar bor, MI 48 104. P hone: 734/995-5439. Fax: 734/995-1188. E-mail: info@aaho m.org. Web site: www.aahom.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.;
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(General)—Extensive closed New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, L abor Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: persons over 1, $8; children under 2, free.
ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER
The Ar izona Science Center in P hoenix has more than 300 hands-on exhibits, extensive educational progr amming, an I MAX largescreen theater, a multi-media planetarium, and an annual attendance of around 700,000. Originally named the Ar izona Museum of Science and Technology, it was co nceived in 1980 as a pilot science center by the Junio r L eague in Phoenix, incorporated in 1982, and open ed in 1984 as a sma ll sto refront exhibit ion space in the parking gar age of the do wntown Hyatt Phoenix Hotel. It was an instant hit, attracting 87,000 visitors in the first year. In the years that followed, it grew rapidly. The popular ity of the init ial 10,000square-foot science and technolog y facil ity resulted in a $33 mill ion cit y bond issu e and $19.6-million fund-raising effort. A new 120,000square-foot science center open ed in 1997 and 22,500 squ are feet wer e added in 2004. The Arizona Science Center no w is invol ved in a $25.2 million “Future of Education in Science” capital and endowment program to revitalize its exhibits and gallery experiences and strengthen its financial sustainability. The center has five galleries with hands-on exhibits on four floors. Among the exhibits are “All About You,” learning about the physiology of moving, the mechanisms of healing, patterns of lear ning and r emembering, and n ew biotechnologies; “Get Charged Up!” demo nstrating ph ysical phenomena by engaging in suc h activities as lying on a bed of nails, riding to the top in a pul ley c hair, using a giant le ver in a two-sided tug-of-war, and experiencing the invisible fo rces of electro magnetism; and “ My Digital World,” learning about digital communications by creating, playing, and experimenting with digital sound, imager y, networks, and augmented reality. The science center also has live demonstrations, museum and outreach programs, seasonal camps, travel ing exhibit ions, and science pr esentations in the five-story-screen IMAX Theater and renovated Dorrance Planetarium. Arizona Science Center , 600 E. W ashington S t., Phoenix, AZ 85004. P hone: 602/7 16-2000. F ax: 602/716-2099. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.azscience.org. Hours: 10 –5 dail y; c losed
(General)—Extensive
43
Castle
Thanksgiving and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $9; seniors, students, and children over 2, $7.
AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, Austin, TX. See Natural History Science Centers section.
BLUEDORN SCIENCE IMAGINARIUM
The Car l A. and P eggy J . Bluedorn Science Imaginarium is an interactive science center that is part of the Grout Museum District in Waterloo, Iowa. The mu- This little girl is interacting with the “Bernoulli Blower” exhibit at the Ar izona Science Center in P hoenix. The seum distr ict a lso inc ludes the Grout Museum of History and Science, Sullivan hydrodynamic exhibit demonstrates “Bernoulli’s PrinBrothers Iowa Veterans Museum, and two ciple,” which shows how the pressure in a stream of fluid is reduced as the speed of the flow is increased. It is part historic houses—Rensselaer Russell House of the “Get C harged Up!” exhibit on p hysical phenomMuseum and S nowden House. The disena. The center has five galleries with hands-on exhibits trict resulted from financier and legislator on four floors. Courtesy of the Arizona Science Center. Henry W . Grout ’s cur iosity about the world. The museum complex began with CASTLE SCIENCE AND Grout’s initial historical museum in 1934. TECHNOLOGY CENTER The science center, which opened in 1993 The Castle Science and Technology Cenin r esponse to incr eased publ ic inter est in the ter and the Castle Challenger Learning Center Grout Museum of Histo ry and Science ’s sciof the S an Joaquin Valley (see separ ate l isting ence programs, features hands-on exhibits that in Aviation/ Space Science Centers section) are demonstrate how science af fects e veryday l ife. complimentary participatory science centers opThe Imaginarium is built on the belief that scierated by the Castle Challenger Learning Cenence can be fun and exciting. It provides opporter Foundation near the entrance to the former tunities for the publ ic to learn and experiment Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, California. with l ight, sound, mo mentum, and other sciA v isit to the youth-o riented Castle Scientific and technologic al ar eas. Hands-on exence and T echnology Center usu ally begins hibits enable v isitors to r ide a g yroscope, diswith a “Sc avenger Hunt ”—available at thr ee cover angular mo mentum while spinning o n a grade le vels (gr ades 1–3, 4 –5, and 6 –8). The turntable platform, cr eate a laser sho w with a students then v iew and inter act with the var ilaser spirograph, make air bubbles guide through ous exhibits. The hunt so metimes is combined different liquids at var ious speeds, and shoot a with a “Chem Mystery,” where students become ring of air across a roo m with an air c annon. science detect ives as they step inside a cr ime The science center also has live demonstrations scene. S tudents tr y to deduce who co mmitted on such topics as co mbustion, kitchen science, the crime by v isiting the site of the cr ime, lissuper cold, amphibians and reptiles, and creepies tening to the various suspects, and using forenand crawlies, and offers outreach programs. sic techniques in the crime laboratory to deterBluedorn Science Imaginarium, Grout Museum Dismine the guilt y party. trict, 322 Washington St., Waterloo, IA 50701-1405. The science center ’s exhibits ar e de voted Phone: 3 19/233-8708. Web site: www .groutmuselargely to the pr inciples and appl ications of umdistrrict.org. Hours: 9 –5 T ues.–Sat.; c losed Sun.–Mon. and majo r hol idays. A dmission: adults, chemistry, ph ysics, astronomy, and other sci$9.50; children under 13, $7. ences. Among the inter active exhibits ar e the transfer of en ergy into l ight, heat, wind, and BOONSHOFT MUSEUM OF DISCOVmotion; the use of nanotechnology in medicine, ERY, Dayton, OH. See Natural History Scisolid state materials, and electronics; latest developments in astro nomy and the space pr oence Centers section.
Catawba
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(General)—Extensive
gram; the effects of smog ; and such other participatory exhibits as the ec ho t ube, fi ber optics, Bernoul li ba ll, opt ical il lusions, and shadow wall. Other exhibits include the history of life on Earth, food pyramid, aviation history, and human body.
the ocean , and the human body . The educ ational program inc ludes science programs fo r preschoolers, school groups, ho me school st udents, and famil ies; c amp-ins fo r scouts, churches, and other y outh groups; and wo rkshops for teachers and adults.
Castle Science and Technology Center, 3460 Cha llenger Way, At water, CA 9520 1. P hone: 209/7260296. Web site: www.challengersjv.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.-Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed major holidays. Admission: adults, $6; senio rs and st udents, $5; c hildren 3–6, $3; children under 3, free.
Catawba Science Center, 243 3rd A ve., N.E, Hickory, NC 28603 (mailing address: PO Box 2431, Hickory, NC 28603). E-mail: msinclair@catawbascience. org. Web site: www.catawbascience.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Fri.; 10 –4 S at., 1–4 S un.; c losed Mo n. and major hol idays. A dmission: adults, $5; senio rs and children 3–18, $3; children under 3, free.
CATAWBA SCIENCE CENTER
The Catawba Science Center in Hic kory, North Carolina, explores the natural and physical sciences and features saltwater and freshwater aquaria where visitors can touch live sharks, stingrays, and coasta l anima ls of the sea. The center, which is housed in the Arts and Sciences Center of Catawba V alley with the Hic kory Museum of Ar t and W estern P iedmont S ymphony, was founded in 1975 and ser ves nearly 100,000 visitors annually. Among the many hands-o n exhibits and activities ar e “ Energy A venue,” wher e v isitors can lift themselves with a pulley system and create and launc h roc kets; “ Earthwatch Center ,” where it possible to mo nitor curr ent weather conditions and exper ience the tr embling of an earthquake; “Science Courtyard,” with a climbing wall, Piedmont tree house, and sound experiments; “ Explore It!” co ntaining a l ight and color table, kid-sized generator, and other opportunities to exper iment; “RaceWays,” where the pr inciples of mot ion c an be explo red with balls and various types of tracks; “VR Xtreme,” a v irtual r eality theater wher e v isitors c an be part of a water c ycle, make m usic, and slam dunk on the basket ball cour t; and “ Inventor’s Workshop,” wher e it is possible to build a rocket, exper iment with cir cuits, and cr eate other things. In addit ion to the sa ltwater and freshwater aqu aria feat uring sharks, st ingrays, and r iver and lake fish, a “ Naturalist Center ” enables v isitors to touch such mar ine anima ls as ho rseshoe cr abs, whelks, starfish, and sea urchins and to see reptiles, amphibians, insects, and arachnids. The science center’s new Millholland Planetarium makes use of the latest full-dome digital technology to show images of the Sun, Mars, Saturn, and be yond to the n earest ga laxies, as well as pr ograms on volc anoes, the depths of
CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CEN-
TER , Oakland, CA. S ee Astronomy Science Centers section.
COLORADO SPRINGS SCIENCE CENTER
A 60,000-squ are-foot science center is being plann ed fo r in o r n ear do wntown Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a projected opening by 20 15. It wil l be c alled the Colo rado Springs Science Center. Plans call for “handson experimental science and tec hnology learning exhibits and mind-st imulating act ivities within a state-of-the-ar t showcase facil ity.” It also is envisioned as “a forum for the exchange of ideas, a v enue fo r debates, ta lks, and programs” through whic h science and tec hnology issues can be discussed and better understood. The project is being spearheaded by a planning committee of six local scientists, educators, and other community leaders. Colorado S prings Science Center , PO Bo x 60038, Colorado Springs, CO 80960. Phone: 719/623-9391. E-mail: info@csscp .org. Web site: www .csscp.org. Hours and admission: to be determined.
COLUMBIA RIVER EXHIBITION OF HISTORY, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY
The Columbia Riv er Exhibit ion of History, Science , and T echnology in Ric hmond, Washington, evolved from the Hanford Science Center in 1995. The Hanfo rd Science Center , opened in 1962, was de voted to the histo ry of the Manhattan P roject, the Cold W ar plutonium production years, and the env ironmental clean up of the Hanford nuclear plant that followed the end of the Cold W ar. The successor museum tells the story of the Columbia Basin
(General)—Extensive from prehistoric times through the nuclear age. The change in the institution’s name and focus came about af ter the U.S. Department of Energy decided to pr ivatize the Hanfo rd Science Center in 1995. The Hanford Science Center, originally located in the former Richland Community Center, relocated to the F ederal Building in 1973. In 1997, the renamed center was designated the official repository of the Hanfo rd Site Collections and mo ved to its curr ent loc ation. W ith the help of the community, the center expanded its mission from guardianship of the history of the Hanford Site to include the history and future of science and technology in the Columbia Basin. The Columbia Riv er Exhibit ion of History, Science, and Technology now has approximately 6,000 items in the Hanford Site Collections—mainly tools and equipment r elating to the nuclear plant’s social history, photographs, and ar chival r ecords from 1942 to 1990—and about 3,000 other histo rical, geologic al, and other materials from the mid–Columbia region. The exhibits describe the history and culture of the Columbia Basin, the Hanford story, and the history and geology of the Columbia River. Among the exhibits ar e “Hanford Site,” a history of the secret project to create a new element to help win World War II told thorough exhibits, hands-on exper iences, and operat ing tools used in the pr oduction of pluto nium; “Boomers on Wheels,” an outdoor exhibit featuring an original 1940s trailer from the North Richmond construction c amp; “ABC Homes: the Houses that Hanfo rd B uilt,” co ntaining plans and photographs of Richmond’s so-called “Alphabet Houses” constructed during and after World W ar II to house Hanfo rd wo rkers; “Lewis and Clar k: Scient ists in B uckskin,” which tells the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition leaders and the science behind their explorations 200 y ears ago; “S igns of the Times,” displaying examples of the several hundred historical signs found in a pit at the Hanford site in 1991; “Geologic al Histo ry of the Northwest,” an expanded m ural of P acific Northwest geolog y and a hands-o n exhibit showing where and how the region’s rocks were formed; and “ Fish S pecies of the Columbia River,” wher e v isitors c an examin e detailed models of the many species of fish found in the Columbia Riv er. The m useum a lso pr esents traveling and special exhibitions.
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Connecticut Visitors to the museum can view more than 100 videos dealing with the history of Hanford Site, geolog y of the Columbia Basin , N ative Americans who lived in the area, and topics related to the environment, science, and technology. The m useum a lso offers wa lking tours of the A lphabet homes neighborhood, Columbia River kayak tours, and l iving histo ry tours of the Resthaven Pioneer Cemeter y in Ric hland. Other educational activities range from classes, workshops, and laboratory demonstrations to an interactive theater and “ Traveling Museum ” outreach program. The museum’s annual attendance is 13,000. Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science, and Technology, 95 L ee Blvd., PO Box 1890, Richland, WA 99352. P hones: 509/943-9000 and 877/7899935. Fax: 509/943-1770. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .rehst.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 2–5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. A dmission: adults, $4; senio rs and st udents 7–17, $3; children under 7, free.
CONNECTICUT SCIENCE CENTER
The Connecticut Science Center in Hartford is one of the newest hands-on science centers, opening in 2009. It is housed in a striking new building by ar chitect Cesar Pelli & Associates along the Connecticut River following a successful $150 million campaign. The 140,000square-foot building is part of the 30-acre Adriaen’s Landing development and the downtown Harford Renaissance. The science center o riginally was named the Co nnecticut Center fo r Science and Exploration. The Co nnecticut Science Center has 40,000 square feet of exhibit space that can accommodate o ver 200 exhibits in 10 ga lleries. The center has four main par ticipatory exhibit areas—“Forces in Motion,” “Planet Earth,” “Exploring S pace,” and “S mart En ergy.” The physics of mot ion is explored through exhibits on robot ics, magn etic le vitation, hel icopters, and high speed c ameras. Forces shaping our planet, suc h as weather , globa l war ming, and the inn er wo rld, ar e the focus of the “ Planet Earth” galleries. The “Exploring Space” section has a moo n project ion globe and exhibits o n Mars, the Milky W ay, and m ulti-wavelength views of the distant stars. “Smart Energy” is devoted to alternative energy sources, greater energy efficiency, and global energy trends. Among the other hands-o n exhibit ga lleries ar e “ The P icture of Hea lth,” using n ew technologies to examin e the human body and
COSI making choices; “Sight and Sound Experience,” with oppo rtunities fo r indiv iduals to expr ess themselves artistically through the use of sensors, theatrical lighting, tactile stimulation devices, and other innovations; “A River of Life,” which uses interactive exhibits and wet labs to explore the Co nnecticut River ecosy stem; “Sports Lab,” where visitors can play their way through exhibits dea ling spo rts injur ies and medicine, ba ll aerody namics, and skateboar ding; and “Invention Dimension,” containing an array of puzzles of var ying degrees that seek to create connections bet ween cr eative problem solving, illusions, and the work of real inventors. The science center a lso has a “ Kidspace” participatory gallery for children under 8 years of age where the basics of science ar e explored through cr eative play and exper imentation; “Live Gallery Science,” which features science activities, demo nstrations, group c hallenges, and o ne-on-one invest igations; “3D Science Theater,” which f eatures science and nat ure motion pict ures and has the c apacity to sho w live pict ures of space vo yages and other n ewsmaking events as they occur; and “Science Discovery Center ,” with facil ities and programs that support suc h specia l offerings as distance learning, telepresence, remote observation, wet
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(General)—Extensive labs, and digita l product ion. In addit ion, the center has c lassroom and laboratory programs, summer c amps, and prof essional de velopment workshops for science teachers. Connecticut Science Center , 250 Columbus Bl vd., Hartford, CT 06103. Phone: 860/724-3623 and 860/ 727-0457. Fax: 860/727-0850. E-mail: csween ey@ ctsciencecenter.org. Web site: www .ctsciencecenter. org. Hours: July–Aug.—10 –5 Mon.–Sun.; remainder of year—10 –5 Tues.–Sun.; c losed Mon. Admission: adults, $16; seniors, $14.50; children 3–17, $ 13; children under 3, free.
COSI TOLEDO
In the 1990s, the cit y of T oledo, Ohio , sought to revitalize its downtown with the establishment of a riverside science and technology center. After a fund-raising campaign produced $9 .5 mill ion and the state of Ohio provided $10 million, COSI Columbus was approached about de veloping a similar hands-o n science institution in Toledo. In the process, the facility was transferred to COSI Columbus and given the name of COSI Toledo. The new center open ed in 1997 and ser ved an aver age of 280,000 v isitors a year befo re c losing in 2007 because of financial reasons. Two attempts wer e made to pass loc al levies to suppo rt the science and tec hnology center, but they were defeated. The center still is closed to the publ ic, but its programming is not dead. Some of the COSI Toledo staff members and supporters of fer educ ational programs and demo nstrations, supported by grants and contributions, as par t of a “Science Cafe ” program. In addit ion to ser ving childr en and famil ies with hands-on science education programming, the center has such special offerings as science programs for young women, interactive distance learning , A mother and t wo children are shown building a L ego car in a t ravelteacher professional develing exhibition at the new Connecticut Science Center, which opened in downtown Hartford in 2009 after a $150-million fund-raising campaign. opment pr ograms, and a The science center has four main par ticipatory exhibit areas, covering “Workshops o n W heels” such fields as motion, space, energy, and the Earth. Courtesy of the Con- outreach program. Among necticut Science Center. the r ecent de velopments
(General)—Extensive has been the addit ion of an Extr eme Science Theater wher e demo nstrations and fi lms ar e presented. COSI Toledo, 1 Discovery Way, Toledo, OH 43604. Phone: 419/244-2674. Fax: 419/255-2674. Web site: www.cositoledo.org. Hours and f ees var y with programs.
CRANBROOK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
Cranbrook Institute of Science was opened as a nat ural histo ry m useum in Bloo mfield Hills, Michigan, in 1930 by Detroit philanthropists George and Ellen Scripps Booth as part of an art, education, and science community complex the y star ted in 1904. It later bec ame a hands-on science center , and no w is par t of a cultural complex that6 consists of a contemporary Ar t Museum, gradu ate A cademy of Ar t, independent college preparatory schools, a historic house, and gardens. The campus community was designated a national historic landmark in 1989. Cranbrook Inst itute of Science st ill is largely concerned with the natural sciences. Its initial de velopment began in 1927 when a 6inch equatorial refractor telescope was installed at the Cr anbrook Sc hool for bo ys. It was followed in 1929 by natural history displays being displayed in what was c alled the Museum Building (now the A cademy of Ar t’s administration building). The telescope was mo ved to the Observatory in the new Institute of Science building in 1930, but was not unt il 1936 that the first exhibits opened in the building . Then came the planetarium in 1955, nature center in 1968, building addition with all new exhibits in 1999, and a n ew west entr ance and parking garage in 2006. It was dur ing the latter y ears that the nat ural histo ry m useum bec ame a hands-on science center with the addit ion of science and technology exhibits and programs. Among the interact ive exhibits ar e “ The Motion Ga llery,” with hands-o n p hysics exhibits and demonstrations on concepts of matter in mot ion; “ Water Is Like N othing Else ,” where visitors can see the power of water on the bed of an ancient sea, make a sto rm, and fi nd out how much water is in the human body; “Ice Ages Come and Go,” with interact ive exhibits and visual diagrams that help visitors to explore the issues of seasons, heat distribution, and how heat travels across the globe; “ Blues Life Lab,” which features learning stations with hands-on
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Dakota experiments that produce unpredictable results; “Acheson Light Lab,” a light-oriented space designed to encourage creativity; and “Astronomy Lobby,” a self-updating exhibit from the Space Telescope Science Institute. Among the nat ural histo ry exhibits ar e “Life Changes Over Time,” features a full-sized skeleton cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex and examines nat ural select ion and e volution; “ Mastodons Did N ot S urvive,” loo ks at ext inction through the example of the mastodo n; “ Flint Anthropology Gallery,” which highlights more than 100 Native American objects from the museum’s collections; “Peoples of the Woodlands: Objects of Gr eat Lakes Native America,” featuring objects from the cultures of Great Lakes native peoples; “ Woodlands Den,” with dioramas of Mic higan plant associat ions; “ Reading Objects,” sho wing ho w objects ar e decoded based on culture, previous experience, and prior knowledge; “Mineral Study Gallery,” a display of min erals fro m the m useum’s col lection of 11,000 specimens; and “ Every Roc k Has a Story,” explaining how the constantly changing ground pr oduces r esults ranging fro m ear thquakes and volcanoes to granite and diamonds. The science center’s planetarium features a Digistar 3 SP2 projecto r that a llows star fi elds and other images to be sho wn and mo ved in three dimensions. Among the many educational activities offered by Cranbrook Institute of Science are classes, family workshops, after-school programs, lectures, summer camps, Scout programs, pre-school programs, distance learning, home school programs, outreach watershed education initiative, and teacher training. The science inst itute’s annu al attendance is ar ound 37,000. Cranbrook Inst itute of Science , 3922 1 Woodward Ave., PO Box 801, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0801. Phone: 248/645-3209. Fax: 248/645-3050. Web site: www.science.cranbrook.edu. Hours: 10 –5 S at.– Thurs., 10 –10 Fri.; closed New Year’s Eve and Day, Easter, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $9; seniors and children 2–12, $7; children under 2, free.
DAKOTA SCIENCE CENTER
The Dakota Science Center in Grand Forks, N orth Dakota, was founded in 1993, opened in 1998, and was forced to close and sell its building fo r fi nancial r easons in 2004. Its hands-on exhibits and other materials have been placed in storage, but it co ntinues to offer sci-
Danville ence educ ation programming o n an outr each basis. In 2003, the science center partnered with the Grand Forks Horticultural Society to building the B utterfly Garden and O utdoor Classroom, which later was moved to the Schroeder Middle School, where it still operates. The science center now provides hands-on science programming at community events and hosts t wo annual e vents—“Super Science S aturday,” which features hands-on activities for children from preschool to grade 8 during National Environmental Educ ation W eek in A pril, and “Water Festival,” held in May to help four th graders understand the importance of water resources in the r egion. The center a lso wo rks with university and publ ic school educators to develop out-of-school science lear ning experiences for youth and workshops for teachers. Dakota Science Center, PO Box 5023, Grand Forks, ND 58206). P hone: 70 1/795-8500. Fax: 70 1/7758484. E-mail: lm
[email protected]. W eb site: www.dakota-science.org. It does not have a museum building, but offers science progr amming at var ious times.
DANVILLE SCIENCE CENTER
The Danville Science Center in Dan ville, Virginia, is a division of the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond. Founded in 1995, it located in the 1899 Southern Railway passenger station in the historic tobacco warehouse district of a co mplex kno wn as “ The Crossing of the Dan.” The science center is primarily a natural history museum, but also has exhibits and programs in the physical sciences and other fields. The annual attendance is about 20,000. Among the exhibits ar e “ Time of Y our Life,” where visitors explore the triggers of biological t iming and use inter active stat ions to test their understanding of things that make nature “tick”; “Estelle M. Womack Natural History Collection,” featuring a collection of fauna and flora of the Dan River region with plant and animal specimens, paintings, and photographs, and “Critter Corner,” where visitors can tr y to identify a live animal on display by touching the fur; “ Hunters and the Hunted,” an exhibit of mounted pr edators and pr ey suc h as a t iger, polar bear, and numerous grazing wild animals from thr ee continents; “ Fossils and Min erals and More—Oh My!” where visitors dig to find rocks, minerals, fossils, and shells of a ll kinds; “Butterfly Station and Garden ,” a seasonal ex-
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(General)—Extensive hibit of butterflies; and “Sproutsville,” a smallscale town with science and other hands-on activities for young c hildren. These exhibits ar e supplemented by changing tempo rary exhibitions on such subjects as transportation, science, tools, space, and sports. The science center also has a resource center and such educational activities as children’s science pr ograms, summer da y c amps, and teacher workshops. Danville Science Center, 677 Craghead St., Danville, VA 24541. Phone: 434/791-5160. Fax: 434/791-5168. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .dsc.smv. org. Hours: 9:30–5 Tues.–Sat.. 1–5 Sun.; closed major holidays. A dmission: adults, $6; senio rs, mil itary, children 4 –12, $5; children under 4, free.
DA VINCI SCIENCE CENTER
The Da V inci Science Center in A llentown, P ennsylvania, began as the Disco very Center of Science and T echnology, a par t of Lehigh University, in 1995. It init ially offered hands-on science act ivities in leased space in Bethlehem, and then opened a science center in a former steel plant building in 1996. In 1998, the Discovery Center spun off from Lehigh and reached an agreement to construct a new facility on the c ampus of Cedar Cr est Col lege in Allentown in 2002. The following year the Discovery Center merged with Leonardo da Vince’s Horse Inc., a no nprofit whic h had built a 24foot bronze horse based on Da Vinci’s drawings in 1999 and was working to develop young people’s curiosity, imagination, and creativity. The merged organization, now the Da Vinci Science Center, moved into its new 29,000-square-foot building in 2005. The wide-ranging exhibits at the Da Vinci Science Center co ver such subjects as the history and wo rkings of plan et Ear th, l iving o rganisms, nature of matter and nanotechnology, harnessing and using en ergy, moto r vehic le safety and emergenc y hea lth c are, fo rces and machines that make work easier (featuring a robotic dinosaur), electro nic images fro m space , bugs fr om fi ve co ntinents, and science fo r preschoolers. Among the var ied hands-on exhibit units ar e an ocean touch tank , a “ safety car” that tests driver skills and distractions, applying forces to make tasks easier, riding a lifesized g yroscope to sim ulate l ife in space , and activating a m usical sound and mo nitor image when passing a camera with sensors. The science center ’s educational offerings
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(General)—Extensive range fro m c amp-ins and summer and hol iday c amps to wo rkshops and outr each school progr ams. It a lso has teacher professional development pr ograms—one of which is the Da V inci Teacher L eader Inst itute, a three-year professional development program for teachers of grades K-6. A nother center progr am is the Science Hall of F ame, which annually honors outstanding st udents, teachers, mentors, scientists, corporate leaders, and companies. The annu al attendance is nearly 80,000.
Detroit
A demonstrator explains the concepts of iner tia, fr iction, centr ifugal force, and angular moment um on round objects at the Det roit Science Center. The center, which opened in 1978, was closed in 1999 for a $30-million renovation and expansion and reopened in 2001 as “The N ew Detr oit Science Center ” with 110,000 squar e feet, six exhibit galleries, and a science demonstration theater, digital planetarium, and updated IMAX domed theater. Courtesy of the Det roit Science Center.
Da V inci Science Center , 3 145 Hamilton Bl vd. By pass, A llentown, P A 18103. P hone/fax: 484/664-1002. W eb site: www.davinci-center.org. Hours: 9:30 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12 –5 S un.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $9.95; senio rs, mil itary, v eterans, and children 4 –12, $7.95; children under 4, free.
DETROIT SCIENCE CENTER
The Detroit Science Center , loc ated in Detroit’s Cultural Center, has been undergoing major ph ysical expansion and r enovation and science exhibit and educ ation improvements— and no w r efers to itself as “ The N ew Detroit Science Center.” The center was founded in 1970 and open ed in 1978 by busin essman and philanthropist Dexter Ferry. It had a floor of exhibits and programs that encouraged hands-on interaction and the exploration and study of science and technology. It also had one of the early IMAX domed theaters fo r science and nat ure films. But the center c losed in 1991 because of state funding cuts, and was fo rced to r ent out rooms and sell par t of its site. It r eopened in 1992 and struggled until redevelopment studies and plans evolved. In 1998, plans were adopted to more than double the siz e of the science and tec hnology center and make into a more effective and popular science education center. Ground was broken in 1999 for a $30 million project that would increase the center’s size to 110,000 square feet and add fi ve exhibit labo ratories, hall for trav-
eling exhibit ions, digita l plan etarium, science stage, demo nstration theater , and updated “IMAX Dome Theater .” The expanded and renovated facility reopened in 2001 to increased interest and attendance and now serves 250,000 visitors annually. The Detroit Science Center has more than 200 hands-on exhibits in fi ve ha lls c alled “exhibit laboratories.” Four towering rockets with cutaway sect ions dominate the space exhibit, which has hands-o n exhibits that explain ho w rockets work, what makes up roc ket fuel, and enable v isitors to launc h their o wn roc kets. It also is possible to look through three telescopes that point to various astronomical targets in the center. In the life exhibit, visitors can ride a bicycle and propel a wheelchair to demo nstrate the effort required to burn off calories. Other interactive exhibits explain DN A and sho w how the heart works and what c an go w rong. V isitors also can walk through a 12-foot-tall heart. In the manufact uring exhibit, it is possible to see the role of co mputers, protot ypes, simulations, conveyors, robots, and stat istics in co nverting ideas into reality, and to walk across an 80-foot-long pedestr ian br idge modeled af ter the Mackinac Bridge. Live demonstrations are given at four locations. Interact ive science stage sho ws on such
Discovery subjects as the human body , music, and space are given in the “Chr ysler Science Stage”; how electricity and magnetism interact with matter is demonstrated in the “ DTE En ergy S parks Theatre”; and hands-on demonstrations and activities in chemistry, physics, engineering, and technology take place in the “Centennial Lab.” The newest show area is the “Toyota Engineering Theatre,” which is de voted to engin eering and utilizes live actors and the latest audio and video capabilities. The Detroit Science Center a lso has a “Ford Learning Resources Center,” which offers five learning environments, and a “Teacher Resource Center” for camp programs, after-school programs, fi eld trips, overnight camp-ins, and weekend family programs. Detroit Science Center , 5020 John R S t., Detroit, MI 48202. Phone: 313/577-8400. Fax: 313/832-1623. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.sciencedetroit.rg. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –6 S at.– Sun.; c losed New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Da y, L abor Day , Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas Eve and Day . A dmission: adults, $7 .95; seniors and c hildren 2 –12, $6.95; c hildren under 2, free.
DISCOVERY CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
A 58,000-squ are-foot Disco very Center for Science and Technology is being developed for Thousand Oaks, Ca lifornia, that will serve Ventura, Santa Barbara, and West Los Angeles counties. The center, which will be located adjacent to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, has ser ved as a “ museum without wa lls” since 1996 and curr ently oper ates an extensiv e outreach program. Discovery Center wil l hav e hands-on exhibits, an education program, a 270-seat largescreen theater/auditorium, and an outdoor science park. Amo ng the exhibits plann ed ar e “Soup-up Y our Scient ist S kills,” whic h wil l challenge visitors to utilize their cognitive skills needed to wo rk as a scient ist; “How Information Travels,” focusing on modes of information transfer; “ Intersections and Co nnections,” which wil l explo re the intersect ions and co nnections between science and such other disciplines as art, music, literature, and engineering; “How Do We Know Stuff,” dea ling with ho w scientific e vidence is gather ed and e valuated; “Science Cit y,” a disco very ar ea foir todd lers and preschool children; and “Science Park,” fea-
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(General)—Extensive turing exhibits that sometimes are large in scale; use elements suc h as S un, wind, and/or water; or require movement such as c limbing or running. The Discovery Center currently offers such programs as “Molecular Mania,” science learning exper iences fo r midd le and advanced elementary sc hool st udents; “ Discovery Center Teens,” an educ ational ser vice c lub for gr ades 8–12; “RAYS” (Reading Awakens Young Scientists), which connects science and reading to the everyday world; “Family Science Night,” which takes science-r elated act ivities to schools fo r children and parents to enjoy; “Science Speaker Series,” feat uring ta lks by leading science figures; “Science Theatr e,” which br ings the wonders of science to the l ive stage; and the Starlab outreach portable planetarium program. Discovery Center for Science and Technology, 5655 Lindero Cany on Rd., S uite 422, W estlake V illage, CA 9 1362. P hone: 818/879-2021. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.discoverycntr.org. Hours and admission: still to be determined.
DISCOVERY CENTER OF IDAHO
The Discovery Center of Idaho in Boise is an interactive science center providing exhibits and educational programs in science, math, and technology. Founded in 1986, the center has over 200 exhibits and such educ ational act ivities as live demonstrations, science classes, preschool programs, camps focusing on such subjects as c hemistry and robot ics, home st udies, invention competitions, and outreach programs ranging from c lassroom and assembl y science programs and shows to Starlab portable planetarium programs. The annu al attendance is nearly 100,000. The hands-on exhibits enable v isitors to interact with display s on such subjects as high and low pressures, centripetal wheel, Bernoulli blower, bubble wa ll, dune machine, tornadoes, bones, telescopes, mirrors, prisms, and a robotic arm. The center a lso has a science exhibit fo r preschoolers and presents changing hand-on exhibitions such as the r ecent “Make It!” exhibit where v isitors wer e encour aged to engage in such activities as glass blobbing, weaving, electronics, and even bread making. Discovery Center of Idaho, 131 Myrtle St., Boise, ID 83702. Phone: 208/343-9895. Fax: 208/343-0105. Email: discoverycenterofi
[email protected]. Web site: www.scidaho.org. Hours: summer—9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat., 12–5 Sun.; remainder of year—9–5 Tues.– Fri., 10 –5 Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon. , New Year’s
(General)—Extensive Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $6.50; seniors, $5.50; children 3–17, $4; children under 3, free.
THE DISCOVERY MUSEUM
The Disco very Museum in Br idgeport, Connecticut, seeks to educ ate, excite, and engage visitors in the exploration of science, technology, and ideas through interact ive exper iences that fur ther new insights. The m useum began as a children’s museum founded by the Junior L eague in 1952. In 1958, it bec ame the Museum of Art, Science, and Industry, opening in 1962 with a m uch broader scope , inc luding decorative and fi ne ar ts as wel l as the nat ural and physical sciences. When local manufacturing businesses were replaced by high technology industries in the 1970s and 1980s, educators became concerned about science l iteracy and expressed the need for assistance in teac hing the physical sciences. As a result, the mission of the museum was redefined to focus on science and technology. In the process, the facility was renovated, ga llery space was impro ved, and n ew hands-on science and technology exhibits were installed beginning in 1985. This was followed by adding a Challenger Learning Center in 1991 to fur ther space educ ation and the name was changed simply to the Disco very Museum. As a result of these changes, the annual attendance increased from 23,000 to over 100,000. The m useum has hands-o n exhibits that encourage visitors to manipulate mechanical exhibits o n electr icity, electro nics, co mputers, sound, l ight, magn etism, and en ergy. It a lso presents travel ing exhibit ions, such as the r ecent exhibition on the art and technology of animatronics. At the Challenger Learning Center, students serve as mission astronauts, engineers, and scientists in space station and mission control sim ulators. The cr ew uses nav igational skills, builds a probe, and works at life support, robotics, communication, and other stat ions. The museum also has the Henry B. DuPont III Planetarium, wher e sky sho ws and wo rkshops are presented. Among the m useum’s many educ ational activities ar e l ive simple machin e, c hemistry, electricity, space, and other demo nstrations by grade level; science learning laboratories on exploring the ocean, wind power, rocketry, crime scene science, and other subjects by grade level; and outreach school services that include handson labo ratory programs and pr esentations on
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Discovery undersea explorations that feature the museum’s working 8-foot-long submersible. The Discovery Museum, 4450 Park Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06604. Phone: 203/372-3521. Fax: 203/374-1929. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.discoverymuseum.org. Hours: June–Aug.—10 – 5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 S un.; S ept.–June—10 –5 Tues.– Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon., New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day , Independence Day , L abor Day , Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $8.50; senio rs, college st udents, and childr en 5 –17, $7; children under 5, free.
DISCOVERY MUSEUM SCIENCE AND SPACE CENTER, Sacramento, C A. S ee
Sacramento Museum of Histo Space, and Technology.
DISCOVERY PLACE
ry, Science ,
Discovery Place, a science center in Charlotte, North Carolina, evolved from the c hildoriented Charlotte Nature Museum, which now is part of the larger science museum. Discovery Place was founded in do wntown Char lotte in 1981 to provide hands-on education in the physical, natural, and life sciences, while the nature museum has offered nature exhibits, programs, and events since 1951 adjacent to Freedom Park in West Char lotte. In 2009 , Disco very P lace also open ed a seco nd childr en’s satell ite m useum, called Discovery Place Kids, in Huntersville, North Carolina. Discovery Place has three floors of exhibits and attr actions. The y inc lude suc h exhibits as the “Knight Rain Forest,” a three-story rain forest with plants and anima ls from S outh and Central Amer ica; “O ur Liv ing P lant,” with hands-on exhibits about the Earth, weather, and gems; “Once in the Wild,” featuring a collection of mounted animals; “Machine Shop,” containing simple machines explained through handson interaction; an aquarium and t idal pool; an interactive exhibit fo r c hildren under 7; and temporary exhibit ion space fo r specia l expeditions suc h as the r ecent “A Day in P ompeii” show. The science center also has a puppet theater, an “ Einstein’s Corner” for c hemistry and physics demonstrations, an I MAX dome theater showing science and nat ure films, and educational programs ranging fro m c lasses and workshops to c amps and outr each programs. Discovery P lace has an annu al attendance of over 500,000. The Char lotte N ature Museum, which
Discovery serves 68,000 visitors annually, supplements the Discovery Place offerings. It has such exhibits as the “ Beginnings,” wher e the l ife of baby animals c an be explo red; “Childr en’s A ctivity Center,” with a var iety of hands-o n act ivities; “Butterfly Pavilion,” feat uring a profusio n of butterflies; “Creature Cavern,” containing such North Carolina animals as a opossum, barred owl, and snakes; “ Insect A lley,” a roo m fi lled with hands-on insect activities; and “Our Big Backyard,” where children can splash through a stream, dig in the yard, and climb through tunnels. Discovery P lace, 30 1 N. Tryon S t., Char lotte, NC 28202. Phone: 704/372-6261. Fax: 704/337-2670. Email: info@disco veryplace.org. Web site: www .dis coveryplace.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 9 –6 S at., 12–6 Sun.; closed Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $10; seniors and children 2–13, $8; children under 2, free. Charlotte Nature Museum, 1658 Sterling Dr., Charlotte, NC 28200. Phones: 704/372-6261 and 800/9350553. Fax: 704/333-8948. E-mail: info@disco veryplace.org. Web site: www.discoveryplace.org. Hours: 9–5 Tues.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat., 12–5 Sun.; c losed Mon., New Year’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas Eve and Da y. A dmission: adults and children over 1, $5; children under 2, free.
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(General)—Extensive ter in Ocala, Florida, is an indoor/outdoor city museum that seeks to teach young people about the world around them. The center, founded in 1993, is located in the 23-acre Brick City Park and offers hands-on science and nature experiences integrated with r eading, w riting, and math aligned to state standards. The center has such learning experiences as interactive exhibits, invest igation stat ions, nature wa lks, v isits to a roc k qu arry, sc avenger hunts, summer camps, family science programs, special events, and other activities. The exhibits and activities deal with such subjects as astronomy, safet y, space, roc ks, plants, and anima ls. The estimated annual attendance is 25,000. Discovery Science and O utdoor Center , 1211 S.E. 22nd Rd., Oc ala, FL 3447 1. P hone: 362/401-3900. Fax: 352/40 1-3939. E-mail: disco
[email protected]. Web site: www .ocalafl.org. Hours: 9 –4 Tues.–Fri., 10–2 Sat.; closed Sun.–Mon. and major holidays. Admission: $2 per person.
DISCOVERY SCIENCE CENTER
(Fort Collins, Colorado) The Discovery Science Center is a participatory science center in Fort Collins, Colorado, that is merging with the Fort Collins Museum, a local history museum, to produce a n ew sciDISCOVERY SCIENCE ence and cult ural museum—tentatively known as the Fort Collins Museum and Discovery SciAND OUTDOOR CENTER ence Center—to be operated by the city and the The Discovery Science and Outdoor Cennew inst itution. Voters have passed a sales tax incr ease and the city is providing funds for a n ew 38,000 – 41,000-square-foot building to house the combined m useum. The n ew building , which is being built in the cit y’s O ld T own area, is expected to be completed by 2011. Meanwhile, the Discovery Science Center has mo ved into a transit ion site , sharing the histo ric Carnegie Libr ary A young boy is shown working with a train set in “ KidsPlace,” an exhibit w area for children 7 and younger, at the Discovery Place, an outgrowth of the building that no ort Charlotte Nature Museum, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The exhibit area houses the F was built to encourage and stimulate interaction between parents and chil- Collins Museum. It dren while learning science through play. Courtesy of the Discovery Place. continues to of fer
(General)—Extensive hands-on exhibits and activities from its collection of 120 interactive exhibits that co ver such areas as electr icity, l ight and opt ics, ecolog y, human body, en ergy and mot ion, simple machines, structures, and communications. Among the exhibit units are the pulley chair, Bernoulli blower, adjustable le ver, mirro r, wind t unnel, and computer. The center also presents Starlab planetarium shows, science c lasses and laboratories, telescope sky v iewing, and other educational activities. Discovery Science Center , 200 Mathe ws S t., Fort Collins, C O 80525. P hone: 970/472-3990. F ax: 970/472-3997. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. Web site: www.fcmdsc.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon., N ew Year’s Day, Independence Day , Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $7; seniors, $5.50; c hildren 3 –12, $5; c hildren under 3, free.
DISCOVERY SCIENCE CENTER (Santa Ana, California) The Disco very Science Center in S anta Ana, California, is a 59,000-square-foot learning center with appro ximately 120 interact ive exhibits and numerous programs design ed to spark children’s natural curiosity, while assisting teachers and incr easing publ ic understanding and appreciation of science, math, and technology. The idea of a science center began in 1984 when the Exploratory Learning Center and the Experience Center merged to form the Discovery Museum of Or ange Count y with the purpose of teac hing children what l ife was l ike at the t urn of the cent ury in the count y and developing a science center. A site was developed that no w contains t wo histo ric houses, a c arriage bar n, rose garden , r iparian habitat, and more. The board then turned to achieving their second objective in 1989. A funding f easibility indicated strong suppo rt fo r a science center , which open ed in 1998 and no w ser ves o ver 420,000 visitors annually. The science center, located on Main Street and along Interstate 5, occupies a building with a 10-story solar “Cube ” on the roof that produces energy for the center. Among the center’s exhibits are “Dynamic Earth,” where visitors explore way s the Ear th c hanges as the y c limb a mountain, walk through a tornado, and engage in other experiences; “Quake Zone,” devoted to the origin, nature, and effect of earthquakes and their measurement with a seismograph and experience with a shake shac k; “Air and S pace,”
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Discovery which focuses on the physical forces and properties in volved in fl ight and space explo ration and enables v isitors to exper iment with scientific principles; “Discovery Stadium,” which explores the sciences of sports, including sports medicine, human per formance, and hand/eye coordination; “ Perception,” descr ibes how humans gather info rmation through suc h senses as looks, sounds, smells, tastes, and feels, and provides such experiences as l ying on a bed of nails, how to use a bowling ball to launch a tennis ball into the air, and to leave a mark on a pin wall; “ Beckman Gr eat Scient ists Kiosk ,” devoted to the exper iences of scient ists who l ive and work in southern Ca lifornia; and “ Kidstation,” a science exhibit with hands-on activities for children 5 and younger. The science center also has two outside exhibits—“Dino Quest,” where children can walk inside a giant t wo-story-tall Argentinosaurus, manipulate parts of the dinosaur, and learn how body systems work and relate to each other, and “Space Shuttle,” a replica of the front end of the Space Shuttle. In addition, a “Delta III Rocket,” an 85-foot Boeing roc ket, is loc ated along the Interstate freeway at the no rth end of the science center’s parking lot. The center also has a “Discovery 4D Theater,” which feat ures science and nat ure fi lms with leading-edge technology systems that provide a ful l-sensory exper ience, and a “ Digital Lab,” which offers computer, word processing, web design , digita l photogr aphy, v ideo game , and other courses. O ther educ ation progr ams include classes, camp-ins, summer camps, afterschool progr ams, outr each progr ams, and teacher professional development activities. Discovery Science Center, 2500 N. Main S t., Santa Ana, CA 92705. Phone: 714/542-2823. Fax: 714/5422828. Web site: www.discoverycube.org. Hours: 10 –5 daily; c losed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $ 12.95; childr en 3 –17, $9.95; childr en under 3, free.
DISCOVERY STATION AT HAGERSTOWN
The Disco very S tation at Hagersto wn in Maryland seeks to pro mote info rmal learning about science, technology, and histo ry. Established in 1996, the center is loc ated in the historic downtown bank building that housed the Federal Depository during the Civ il War. It is still possible to enter the bank’s old vault and examine the huge leaded glass and mechanisms.
Discovery Discovery Station exhibits range from “Adventures in Agr iculture,” a hands-o n far ming exhibit in which visitors enter through a bar nlike entr ance and c an c limb through a co w’s mouth, gather eggs from a setting hen, and see how crops are grown, to “ Interactive Gallery,” which f eatures demo nstration-learning programs about the human body and mind, animals, ear th sciences, technolog y, and other areas. The science center also has interactive exhibits in suc h hea lth-related ar eas as v ision, body funct ions, and good nutr ition, and such technological areas as space explo ration, tr uck engines and transmissions, and the Morse code. It also has a full-scale cast model of a Triceratops skull and films in a dinosaur exhibit. Historical exhibits are devoted to such topics as the C&O Cana l, which once served as a transportation l ifeline in the r egion fo r westward expansion of commerce and industry, and Hagerstown’s aviation heritage, featuring early aircraft, and exhibits about when the ar ea was one of the nation’s leading centers in the design, testing, and manufact uring of air craft. F or young children, the center has a “Go F igure!” exhibit that encour ages r eading and imagination-building role play in basic math skills, and the “Betty Clopper Early Childhood Gallery,” where c hildren 2 to 5 y ears of age c an lear n about size, shape, patterns, special relationships, and basic physics through play/learn activities. The center a lso has travel ing exhibit ions and educational act ivities r ange fro m S aturday demonstration-learning lect ures to specia l events. Discovery Station at Hagerstown, 101 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, MD 2 1740. Phones: 301/7900078 and 877/790-0076. Web site: www.discoverystation.org. Hours: 10 –4 Tues.–Sat., 2–5 Sun.; closed Mon. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $7; seniors and mil itary, $5; c hildren 2 –17, $6; c hildren under 2, free.
DISCOVERY WORLD
Discovery World is a science , economics, and technology museum along the Lake Michigan waterfront in Milwaukee. Founded in 1984, it has undergo ne a number of c hanges as it evolved into an interactive science and technology center with an annual attendance of around 186,000. The center , fo rmerly c alled Disco very World at Pier Wisconsin, has 140 hands-on exhibits, special exhibitions, live theater produc-
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(General)—Extensive tions, a v irtual-realty interactive chamber, educational workshops and laboratories, outreach and professional development programs, audio and v ideo st udios, and an educ ational sail ing vessel, the Denis Sullivan, which offers summertime tours and sailings. The S/V Denis Sullivan is a modern re-creation of a nineteenth-century three-massed Great L ake sc hooner that is the state of W isconsin’s flagship and a flagship fo r the United N ations Environment Program. In the off-season, the ship tr avels to its winter home in southern Florida and offers tours of the East Coast and the Caribbean. Among the other exhibits at the Discovery World are the “ Reiman Aquariums,” featuring fish and other animals of the Great Lakes, Eastern Atlant ic Coast, and waters of the F lorida Keys; “Johnson Controls’ TechnoJungle,” which explores the tangle of technolog y, invent ions, and ideas; “ Helen Bader F oundation’s Gr eat Lakes Future,” containing a scale model of the Great Lakes watershed; and a life-sized re-creation of the fi rst schooner built especia lly fo r the Great Lakes. The est imated center annual attendance is 186,000. Discovery World, 500 N. Har bor D r., Mil waukee, WI 53202. Phone: 414/765-9966. Fax: 414/765-0311. E-mail: info@disco veryworld.org. Web site: www . discoveryworld.org. Hours: 9 –4 T ues.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat.–Sun.; closed Mon., Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $ 16.95; seniors, $ 14.95; childr en 3 –17, $ 12.95; college st udents, $9.95; children under 3, free.
DON HARRINGTON DISCOVERY CENTER
The Don Harrington Discovery Center in Amarillo, Texas, was founded in 1968 by the Don and S ybil Harr ington F oundation and named for oil benefactor Don Harrington, who was act ive in fur thering medical research, science education, and other civ ic projects in the area. The foundation—now called the Foundation for Health and Science Educ ation—operates the science center, which has over 150 exhibits, se veral travel ing exhibit ions, a digita l “Science Theater” planetarium, a wide range of educational activities, and an annual attendance of about 55,000. Among the science center ’s exhibits ar e “Science Café,” wher e v isitors can explore science in hands-o n, inquir y-based act ivities; “Amazing Bodies!” whic h nurtures learning in the life sciences; “ExploraZone,” providing in-
(General)—Extensive
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teractive exper iences in mathemat ics and science; “Optical Illusions,” devoted to optics and optical illusions that demo nstrate that what is seen is not a lways ther e; “ Weather,” enabl ing visitors to explo re tornados, t urbulence, c loud rings, and other pheno menon with their o wn hands; “Aquaria,” with a l iving co ral r eef and fish, turtles, eels, and other freshwater and saltwater animals; “Puzzles,” featuring folk puzzles from around the wo rld; “ Hunters of the S ky,” devoted to birds of pr ey; and “ Tiny Town,” an early childhood center for children under 5 years of age. The Digistar 3 Space Theater presents sky and l ight sho ws and the educ ational offerings include hands-o n c lasses, c amp-ins, badge workshops, and outr each pr ograms, inc luding the inflatable , po rtable S tarlab plan etarium dome. A lso loc ated o n the science center ’s grounds is the “ Helium Centennia l T ime Columns Monument,” a 55-foot tr ipod with four stainless steel t ime c apsules co ntaining themed artifacts. It was erected in 1968 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of helium in the spectrum of light from the Sun. A marillo was selected as the site fo r the monument because it has been the center of helium activities since the government purchased the helium-rich Cliffside Gas Field in 1927. Don Harrington Discovery Center, 1200 Streit Dr., Amarillo, T X 79 106. P hones: 806/355-9547 and 800/784-9548. Fax: 806/355-5703. E-mail: joeh@ dhdc.org. Web site: www.dhdc.org. Hours: 9:30–4:30 Tues.–Sat., 12–4:30 Sun.; closed Mon. (except during summer), N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $5.50; seniors and students 13–22, $5; children 3–12, $4.50; children under 3, free.
EAST KENTUCKY SCIENCE CENTER
The East Kentucky Science Center in Prestonsburg r esulted fro m co ncern about lo w achievement in math and science in the region’s schools in 1994. A coa lition of higher educ ation, publ ic sc hool, and busin ess leaders was formed to support and improve science educ ation in the area. It resulted in the formation of a consortium that founded the East Kent ucky Center for Science, Mathematics, and Technology (later shortened to East Kent ucky Science Center) with the objective of advancing science, mathematics, and tec hnology by pro viding hands-on learning for students, professional development for teachers, a traveling science van with r esources fo r st udents and teac hers, and
ECHO information from educ ational inst itutions and coal-related industries to the community. The center began outr each education operations in 1997, followed by a General Assembly appropr iation of $2.6 mil lion in 1998 and another $1 million in 2000 to construct a building and pro vide the equipment. The 12,000square-foot facility opened in 2004 on the campus on the P restonsburg Community College, and in 2008 became a member of the Kentucky Community and T echnical Col lege S ystem, with the daily operations being overseen by the Big Sandy Community and Technical College (formerly Prestonsburg Community College). The science center features traveling exhibitions with hands-on exhibits in such areas as motion, machines, genetics, oceanography, dinosaurs, and the br ain; a c lassroom/laboratory for science lab experiments; a planetarium with a Goto Chronos projection system for star, laser light, and video shows; and educational activities that include classes, films, lectures, mobile van program, school loan ser vices, and teacher programs. The center ’s annu al attendance is 15,000. East Kent ucky Science Center , 7 Ber t Combs D r., PO Bo x 348, P restonsburg, K Y 4 1653. P hone: 606/889-0303. F ax: 606/889-0303. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.wedoscience.org. Hours: 7–9 P.M. Thurs., 7 P.M.–12 A.M. Fri., 10 –5:30 and 7 P.M.–12 A.M. Sat., 12–5:30 Sun.; closed Mon.– Wed. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $3.50; children over 4, $2.50; children under 5, free.
ECHO LAKE AQUARIUM SCIENCE CENTER
AND
The ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in B urlington, Vermont, is de voted to the Lake Champlain Basin. ECHO stands fo r the ecolog y, cult ure, histo ry, and oppo rtunity of the basin. The science center, founded as the Lake Champlain Basin Science Center in1995, resulted from a partnership of the city, University of Vermont, and general public. It changed its name and mo ved to the n ew P atrick and Marcelle Leahy Center for Lake Champlain as part of an expansion along the city’s waterfront in 2003. The L eahy Center, which recognizes Senator Patrick Leahy’s assistance to the L ake Champlain Basin, also houses the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Env ironment and Natural Resources, Lake Champlain Basin Program Resource Room, and Lake Champlain Navy Memorial.
EcoTarium The 28,500-squ are-foot ECHO science center, which has an annual attendance of over 150,000, seeks to educ ate v isitors about the Lake Champlain Basin in an interact ive environment. It has mo re than 100 hands-on exhibits and 2,200 live fish, amphibians, and reptiles. V isitors c an float boats, build dams, become eco-detectives, and immerse themselves in a volcanic and glacial multimedia theater. Exhibits enable the publ ic to be a watershed weather r eporter, un earth r e-created beluga whale bones in a dig site, travel back in time to explore the ancient Champlain Valley, meet live frogs from six continents and test frog c alling, and experience fish, snakes, frogs, and turtles in a 2,750-ga llon r iver community. In addit ion, the center pr esents changing tr aveling exhibitions. Visitors also can join scientists aboard the “Lake Champlain F loating L aboratory,” the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory research vessel Melosira, for a data gather ing exper ience on the lake. The vessel normally is used fo r research and teac hing by the university, St. Michael’s College, and ECHO. Living feedings and demonstrations of the science center’s fish and other animals occur five times daily, and other educ ation and public pr ograms inc lude science exper iments, games, science-themed crafts, and guest speakers. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center , 1 College S t., B urlington, VT 0540 1. P hone: 802/8641848. F ax: 802/864-6832. E-mail: info@echo vermont.org. Web site: www .echovermont.org. Hours: 10 –5 daily; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $9.50; seniors and st udents, $8; children 3–17, $7; children under 3, free.
ECOTARIUM, Worcester, MA. See Natural History Science Centers section.
EDGERTON EXPLORIT CENTER
The Edgerton Explorit Center is a handson science and technology center in Aurora, Nebraska, named for Dr. Harold E. Edgerton, an inventor, educator, and explorer who was bo rn in nearby Fremont and invented the strobe light that makes stop motion photography possible. Dr. Edgerton was a prof essor of electrical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-founder of the EG&G company that had a majo r role in photogr aphing and recording ear ly nuc lear tests. He a lso was in-
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(General)—Extensive strumental in developing side-scan sonar technology used to sc an the sea floo r and fi nd historic w recks. Af ter Edger ton’s death in 1990, Aurora community leaders announced plans to develop a hands-on teaching science center that would preserve much of his work and personal materials. It open ed in 1995 and no w ser ves about nearly 17,000 visitors each year. The science and technolog y center has 10,000 squ are feet of exhibits that trace D r. Edgerton’s acco mplishments and pr ovide hands-on info rmation in science , math, and technology. It also has such educational activities as workshops, lectures, school loan services, distant learning , and outr each van programs. MIT also has an Edgerton Center in the former professor’s honor on its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It pr ovides hands-o n exper iences in engineering and science for undergraduate students. Edgerton Explorit Center, 208 16th St., Aurora, NE 68818-3009. P hones: 402/694-4032 and 877/6944032. Fax: 402/694-4035. E-mail: explo
[email protected]. Web site: www .edgerton.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $5; seniors, $4; st udents and c hildren o ver 3, $3.50; childr en under 4, free.
EMERALD COAST SCIENCE CENTER
The Emer ald Coast Science Center , founded in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, in 1989, has 250 hands-o n science and tec hnology exhibits, such as the five human senses, color and light, cr itters, bubbles, electr icity, electronics, wind tunnel, and the interna l workings of gizmos and gadgets. Visitors can view all kinds of cells through microscopes; oper ate var iable l ighting conditions to sho w the hidden skeleto n deep inside the human body; use a series of mirrors to create a r eflection that produces an il lusion of a three-dimensional object; create unique patterns with a laser ; make bubbles up to 15 f eet long with a bubble mac hine; fl y, bank , and land a model airplane in a miniature wind tunnel; use infrared light to create music; and have a hairraising experience in exploring static electricity with a V an de Gr aaff gen erator. The science center also offers such educational programs as LaserStar L ab plan etarium sho ws, fi eld tr ip classes, science camps, and outreach school and group programs. Emerald Coast Science Center, 139 Brooks St., Fort
(General)—Extensive Walton Beach, FL 32548. Phone: 850/664-1261. Fax: 850/664-6862. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.ecscience.org. Hours: Mar.–Sept.—9–4 Mon.– Fri., 11–4 S at.–Sun.; S ept.–Mar.—9 –2 Mon. Fri., 11–4 Sat.–Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $5; seniors and youth 13–17, $4; children 3–12, $3.50; and children under 3, free.
EXPLORATION PLACE
Exploration Place is a $62-million handson science center o n a 20-acr e site a long the Arkansas River in Wichita. It all began in 1989 when the city of Wichita and civic leaders studied and threw their support behind the joining of the Children’s Museum of Wichita (founded in 1984) and cit y-operated “Omnisphere Theater” to create a new institution which became a general science center . In the years that followed, man y indiv iduals, co rporations, and foundations gav e their suppo rt to the project that grew from a $12 million facility to $40 million and eventually to $62 mill ion as the plans expanded, with the new 98,000-square-foot science center opening in 2000. It now serves over 270,000 visitors annually. The science center exhibits inc lude “ Exploring Flight and Design ,” where visitors can lie o n a ho rizontal sim ulator and r elive the Wright brothers’ fl ight, test fl ight skills o n a modern fl ight sim ulator, cr eate 40-foot ta ll wind patterns, and make a paper air plane and give it a test fl ight; “ Exploring O ur Onl y Home,” devoted to the people, places, and environments of K ansas and wher e v isitors c an touch a mammoth tusk, step into a 20-foot tall tornado, mar vel at an animated miniat ure display of early 1950s Kansas buildings, landmarks, and trains, and get close to such Kansas critters as snakes, spiders, and l izards; and “ Kids Explore” exhibit pavilion, which features a threestory medieval children’s castle where kids c an pretend to make tools using a funct ional anvil, simulate r iding a ho rse, play r udimentary instruments, and prepare a medieval meal in the dining hall. The science center also has a “Tots’ Spot” exhibit ar ea fo r todd lers and pr esents traveling exhibit ions, such as “ Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall” and “Our Body: The Universe Within.” Among the other attractions are a “Science in Motion Center,” which offers rides on a custom-built c arousel and a t wo-person “G yroXtreme”; “CyberDome” Theater, which presents
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ExplorationWorks digital, computer-generated shows on a 60-foot domed screen; and “ Exposition Park,” with an 18-hole “ MiniGolf ” course , wetlands with wildlife, picnic grounds, and where children can play in a sandbo x, make m usic o n o versized wind chimes and xylophones, and test their running speed against the simulated pace of a rabbit on a special racing track. The educational activities include a “Fetch!” laboratory, “Roots and Shoots” care for animals program, home school program, and outreach school visits. Exploration P lace, 300 N. McL ean Bl vd, W ichita, KS 67203. Phone: 316/263-3373. Fax: 316/263-4545. Web site: www .exploration.org. Hours: 12–5 S un.– Mon., 10 –5 Tues.–Wed., 9 –9 Thurs.–S at.; c losed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: adults, $8; seniors, $7; children 5–15, $6; children 2–4, $3; children under 2, free.
EXPLORATIONWORKS
ExplorationWorks is a new interactive museum of science and cult ure in Helena, Mo ntana. It was founded in 2000 and open ed in 2007 at the Gr eat Northern Town Center as a community informal learning center and gathering place, with that emphasis on hands-on science and other educational opportunities, working in partnership with public schools. The goal is to have exhibits and programs in the sciences, technology, social sciences, humanities, culture, and e veryday l ife that appea l to diverse audiences. Four topics were selected for development in ear ly exhibits—biomimicry, explo ring ho w natural pheno mena ar e used to de velop n ew products, manufacturing processes, and applied case-based reasoning; human hea lth and wel lness, examining ho w humans stay hea lthy and use their bodies’ built-in capacities to avoid illness; wind and aerody namics, looking at the worlds of wind po wer, fl ight, and wind-based fun; and the nat ural wo rld, focusing o n the world and how to be better stewards. The exhibits are intended to be temporary shows in its 14,000-square-foot exhibit space. Among its recent exhibits have been the science of patter ns and their r elationship to math, a hang glider simulator (invented by a Helena resident), a mind game where two players control a physical ball using their brain waves, and several exhibits from the Exploratorium, including “Turntable.” The o nly perman ent exhibit is “Little Sky Country,” for children under 6 years of age. The educ ational act ivities r ange from
Exploratorium early childhood programs and children’s camps to after-hours programs for adults and “S aturday S pecials” feat uring ta lks and demo nstrations. ExplorationWorks, 995 Carousel Way, Helena, MT 59601. Phone: 406/457-1800. Fax: 406/457-5377. Email:
[email protected]. Web site: www.explorationworks.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 12 –5 Sun.; c losed Mon. and majo r hol idays. A dmission: adults, $8; seniors and students, $6.50; children 2–17, $5.50; children under 2, free.
EXPLORATORIUM
The Explo ratorium in S an Francisco led the way to the second generation of science centers—those founded specifically as science centers with hands-o n exhibits and programs and little or no collections of scientific, technological, or industrial artifacts. It was the brainchild of Frank Oppenheimer , a Universit y of Colorado physics professor who felt that museums, including the ear ly contemporary science and technology museums, should take a more active role in fur thering public understanding of science and technology. He criticized the “passive pedagogy” of most m useums and argu ed fo r greater explanation of scient ific phenomena to the public. In 1969, Oppenheimer sought to put his ideas into pract ice by founding the Explo ratorium in the Palace of F ine Arts, a building r emaining from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exhibit ion n ear the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It was a science center of science , ar t, and per ception that sought to integrate science , technolog y, and the ar ts by developing a co re of mater ials with whic h the viewer can interact to explore the mec hanisms of the perso n’s sensory perception. The center has a different focus from most science centers and m useums, no ar tifacts, and incr eased opportunities for individual experimentation and learning in usu ally o verlooked ar eas. Oppenheimer and his staf f built nearly all of the initial exhibits, published construction guides, and sold and cir culated copies of many of the exhibits—and the Exploratorium still does today. The annual attendance is 530,000. The Explo ratorium has design ed, prototyped, and built o ver 650 o riginal interact ive exhibits, displays, and artworks that explore biology, physics, visual perception, listening, and memory. Approximately 400 currently ar e on view at the science center, and a number of oth-
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(General)—Extensive ers—including “ Memory,” N avigation,” and Traits of Life”—are being circulated as traveling exhibitions. The Explo ratorium has produced exhibits for 66 Amer ican and 58 inter national science centers, and has partnerships with eight science centers that receive exhibits and educational training. It also has hosted more than 250 artists in residence since its founding. The 110,000-square-foot Explo ratorium still has updated v ersions of so me of its ear ly popular exhibits, suc h as the “ Tactile Dome,” which fi rst appeared in 1971. It is housed in a geodesic dome about the size of a weather balloon. Visitors enter into a totally dark space and for 1 hour and 15 minutes they feel, bump, slide, and cr awl through and past a successio n of shapes, temperat ures, and text ures which r equire the ful l range of the touc h sense to perceive. The exper ience diso rients the senso ry world makes people awar e of ho w touc h is a complex, sensitive, and under used sense. On e of the n ewest exhibits is “ Mind: The Science , Art, and Experience of Our Inner Lives,” which features over 40 interactive exhibit units about thinking and feel ing. Among the many other exhibits are “Listening,” “Seeing,” and “Traits of Life.” The latter invest igates the structure and nature of life through four different sections designed to help v isitors see past the div ersity of living things to the under lying unit y connecting a ll people. N umerous hands-on act ivities can be found in suc h exhibit areas as machines and tools, l iving things, food, spo rt science , human body, observatory, planet Earth, society and culture, and activity collections. The Exploratorium also has extensive education and research programs. The public programs range from lect ures, fi lms, and co ncerts to on-line programs, webc asts, and fest ivals. Educational activities include demonstrations, after-school act ivities, publ ications, outr each programs, and teacher services. Among the specialized educ ation/research ef forts ar e the Coalition for Science After School, Center for Informal Learning and Schools, Teacher Institute, and Inst itute fo r Inquir y. About 6,000 teachers from 37 states annu ally participate in Exploratorium-designed wo rkshops, and around 500 Amer ican teac hers r eceive mo re than 60 hours of prof essional development instruction each year . The Explo ratorium is known fo r its “ Explainer” progr am that hir es and trains about 120 high school students to explain exhibits and act ivities to v isitors; one of
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(General)—Extensive
Explorit
the largest museum research and e valuation groups (including six Ph.D.s); and the Osher F ellows P rogram that hosts four to fi ve resident scholars, scientists, educators, and artists. Exploratorium, 3601 Lyon St., San F rancisco, C A 94 123. Phone: 4 15/563-0360. F ax: 415/561-0307. E-mail: pubinfo@explorator ium.edu. Web site: www.exploratorium. edu. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sun.; closed Mo n., Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Ev e and Day . Admission: adults, $14; seniors, disabled, st udents, and children 13–17, $ 11; children 4–12, $9; c hildren under 3, fr ee; 1st Wed. of month, free. .
EXPLORIT SCIENCE CENTER
A mother and a son interact with the “Watch Water Freeze” exhibit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. The Exploratorium was founded in 1969 by Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, a physics professor, who conceived and built new types of hands-on exhibits to further public understanding of science ad technology. In the process, the Exploratorium led the way to a new generation of science centers with little or no collections. © Exploratorium.
The Explo rit Science Center in Davis, California, resulted from an informal meeting of five individuals with science and education backgrounds getting together for coffee and tea in 1979. They were interested in augmenting the quality of life in Davis and were excited about the possibility of creating a science center that would pr esent science to people of all ages and backgrounds in a “friendly, involving manner” that encourages curiosity, problem solving, and critical thinking skills. This led to involv ing others, further planning, fund-raising, publicity, and the opening of a volunteer-operated Davis Science Center with limited offerings in a room in the Davis School District’s Administration Building in 1982. In the y ears that fol lowed, the popular ity of the science center gr ew, the of ferings wer e expanded, a paid staff was hired, the name was changed to Explo rit Science Center , and the center moved to new facilities several times before settling in Mace R anch Park. The science center now is a r egional facility with t wo sites in Davis—the main facil ity with hands-on exhibits, a Discovery Room with interactive activities, and a W et L ab for exper iments complementing exhibits o n 2nd S treet and the Mace Ranch Park branch on 5th S treet that f eatures nature-based programs and c lasses and houses the administrat ive offices. The annu al attendance now is 74,000.
The Exploit Science Center creates several new hands-on exhibits eac h year for its “ Jonsson and Gumerlock galleries.” The center’s first long-term exhibit ion is the “ Move It!” exhibit on motion, with units on such areas as bikes, air flow, gears, spin table, test track, friction ramp, falling objects, mot ion pict ures, sound t ubes, and solar cars. Among the recent changing exhibitions hav e been “ Puzzling P roblems, Scientific S olutions,” dea ling with ho w scient ists solve problems; “ Body Blu eprints,” sho wing how choices and genes affect one’s health; “The Energy S tory,” de voted to the many fo rms of energy and their appl ications; and “ I W onder...,” which attempts to answer visitors’ questions about the scientific world. The science center’s many public and education programs inc lude such act ivities as science lessons, inquiry laboratories, Saturday family explo rations, Challenger Center invento r/ builder sessions, nat ure safaris, lect ure/discussion ser ies, nat ure labo ratories, outr each van programs, and teacher professional development workshops. Explorit Science Center , 280 1 2nd S t., Dav is, CA 95618 (mail ing addr ess: PO Bo x 1288, Dav is, CA 95617-1288). P hone: 530/756-0 191. Fax: 530/7561227. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www. explorit.org. Hours: 2–4:30 Tues.–Fri., 11–4:30 Sat.–
Flandrau Sun.; c losed Mon. and majo r hol idays. A dmission: adults and children over 3, $4; children under 4, free; 4th Sun. of month, free.
FERNBANK SCIENCE CENTER, Atlanta. See Natural History Science Centers section.
FLANDRAU SCIENCE CENTER AND PLANETARIUM
The F landrau Science Center and P lanetarium at the Univ ersity of Ar izona in Tucson is in transition as it prepares to become the University of Arizona Science Center in 2011. The old facility continues to operate as a new and expanded complex with a new name is being developed as par t of Tucson’s Rio N uevo Downtown revitalization project. It serves over 25,000 visitors a year. The science center began with a 1972 bequest of over $1 million from the estate of Grace H. Flandrau, noted author and frequent winter visitor to Tucson. The university decided to use the funds to further public understanding of science by establ ishing the Gr ace H. F landrau Planetarium, which opened on campus in 1975 as part of the Depar tment of Astro nomy. The planetarium later became the Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium as additional elements were added to its progr amming. It now has an attendance of 50,000 and is surrounded by other buildings and has no fur ther space for new exhibits, progr ams, and parking . The univ ersity also would like to bring together the university and the r egional co mmunities to inspir e the teaching and learning of science and technology, further l ife-long lear ning, and pro mote the area’s social, economic, and environmental sustainability. A “Design Garage” with possible exhibits has been set up on campus where visitors can indicate which types of exhibits they would like to see in the new facility. Astronomy and opt ics were the F landrau Planetarium’s initial focus for exhibits and planetarium shows. When it became a science center, hands-on exhibits were added dealing with electricity, mot ion, magn etism, grav ity, l ight, sound, and other phenomena, and some planetarium shows became multimedia programs on topics beyond traditional star shows. Nighttime viewing through the obser vatory’s professional telescope continues to be offered, and the university’s Museum of Minerals with its collection of gems, minerals, and meteorites is still located
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(General)—Extensive on the building’ s lo wer le vel. The center a lso has education programs for children and undergraduate col lege st udents, science demo nstrations and workshops, and other educational activities. In addit ion to interact ive exhibits, plan etarium shows, and the Min erals Museum, the new facility will have the “ Unispherium Digital Virtual Environment,” which will transport visitors far into the cosmos o r deep into the complex workings of a single human cell; “The Tropical V ivarium,” a wa lk-through ga llery with thousands of tropical butterflies; “The Reality Science Exchange,” a high-tech space featuring science r elevant to e veryday l ife and today’s n ews; a “ Neighborhood O bservatory,” with day and night viewing through a large telescope; an IMAX large-format theater; a changing exhibits ga llery for traveling exhibitions; a teacher resource center for professional training and classroom use, and a café and science store. Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, University of Ar izona, 1601 E. Univ ersity Bl vd., Tucson, AZ 85719 (mailing address: PO Box 210091, Tucson, AZ 85721-0091). P hone: 520/62 1-7827. Fax: 520/62 18451. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.flandrau.org. Hours: 9–3 Thurs., 9–3 and 6–9 Fri., 12–9 Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon.–Wed. and major holidays. Admission: adults and c hildren over 9, $7.50; children 4 –9, $5; children under 4, free.
FORT DOUGLAS, Augusta, GA. S ee N ational Science Center’s Fort Douglas. FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History has just co mpleted a majo r expansion program that inc luded a new building and exhibits, a r enovated and upgraded Omnimax domed theater , a n ew plan etarium, and n ew Museum Sc hool facil ities in the F ort Worth Cultural District in Texas after several years of reduced offerings and temporary facilities at the nearby Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. The science center began as a c hildren’s museum. It was founded in 1941 by the loc al council of Administrative Women in Education and first opened in 1945 in two rooms in an elementary school provided by the school board. In 1947, the museum moved into a large house to accommodate its growing offerings and popularity. Three years later , t wo new groups became involved in the museum—the Ladies Aux-
(General)—Extensive iliary (now Museum Guild) and the Frisky and Blossom Club (fo rerunning of the Museum School). When it bec ame appar ent that a m uch larger facility was needed to ser ve the growing needs of the co mmunity, a m useum building was constructed on Montgomery Street, opening in 1954, followed in 1955 by the “Char lie Mary Noble Planetarium” (the first planetarium to be named fo r a woman and to be loc ated in a children’s museum). In 1968, the children museum’s name was c hanged to the F ort Worth Museum of Science and History as its offerings now included such exhibits as Texas and medical histories, human body, calculators and computers, rocks and fossils, and man and his possessions, and the m useum began attract ing an increasing number of adults. In the next decade, the museum continued to change as it became influenced by the spread of the emerging hands-on science center movement. Many of the static displays were replaced by interactive exhibits, and the m useum began to present large traveling exhibitions on science, history, and other subjects. As the museum’s annual attendance increased dramatically to over 600,000, more space and facilities were needed, and five decades of service had taken its toll on the 131,408-square-foot m useum building , it was decided to co nstruct a n ew building . In 2006, plans were unveiled for an innovative new structure at the south end of the Cult ural District designed by international architects Legorreta + L egorreta that blends with n eighboring institutions and feat ures a sweeping plaz a and campus-like environment near the Will Rogers Memorial Center and the N ational Co wgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. As construction began in 2007, a number of the m useum’s hands-on exhibits wer e put o n display in the Co wgirl Museum and the Museum Sc hool fo r pr eschool and elementar y school c hildren was r elocated tempo rarily to portable buildings provided by the School District just south of the Co wgirl Museum. The newly renovated “Omni Theater ” was the fi rst to open in 2008, followed by a new planetarium, Museum School, and other aspects of the m useum in late 2009 and 2010. The n ew m useum building has updated versions of some of its popular exhibits, such as the “DinoDig” dinosaur exhibit and its adjoining “DinoLab” laboratory, and “CSI: The Experience,” the pr ize-winning interactive traveling
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Gateway exhibition based o n the tele vision ser ies produced by the museum and converted to a permanent exhibit. It a lso has a number of n ew exhibits, inc luding “ Innovation S tudios,” whic h features five glass-walled studios with hands-on exhibits, live demonstrations, and education programs; “ Energy A dventure,” whic h integr ates the m useum’s dinosaur col lections with F ort Worth’s energy industry to illustrate geological, scientific, and histo rical concepts; “ Let’s Take the Streetcar, Tracking Fort Worth History by Rail,” a historical look at the city and its rail system; “Gordon Smith Native American Collection,” featuring the stories and artifacts of North American Indians collected by S mith; and t wo “museums within a museum”—the “Fort Worth Children’s Museum,” which replaces the former “Kidspace” gallery, and the “Cattle Raisers Museum,” which relocated from another Fort Worth site and tel ls the sto ry of the c attle and r anching industry in Texas and the Southwest. Among the other exhibits ar e a histo ry gallery with changing exhibitions about the region and a v isible sto rage ar ea that display s many of the museum’s 175,000 historical objects and scientific specimens. The museum also continues to produce and sho w travel ing exhibitions, and pr esents o nline exhibits, such as “Lone Star Dinosaurs,” featuring the sights and stories of seven dinosaur digs in north Texas. Among the other impro vements ar e the renovated and improved Omnimax domed theater; a new state-of-the-art Noble Planetarium with l ive solar f eeds fro m the Remote S olar Telescope Arr ay; and an expanded Museum School with six c lassrooms, an enclosed courtyard for play and learning, and preschool and elementary programs on its own site at the north side of the museum building. Other educational activities inc lude demo nstrations, lect ures, workshops, films, adult classes, school loan service, and educator training programs. Fort Worth Museum of Science and Histo ry, 1600 Gentry, Fort Worth, T X 76 107. P hone: 8 17/2559300. Fax: 8 17/732-7635. E-mail: webmaster@fw msh.org. Web site: www .fwmsh.org. Hours: 10 –5 daily; c losed N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $14; seniors and children 3 –12, $10; children under 3, free.
GATEWAY TO SCIENCE
Interactive exhibits, children’s science programs, and special events for the general public are offered by Gate way to Science , a science
Goudreau center in Bismarck, North Dakota. The center, which opened in 1994, is located in the Frances Leach High Prairie Arts and Science Complex in the state’s capital cit y and has an annu al attendance of over 9,000. Gateway to Science has hands-on exhibits in such science and technology areas as air pressure, electricity and magnetism, water, light and color, roller coasters, simple machines and gears, and images and sensat ions. Among the v isitor experiences are producing hundr eds of images with a kaleidoscope, carrying sound with a laser, using pul leys to l ift heavy weights, cr eating a complex series of motions from a relatively simple combination of forces, determining the momentum needed to hit a r evolving bucket, and learning that part of the human body is a third class le ver. S uch tr aveling exhibit ions as “Science of My stery” and “ Brain Teasers” a lso are presented. The center ’s progr ams for c hildren r ange from science clubs and summer c amps to traveling science tr unks fo r schools, and specia l events inc lude suc h var ied act ivities as famil y science events, visiting scientists’ series, widget contest, and environmental festival. Gateway to Science , 1810 Schafer S t., S te. 1, Bismarck, ND 5850 1-1218. Phone: 701/258-1975. Fax: 701/222-7515. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. Web site: www.gscience.org. Hours: 12–7 Mon.–Thurs., 12–5 Fri.–Sat.; closed Sun. New Year’s Eve and Day, Easter, Independence Day , Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $5; children 4 –18, $2; children under 4, free.
GOUDREAU MUSEUM OF MATHEMATICS IN ART AND SCIENCE
The Goudr eau Museum of Mathemat ics in Ar t and Science in N ew Hyde P ark, N ew York, is a math museum that relies on hand-on workshops rather than exhibits in serving school groups, Scout programs, and famil ies. In some ways, it functions more like a school than a museum or science center. The programs are based on grade or Scout le vels, cover two hours, and frequently involve a hands-on project that participants can take home. And the small facility is c losed to the publ ic when wo rkshops ar e scheduled. V isitors may tr y out puzzles and games, view geometric models, purchase mathematical products, and use the math l ibrary when the m useum is open. The annu al attendance is about 20,000.
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(General)—Extensive The school group programs are concerned with such topics as logic, art-tessellations, platonic solids, symmetry, reflections, angles, spatial perception, probability, Fibonacci sequence, golden ratio, honeycombs, and the geometry of life. The Scout progr ams ar e Bro wnie tr y-its, junior badges, cadette and senior interest projects, and Cub Scouts. Family programs are tailored to the interests of the group. The museum also has a “ Workshop on W heels” school outreach program and pr esents specia l math-r elated events. Goudreau Museum of Mathemat ics in Art and Science, Herr icks Co mmunity Center , 999 Herr icks Rd., New Hyde Park, NY 110-1353 (mailing address: 53 Underhill Ave., Syosset, NY 11791-5019). Phone: 516/747-0777. Fax 5 16/747-7089). E-mail: info@ mathmuseum.org. Web site: www.mathmuseum.org. Hours: Oct.–May—9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 12–3 most Sat.; closed Sun. and remainder of year. Admission: $2 per person.
GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER
The Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland has o ver 400 hands-o n exhibits to see , touch, and explo re. They co ver such fi elds as science phenomena, regional technology, Great Lakes env ironment, and a lternative en ergy. Founded in 1988, the 250,000-square-foot science center has an annu al attendance of mo re than 485,000. Among the exhibit ga lleries ar e the “ InfoTech Ga llery,” with hands-o n exhibits that show how information tec hnologies affect our lives; “ Transportation T echnology Ga llery,” where visitors can lift a car off the ground and drive a bl imp around the roo m; “ BioMedical Technology Ga llery,” with exhibits o n DNA testing, medical imaging, prosthetics, infectious diseases, stem cel l research, and other medic al areas; and “Great Lakes Story Gallery,” where exhibits show the importance of the region, describe the threats to its environment, and show how the Gr eat L akes ecosy stem is being r estored. The center a lso has a wind t urbine and solar array at the front of the building; and such other hands-on exhibit units as a hair-raising static gen erator, bubble machin e, and shado w room; and a “Polymer Funhouse” with exhibits for children under 8 years. Adjacent to the science center is the Steamship William G. Mather Museum, a 1925 Great L akes freighter whic h once brought iro n ore to steel mil ls a long the Great L akes. It has been r estored and is no w
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(General)—Extensive
Gulfcoast
operated as a museum by the Harbor Heritage Society. The Gr eat L akes Science Center also presents traveling exhibitions, has an Omnimax largescreen theater , and of fers suc h educational act ivities as demo nstration labo ratories, science camps, workshops, and lectures. Great L akes Science Center , 60 1 Erieside A ve., Cle veland, OH 44 114. Phone: 2 16/694-2000. Fax: 2 16/6962140. Web site: www.greatscience.com. Hours: 10 –5 dail y; c losed Thursda y and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $9.50; seniors and military, $8.50; children 2–17, $7.50; children under 2, free.
GULF COAST EXPLOREUM SCIENCE CENTER
These boys are building cir cuits in a “ wiring the house ” exercise in a c amp program at the Gr eat Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. They learn about simple circuits and then wire and can add motors, buzzers, and other equipment to a model cardboard house. T he 250,000-squar e-foot science center was founded in 1988 and no w ser ves more than 485,000 visitors annually. Courtesy of the Great Lakes Science Center and photographer Janet Century.
In 1976, the Junior League of Mobile, Alabama, funded planning for a hands-on children’s museum. The effort furthered interest in scientific learning that resulted in the founding of the Explore Center in 1979 and opening of the Gulf Coast Explo reum Museum of Science in 1983. The museum quickly outgrew its 10,000square-foot space , r esulting in a fund-r aising drive and its present 55,000-square-foot building that opened in the do wntown historic district in 1998. As part of the expansion, the name was changed to Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, greater emphasis was placed on handson exhibits and progr ams, and an I MAX bigscreen theater was added. It now serves 200,000 visitors annually. The science center has mo re than 150 interactive exhibits. Amo ng the exhibits ar e the “Hands On Ha ll,” wher e v isitors c an interact with 50 exhibits while learning about pulley power, electromagnets, air pressure, flying machines, lasers, l ight and opt ics, and other subjects; “ Minds On Ha ll,” in whic h v isitors c an design a roller coaster, create a fish, choreograph a dancer , c hallenge the co mputer, and v iew planets in the solar system in virtual reality experiences; and “ Wharf of W onder,” an ear ly childhood exhibit where preschoolers can climb aboard a sea v essel, go on a shrimp-fishing expedition, peak through a lighthouse, and scoop sea creatures from a ball ocean. The center also has “The Ciba Lab,” which features demonstrations and where visitors can
conduct exper iments; “ Hearin-Chandler V irtual Journ ey Digita l Theater ,” wher e v iewers can travel from inside an atom to the edge of the universe; “J. L. Bedsole IMAX Dome Theater,” which pr esents science and nat ure fi lms on a huge domed screen; traveling exhibit ions; and such educational activities as classroom lessens, overnight stays, summer camps, and curriculum boxes for teachers. Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center , 65 Go vernment S t., Mobile , AL 36602 (mail ing addr ess: PO Box 1968, Mobile , AL 36633). P hones: 25 1/2086870 and 877/625-4386. F ax: 25 1/208-6889. Web site: www .exploreum.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mo n.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $10; seniors and youth 13–18, $8.50; children 2–12, $8; children under 2, free.
GULFCOAST WONDER AND IMAGINATION ZONE
The G ulfcoast Wonder and Imaginat ion Zone, known simpl y as “G.WIZ,” is a science and technology center that began in S arasota, Florida, in 1991 with only 1,000 square feet and 10 hands-on exhibits. The t iny center—o riginally called the Gulf Coast World of Science— proved so popular that the cit y made available a former 33,000-square-foot library building on
Harsco the bay fro nt. The site , no w c alled the Bl ivas Science and Technology Center, was renovated, filled with n ew exhibits and pr ograms, and opened in 2000. It no w serves 150,000 visitors annually. The center has four z ones of exhibits— “Explore Z one,” “ Tech Z one,” “ Wave Z one,” and “ Body Z one.” In the Explo re Z one, it is possible to do such things as build br idges and structures with magnetism, make a bolt of lightning safel y, and whisper across the r oom. The Tech Zone enables visitors to make an animated video, design and launc h a paper air plane, and learn about mechanics at a machine village. At the Wave Z one, it is possible to make m usic without touching a string, test various sounds at a laser guitar , and watc h horses r un and bl ink their eyes with a strobe fan. In addition to measuring a v isitor’s height and hear t r ate, v isitors can measur e their ph ysical per formance af ter sprinting, gripping, stretching, and/or jumping. The center a lso has t wo other exhibits— “Habitat,” featuring some of Florida’s native animals, and “Mindball,” where a visitor can compete against a friend to see who can move a ball with his or her mind. G.WIZ also has such educational offerings as sc hool programs, wo rkshops, camps, and outr each c lassroom and assembly science programs. Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Zone, Blivas Science and Technology Center, 1001 Blvd. of the Arts, Sarasota, F l 34236. P hone: 94 1/309-4949. F ax: 941/906-7292. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. W eb site: www.gwiz.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –6 S at., 12–6 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $9; seniors, $8; children 3–18, $6; children under 3, free.
HARSCO SCIENCE CENTER
The Harsco Science Center is par t of the Whitaker Center fo r Science and the Ar ts, a downtown cult ural center whic h a lso inc ludes Select Medical IMAX Theater and the Sunoco Performance Theater, in Harr isburg, Pennsylvania. The W hitaker Center was init iated in 1993 by community leaders and built in the late 1990s with $52.7 mil lion in support through a public-private partnership. It is named in memory of Unc as A. W hitaker, founder of AMP Inc., and his wif e, Helen F . W hitaker, whose foundations made a leadership co ntribution of $8 million to the project. The Harsco Science Center has three floors with over 240 hands-o n exhibits in the ph ysi-
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(General)—Extensive cal, life, and nat ural sciences; tec hnology; and mathematics. It also has two exhibits that l ink science and the ar ts—“Bodies in Mot ion: The Physics of Human Mo vement” and “ The Physics of Dance and Bac kstage Science: The Physics of Theater.” The center’s exhibits cover such ar eas as science through the ar ts, hea lth and wel lness, ph ysics, sound and m usic, color and light, environment and ecology, mathematics in nature and art, people and div ersity, and a science/arts exhibit for children under 9 years of age. Visitors are invited to interact with exhibits that enable them to experiment with simple machines; walk through a large-scale kaleidoscope that blends science and art through color, light, mirrors, and holograms; examine the basic physical principles of sound; explore the seven interconnected sy stems of the human body ; lear n more about the fo rces that shape our plan et; study the mathemat ical co ncepts that r eveal themselves in natural forms, art, and decorative patterns; and understand wh y gen etic science and tec hnology ar e cr eating a r evolution in medicine. The science center a lso has educ ational programming that includes “Big Science Theatre” shows by in-house professional actors, summer and winter c amps, home sc hool programs, and “ Whitaker o n W heels” outr each classroom and assembly programs. Harsco Science Center, Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, 222 Market St., Harrisburg, PA 17101 (mailing addr ess: 225 Market S t., Harr isburg, PA 17101-2205). P hone: 7 17/221-8201. F ax: 7 17/2218208. E-mail: info@whitaker center.org. Web site: www.whitakercenter.org. Hours: 9:30 –5 Mo n.– Thurs., 9:30 –9 Fri.–Sat.; 11:30 –5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $13.75; seniors, students, and children 3–12, $11.75; children under 3, free.
HEADWATERS SCIENCE CENTER
The Headwaters Science Center was founded in Bemidji, Minn esota, in 1992 by a group of cit izens concerned about the lac k of informal education facilities in the rural northwest and north central region of the state. They sought to provide “intellectual stimulation and enjoyment” for children and adults in the ar ea with interactive scientific and technological exhibits and programs. The Opportunities In Science, Inc., whic h had wo rked to pro mote science educ ation in no rthern Minn esota, was invited to spear head the project. Af ter a supportive public meeting and a fund-raising effort,
(General)—Extensive a science center was opened in l994 in a former department store, featuring 11 exhibits from the Pacific Science Center Science Car nival Consortium, a Starlab inflatable planetarium form a New York Hall of Science planetarium consortium, and a f ew staff-developed exhibits. The science center became so popular as it expanded its offerings that it outgrew its facilities and now is planning a n ew $20-mill ion larger “ green” building on land provided by the city as part of a downtown redevelopment program. It no w is possible fo r v isitors to interact with 70 hands-on exhibits, see science demonstrations, touch and hold a var iety of l ive animals, watch a sky sho w in the po rtable planetarium, and take par t in a wo rkshop and other educational act ivities at the science center . Among the many hands-on exhibits are the “Air Cannon,” Magic Mirrors,” “Zoetrope,” “Aquaculture,” “Planetary Motion,” “Whisper Dish,” “Bottled Lightning,” “Flow Mot ion,” “Bicycle Gyroscope,” “ Bubble Wall,” “ Muscle Coo rdination,” “Windmill,” and “”Kinetic Sculpture.” The center a lso has mo re that 25 l ive anima ls that can viewed and some can be touched. They include parakeets, tortoises, tarantulas, snakes, lizards, and e ven a hawk , toad, do ve, rabbit, anole, quail, turtle, and tree frog. The science center has cart demonstrations that cir culate among exhibits, specia l demonstrations and progr ams fo r sc hool and other groups, and demonstrations provided on an outreach basis. Other educational activities include the “Camp Invention” program that explore science superheroes, “Tots-n-Science” program for preschoolers, astronomy workshop, home school program, science clubs, and science curriculum kits for teachers. Headwaters Science Center, 413 Beltrami Ave., PO Box 1176, Bemidji, MN 5660 1. P hone: 320/4444473. Web site: www .hscbemidji.org. Hours: 9:30 – 5:30 Mon.–Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed major holidays. Admission: adults and c hildren o ver 11, $4; c hildren under 12, $3.
THE HEALTH ADVENTURE, Asheville, NC. See Health Science Centers section. IMAGINARIUM HANDS-ON MUSEUM
The Imaginarium Hands-On Museum is a city-operated science and nature center with interactive exhibits in physics, meteorology, paleontology, ecolog y, z oology, and other fi elds in
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Impression downtown F ort Myers, F lorida. F ounded in 1989 and open ed in 1995 as the Imaginar ium Hands-On Museum and A quarium, the name later was shortened. It is located on 7 acres at a historic 1938 fo rmer water plant with four buildings, water tower, movie theater, pavilion area, gardens, citr us grove, and a 180,000-gallon freshwater lagoon. The annual attendance is around 75,000. Imaginarium has mo re than 60 exhibits, covering such subjects as the en vironment, physics, anatomy, weather , and mar ine l ife. It has aquariums, a touc h pool , and a l iving reef tank, as well as such exhibits as “Animal Lab,” “Tropical Retr eat,” “ Fish-Eye L agoon,” “ The Hurricane Experience,” “W-IMG TV Weather Station,” “Dino Dig,” “Florida Fossil Quarry,” and a “ Tiny Town” ear ly childhood exhibit. Other attractions include science exper iments, a butterfly garden, a 3D theater, and such education programs as “S uper Science S aturdays,” workshops, camps, and preschool, after-school, home school, and outreach programs. Imaginarium Hands-On Museum, 2000 Cranfo rd Ave., Fort Myers, FL 339 16. Phone: 239/337-3332. Fax: 239/337-3109. Web site: www.cityftmyers.com/ imaginarium. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 S un.; closed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $8; senio rs, $7; childr en 3 –12, $5; childr en under 3, free.
IMPRESSION 5 SCIENCE CENTER
Impression 5 Science Center is a science and tec hnology lear ning center in L ansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1972 by Marilynne Eichinger, who served as the executive director until 1985. “ Impression 5” r efers to the fi ve senses. The science center moved to its present downtown loc ation in 1994 from its o riginal warehouse site and no w has an annu al attendance of 75,000. The science center has hands-o n exhibits on such subjects as chemistry, simple machines, electricity and magn etism, l ight and colo r, heart, eyes, water, music, broadcasting, bubbles, and health. Visitors can engage in such exhibit activities as mo ve over 500 pounds of cement with a simple mac hine, explo re proper ties of light, learn how the hear t works, make a pipe system, examine the anatomy of a human cel l, encase a perso n’s whole body in a bubble , and see the difference between an atom and a molecule. It also has a “First Impression Room,” an
Insights exploration and play space for children under 5 years of age, and suc h educational activities as “Super Saturdays” and “Scientific Sundays” exploration programs, “LABS (Learn About Basic Science) Science Camps,” “ Interactive Science Workshops,” c amp-ins, and ho me school programs. Impression 5 Science Center, 200 Museum Dr., Lansing, MI 48933. Phone: 517/485-8116. Fax: 517/4858125. E-mail: larso
[email protected]. W eb site: www.impression5.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –7 Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed first week in Sept., New Year’s Day, Easter , Memo rial Day , Independence Day , Labor Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. A dmission: adults and st udents, $5; senio rs, $4.50; children under 5, pay their age.
Chair lifts in the “Simple Machines” exhibit are among the hands-on exper iences at the Impression 5 Science Center in Lansing, Michigan. By lifting their o wn weight, these visitors compar e the difference in mec hanical advantage in three different pulley arrangements. Founded in 1972, the science center also has interactive exhibits in such other fields as chemist ry, elect ricity and magnetism, light and color, anatomy, and health. Courtesy of Impr ession 5 Science Cent er and photographer Kelly Tolley.
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INSIGHTS EL PASO SCIENCE MUSEUM
The Insights El P aso Science Museum in El P aso, Texas, is the r esult of a st udy that showed the lack of opportunity for science education in the area and called for the creation of a hands-on science center . The st udy was followed by c ampaigning and fund-raising by community leaders, with the science center being founded in 1979 and opened in the basement of the electric company in 1980. It now occupies a large building with hands-o n exhibits and progr ams loc ated n ear Cit y Ha ll and the El Paso Museum of Art. The science center has become an important science education resource in El Paso and now serves 75,000 visitors annually. The center has hands-o n exhibits in such areas as electricity, magnetism, light, optical illusions, sound, mot ion, energy, biolog y, computers, space science, and human body. Among the center highlights are a rooftop observatory for Friday night star gazing and the demonstration of a T esla coil with its 500,000 volts se veral times daily. The center a lso presents traveling exhibitions, such as the recent “Dinosaurs” show, and special exhibits like “To the Ends of the Earth, UTEP at the Poles,” which featured recent research and v isits to the Antar ctic and the Arctic by University of Texas at El Paso biology faculty members and students. The science center a lso is planning to develop a dinosaur center at a 2 10-acre donated site in Sunland Park west of El P aso that contains multiple authenticated dinosaur tracks and other geologic al f eatures. The center , which now gives guided tours of the “Dino Tracks,” is planning to add a teaching and research building with exhibits, educational facilities containing a large col lection of dinosaur fossils, and a research laboratory. The center now offers such educational activities at the downtown museum as science classes, summer camps, and a mobile van outreach service. Insights El Paso Science Museum, 505 N. S anta Fe St., El Paso, TX 79901. Phone: 915/534-0000. Fax: 915/532-7416. E-mail: insightselpaso museum@elp. rr.com. Web site: www .insightselpaso.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $6; seniors, military, and students, $5; children 4–11, $4; children under 4, free.
INVENTION FACTORY
Invention Factory, a science and tec hnol-
(General)—Extensive ogy center, is being developed at the 100-yearold machine shop of the historic Roebling Wire Works in Trenton, New Jersey. The former wire plant of the John A. Roebling’s Sons Company produced the steel wir e rope used in the co nstruction of such famous suspension bridges as the Brooklyn and George Washington bridges in N ew York and the Golden Gate Br idge in San Francisco. Founded in 1848, the sprawling red br ick compound a lso produced telepho ne and telegraph wire, elevator wire, railway cables, and lightning rods. The machine shop is the oldest and most intact structure at the 45-acr e complex. It was built in 1890 and modified several times in the early 1900s before closing later in the twentieth century. The building’ s exter ior has been r estored, the site has been improved, and now the interior is being r enovated for use as a science center. Two levels of exhibits ar e being de veloped for the building, uniting the area’s industrial past with present-day science and technology. Meanwhile, a joint project with Princeton University and its P lasma P hysics L aboratory has developed as an education resource for elementary and midd le-school teac hers, and a “Science to Go!” Intern et ser vice is being planned to provide science kits and professional development information to science teachers in the region. Invention Factory, 379 Hamilton Ave., Trenton, NJ 08611-1822. P hone: 609/396-2002. F ax: 609/3960676. E-mail: jwink
[email protected]. Web site: www.inventionfactory.com. Hours and admission: still to be determined.
KIRBY SCIENCE DISCOVERY CENTER
The Kir by Science Disco very Center , a hands-on science center founded in 1999, is located in the W ashington Pavilion of Ar ts and Science, an entertainment, cultural, and educational facility that a lso houses the Husby P erforming Arts Center, V isual Arts Center, and Wells Fargo CineDome Theater in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The 255,000-squ are-foot ar ts and science pavilion is located in a historic 1906 high school building that has been r enovated and adapted as a cultural community center. The science center has thr ee floors of exhibits with such interactive exhibits as the “Air and Space Gallery,” where visitors can simulate space fl ight and co ntrol a model ro ver o ver a recreated Mars sur face; “Starting Line: Fit for
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Liberty Life!” enabl ing v isitors to test their skil ls as a mountain c limber, wheelc hair r acer, soccer goalie, and baseball pitcher; “Light, Sound, Action!” where it is possible to bend ilght and generate electr icity; “ Dynamic Ear th,” with v isitors being able to touch a to rnado, exc avate dinosaur bo nes, see ho w ear thquakes shake buildings, and see a 40-foot Tyrannosaurus rex replica; “Nature Works,” an exhibit containing live animals of the ar ea; and “ The Stairway of Sound,” feat uring different sounds fo r the 2 1 steps on the stairway between exhibit floors. In addition, the center has an exhibit, “ Big Sioux River Banks,” where children under 7 c an play in a flowing stream with dams, boats, and waterwheels; pretend to be pioneer storekeepers or Native A merican farmers; and take a tr ip through an indoo r sl ide to lear n about the weather water cycle. The Kirby Science Discovery Center is the home of the “Wells Fargo Cinedome Theater,” which features large-format fi lms on a 60-foot domed screen. It a lso ser ves as a N ASA Educator Resource Center in the r egion and offers science c lasses, wo rkshops, and other educ ational programs. The annu al attendance is approximately 100,000. Kirby Science Discovery Center, Washington Pavilion of Ar ts and Science , 30 1 S. Main A ve., S ioux Falls, SD 57 104. P hone: 605/367-7397 . F ax: 605/731-2397. Web site: www .washingtonpavilion. org/sciencediscoverycenter. Hours: 10 –5 W ed., Thurs., and Sat., 10 –8 Fri., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon.– Tues. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $6.75; seniors, $5.65; children, $4.60.
LEDERMAN SCIENCE CENTER, Batavia, IL. See Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Energy Science Centers section. LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER
Liberty Science Center, a 295,000-squarefoot hands-on science center located in Liberty State Park in Jerse y Cit y, New Jersey, has undergone a major expansion and tr ansformation since opening in 1993. A $ 109-million expansion and r enewal co mpleted in 2007 added 100,000 squ are f eet to the facil ity, r eplaced nearly a ll the o riginal exhibits, cr eated a n ew educational center, and made numerous other improvements as it sought to move from merely science literacy to inspiring science activism. In the process, the attendance incr eased fro m 600,000 in 2005 to over 1 million in 2008.
Liberty The center no w has suc h inter active exhibits as “S kyscraper! A chievement and Impact,” one of the largest exhibits on skyscrapers in the wo rld and co ntains objects fro m the World Trade Center disaster ; “Co mmunication,” which traces the evolution of human communication from handpr ints on c ave wa lls to today’s digita l de vices; “ Energy Q uest,” describes different sources of energy and the technologies to har ness them; “ Infection Connection,” explaining ho w illn esses spr ead and medical discoveries lead to a healthier life; “Our Hudson Home,” about the ecology and wildlife of the Hudso n Riv er r egion; “ Eat and Be Eaten,” an exhibit of l ive anima ls and their strategies to c atch their pr ey while avoiding being caught themselves; and “ Wildlife Challenge,” an outdoo r exhibit wher e v isitors c an take par t in a var iety of ph ysical act ivities to
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(General)—Extensive
simulate the c hallenges ur ban wild life exper ience. A mong the other exhibits ar e “ Breakthroughs,” a changing exhibit de voted to n ew scientific discoveries; “I Explore,” an exhibit especially fo r young c hildren that explo res who they are, what they can do, and what their world offers; and “Wonder Why,” which features 40 of the favorite older exhibit units from the center’s earlier days. The science center has an unusual “Exhibit Commons” progr am that enables v isitors to change the code o n some of the high-tec h experiences, create video debates, and suggest improvements in exhibits. It also is possible to obtain fur ther co ntent info rmation in so me exhibits by using a cell p hone in a pr ogram called “Science Now, Science Everywhere.” In addition to these act ivities, man y of the center’s exhibits have live demonstrations at various t imes dur ing the week o n such related topics as surveying, water filtration, surgery, four states of matter , ta lking lasers, and wildlife. It also is possible to see the exhibits and forward comments on home computers in the “Exhibits Live!” program. The site of most of the facility’s educational activities is the new “Jennifer A. Chalsty Center for Science Learning and Teaching,” which covers 20,000 square feet and has six laboratories, a 150-seat theater, and other resources for students and teachers. Students can attend intense single-hour o r multi-day science classes and other programs, while educators can receive professional development assistance to upgr ade their science teac hing skills and impro ve science instr uction. Among the other educ ational progr ams are real-time videoconferencing to a hospital operating room, del ivering interact ive lessons to schools by v ideoconferencing, c lassroom and assembl y outr each progr ams, af terschool science programming, and early childhood learning exper iences in the “ Young Learner Lab Programs” for teachers include A mother and daughter interact with the “ Body a summer institute, workshops, monthly sesInvaders” section of the “ Infection Connection ” sions to discuss topics being taught, and a exhibit at the Liberty Science Center, located in Lib- certification training program for alternateerty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. The exhibit route teachers. shows the choices made on a dail y basis that conLiberty Science Center also has the natribute to the rise and fall of infectious diseases. The tion’s largest “IMAX Dome Theater,” which museum completed a major expansion and transformation in 2007 that increased its size from 195,000 to shows science and nat ure fi lms on a huge domed screen, and “Joseph D. Williams Sci295,000 square feet and resulted in an annual attendance rise from 600,000 to over 1 million. Courtesy of ence Theater,” which presents digital threeLiberty Science Center. dimensional films.
(General)—Extensive
69
Louisville
Liberty Science Center, Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey Cit y Bl vd., Jersey Cit y, NJ 07305. P hone: 20 1/ 200-1000. Fax: 201/451-6949. Web site: www.lsc.org. Hours: Jul y–Aug.—9:30 –5:30 dail y; r emainder of year—9–4 Tues.–Fri., 9 –5 S at.–Sun.; c losed Mon., Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $15.75; seniors and c hildren 2 –12, $11.50; teac hers, $5; children under 2, free.
Louisiana Art and Science Museum, 100 S. River Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802 (mail ing address: PO Bo x 3373, Bato n Rouge , L A 7082 1-3373). P hone: 225/344-5272. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. Web site: www.lasm.org. Hours: 10–4 Tues.–Fri., 10–8 Sat., 1–5 Sun.; c losed Mon. and majo r hol idays. A dmission: adults, $6; senio rs and childr en 2 –12, $5; childr en under 2, free.
LOUISIANA ART AND SCIENCE MUSEUM
LOUISVILLE SCIENCE CENTER
The Louisiana Art and Science Museum in Baton Rouge seeks to fur ther publ ic understanding and appreciation of art and science by presenting educational and entertaining experiences that “encourage discovery, inspire creativity, and foster the pursuit of kno wledge.” Founded in 1960, the m useum is housed in a historic railroad depot on the banks of the Mississippi River. It has interactive art and science exhibits and programs design ed fo r childr en, space science ga lleries, plan etarium with sky shows and large-format films, galleries displaying fi ne ar t and ar tifacts from its col lections, and such public programming as lectures, workshops, c lasses, c amps, and teac her inser vices. The annual attendance is 217,000. The m useum has t wo hands-on exhibits for childr en—“Discovery Depot ” fo r childr en ages 6 months to 9 years, and “Science Station” for children 7 to 12 years old. The include such exhibits as building with blocks, climbing a tree house, operating computers, digging for fossils, and exploring sound, l ight, logic, and mot ion. Other exhibits inc lude the “S olar S ystem Gallery,” wher e v isitors c an weigh themsel ves on the moon and planets, study an orrery with a giant solar sy stem model 40 f eet across, and see life-size models of famous astronomers and large photographs from outer space; “ Universe Gallery,” featuring the most recent images from the Hubble S pace Telescope, NASA, and Jet Propulsion L aboratory spacecr aft; “ Planet Tower,” a soaring architectural and educational space which contains large planet models built to scale; “Ancient Egypt Gallery,” containing a 2,300-year-old mummy and ar tifacts from the Ptolemaic Period; “ Ivan Me_tro vi_ Sculpt ure Gallery,” displaying the works of the Croat ian sculpture; and changing exhibits from the museum’s col lection of 3,000 ar tworks and ar tifacts. The I rene W. Pennington P lanetarium houses a 60-foot do med theater that pr esents sky shows, large format films, and visual music shows.
The L ouisville Science Center in L ouisville, Kent ucky, traces its founding to a “ cabinet of cur iosities” in 1871. At one time, it had little mo re than an Eg yptian m ummy and a 16,000-piece mineral col lection. Now it is the state’s leading hands-o n r esource fo r info rmal science educ ation. But the tr ansformation did not come until recent years. The museum operated as the Museum of History and Science until 1994, but moved to its present downtown location and began changing to a science and tec hnology center in 1977. In 1992, the board of ficially establ ished the m useum’s mission as furthering public understanding of science , math, and tec hnology through interactive exhibits and programs. It has grown steadily and now has over 360,000 v isitors annually. In 2002, the Kentucky General Assembly designated the museum as the “State Science Center of Kent ucky.” It is the largest science center in the state , with about 150 interact ive exhibits and act ivity stat ions, a four-sto ry IMAX theater, teaching laboratories, a var iety of educational programs, and distance learning capabilities. The center has de veloped an exhibit plan with thr ee themes—“ The World We Cr eate,” “The W orld W ithin U s,” and “ The W orld Around U s.” The 12,500-square-foot “ The World We Create,” which opened in 1997, lets visitors make use of their creative and problemsolving skills. It has over 40 exhibits and activity stat ions in the fi elds of c hemistry, physics, engineering, telecommunications, and manufacturing, with dail y hands-on demonstrations and inter active pr esentations in the “ Tech Forum” and ‘Chemistr y Kitc hen.” V isitors are encouraged to discover how science, math, and technology are at work in their e veryday lives. It also has a “ KidZone” with act ivity areas for children younger than 7 years. A highl y successful traveling exhibition of the “ The World We Create” was circulated in the region and at other museums.
Marian “The World Within Us,” which opened in 2001 and occupies 10,500 square feet, is focused on hea lth and the l ife sciences. It co nsists of three galleries with 75 interactive components. The exhibits take v isitors on a journ ey inside seven body systems, help them make wise decisions about hea lthy l iving, and pr esent the accomplishments and c areers of regional medical r esearchers. The sect ion a lso has a hightech demonstration wet lab for life science programs. The third phase of the exhibit plan , “The World Around Us,” is an 8,000-square-foot natural and ear th sciences exhibit that open ed in 2005. Visitors explore their connections to the world in the exhibit, which shows that everyone leaves ecologic al foot prints. Ga lleries ar e devoted to the atmospher e, water , and env ironment. The center also has traveling exhibitions and educational programs that serve more than 150,000 students and teachers annually. It now is expanding into a n ew Science Educ ation Wing with wo rkshops and labo ratories to increase the educ ational programming grounded in scientific inquiry.
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(General)—Extensive iors, students, and children 2–12, $10; children under 2, free.
MARIAN KOSHLAND SCIENCE MUSEUM
The Marian Koshland Science Museum in Washington, D.C., is a science and technology center de voted to curr ent scient ific issues that impact l ives. It is oper ated by the N ational Academy of Sciences and is named fo r an immunologist and molecular biologist kno wn for her studies of antibodies. Members of the academy serve as adv isers to the nat ion on science, engineering, and medicine, and academy’s studies influence publ ic pol icy decisions r egarding controversial science-related matters. The museum, which opened in 2004 and has an attendance of around 20,000, was made possible by a gif t from her husband, Daniel Koshland, a molecular biologist specializing in enzymes and bacteria. The museum has inter active exhibits that illustrate the role of science in nat ional pol icy and personal decisions impacting people’s daily lives. A cademy and other specia lists in such Louisville Science Center, 727 W. Main St., Louisfields as biolog y, geoscience , c limatology, geville, KY 40202. Phones: 502/561-6100 and 800/591nomics, medicine, astronomy, physics, environ2203. E-mail:
[email protected] et. W eb site: mental sciences, and science education particiwww.louisvillescience.org. Hours: 9:30 –5 S un.– pate in the de velopment of the exhibits to Thurs., 9:30 –9 Fri.–Sat.; c losed Thanksgiv ing and ensure scient ific accur acy and object ivity. The Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $12; senmuseum’s exhibits change as the scient ific issu es c hange. Among the topics of curr ent and recent exhibits ar e infectious diseases, globa l warming, DN A, safe dr inking water, and l ights at night. A “Wonders of Science ” intr oductory exhibit inc ludes scientific animat ions and a fi lm that are updated per iodically. In addit ion to school exhibit tours, the museum offers such educational programs as classroom act ivities, l ive demo nstrations, on-line tours of exIn “The World Around Us” exhibit at the L ouisville Science Cen- hibits, and web pr ograms on ter in Louisville, Kentucky, children can work on an earth cycle puz- current exhibit topics.
zle. T he 8,000-square–foot nat ural and ear th sciences exhibit consists of 23 interactive components that enable visitors to explore their connections to the world and see how they leave their ecological footprints. The hands-on science center e volved from a nat ural histor y museum that beg an in 1871. Courtesy of the Louisville Science Center.
Marian Koshland Science Museum, 6th and E S ts., Washington, D C 2000 1(mailing addr ess: The National Academies, 500 5th St., N.W ., W ashington, D C 20001). P hones: 202/334- 1201
(General)—Extensive
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Maryland
and 800/567-4526. F ax: 202/334- 1548. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .koshland-sciencemuseum.org. Hours: 10 –6 Wed.–Mon.; c losed Tues., Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $5; senio rs, mil itary, st udents, and c hildren, 5–18, $3; children under 5, free.
MARYLAND SCIENCE CENTER
The Mar yland Science Center o n Baltimore’s Inn er Har bor is operated by the Maryland A cademy of Sciences, the state ’s oldest scientific institution that dates to 1797. The academy began as an amateur scient ific society to discuss papers on the “natural sciences” (such as astronomy, botany, and zoology), and gradually evolved into a more professional o rganization with display s of artifacts. In the ear ly t wentieth cent ury, as the nation experienced an unprecedented expansion of scient ific and technic al kno wledge, the academy became an interpreter of science and technology to the public. Less emphasis was placed on static collections, and more on working exhibits that il lustrated fundamental scient ific pr inciples and industr ial processes. At the end of W orld War II, the Maryland Science Center opened with interactive exhibits in its n ew ho me a long the Inner Harbor. In the years that followed, the Davis Planetarium was added in 1976, an ad- In this photog raph, c hildren get “ physical” while dition to the atrium lobby in 1986, the IMAX learning about phy sics in the “ Newton’s Al ley” Theater in l987, and a major renovation and exhibit at the Mar yland Science Center, founded by building expansion in 2004. T oday, the sci- the Maryland Academy of Science in Baltimore after ence center has 172,000 square feet, three lev- World War II. T he ac ademy whic h was founded in els of exhibits, and an annu al attendance of 1797 to discuss the “ natural sciences,” bec ame an interpreter of science and technolog y ear ly in the nearly 450,000. twentieth century and in the 1940s opened the handsAmong the exhibits ar e “O ur P lace in on science center . Courtesy of the Mar yland Science Space,” featuring three-dimensional views of Center. Earth from space; “Newton’s Alley,” a kinetic hands-on exhibit po wered by v isitors; “ DiThe Maryland Science Center also has tranosaur Mysteries,” where visitors can dig for diditional IMAX and IMAX 3D presentations on nosaur bones, work in the fi eld lab, and exama five-story screen, planetarium shows, “Science ine full-sized skeletons; “Follow the Blue Crab,” on a Sphere” displays of animated data onto the featuring Maryland’s live crustaceans and other outside of a suspended globe , and obser vatory Chesapeake Bay animals; “Fossil Quest,” focusviews of planets, stars, the Sun, and other astroing on crocodiles and dinosaurs that once lived nomical wonders. A mong the educ ation proin Mar yland; and “ Your Body,” explo ring the grams are live state demonstrations, camp-ins, things a human body does e very day. The scisummer c amps, trav eling outr each progr ams, ence center a lso has thr ee “ Body, S pace, and and teacher workshops. Terralink” multimedia update units on the latMaryland Science Center, 601 Light St., Baltimore, est scient ific disco veries and a “ Kids’ Room” MD 2 1230. P hones: 4 10/685-5225 and 4 10/685with hands-o n exhibits fo r c hildren under 8 2370. Fax: 410/545-5973. Web site: www.mdsci.org. Hours: Sept.–May—10–5 Mon.–Fri., 10–6 Sat., 12–6 years of age.
McWane Sun.; June–Aug.—varies, but extended hours. Admission: adults, $ 14.50; seniors, $ 13.50; c hildren 3 –12, $10; children under 3, free.
MCAULIFFE-S HEPARD DISCOVERY CENTER, Concord, NH. See Aviation/Space
Science Centers section.
MCWANE SCIENCE CENTER
The McWane Science Center , loc ated in the former Loveman’s department store in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, resulted from the 1991 merger of t wo earlier science m useums— Red Mountain Museum, a natural history museum with a primary focus on paleontology, and Discovery Place, a children’s science center that changed its name to the McWane Science Center af ter a $ 10 mill ion contribution from the
This “Air Cannon” exhibit is one of the hands-on exhibits at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, Alabama. When particles of air are compressed, the air inside the cannon seeks to relieve the pressure by r ushing out a hole on the other side—resulting in a quic k blast of air . T he center was formed in 1991 with the merger of a natural histor y m useum and a children ’s science museum. Courtesy of the McWane Science Center.
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(General)—Extensive McWane family, owners of McWane Inc., one of the world’s largest water and sewer pipe manufacturing companies. The name was kept with continued support from the McWanes when the merged inst itution open ed at the depar tment store site in 1998. The 270, 106-square-foot science center , which has an annual attendance of over 280,000, has four floors of interactive exhibits on physical and natural sciences, an aquarium, an IMAX domed theater , and the A labama Collect ions Center, with more than 500,000 precious miners, fossils, and Native American artifacts from the former Red Mountain Museum. Among the exhibits ar e display s on l ight and lasers, wher e v isitors can experiment with strobe and laser l ights; “Alabama Dinosaurs,” featuring dinosaur fossils discovered in the state; “Challenge the Robot,” whic h can hand le 150 selections per minute; “ Anti-Gravity Mirro r,” which demonstrates symmetry in mirror reflections; “Air Cannon,” where visitors can fire cannons filled with pressurized air; “Aeolian Landscape,” which shows how sands are continuously shaped and r eshaped by blo wing winds; “Animation Station,” where visitors can make their own stop-action animation; and “Bernoulli Experimentation Station,” where balls can be balanced in streams of moving air. The center also has a Challenger Learning Center, wher e st udents and teac hers ar e immersed in a space missio n sim ulation; a sma ll aquarium and “ Aquascape Theater ,” a v ideo, film, and sma ll flexible pr ogramming space; “Protozone and Demonstration Station,” where different progr ams ar e pr esented e very hour ; “Explore! L ab,” de voted to hands-o n exploration of geolog y, pa leontology, anthropolog y, and zoology; “W.E.T. Lab,” where visitors can learn about the ph ysical and c hemical properties of water, biology of aquatic organisms, geology of aquatic systems, and trends in aquatic research; and “ IMAX Dome Theater ,” wher e films about science and nature are projected on a five-story domed screen. The center a lso has such educ ational offerings as c lasses, c amps, overnight camp-ins, distant lear ning, outreach programs, and teacher professional development activities. McWane Science Center, 200 19th St., N., Birmingham, AL 35213. Phones: 205/714-8300 and 877/4629263. Fax: 205/7 14-8400. E-mail: ahead@mcwan e. org. Web site: www.mcwane.org. Hours: June–Aug.— 10 –6 Mon.–Sat., 12–6 Sun.; Sept.–May—9–5 Mon.–
(General)—Extensive
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Miami
Fri., 10 –6 Sat., 12–6 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $11; seniors and childr en 2 –12, $8; children under 2, free.
MIAMI SCIENCE MUSEUM
The Miami Science Museum, which was founded in 1949 by the Junio r L eague of Miami, opened in a house as the Junior Museum of Miami in 1950, moved to the Miami Women’s Club as the Museum of Science and N atural HisThese c hildren are shown inter acting with the “Gr avity W ell” tory in 1952, and relocated to exhibit at the Miami Science Museum in F lorida. T he museum, the histo ric V izcaya complex which opened as a junior m useum in 1950, bec ame a science and on a Dade County lease as the natural histor y museum and c hanged its name to the Miami SciMiami Science Museum in ence Museum in 1960. It now is building a $250-million new home 1960. O ver the y ears, it has in a downtown science , ar t, and histor y complex. Courtesy of the grown steadily in popularity as Miami Science Museum. a science center—and no w is expanding and moving again to a new building The planetarium, which opened in 1966 and has in a downtown museum complex being created been updated, pr esents sky and laser l ight in Bicentennial Park that a lso will include the shows. It a lso is possible to v iew the plan ets, Miami Art Museum and Historical Museum of galaxies, nebulas, and stars with the t wo powSouthern Florida. The new site will be opening erful telescopes at the Weintraub Observatory. in 2013. Another science museum major attraction is its “Falcon Batchelor Bird of P rey Center,” dediIn 2004, the people of Dade Count y apcated to ecological research, rehabilitation, and proved $175 million to build a new Miami Scirelease of injured birds of prey. ence Museum in the water front cult ural quarThe museum features traveling exhibitions, ter being developed in a revitalized city center. such as the recent showings of “The Dinosaurs The cit y of Miami a lso passed a r esolution to of China” and “ Through the Eyes of the Conprovide four acr es fo r the science m useum in dor.” Ho wever, it a lso has such o n-going exthe new science, art, and history complex. And hibits as “ Newton’s N otions,” with interact ive recently the Br itish ar chitectural fi rm of units devoted to the univ ersal laws of mot ion; Grimshaw Architects was selected in a compe“40 Tons of Co ral in N ew York Cit y,” docutition to design the m useum’s n ew $275 milmenting the ingenuity and technology required lion, 200,000-squ are-foot building . The m uto collect and transport 40 tons of coral reefs of seum wil l hav e a thr ee-story atr ium and wil l the Bahamas fo r a t wo-story exhibit at the feature an aquarium, planetarium, wildlife cenAmerican Museum of Natural History in New ter, and exhibits that will range from the natuYork City; and “Immersion Theatre,” where visral histo ry and cult ural her itage of southern itors explore inside the body of an infected asFlorida to physical sciences and outer space. tronaut with nano-robots and compete in a seMeanwhile, the Miami Science Museum ries of touc h-screen games to sav e a team continues to oper ate at its lo ng-standing 48,000-square-foot V izcaya loc ation wher e it member. serves over 250,000 visitors annually. One of its The education programs range from classes highlights is the “S pace Transit P lanetarium,” and wo rkshops to c amp-ins and c amps. The which is the site of Jac k Ho rkheimer’s “S tar museum also has a joint venture with the UniGazer” television program, the world’s first and versity of Miami, c alled the “Center for Interonly weekly TV series on naked-eye astronomy. active L earning,” to st udy and foster l inkages
Mid-America
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(General)—Extensive
between informal science education and the formal education and research community.
sion: adults, $8 plus tax; senio rs, mil itary, and c hildren 2–12, $7 plus tax; children under 2, free.
Miami Science Museum, 3280 S. Miami Ave., Miami, FL 33129. Phone: 305/646-4200. Fax: 305/646-4300. Web site: www .miamisci.org. Hours: 10 –6 dail y; closed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $10; seniors and st udents, $9; children 3 –12, $6.50; children under 3, free.
OF
MID-AMERICA SCIENCE MUSEUM
In 1971, the Arkansas Gen eral Assembl y created the Arkansas Museum and Cult ural Commission primarily to establish and operate a hands-on science m useum in Hot S prings, Arkansas to further public understanding of science. The m useum, c alled the Mid-Amer ica Science Museum, open ed in 1979 and bec ame a tour ist attr action. It was oper ated by the Arkansas Depar tment of P arks and T ourism until 2001, when it was turned over to the Hot Springs A dvertising and P romotion Commission. In 2004, the m useum began a fi ve-year program to reorganize as an independent organization. It now functions as a nonprofit science and technolog y center with an annu al attendance of 200,000. The m useum has o ver 100 hands-on exhibits that il lustrate a ph ysical proper ty o r demonstrate a law of science. They feature energy, matter, l ife, and per ception. V isitors can take a v irtual r eality sim ulator r ide, disco ver what it feels like to be a building, explore various opt ical il lusions that occur with mirro rs, trap a shadow on a special phosphorescent wall, perform various energy experiments, experience the power of “caged lightning,” have their hair raised by an electrostat ic gen erator, act ivate a laser show, investigate the properties of matter, create to rnadoes, tr ek through a huge indoo r cave, and take a nature walk. The museum also has tr aveling exhibit ions, suc h as the r ecent “Our Body : the Universe W ithin” sho w with more than 200 human specimens, and such educational pr ograms as c lasses, wo rkshops, camps, and outr each programs ranging fro m classes and wo rkshops to electrostat ic demonstrations. Mid-America Science Museum, 500 Mid-Amer ica Blvd., Hot Springs, AR 71913. Phone: 501/787-3461. Fax: 501/767-1170. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .midamericamuseum.org. Hours: Memorial Day weekend–L abor Day—9:30 –6 dail y; remainder of y ear—10 –5 T ues.–weekend befo re Memorial Day—10 –5 Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon., New Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmis-
MILTON J. RUBENSTEIN MUSEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and T echnology (usu ally r eferred to as MOST) was founded in 1978 and open ed in 1981 as the Disco very Center of Science and Technology and r enamed fo r a busin essman donor in 1992 when it moved to the Armory in downtown Syracuse, New York. It now is in the process of r evitalizing its exhibit program as part of its “Making More of the MOST” campaign. The annual attendance is about 150,000. Three major new hands-on exhibits hav e been added—and mo re ar e o n the way . The three n ew attr actions ar e the “ Earth Science Discovery Cave,” a realistic cave that invites visitors to explo re facets of geolog y and water ; “Technotown,” co ntaining R ube Goldbergesque de vices with co mplex mo ving par ts, wheels, rolling balls, noise, and humor—all relating to science; and “The Science Playhouse,” a giant parent-child climbing maze covering five floors that co mbines basic scient ific pr inciples with such act ivities as le vers, pulley s, br idges, and multi-sensory special effects. It a lso other exhibits, such as those on the Morse Code and telegraphy, the Inter net, and co mputers in the Telecommunications Laboratory; the Silverman Planetarium with sky shows; and Bristol Omnimax do med theater with science and nat ure films. The education program includes such activities as l ive demonstrations, c amp-ins, outreach traveling science programs, and a teacher resource center.
Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology, 500 S . Franklin S t., S yracuse, NY 13202. Phone: 315/425-9068. Fax: 315/425-9072. Web site: www.most.org. Hours: 10–5 Wed.–Sun.; closed Mon.– Tues., Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $5; senio rs and c hildren 2 –11, $4; children under 2, free.
MOMENTUM SCIENCE AND HEALTH ADVENTURE PARK, Asheville, NC. See
The Health Adventure in Health Science Centers section.
MONTSHIRE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE
Montshire Museum of Science is a 35,000square-foot hands-on science center o n a 110-
(General)—Extensive acre site near the Connecticut River in Norwich, Vermont. It open ed in 1974 and no w has o ver 60 exhibits relating to the natural and physical sciences, ecology, and technology, and serves as the visitor center for the nearby Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. The annual attendance is around 150,000. Interactive exhibits enable v isitors to explore exhibits o n air and weather ; astronomy; light and vision; math, mechanics, and motion; natural histo ry and the env ironment; sound; water and flow; and live animals. The museum also has a t wo-acre Science Park with outdoor exhibits, a specia l place de voted to pr eschoolaged explorers and their c aregivers, and a n etwork of tr ails, nat ural ar eas, and gather ing spaces. Its educ ational offerings inc lude programs for children, adults, and families; campins; outreach programs; and professional development opportunities for teachers. Montshire Museum of Science , 1 Montshire Rd., Norwich, VT 05055. P hone: 802/649-2200. F ax: 802/649-3637. E-mail: mo
[email protected]. Web site: www .montshire.org. Hours: 10 –5 dail y; closed N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $9; c hildren 3 –17, $7; children under 3, free.
MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER, Chapel Hil l, NC. S ee Astronomy Science Centers section.
MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY
The Museum of Discovery in Little Rock began as the Museum of N atural History and Antiquities in 1927. It was founded in a downtown sto refront by Bernie Babcoc k, a noted writer and pro hibitionist, in r esponse to cr iticism from journalist and writer H. L. Mencken that Arkansans wer e “ bumpkins” who lac ked cultural centers. T wo years later , she gav e the museum with its taxidermy specimens, pr imitive ar t, and cur iosities to the cit y of Little Rock, whic h r elocated the col lection to cit y hall. In 1942, the museum moved to the r enovated Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal, where it remained for 55 years as it continued to gro w and acquir e mo re and better artifacts and exhibits. In 1964, the museum’s name was c hanged to Museum of Science and Natural History, and then to the Arkansas Museum of Science and History in 1983. As its of ferings became more like a hands-o n science center , the m useum
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Museum changed its name to the Museum of Discovery: Arkansas’ Museum of Science and History (now known simpl y as Museum of Disco very) and moved to a historic building in the River Market District in 1997–98. The transformation to an inter active science center was accelerated when the Children’s Museum of Arkansas, located in Union Station, merged with the Museum of Disco very in 2003. In this process of change and growth, the Arkansas science center’s annu al attendance has incr eased to o ver 100,000. The Museum of Disco very now is undergoing expansion and renovations as a result of a $9.2 mil lion gr ant fro m the Do nald W . Reynolds Foundation and a $3.5 mill ion matching fund-raising campaign. The improvements will include the construction of a new building entrance and thr ee ga lleries for interactive exhibits dea ling with the ph ysical sciences, the wonder of human life, and global earth sciences and env ironmental issu es. In the process, the museum’s squ are foot wil l be incr eased fro m 44,000 to 50,000 square feet. The science center ’s curr ent exhibits include “ Energy!” with hands-o n exhibits and video kiosks on energy and a hair-r aising “Big Energy S how” on weekends; “ Arkansas Indians,” which traces the history of the state’s native inhabitants; “ Health Ha ll,” an inter active exhibit that explo res fi ve majo r body sy stems; “Bug Zoo,” featuring spiders, beetles, tarant ulas, and other bugs; “ World of the Forest,” devoted to the fo rests of Arkansas; “ Passport to the World,” a rotating exhibit on the people and artifacts of dif ferent countr ies; and “ Imagination Station,” where visitors can engage in experiments and crafts under the supervision of a trained m useum staff member ; and “ Room to Grow,” a 3,000-squ are-foot hands-on exhibit for children under the age of 7. The museum a lso has large col lections of Kewpie dolls, multicultural masks, and animals ranging from spiders to alligators, and a public and education program that include live demonstrations, Saturday science programs, l ive animal programs, and outreach activities. The Museum of Disco very is o ne of se ven Arkansas museums and educ ational centers that take hands-on museum experiences to sc hoolchildren and their famil ies as par t of Do nald W. Reynolds F oundation’s $7 mill ion “Arkansas Discovery Network” outreach program. Museum of Disco very, 500 P resident Cl inton Ave.,
Museum Suite 150, Little Roc k, AR 72201. Phone: 501/3967050. Fax: 501/396-7054. Web site: www.amod.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. A dmission: adults, $7; senio rs and c hildren 2–12, $6; children under 2, free.
MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE
The Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort L auderdale, F lorida, co nsists of thr ee buildings, feat ures interact ive exhibits in the natural and physical sciences and an IMAX bigscreen theater , and ser ves mo re than 450,000 visitors annually. It began as a project of the Junior League of Fort Lauderdale in the histo ric New River Inn in 1977, but bec ame a community-based three-building complex by 1980 with the addition of the King-Cromartie House pioneer home and the co nstruction of a r eplica early schoolhouse. By 1986, as publ ic demands exceeded the museum’s c apabilities, the m useum board was successfully in hav ing the science center included in a city bond issue and an Arts and Science Distr ict. That produced—with an additional c apital c ampaign funds—$32.6 mill ion for updating and expansion. The new museum opened in 1992 with an IMAX theater and new hands-on exhibits and publ ic and educ ation programs to meet the incr easing demands fo r informal science education and cultural experiences in South Florida. In 1999, the m useum acquir ed the “ New World Aquarium” as a whol ly owned affiliate. More r ecently the m useum has de veloped a strong cooperative relationship with the S outh Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and formed the Museum Collaboration Committee with r epresentatives from the 29 agencies involved in the Everglades project. The museum now is the official interpretive site for the Everglades restoration project. Plans call for new exhibit ha lls and outdoo r science exhibits to explore critical environmental issues. The museum now has 85,000 square feet of interior space , o ver 200 inter active exhibits, a five-story-high “AutoNation I MAX Theater,” an open-air grand atr ium, and a n ew 11,000square-foot nature trail that features the various ecosystems found in Florida. The inter ior exhibits inc lude “ Florida Ecoscapes,” with hundreds of living plants, animals, and habitats, as well as one of the largest
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(General)—Extensive living captive Atlantic coral reefs on public display; “Runway to Rockets: Our Place in Aerospace,” devoted largely to space exploration and how scientists learn about the universe , with a new hands-on addit ion that pr ovides av iation experiences; “Gizmo Cit y,” containing handson exhibits that provide a better understanding of how science impacts daily life; “Great Gravity Clock,” a 52-foot-tall kinetic energy sculpture that measur es t ime with rol ling ba lls; “Sound,” where visitors can step into a musical kaleidoscope and discover the science of sound; “Choose Health,” an interactive exhibit that focuses on a healthy life style; “Living in the Everglades,” which describes the effect of human development and the scope of restoration efforts in the Everglades; “ Minerals Roc k!” display ing over 60 different t ypes of min erals, rocks, and ammonites; and “Discovery Center,” a hands-on exhibit of learning adventures for children under the age of 7. The Museum of Disco very and Science schedules traveling exhibitions—such as the recent ones on giant insects, reptiles, and frogs— and has an extensiv e educational program that includes l ive demonstrations, “Discovery Lab” programs, c amp-ins, outr each programs, and teacher assistance services. Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 S.W. 2nd St., Fort L auderdale, FL 333 12. P hone: 954/467-6637. Fax: 954/467-0046. Web site: www.mods.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–6 Sun.; open a ll hol idays. Admission: adults, $ 10; seniors, $9; c hildren 2 –12, $8; children under 2, free.
MUSEUM OF LIFE AND SCIENCE
The Museum of Life and Science in Durham, North Carolina, is one of the nation’s largest indoo r/outdoor science centers with 65,000 square feet of indoor space and 13 acres of outside exhibits on a 70-plus-acre site. It has such attr actions as hands-o n exhibits o n the Earth and outer space; o ne of the largest butterfly conservatories; a nat ure park with bears, wolves, and lem urs; a giant radio-co ntrolled sailboat pond; and a rideable replica of a classic train that takes v isitors through the m useum grounds. The annu al attendance is n early 300,000. The museum began in 1948 when a group of volunteers star ted a tr ailside nat ure center , known as the Children’s Museum. As its popularity grew, the museum developed a collection of dinosaur fossils and min erals and added an
(General)—Extensive
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Museum
aerospace exhibit and the Mercury Redstone rocket at the exterior of the museum. In the 1970s, the name was changed to North Carolina Museum of Life and Science (later sho rtened to Museum of Life and Science), the aerospace and geology exhibits wer e expanded, outdoo r exhibits for large anima ls wer e added, the “Ellerbee Creek Railway” was installed, and funds wer e r eceived fro m the count y and state. In 1986; a co mprehensive master plan was adopted that r esulted in an indoo r Visitors can learn more about bears and this exhibit through hands-on exhibitry at the Museum of Lif e and Science in D urham, North Carnature center feat uring olina. T he museum is one of the nat ion’s largest indoor/outdoor sciNorth Carol ina anima ls. ence centers with 65,000 square feet of indoor exhibits and 13 acres of This was fol lowed by the outside exhibits on a 70-plus-acre site. In addit ion to the hands-on construction of addit ional exhibits, the museum has a nature park with wildlife, butterfly conserexhibit space , n ew disco v- vatory, sailboat pond, and c lassic t rain replic a that takes visitors ery rooms, and other facil- through the museum grounds. Courtesy of the Museum of Life and Science. ities in 1991, and by the completion of the Science ment with the science behind health issues and and Technology Wing and programs in the natdiscover how individual lifestyle choices impact ural and physical sciences in 1993. wellbeing; “Geology,” where it is possible to exA t wo-phased inter active science exper iamine the properties of rocks and minerals and ence, called the “BioQuest,” resulted in the excreate an ear thquake o n a seismogr aph; pansion of nature science learning linking peo“WTVD ABC 11 Accu-Weather,” where v isiple with plants, animals, and hands-on exhibits tors can walk through a 15-foot-high tornado, outdoors. P hase 1 began in 2000 with the play in the clouds, and make a sand dune or an “Magic Wings” Butterfly House, a thr ee-story ocean curr ent; “ Life’s De vices,” by obser ving tropical conservatory with learning laboratories live animals and skeletons and using mec haniand the Baylor CropScience Insectarium with a cal tools, v isitors c an explo re the co ncepts of collection of bugs from around the world. Phase physics that make it possible for people and an2 included the 6-acre “Explore the Wild, Catch imals to cr ew, wa lk, swim, and fl y; “Carol ina the W ind” outdoo r habitat with nat ive blac k Wildlife,” which provides a close and personal bears, endangered red wolves, and exotic lemurs, look at such N orth Carol ina wild life as o wls, and the return of the popular “Dinosaur Trail.” muskrats, snakes, t urtles, woodchucks, and a lThe museum now has such indoor exhibits ligators; and “ Play to L earn,” a hands-o n exas “Aerospace,” feat uring an Apollo command hibit for children up to 6 years of age. module test v ehicle, Mercury mission space The lush “ Explore the W ild” outdoo r suits, and a meteo rite; “ Data Ear th,” with an woodland habitat has a 750-foot deck with inexploration of globa l communications, models teractive exhibits overlooking a 2-acre wetland of climate trends, a simulation of an earthquake, and f eatures habitats with blac k bears, r ed and a v irtual insta llation that uses v ideo and wolves, and lemurs. The “Catch the Wind” outcomputer graphics to create an out of body exdoor section gives visitors an opportunity to unperience; “soundSpace: Hear Motion,” where a derstand the impo rtant role wind play s in the visitor’s movement creates sounds based on imnatural world. It contains a sailboard table and ages captured by a ser ies of web c ameras; “ Inpond, giant flapping wings, mist garden , seed vestigate Hea lth!” enabl ing v isitors to exper i-
Museum
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(General)—Extensive
cultural inst itutions—Dallas Museum of N atural Histo ry, The Science P lace, and Da llas Children’s Museum. The n ew museum, whose mission is to inspire minds through nature and science, curr ently occupies thr ee landmark structures in F air Park and oper ates an of fsite warehouse for storage, but plans c all for a new state-of-the-art facility in the Victory Park section of do wntown Da llas. The annu al attendance is over 500,000. The Da llas Museum of N atural Histo ry was founded in 1936 as part of the Texas Centennial. It was o ne of the fi rst nat ural history museums in the r egion. The Science P lace began in 1946 as the Da llas Hea lth Museum and developed into a broad-based science center. The Dallas Children’s Museum was estabMuseum of Life and Science , 433 W. Murray Ave., lished in 1995 as a hands-o n ear ly childhood PO Bo x 15190, D urham, NC 27704. P hone: 9 19/ learning center. The thr ee institutions merged 220-5429. Fax: 9 19/220-5575. E-mail: co ntactus@ ncmls.org. W eb site: www .ncmls.org. Hours: late to better ser ve the co mmunity and to ste ward Dec.–early Sept.—10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; early the investment in their operation. Sept.–mid–Dec.—10–5 Tues.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed The bulk of the new museum’s collections, Mon., N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istexhibits, and programs currently are in the natmas. Admission: adults, $10.85; seniors and military, ural history m useum’s building , kno wn as the $8.85; children 3–12, $7.85; children under 3, free. Nature Building. It houses mo re than 200,000 artifacts, eco-facts, and entomology, vertebrate and inver tebrate pa leontology, ma lacology, MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE ichthyology, her petology, o rnithology, and The Museum of N ature and Science in mammal specimens. The collect ions, which Dallas resulted from the 2006 merger of thr ee cover 1.7 billion years of the Ear th’s histo ry, ar e utilized in exhibits focusing on geology, earth sciences, and biodiv ersity and in a fossil prep laboratory, wildlife dioramas, and a l ive anima l room. The “Leonhardt Lagoon Nature Walk” features 25 numbered markers and four descr iptive pan els describing the birds, insects, plants, tr ees, fish, and other wildlife around the lagoon. The Science Place, no w the Science This photograph shows some of the hands-on exhibits in the “NetWorks: Building, has mo re than The World of Dig ital Communications” exhibit hall at the Museum of 200 hands-on exhibits in Nature and Science in Dallas. The exhibits explain the interlocking netphysics, astr onomy, work of hardware and software that makes digital communications poshealth, robot ics, nat ure, sible, covering such areas as binar y language, the Inter net, e-mail, and cellular telephones. The museum resulted from the 2006 merger of three and specia l y oung chilmuseums—natural history, science and technology, and children’s muse- dren’s v enues. The y inums. Courtesy of the Museum of Nature and Science and photographer Jason clude suc h n ew exhibits as “ NetWorks: The Janik. tower, float ing vapo r r ings, dancing plants, flying birds, and an o rnithopter with 12-foot flapping wings that lifts visitors into the air. The museum a lso has a “ Farmyard” with common and r are breeds of far m anima ls; the “Ellerbee Creel Railway,” a 5:8 sc ale replica of the historic 1863 C. P. Huntington locomotive that takes v isitors through the grounds; and “Loblolly Park,” a play yard just outside the museum filled with all kinds of structures to entertain young visitors. Among the educational activities ar e br iefings and feedings by anima l keepers and opportunities for visitors to engage in experiments and explorations in health issues in the health exhibit’s laboratory and to care for and feed farm animals at the “Farmyard.”
(General)—Extensive World of Digital Communication,” devoted to digital communications; “Dental Gallery,” with exhibits on vintage and contemporary dentistry, “The Little U rban Farm,” an introduct ion to agriculture and husbandr y; “ Your Inv isible Body,” about ho meostasis and ba lance in the human body ; and “ Texas Dinosaurs,” a fossil dig exhibit. This facility also is the site of special exhibit ions, ear ly childhood ga lleries, and an IMAX big-screen theater. The third building in the co mplex is the plan etarium, whic h presents astronomy and space exploration shows. The Museum of Nature and Science offers a wide r ange of science educ ational act ivities pertaining to the appl ied physical sciences and engineering, l ife science and c hemistry, and earth and space science, as well as children’s activities. The museum also has a Science School with a science and nature-based curriculum and an outreach program with classroom and assembly sessions, after-school activities, and science experience trunks and nature explorer backpacks. Museum of Nature and Science, 1318 S. 2nd Ave. and 3535 Grand A ve. in F air Park, Da llas, T X 753 10 (mailing address: PO Box 151469, Dallas, TX 753151469). E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.natureandscience.org. Hours: 9:30–4:30 Tues.– Fri., 9:30–5:30 Sat., 11:30 –5:30 Sun.; closed Christmas. Admission: adults, $9.50; seniors, students, and youth 12–18, $8; children 3–11, $6; children under 3, free.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE
The Museum of Science and Histo ry of Jacksonville in Florida began as the Jacksonville Children’s Museum in 1941, became the Jac ksonville Museum of Arts and Sciences in 1977, and then changed to it present name in 1988. In addition to the name , co ntent, and missio n changes, the square footage was incr eased several times and now totals 82,000 square feet and the annu al attendance has gr own to n early 200,000. The museum, usually called “MOSH,” has a wide range of exhibits for adults and children. Among the most popular are the hands-on exhibits, such as “The Universe of Science,” with hands-on exhibits and demonstrations relating to buoyancy, gravity, light, mechanics, magnetism, pendulums, and sound; “ The Atlant ic Trails,” which has hands-on exhibits related to whales, dolphins, and manatees found in the waters of northern Florida; “JEA Science The-
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Museum ater and Aqua Expo,” where children can learn about en ergy, use unco nventional tools to explore electr icity and electr ical saf ety, and fi nd out about the nat ure of water and the n eed to conserve it; and “Kidspace,” an exhibit for preschool children that features a treehouse, water table, and other hands-on activities. Among the other exhibits are “Currents of Time,” which takes visitors from the days of the Timucua Indians through the 1950s; “ Water World,” with thr ee coral reef systems containing sea l ife from the Red S ea, Pacific Ocean , and Caribbean-Florida region; and a historical exhibit about the Maple Leaf, which was sunk in St. John’s Riv er dur ing the Civ il War and r emained there for more than 140 years. The museum also has a “ Prehistoric Park,” featuring a dinosaur skeleton; “Florida Naturalist Center,” where v isitors c an lear n about suc h no rthern Florida anima ls as a lligators, gopher to rtoises, snakes, and birds,; and “ Hudson Native P lant Courtyard,” whic h has beaut iful plants, tr ees, and flowers, as wel l as anima ls that l ive in the preserved habitat. The m useum a lso has a plan etarium and such educ ational act ivities as c lassroom programs, science and anima l demo nstrations, camp-ins, day camps, lectures, craft programs, exhibit-related trips, and teacher workshops. Museum of Science and History, 1925 Museum Circle, Jac ksonville, FL 32207-9053. P hone: 904/3966674. Fax: 904/396-5799. E-mail: admin@themosh. org. Web site: www.themosh.org. Hours: 10–5 Mon.– Fri., 10 –6 S at., 1–6 S un.; c losed N ew Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, and annual MOSH party day. Admission: adults, $9; seniors and mil itary, $7.50; children 3 –12, $7; c hildren under 3, free.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
(Tampa). The Museum of Science and Industr y (known as MOSI) in T ampa, Florida, has undergone a number of changes in name, location, and size, but its gen eral purpose has r emained essentially the same—pro viding info rmal science education. Founded in 1955, it was in 1962 that Hillsborough County first approved funding fo r a youth m useum in S ulphur S prings. The small museum, which provided natural science exhibits and educ ational progr ams, later was named the Museum of Science and Natural History. In 1967, the name was c hanged to the Hillsborough Count y Museum as it co ntinued to grow and expand. This was follo wed by ap-
National proval for funding and land for a more comprehensive science center in North Tampa. The new museum, renamed the Museum of Science and Industry, was completed in 1980 and opened to the public in 1982. Since then, a 15-year long-range plan has been appro ved for growth and development. It resulted in the construction of a new 190,000-square-foot science center, an IMAX domed theater, a planetarium, and library; renovation of the original museum building; opening of a nature center; expansion of the museum site to 74 acr es; and the de velopment of many new exhibits and programs. As a r esult, the annu al attendance has gro wn to over 650,000. Among the m useum’s hands-on exhibits are “ The Amazing Y ou,” de voted to hea lth, wellness, and pr evention; “G ulf Coast Hurr icane,” where visitors can experience the impact of hurricane force winds and lear n to be r eady for such tropical storms; “High Wire Bicycle,” learning about the laws of physics by riding a bicycle across a 98-foot-long cable suspended 30 feet abo ve the floo r (abo ve a saf ety n et); “MaxFlight Simulator,” featuring a two-seat jet fighter simulator that can be controlled by visitors as part of a squadron in virtual reality combat; and “Disasterville,” where visitors can walk through interact ive to wns and exper ience the impact of various simulated nature disasters. Other exhibits inc lude “ The Diplodocus Dinosaurs,” a large displa y of ar ticulated dinosaurs; “BioWorks Butterfly Garden,” an outdoor exhibit of butterfl ies in an engin eered ecosystem that em ulates how natural wetlands clean water; “Back Woods,” a 25-acre forest and walkway with inter pretive signage feat uring trees fro m throughout centra l F lorida; and “Kids in Charge,” a 40,000-square-foot science center wher e childr en 12 and under c an lear n about science through play . The m useum a lso has a Challenger Learning Center, offering interactive space experiences; a Head Start Center, providing science activities for young children; and travel ing exhibit ions, such as the recent “ Body W orlds and the S tory of the Heart.” In addition to the “IMAX Dome Theatre,” the museum has the “Coleman Science W orks Theater,” showing 3D fi lms, and the S aunders Planetarium, with sky shows and opportunities to view outer space with telescopes. The educational programs inc lude such act ivities as l ive demonstrations, Junior and Mini Science A d-
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(General)—Extensive venture Day s, sc hool and af ter-school programs, adult and famil y science pr ograms, camps, and c lass and assembl y outr each programs. Museum of Science and Industr y, 480 1 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 336 17. Phones: 813/987-6100 and 800/995-6674. Fax: 813/987-6310. E-mail: shanij@ mosi.org. Web site: www.msi.org. Hours: 9–5 Mon.– Fri., 9 –6 S at.–Sun. A dmission (whic h inc ludes the exhibits, a plan etarium sho w, and an IMAX film: adults, $20.95; senio rs, $ 18.95; and c hildren 2 –12, $16.95; children under 2, free.
NATIONAL INVENTORS HALL OF FAME MUSEUM
The N ational Invento rs Ha ll of F ame in Akron, Ohio, was founded in 1973 to honor inventors for their innovative and l ife-impacting work and others who hav e advanced the goa ls of Amer ican inno vation through except ional service and dedic ation. The Ha ll of Fame was established by the U .S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Council of Intellectual Property Law Association in Washington, DC, and moved to Akron in 1995. Each y ear, the scient ists, engin eers, and other notable inventors and leaders are inducted in an impr essive ceremony, and their l ives and accomplishments are featured in exhibits in the Hall of F ame’s m useum. The hands-o n m useum, whic h has been c losed for se veral y ears during the construction of a new science, math, and technology middle school at the site, will be reopened with a slightly different concept after construction of the school is completed. Any invento r who holds a United S tates patent is eligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Among the more than 400 inventors who have been honored are such well-known names as A lexander Gr aham Bel l, who invented the telephone; George Washington Carver, peanut products; John Deere, farm plow; George Eastman, photography; Thomas Alva Edison, practical electric l ight; Guglielmo Marconi, radio; Samuel F . B . Mo rse, telegr aph; Cy rus McCormick, mec hanical r eaper; L ouis P asteur, pasteurization; and Willard and Orville Wright, airplane. B ut most of the ho norees ar e not as well known, despite impo rtant invent ions and discoveries, including Wallace Hume Carothers, synthetic r ubber; S eymour Cr ay, super computer; Phillip Holland, submarine; Elias Howe, sewing machin e; A ndrew Mo yer, penicill in; John P ierce, co mmunications satel lite; John
(General)—Extensive Roebling, suspension br idge; and Chr istopher L. Sholes, typewriter. In addition to exhibits about the honorees and their invent ions, the 30,000-squ are-foot Hall of Fame museum had interactive exhibits, temporary exhibit ions, and educ ational programs pertaining to inno vation and the patent system. For example, visitors could experiment with color mixing, translucence, and composition in fiber optics; make things in a workshoptype exhibit; and young children could explore with gears, hydraulics, light, and sound in an exhibit for children under 7 years of age. The National Inventors Hall of Fame also offers a number of youth activities that embody the inventive spirit, including Camp Invention, a summer hands-o n and open-ended exploration program; Club Invention, an after-school program that involves elementary-aged children in invent ive programming and cr eative thinking; and Col legiate Invento rs Co mpetition, where college students compete for cash prizes for original innovative work. It also sponsors an annual independent inventor conference to help aspiring invento rs with patent ing, market ing, and licensing their inventions. The Ha ll of F ame Foundation a lso manages and operates the m useum at the United States Patent and Trademark Office headquarters in A lexandria, Virginia, that is de voted to the history of the patent and trademark systems. It recently developed an exhibit for the museum that highlights works of art that have emerged from invent ions, patents, and tr ademarks, and opened a new theater there that features a video on extraordinary innovations. National Invento rs Ha ll of F ame Museum, 22 1 S. Broadway, Akron, OH 44308- 1505. P hones: 330/ 762-4463 and 800/968-4332. Fax: 330/782-6313. Email:
[email protected]. Web site: www.invent.org. Hours: c losed tempo rarily, but no rmally 10 –4:30 Wed.–Sat.; c losed Sun.–Tues., New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Previous admission: adults, $8.75; senio rs, $7.75; children under 18, $6.75; families, $29.
NATIONAL SCIENCE CENTER’S FORT DISCOVERY
The National Science Center in A ugusta, Georgia, is a unique partnership between a nonprofit organization and the United States Army with the object ive of ser ving as a nat ional catalyst that excites Amer ica’s youth about math, science, and tec hnology. The hands-o n center
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National seeks to promote science and mathemat ics education for all ages nationwide and to motivate young Americans to seek careers in technology and engineering. The 128,000-square-foot center , c alled “Fort Disco very,” is loc ated a long the scenic “Riverwalk” in downtown Augusta. The center has 250 hands-on exhibits, digital theater programs, a po rtable plan etarium, educ ational demonstrations and workshops, and an array of national educ ational outr each progr ams. The annual attendance is o ver 76,000.and n early 65,000 are served off site. The center has interactive galleries devoted to math, mot ion, and momentum; power generation; e veryday tec hnologies; robot ics; communications; imaging and perception; and space technologies. In addition, there is a ga llery for children 4 to 7 years old, a gallery for traveling exhibitions and special presentations, and a 22foot-tall c limbing wa ll with inter active play areas at multiple levels. Visitors can engage such hands-on exper iences as mot ion; disco ver the different ways energy is produced; interact with machines that use a var iety of tec hnologies to accomplish difficult or unusual tasks; feel what it’s like to walk on the moon; and explore the interworkings of r adios, telephones, facsimiles, copiers, televisions, and computers. The man y educ ational act ivities inc lude live science demo nstrations in the “ PowerStation” theater; multimedia programming in the Paul S . S imon Disco very Theater ”; S tarlab planetarium sho ws; hands-on explo rations in “Discovery Labs”; camp-ins; three-week summer, school, or after-school “Discovery Academy” progr ams; outr each science demo nstrations at sc hools fro m “Science to Go ” vans; week-long “O utreach Camps” pr esented with schools; Fort Discovery Teacher Resource Center progr am that c an pro vide teac hers and homeschool parents with over 3,000 innovative supplemental educ ational mater ials; “ Mobile Discovery Centers” that travel the nation in 18wheeler vans to present up to six sessions daily of a 50-minute hands-o n science program at schools; and “ NSC Liv e,” f eaturing t wo-way video and audio broadcasts that provide science educational progr ams throughout the nat ion and internationally. National Science Center ’s Fort Discovery, 17th St.., Augusta, GA 3090 1. P hones: 706/82 1-0200 and 800/325-5445. F ax: 706/82 1-0269. E-mail: info@ nscdiscovery.org. Web site: www .nscdiscovery.org.
Northwest Hours: 10–5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $8; seniors, military, and children 4 –17, $6; children under 4, free.
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(General)—Extensive 0526. Web site: www .nwamuseum.org. Hours and admission: still to be determined.
ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER
Founded in 1959, the Or lando Science Center in Orlando, Florida, has grown steadily A hands-on science center is being de veland now covers 207,000 square feet and has an oped by the N orthwest Arkansas Museum annual attendance of n early 370,000. It o rigiFoundation in F ayetteville to ser ve the no rthnally was c alled the John Young Museum and western region of the state. The project, which Planetarium—named fo r a loc al Apollo astrobegan as a bank-spo nsored master of busin ess naut who walked on the moon. It now features administration student study in 2004, seeks to interactive exhibits in the ph ysical, nat ural, build “ a scient ifically inspir ing, fi nancially space, and hea lth sciences; the wo rld’s largest sound, and environmentally sustainable organIwerks domed theater; the largest publ icly acization in state-of-the-ar t facil ities.” The m ucessible obser vatory r efractor telescope in the seum plans to be responsive to the community, state; and a multi-faceted educational program. showcase the region’s strengths, and engage stuAbout 50,000 squ are f eet ar e de voted to dents and adults in the sciences as a wa y of exhibits such as “ TechWorks,” with hands-o n building the r egional economy and de veloping exhibits that explore the worlds of physical sciits workforce. ence and technology; “NatureWorks,” where six The people and cultures of the Ozarks and Florida habitats ar e r e-created with nat ive the region’s history and innovations will be feaplants and anima ls; “ DinoDigs,” feat uring tured in the museum’s exhibits and programs. A Tyrannosaurus r ex, T riceratops, and other business plan has been developed, a museum didenizens of the P aleozoic wo rld; “ Xperience rector is being hired, a museum site and archiFactory,” an exhibit and show where lab worktect are being selected, and plans are being made ers present science demo nstrations; and “ Kidfor initial outreach services and a c apital camsTown,” a miniat ure town that introduces scipaign for construction of the museum. ence concepts in a playful way to children under 8 years of age. The science center also presents Northwest Arkansas Museum F oundation, PO Bo x traveling exhibitions. 777, Fayetteville, AR 72702-0777. Phone: 479/790In the exhibit ha lls, visitors c an exper ience hurricane force winds in a hurricane simulator; participate in hands-o n experiments in “ Dr. Dare’s Laboratory”; st udy the ecosystem of a coral reef; see a t ypical c ypress swamp with l ive a lligators; unco ver fossils in a dig pit ; examin e microscopic wo rlds with a scanning electron microscope; disco ver what is under a cit y str eet; and witness exper iments of frigid temperat ures, chemical r eactions, and A small alligator can be in the “NatureWorks” exhibit at the Orlando Scithe a ltering of states of ence Center in F lorida. The science center, which was founded in 1959 as the John Young Museum and Planetarium, has over 50,000 square feet matter. In the “ Dr. P hillips of exhibits in the phy sical, natural, space, and health sciences. It also is CineDome,” fi lms and the site of the wor ld’s largest I werks domed theater . Courtesy of the Orlando Science Center and RF Photography. planetarium sho ws ar e
NORTHWEST ARKANSAS MUSEUM
(General)—Extensive presented in the I werks large-format fi lm theater and Digistar II planetarium. Night viewing of the skies also is available on Friday and Saturday evenings at the Crosby Observatory atop the science center building. Among the educational progr ams are a y ear-around progr am of “Discovery L ab W orkshops,” school br eak camps, family night programs, and off-site science programs at schools, fairs, and science festivals. Orlando Science Center , 777 E. P rinceton St., Orlando, FL 32803- 1291. P hones: 407/5 14-2000 and 888/672-4386. Fax: 407/5 14-2277. E-mail: info@ osc.org. Web site: www.osc.org. Hours: 10 –6 S un.– Fri., 10 –9 S at.; c losed Easter , Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas Eve and Day . A dmission: adults, $ 17; seniors, $ 15; childr en 3 –11, $ 12; childr en under 3, free.
PALOUSE DISCOVERY SCIENCE CENTER
The Palouse Discovery Science Center in Pullman, Washington, began as a regional outreach science demo nstration and act ivity program in n earby Mosco w, Idaho , in 1999. It moved to a new home with interactive exhibits in Pullman in 2003 after Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories provided an 11,000-square-foot facility for the science center. It now offers exhibits, pr ograms, and outr each ser vices in a 4,720-square-mile area in easter n Washington and no rthern Idaho that is r ural and largel y agricultural. The science center, which seeks to promote science, math, and technolog y l iteracy, has about 20 hands-on exhibits in the physical, biological, and Earth sciences that have been conceived and built largel y by loc al volunteers. They co ver such subjects as co mmunications technology; l ight, colo r, and v ision; space; mammoth excavation; and wildlife. The center also has a hands-o n laboratory for young v isitors, a plan etarium with sky sho ws, and such educational progr ams as sc hool fi eld tr ip programs, c amp-ins, teac her workshops, community events, and outreach services. Palouse Discovery Science Center, 950 N.E. Nelson Court, P ullman, WA 99163. P hone: 509/332-6869. E-mail: dir
[email protected]. W eb site: www.palousescience.org. Hours: 10 –3 Tues.–Sat.; closed S un.–Mon. and majo r hol idays. A dmission: adults, $6; senio rs, $5; childr en 2 –12, $4; childr en under 2, free.
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Reuben
REUBEN H. FLEET SCIENCE CENTER
The Reuben H. F leet Science Center in Balboa Park in San Diego was the fi rst science museum to combine interactive science exhibits with a plan etarium and an Omnimax do med theater. It all began in the 1960s when the San Diego Hall of Science sought to develop a different kind of planetarium—one with a 76-foot diameter dome that would be tilted 25 degrees, the audience would be seated in tiered rows facing out ward into the t itled dome to give the feeling of being suspended in space, a large-format fi lm project ion sy stem that would sho w movies on the do me, and the large dumbbel lshaped star projector in the center of the roo m would be eliminated. It all became a reality after Spitz Laboratories created a new servo-controlled “starball,” slide projectors and lighting systems were controlled by a minicomputer, and IMAX was asked to adapt its large-screen theater format. In 1973, the m useum open ed as the Reuben H. F leet Science Center with the fi rst new-style planetarium, the wo rld’s init ial Omnimax do med theater, and hands-on science exhibits. The museum, which was expanded to 93,000 square feet and modernized in 1998, was named for an aviation pioneer who founded the U .S. Air Mail service and whose company (Consolidated Aircraft) built such famous W orld War II aircraft as the B-24 Liberator and PBY Catalina. It now has an annual attendance of nearly 550,000. The science and technolog y center has more than 100 interactive science exhibits in five galleries and a travel ing exhibit ion space. Among the hands-o n exhibits ar e “ Look! Touch! Listen!” an exhibit of interactive science exhibits throughout the m useum; “Or igins in Space: S pin-offs in Science and T echnology,” depicting scient ific achie vements and technological spin-offs from the space program; “S o WATT! An Illuminating Look at Energy,” devoted to electr icity production, alternative energy sour ces, and co nservation str ategies; “Aging for All Ages,” emphasizing wellness and healthy l ifestyle c hoices; “Ga llery of I llusions and Perceptions,” whic h explores the sense of sight and touch; “S an Diego ’s W ater: F rom Source to T ap,” explaining the cit y’s water source, distribution, and conservation; “Escape from Dino Island,” feat uring a 23-passenger motion simulator ride; “Do-Undo,” which examines symmetry in time; and “Kid City,” a sci-
Rochester ence lear ning exhibit fo r c hildren through 5 years of age. The m useum a lso has an inter active demonstration and exper iment ar ea, c alled “ Exploration Bar ,” wher e v isitors c an get their hands on such science topics as electricity, magnetism, l ight, and sound and obtain the assistance of an inter pretive staff member , and a Nieman Challenger Learning Center, with a realistic mission control mock-up and a t wentyfirst century space station. Major improvements
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(General)—Extensive also have been made in the “IMAX Dome Theater” (formerly Omnimax), including a seamless screen, new digital sound system, and full-dome digital projection system for planetarium shows and other high-defi nition m ultimedia v ideo productions. The educational programs include such activities as a “Weekend Programs Series,” “Family Science Day s,” “S enior Mondays,” “S aturday Science Club fo r Gir ls,” “Scout Badge Workshops,” “Family Science to Go,” Palomar Observatory tours, summer camps, school and co mmunity programs, teacher workshops, and a teac her professional de velopment program. Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, 1875 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101-1625 (mailing address: PO Box 33303, S an Diego , CA 92 163-3303). Phone: 6 19/238-1233. Fax: 6 19/6855771. W eb site: www .rhfleet.org. Hours: summer—9:30 –8 dail y; r emainder of years—9:30 –5 S un.– Thurs., 9:30 –9 Fri.–Sat. A dmission: adults, $8; senio rs, $6.75; childr en under 13, free.
ROCHESTER MUSEUM AND SCIENCE CENTER
A young girl and her mother are shown spinning a tube of sand and blue liquid in the “S etting Column” exhibit at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in San Diego, causing the sand to fall in the same way sand falls through water to for m complex patterns. The science center has more than 100 interactive science exhibits in five galleries, as well as an interactive demonstration and e xperiment area, t raveling e xhibition space , an IMAX Dome T heater, and educ ational pr ograms. Courtesy of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.
The Roc hester Museum and Science Center began as the Municipal Museum in Roc hester, New York, in 1912 and gradu ally evolved into a hands-o n science center over the next century. It initially had col lections and exhibits on the natural history, history, and industry of the Gen esee Region. The 1940s saw the introduction of dioramas, the expansion of collections into other areas, and the introduction of outreach services. In 1968, when the Stasenburgh Planetarium open ed in an adjacent building, a no nprofit board assumed control of the museum’s operations, accepted suppo rt fro m the count y, and the m useum’s name was c hanged to Roc hester Museum and Science Center. From 1973 to 1996 period, the museum expanded its facilities and offerings. The additional buildings
(General)—Extensive included the 400-seat Elsenhar t A uditorium, the Gannett School classroom building for lifelong learning programs, addition of the Elaine Wilson Ha ll to the m useum’s main building , improvements to collection storage facilities and laboratories, and the Cumming N ature Center on 900 acres 40 miles away. In the late 1990s, under the leadership of President Kate Bennett, the museum’s mission was modified to create “inspiring, entertaining, and educ ational exper iences” and engage the community in “ the exploration of science and technology, the nat ural env ironment, and our region’s cult ural her itage.” As par t of the change, the emphasis was placed o n hands-on experimenting and disco vering, n ew ga lleries were created to further interactivity and opportunities for families to share fun learning experiences, and a number of par tnership projects were implemented, inc luding the Mo nroe BOCES 1, Challenger Learning Center, Bathysphere Underwater Biological Laboratory, and the Genesee Community Charter School. The Rochester Museum and Science Center now has 48,325 square feet, an annual attendance of 500,000, and three floors of hands-on exhibits on science and technology, natural science, and the r egion’s cult ural her itage. The largest exhibit is “Expedition Earth,” which occupies thr ee ga lleries and f eatures dio ramas, natural science objects, and inter active experiences about the Ear th and the env ironment. Among the other exhibits are “AdventureZone,” where v isitors c an hav e suc h exper iences as a virtual exploring of the floor of Lake Ontario in a Deep S ubmergence Vehicle, examining the rock layers of the Gen esee River Go rge in a climbing wa ll, and ser ving as a r eporter in a weather st udio; “ How Things W ork.” with hands-on exhibits that demonstrate the science behind everyday devices such as light switches, thermostats, and tr affic signa ls; “ K’NEX,” where v isitors c an build tr ucks, to wers, and other objects with a co nstruction to y; “At the Western Door,” whic h sho ws ho w the S eneca Indians created new livelihoods in the 1930s as they enter ed a market eco nomy; “ Rochester Business Ha ll of F ame,” feat uring interact ive exhibits about exemplary Rochester leaders who have made outstanding co ntributions to business and the co mmunity; and “ Flight to Freedom: Roc hester’s Underground R ailroad,” an interactive exhibit whic h traces the paths that freedom seekers followed through Rochester in
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Sacramento the mid–1800s. The museum also has a number of sma ller exhibits, changing travel ing exhibitions, and online exhibits. The museum contains more then 1.2 million science and technology, natural science, and cultural heritage objects in its col lections; t wo libraries—the Sc huyler C. T ownson Resear ch Library in Bausch Hall and Strasenburgh Planetarium Library in the planetarium; and extensive media and archival collections. In addition to star shows, the planetarium projects films on a four-sto ry dome, pr esents roc k m usic laser shows, offers public viewing of outer space with a 12.5-inch diameter reflecting telescope, and is the site of the Challenger Learning Center and its hands-o n space missio n sim ulations programs. The Cumming Nature Center near Naples, New Y ork, feat ures a r econstructed pio neer homestead, log sugar house, and outdoo r exhibits. It is the site of such act ivities as nat ure walks, maple sugaring, timber sports competition, cross-countr y skiing , sno wshoeing, and preschool c hildren play ing with o ver-sized frogs, turtles, tadpoles, and other objects at the Leap Frog Pond. The m useum’s extensive educ ation program includes such offerings as “Live Science!” shows, “Murray’s Mobile Lab” demonstrations in ga lleries, “Science S aturdays” famil y programs, “ High School Chemistr y and P hysics Days” progr am, c amp-ins, inter active tours of historic Mount Hope Cemeter y with acto rs portraying people memorialized there, class and assembly outreach programs, and teac her professional development activities. Rochester Museum and Science Center , 657 East Ave., Rochester , NY 14607-2177. P hone: 585/27 14320. Fax: 585/27 1-5935. Web site: www .rmsc.org. Hours: 9–5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: adults, $9; seniors and college st udents, $8; c hildren 3 –18, $7; c hildren under 3, free. Cumming Nature Center, 6472 Gulick Rd., Naples, NY 14512. Phone: 585/374-6160. Web site: www .rmsc.org/cummingnaturecenter. Hours: 9–3:30 Wed.–Fri.; 9–4:30 Sat.–Sun. Admission: suggested donation—$3 per person; families, $10.
SACRAMENTO MUSEUM OF HISTORY, SCIENCE, SPACE, AND TECHNOLOGY
The Sacramento Museum of History, Science, Space, and Technology (also known as the Discovery Museum) in Sacramento, California,
St. is located at two sites and soon will have a third. The histo ry holdings and exhibits ar e at the Discovery Museum Gold Rush History Center, and the science , space , tec hnology, and Challenger Learning Center ar e at the Disco very Museum Science and S pace Center. A third site, to be called the Powerhouse Science Center, is being developed to present science, space, and technology exhibits and progr ams outside the Bay area in northern California. Founded in 1994, the S acramento m useum has an annu al attendance of 120,000. Sacramento’s past, inc luding the Gold Rush days, Pony Express, and the importance of the railroad to the area, can be seen at the History Center, while the Science and Space Center has exhibits about science, space, and technology; contains a simulated archaeological dig site; presents planetarium shows; and houses the Challenger Learning Center, whic h provides a simulated space mission experience. The science and space center rotates exhibits on such topics as “Gee Whiz Geology,” a hands-on exhibit of roc ks and fossils; “ Bone Zone,” where the skulls and skeletons from different vertebrate animals can be compared and contrasted; “Got Trees?” an exhibit about trees and the anima ls that l ive in them; and “S pace Quest!” with space exhibits and where children can try on space suits. The center also has planetarium shows on most weekends and a range of educational offerings, including school outreach programs. Discovery Museum Science and S pace Center, 3615 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95821. Phone: 916/ 575-3941. Fax: 916/575-3925. Web site: www.thediscovery.org. Hours: Jul y–Aug.—10 –5 dail y; S ept.– June—12–5 Tues.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat.–Sun.; closed Mon., New Year’s Day, Easter , Memo rial Day, Independence Day, L abor Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $5; seniors and youth 13–17, $4; children 4 –12, $3; children under 4, free. Discovery Museum Gold R ush History Center, 101 I St., Sacramento, CA 95814. Phone: 916/264-7057. Fax: 916/264-5100. Web site: www.thediscovery.org. Hours: Jul y.–Aug.—10 –5 dail y; S ept.–June—10 –5 Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon., New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $5; seniors and youth 13 –17, $4; c hildren 4 –12, $3; c hildren under 4, free.
ST. LOUIS SCIENCE CENTER
The St. Louis Science Center began as the Museum of Science and N atural Histo ry in Clayton’s Oak Knol l Park in 1959, added the
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(General)—Extensive city-operated James S. McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park in 1983, and open ed as the S t. Louis Science Center at the planetarium site in 1985. It now is a three-building complex (main building, planetarium, and “ Exploradome” exhibit center) with more than 700 hands-on exhibits and an annu al attendance of o ver 1 million. It a lso has a T aylor Community Science Resource Center se veral blocks away fo r community and outr each pr ograms. The science center is par t of the Metropol itan Z oological Park and Museum District and is one of the few museums in the nat ion that does not have an admission charge. The St. Louis Science Center’s main building, which opened in 1991, consists of four levels containing most of the exhibits, the Omnimax domed theater, and a bridge/tunnel to the planetarium. The “James S. McDonnell Planetarium,” named for an aviation pioneer and cofounder of the McDo nald Douglas aerospace company, opened in 1963 and has been updated with a Zeiss Universarium Mark IX star projector. It feat ures sky sho ws and astro nomy and outer space exhibits, inc luding “S tarPort,” which depicts what a fut ure space stat ion may look like. Outside the planetarium, visitors can experiment with the proper ties of sound, motion, and light in a 11,000-square-foot “Science Park.” The “Exploradome,” entered through the main building , is used pr imarily fo r tr aveling exhibitions and hosting large group events. The center’s total square footage is 286,142. Among the hands-on exhibit ga lleries are “Human A dventure,” descr ibing ho w humans gather all kinds of information about the world around them; “Vital Science,” devoted to issues that impact health and well being; “Ecology and Environment,” where visitors can feel the earth move beneath their feet and see a dinosaur plan its next meal; “Cyberville,” a computer gallery with inter active exhibits that make co mplex technology user-fr iendly and easier to understand; “ MedTech,” f eaturing the tools societ y has used to addr ess hea lth c hallenges; “S tructures,” with hands-o n exhibits that explo re structural dynamics and engineering principles; and “Flight,” which describes the many shapes and forms that the dream of manned flight have inspired. The S t. L ouis Science Center a lso has a new “Life Science Lab,” where visitors can explore the ar eas of genetics, biochemistry, agriculture, medicine, and health with experiments
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(General)—Extensive and hands-on inquir y-based explorations. It a lso has a “ Discovery Room” with interactive exhibits for children 3 to 7 years of age , and a “CenterStage” ar ea wher e science demonstrations ar e giv en throughout the day and other progr ams are presented. The nearby Taylor Community Science Resour ce Center is a 69,000-square-foot facil ity with classrooms, m ultipurpose spaces, and wet labo ratory and tec hnology facilities and pro vides community and outreach programs, such as the “Youth Explo ring Science ” wo rkbased, self-disco very teen science program. The science and tec hnology center also has such other educational of ferings as a Challenger Learning Center program, Boy and Girl Scout badge pr ograms, outreach school programs, lectures, and home school programs.
Schenectady
Visitors to the St. Louis Science Center can create virtual fish in this exhibit. Whatever qualities and traits visitors assign to their fish will determine how long the creatures survive in the virtual tank. The science center began as the Museum of Science and N atural Histor y in 1959, added the cit y-operated James S. McDonnell Planetarium in 1983, became part of the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District, and then opened a thr ee-building m useum complex with o ver 700 hands-on exhibits. Courtesy of the St. Louis Science Center.
St. Louis Science Center, 5050 Oakland Ave., S t. L ouis, MO 63 110. P hone: 314/289-4400. fax: 3 14/289-4420. Email:
[email protected] rg. W eb site: www.slsc.org. Hours: ear ly June–Labor Day—9:30–5:30 Mon.–Thurs. and Sat., 9:30 –9:30 F ri., 11:30 –5:30 S un.; r emainder of y ear—9:30 –4:30 Mon.–Thurs. and S at., 9:30 –9:30 Fri., 11:30 –4:30 Sun.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: free.
SCHENECTADY MUSEUM AND SUITS-BUECHE PLANETARIUM
The Sc henectady Museum and S uitsBueche Planetarium is a science and technology center in Sc henectady, New York. Founded in 1934, it seeks “to inspire a sense of wonder about extraordinary scient ific and tec hnological developments: past, present, and future.” In addition to exhibits and pr ograms, it feat ures the Suits-Baueche Planetarium and houses the International Technology Archives and Imaging Library, with o ver 1.5 mil lion photogr aphs, 15,000 patents, 1,000 films, and a collect ion of radios, televisions, books, and other materials— much of whic h r elates to the histo ry of Sc henectady and General Electric, a local company. The museum has 20,000 square feet of exhibit space that contain such exhibits as “Power House,” an interact ive exhibit descr ibing the
huge impact of science on everyday life; “Fueling the Future,” exploring the opportunities and challenges of different fuels; “Chemical Innovation: De veloping the Essent ials,” a hands-o n exhibit and laboratory on the role of chemistry in e veryday l ife; “ Inside O ut: MRI and You,” devoted to the landmark medic al imaging system developed locally; and c hanging traveling exhibitions, such as the r ecent shows on DNA and transgenic organisms. The museum’s newest program is “Fetch!” an adapted PBS television program that is partly a science game show and reality television with six l ive young co ntestants and a sl ightly n eurotic but c harismatic host dr essed as a c anine who has an amazing machin e—called “ Fetch 3000—capable of tabulating scores, disposing of anno ying c ats, blending the occ asional smoothie, and e ven t urning a dog into a star . The m useum a lso has suc h educ ational programs as “Science Explo rations” lessons, l ive demonstrations, distant learning, teacher workshops, outreach school programs, and sky shows projected by a n ew Goto star mac hine at the
Science Suits-Bueche Planetarium. Schenectady Museum and Suits-Bueche Planetarium, 15 N ott Terrace Heights, Sc henectady, NY 12308. Phone: 5 18/382-7890. Fax: 5 18/382-7893. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www. schenectadymuseum.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. (except Mon. holidays), New Year’s Day, Easter, Memo rial Day, Independence Day , L abor Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $5; senio rs, $4; childr en 4 –12, $3; childr en under 4, free.
SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA
The Science Center of Iowa in Des Moines features six hands-on “themed experience platforms” wher e v isitors c an explo re and exper ience science , l ive demonstrations, thr ee theaters, and a learning center-a ll de voted to lifelong lear ning. Founded in 1965, it was located in Gr eenwood Park unt il moving into a new $62-mill ion, 110,000-square-foot do wntown facil ity in 2005. It no w ser ves about 500,000 visitors a year. The six themed exhibit areas include “Science Is Where You Find It,” where visitors are encouraged to recognize science in their everyday lives, with such activities as bathroom microbiology, kitchen chemistry, and simple mechanics and p hysics; “ When Things Get Moving,” which now has a subt itle of “ Toying with Science” and visitors can make and launch a rocket, tackle the domino obstacle course, and maneuver a ball through a giant wall of pulleys, levers, and gears; “Who Are We,” where visitors explore heart beats, genes, and colors to get to better understand themsel ves by gett ing to know other cultures and places; “Why the Sky?” finding out about other suns, stars, and outer space by peer ing through telescopes, seeing demonstrations, and v iewing programs in the adjacent Star Theater; “What on Earth?” which takes visitor into a re-created Iowa landscape to examine and test minerals, find and identify fossils, and c lassify plant and anima l species; and “Small Discoveries,” featuring interactive activities for children under 8 years of age. The science center also has a “Principal Hall” for traveling exhibitions, science fairs, and other special events. The science center’s three theaters are the “Blank IMAX Dome Theater,” which presents science and nat ure fi lms on a six-sto ry domed screen; “ John Deer e A dventure Theater ,” the site of large-scale demonstrations, live performances, and science and technology forum discus-
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(General)—Extensive sions; and “Star Theater,” which has a 50-foot dome and more than eight operating modes, including l ive programs about Io wa’s night sky and journeys through the cosmos. The educ ational act ivities inc lude such programs as camps, overnights, family fun nights, preschool classes, and home school programs. Science Center of Iowa, 401 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Pkwy., Des Moin es, IA 50309. P hone: 5 15/2746868. Fax: 515/274-3404. E-mail: info@scio wa.org. Web site: www .sciowa.org. Hours: 9 –5:30 Mo n.– Wed. and Fri.–Sat., 9–8 Thurs., 12–5:30 Sun.; closed Easter, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $8; senio rs, $7; childr en 2 –12, $6; childr en under 2, free.
SCIENCE CENTER OF PINELLAS COUNTY
The Science Center of Pinellas County in St. Petersburg, Florida, was one of the ear liest of the n ew hands-o n science centers. It was founded by William Guild, Neil Rodgers Croley, and other co mmunity leaders in 1959 to meet and expand inter est in science. It began with a cooperative classroom extension program with the school system in 1961 and opened in its present main building in 1966. In the years that followed, the Discovery Center that houses the planetarium was built and other facil ities were opened at its 7 acr es in west S t. Petersburg. It now has an annual attendance of 52,000. The science center has suc h ongoing exhibits as “ The Anima l Room,” which is ho me to small mammals, birds, and r eptiles, including a bearded dragon from Australia and a ball python from Africa; “Alligators,” which displays two alligators in a P lexiglas habitat and sho ws how they l ive, eat, and should be r espected; “Margaret Ewell Dickins Marine Room,” which features a 600-ga llon mar ine touch tank with more than 10 species of mar ine l ife; “African American Scientists and Inventors Exhibit,” devoted to the achievements of African American scientists and inventors from slavery days to the present; “Replica of Sixteenth Century Native American V illage,” wher e v isitors c an tour a temple mound, shaman’s hut, cooking site, and other aspects of the life of early Florida natives; and “ White Gardens and Mosaic W alk of the States,” containing an xer iscaped garden and mosaics depicting the bird, flower, and shape of each state. The center a lso offers sky sho ws at the S pirit of Columbia Theater and P lanetarium and viewing of outer space with a 16-inch
(General)—Extensive telescope at the Carol Samuels Observatory. The education program inc ludes such activities as interactive science classes and workshops, pre-kindergarten classes, science camps, senior computer c lasses, lect ure ser ies, mobile outreach program, and special science events. Science Center of P inellas Count y, 770 1 22nd S t., N., St. Petersburg, FL 33710. Phone: 727/343-0027. Fax: 727/343-5729 . E-mail:
[email protected] Web site: www .sciencecenterofpinellas. com. Hours: 9 –4 Mon.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun., New Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: $5 per person.
SCIENCE CENTRAL
Science Central is a hands-on science center of science, math, and technology in the former po wer plant of Cit y Light and P ower in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Appro ximately 32,000 square feet of the 65,000-squ are-foot building have been adapted fo r the science center in a $9.2-million renovation. The site is just north of downtown and adjacent to L awton Park, the city park with an acc laimed “ Kid’s Crossing ” playground, and the Headwaters Park, a 3-acre public/private initiative. Science Central opened in 1995 in the renovated 1908 power plant and now serves 75,000 visitors annually. It has such hands-on exhibits as “ Measurement Ga llery,” wher e v isitors c an measure suc h things as their height, weight, body water, and calories and BTUs expended on a treadmill; “Observation Gallery,” featuring an ocean tidal pool, whisper dishes, echo tube, air cannon, and exploring the electrical properties of the human hear t; “ Investigation Ga llery,” where visitors can lift themselves into air using ropes and pulleys, see what it takes for a building to withstand an ear thquake, and get dizz y on a spin table; “ Prediction Gallery,” enabling visitors to pretend they are meteorologists and to make weather pr edictions; “ Mind’s Eye Gallery,” dealing with suc h topics as il lusions, a tilted room, and using senses in a dark tunnel; “Kids Centra l,” with mo re than 20 hands-o n exhibits for children under 8 y ears of age; and such super vised exhibits as the high-r ail bic ycles that take riders two stories off the ground, going down a giant slide, and jumping on a simulated moon with 1/6 the Earth’s gravity. The science center also has traveling exhibitions and suc h div erse educ ation and publ ic programming as seaso nal c amps, o vernights, preschool progr ams, “ Lunch with a Scient ist”
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Science discussions, Scout “S noozeum” science exploration programs, educ ator wo rkshops, “CoolScience Monday” broadc asts, br idge building and robot ic co mpetitions, and suc h specia l events as Women in Science Day and “ Life Is Cool” (aka Body Parts ala Carte), which examines such things as the ef fects of smoking o n human lungs, o rgan donation, and a co w eye dissection. Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46805. P hone: 260/424-2400. W eb site: www .sciencecentral.org. Hours: ear ly June–late Aug.—10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 12 –5 S un.; c losed Mon.; r emainder of year—10 –5 W ed.–Sat., 12 –5 S un.; c losed Mo n.– Tues., New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, fall shutdown (last week in Aug. and first week in Sept.), Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: $7 per person; children under 3, free.
SCIENCE CITY (Union Station Kansas City)
Science City is an interactive science center located at Union Station, a revitalized 1914 railroad station, in Kansas City, Missouri. The 850,000-square-foot train station was closed in the 1980s, esc aped demol ition, and then was renovated and reopened in 1999 in a historic bistate init iative. The stat ion has co me bac k to life with an Amtrak stop, restaurants, shops, live theater, 3D theater, a railroad exhibit, traveling exhibitions, planetarium, and a science center . The entire complex, including Science Cit y, is now known as Union Station Kansas City. The science center, which has an annual attendance of o ver 430,000, fo rmerly was c alled Science City at Union Station. Science Center has o ver 50 interact ive areas on two levels of exhibits. Among the exhibits ar e “ Echo Cav e,” wher e v isitors go through dark passages and seek out hidden life and geologic mysteries; “Severe Storm Center,” where weather phenomena like tornadoes, wind currents, and cloud formation can be explored; “Light Alley,” enabling visitors to interact with light and their shado ws; “ Prehistoric Dig ,” where dinosaur fossils can be found, excavated, and identified; “Body Tours,” featuring a diagnostic devise that gives visitors a multi-sensory experience; “Music Park.” where visitors are invited to harmonize with many different musical sounds; “Astronaut Training Center ,” whic h simulates astronaut training for a space mission; Pop Wheelie’s Delivery Service,” where visitors can r ide a high-wir e bic ycle 30 f eet abo ve ground; and exhibits wher e v isitors ser ve a newspaper edito r, tele vision n ewscaster, and
Science weather forecaster. Changing traveling exhibitions also are presented in the Science City Exhibit Gallery. In addition, the science center has such exhibit-related facil ities as “Cr ime L ab,” which houses forensic equipment and techniques used in law enfo rcement; “S.O.A.R. L aboratories,” where visitors can design and customize a car,, create a robot, and build a spacecraft for testing; and such Discovery Areas for workshop groups as “Test Kitchen,” where the chemistry behind the creation of beverages can be determined and used to de velop a n ew be verage, and “ Design Studio,” wher e teams cr eate robots fo r use by design engineers. A majo r addit ion to Science Cit y under development is “Dino Lab,” a dinosaur laboratory and exhibit resulting from a joint effort of Union Station and the University of Kansas. It will feature the entire scientific process involved in pr epping dinosaur specimens in full publ ic view. When completed, it will be the largest facility of its kind in the nation. The objective is to unite and display the ent ire famil y of eno rmous Camarsauruses. The newest addition to Science City’s education program is the “Burns and McDonnell Engineerium,” wher e st udents use high-tec h computers and robot ics equipment to per form experiments in a real engineering environment. Among the other education efforts are the laboratory programs, “Discovery Areas,” “Saturday Family Workshops,” “Half Pint Programs” for children 3 through 6 years of age, home school and outreach programs, and curriculum guides for teachers. Numerous other museum-like activities are presented in Unio n S tation. The y inc lude the “KC R ail Exper ience,” a hands-o n exhibit o n the history of the Amer ican railroad; Gottlieb Planetarium, with sky and laser light shows; and “KCP&L Gr eat Electr icity S how,” f eaturing hair-raising ba lloons, shoc king handshakes, bouncing bubbles, flying peanuts, and an indoor lightning sho w. Unio n S tation a lso pr esents traveling exhibit ions and has t wo theaters— “Regnier Extr eme Scr een” fo r fi lm and 3D shows projected o n a huge scr een and “Cit y Stage” for live performances. Science City, Union Station Kansas City, 30 W. Pershing Rd., K ansas Cit y, MO 64 108-2422. P hone: 816/460-2000. Fax: 8 16/460-2260. E-mail: info@ unionstation.org. Web sites: www.sciencecity.com and www.unionstation.org. Hours: Unio n S tation—6 –
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(General)—Extensive midnight daily; Science City—9:30 –5:30 Tues.–Sat., 12–5:30 Sun.; closed New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: Union Station—free; Science City—$9.50 per person (includes Gottlieb Planetarium).
SCIENCE DISCOVERY CENTER OF ONEONTA
The Science Discovery Center of Oneonta is a hands-on science center in the Physical Science B uilding of S tate Univ ersity Col lege in downtown On eonta, N ew York. F ounded in 1987, the science center has 3,000 square feet of exhibits and serves 5,700 visitors a year. The center’s exhibits are designed to relate to some significant aspect of science, to be easy to use , and invol ve an element of sur prise o r humor. It has appro ximately 80 exhibits made with simple materials that deal with properties of matter ; fo rces, mot ion, and mechanisms; fluids at r est and in mot ion; sound, v ibration, and waves; electricity and magnetism; and optics and l ight. A mong the interact ive exhibits measuring water volume in a tube; lifting rather heavy weights with a rope using thr ee movable and four fixed pulleys; producing a vortex like a tornado using a pair of 2-liter soft drink bottles and swir ling the water-fi lled bottle o n top; keeping a ba ll ho vering in mid-air by a swif t stream of air blo wn upward out of a t ube by a variable-speed blo wer; cr eating mec hanical waves in a set of v ibrating cross rods join ed to a steel “spine” wire by wiggl ing the end of o ne rod; making a sheet of plast ic v ibrate by co nnecting a variable electric oscillator to a coil of wire fastened to the plastic and holding a magnet near the coil; and creating shadows that last several seconds af ter the l ight is t urned off by shining the l ight on a sheet of phospho rescent material. In addit ion to info rmal science act ivities for elementar y, secondary, and col lege c lasses, the Science Disco very Center offers some formal instruction for science education majors on the use of the center ’s facilities and occ asional science workshops for elementary teachers. Science Discovery Center of Oneonta, State University Col lege, P hysical Science Bldg ., On eonta, NY 13820-4015. P hone: 607/436-20 11. Fax: 607/4362654. E-mail: scdisc@o neonta.edu. Web site: www . organizarions.oneonta.edu. Hours: July–Aug.—12–4 Mon.–Sat.; c losed S un.; r emainder of y ear—12 –4 Thurs.–Sat.; c losed S un.–Wed., Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. Admission: free.
(General)—Extensive
SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA
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Science
The Science Center of Minn esota is a large regional science center located along the Mississippi River in downtown St. P aul. It occupies a 370,000-square-foot facility opened in 1999 and has 10 acr es of outdoo r exhibits and pr ograms. The m useum is kno wn for its interactive exhibits on such subjects as pa leontology, ph ysical sciences, tec hnology, the human body, peoples and cultures, and the Mississippi River, as well as for In the “ Experiment Gal lery” act ivity sect ion, a demonst rator leads a producing traveling exhi- group of y oungsters thr ough a chemistr y exper iment at the Science Museum of Minnesota in S t. P aul. T he m useum is a large reg ional bitions, large-fo rmat museum of natural history, science, and technology with indoor and outfilms, and l ive theater door exhibits. It also is a major producer of big-scr een science films and programs. It a lso has a has 1.5 million specimens in collections, a dual-screen IMAX/Omnimax collection of 1.5 mill ion theater with a wall screen and a rotatable dome, science exhibits with thespecimens in biology, an- ater-style inter pretation, and a near by 600-acre nature center . Courtesy thropology, pa leontol- of the Science Museum of Minnesota. ogy, and geolog y. The annual attendance is over 740,000. exhibit ha lls and a 10,000-square-foot ga llery The science museum began as the St. Paul for temporary exhibitions. Among the exhibits Institute of Science in 1907 after a group of local are the “Dinosaurs and Fossils Gallery,” which businessmen inter ested in the intel lectual and features prehistoric dinosaur and fossil displays scientific gro wth of S t. Paul began a ser ies of and interactive exhibits; “Experiment Gallery,” lectures on hygiene and sanitation. Its first home with hands-on exhibits and act ivities that exwas in the St. Paul Auditorium, where the sciplore the ph ysical sciences and mathemat ics; entific collections from the St. Paul Academy of “Mississippi River Ga llery,” which takes v isiNatural Sciences became the nucleus of the mutors on a winding path that tells about the hisseum’s eventual extensive natural history collectory of the r iver and its env ironment, displays tions. In 1927, the museum moved to the Merfish from the river in an aquarium, provides for riam Mansio n, the fo rmer ho me of Colo nel the driving of barges on a river pilot simulator, John Merriam. The museum became so popuand gives a tour of a r iver towboat and a v ideo lar that an audito rium and an exhibit ion ha ll tour of the river to the Gulf of Mexico; “Hyman were added in 1936. As the museum continued Body Ga llery,” an exhibit o n the human body to gro w and expand be yond nat ural history, a that includes physiology, genetics, and cel l binew building was opened in 1964 and then anology and has a unique hands-on biology expeother building in an adjacent bloc k whic h inrience in the Cell Lab; “Science Buzz,” a science cluded three new exhibit halls and the “William news exhibit with inter active exper iences, obL. McKnight-3M Omnitheater ” in 1978. By ject-based displays, and science activities; “Scithe 1990s, the need for more and better space reence on a Sphere,” displaying scientific data and sulted in the construction of the present buildconcepts projected on a large globe of the Earth; ing on the bluf fs o verlooking the Mississippi and “Collections Gallery,” featuring a Hmong River. house, fossils, questionable medical devices, an The museum now has 70,000 square feet of Egyptian m ummy, a t wo-headed t urtle, and exhibition space that inc ludes fi ve per manent other objects from the museum’s collections.
Science The m useum a lso has the seaso nal “ Big Back Yard” outdoor exhibit with hands-o n exhibits and a miniature golf course that illustrate landscape evolution, river dynamics, and biodiversity; “Collectors’ Corner,” where visitors can bring, trade, and display nat ural objects l ike a rock, fossil, skull, or pine cone; hands-on nature and en vironmental exhibits at T railside Museum and other act ivities, c lasses, c amps, and programs at the 600-acre Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center n ear histo ric Mar ine o n S t. Croix, Minn esota, 30 miles no rtheast of S t. Paul; and produces traveling exhibitions that are distributed and sold to other science museums. The Science Museum of Minnesota has an “Omnitheater,” which is a dual-screen IMAX/ Omnimax theater with both a wa ll scr een for IMAX large-screen films and other flat presentations and a rotatable dome for viewing Omni films. It is the fi rst such convertible theater in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition to showing science and nature IMAX and Omni films, the m useum has been a leading producer and circulator of suc h fi lms since the r elease of its first film in 1978. The museum also is a pioneer in the use of theater as an educational interpretive technique. Its “Science Liv e Theater ” combines dr amatic theater, science demonstrations, and interactive children’s programming . Among the topics of recent theater progr ams have been cr yogenics, nano dreams, disease riddles, and a polar bear’s journey. Some of the progr ams also are offered to sc hools as par t of m useum’s outr each program. Among the many other educational activities are classes for children and families, hobby workshops, exhibit hall demonstrations, school loan exhibits, lect ures, fi lms, and fo rmally organized education programs for children, adults, and undergr aduate and gr aduate col lege st udents. It also operates the Kitty Anderson Youth Science Center, which engages teenagers in science learning through real museum work. Science Museum of Minn esota, 120 W . Kel logg Blvd., S t. Paul, MN 55 102. P hones: 65 1/221-9444 and 800/221-9444. Fax: 651/221-4777. E-mail: info @smm.org. Web site: www.smm.org. Hours: 9:30 –5 Sun. and T ues.–Wed., 9:30 –9 Thurs.–S at.; c losed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and first week in Sept. for maintenance. A dmission: adults, $ 11; senio rs and children 4 –12, $8.50; children under 4, free. Lee and Rose W arner Nature Center, 15375 Norell Ave., North, Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047. Phone: 651/433-2427. F ax: 65 1/433-2430. E-mail: wnc@ smm.org. Web site: www .smm.or/warnernaturecen-
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(General)—Extensive ter. Hours: T railside Museum—8 –4 Mo n.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun. and major holidays; grounds—open only to members and program participants. Museum admission: free.
SCIENCE MUSEUM OF VIRGINIA
The Science Museum of Virginia is located in the historic 1919 Broad Street Railroad Station in Richmond. The museum was founded in 1970 and opened in 1977 as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s science museum. The first effort to establish a state science museum actually began in 1906 when the V irginia Gen eral Assembl y approved funds for an exhibits space in the basement of the S tate Library Building. It open ed in 1910, display ing nat ural histo ry specimens. However, the exhibits center gradually slipped into near obscurity before closing in the 1960s. The state science museum idea resurfaced in the legislat ure in the 1940s and 1960s, but was not implemented. In 1970, enabling legislation then was passed by the Gen eral Assembly for the cr eation of a state-wide n etwork of science museum, with the fi rst facil ity being a museum for the physical sciences in Richmond. It gave bir th to the Science Museum of V irginia, but the other m useums were not established because of fiscal reasons (although several emerged later as independent museums). The state brought the Broad S treet S tation, where the last passenger train departed in 1975, for the science museum’s home. The station was r enovated and co nverted into a m useum with the help of state, federal, county, and individual funds, opening in 1977. Today, the Science Museum of Virginia has a wide array of hands-on science and technology exhibits, two innovative houses, a number of histo ric transportation vehicles, an IMAX Dome Theater and Planetarium, and numerous educ ational programs. It a lso has t wo subsidiar y m useums— Virginia A viation Museum and Danv ille Science Center (see separate listing). The Science Museum of Virginia’s annual attendance is more than 370,000. Among the interact ive exhibits ar e “Science Unplugged,” wher e visitors can test basic principles of p hysics and engin eering; “ Bioscape,” with exhibits ranging fr om cells and DNA to m ulti-sensory explorations of human biology and hea lth science; “Computer Bits & Pieces,” which explains what each basic step of computing does and how it works with the other four basic steps; “ Electriworks.” where the ke y
(General)—Extensive
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Science
concepts of electr icity can be explo red; “ Light V isions: Ey e S ight to S tar Light,” enabl ing exper iments with lenses, mirrors, prisms, and l ight; “ Newton in Space,” where Newton’s laws, grav ity, momentum, and potent ial and kinetic energy c an be explored; “Waves and Patterns,” wher e v isitors c an discover ho w sound is transmitted; and “S pace Gallery,” consisting of various space experiments. Other exhibits include the “ Mary Mo rton Parsons Ear th-Moon Sculpture,” a rotat ing Visitors use a joystick to choose what body system the want to see in the floating granite ba ll that “Body Probe” exhibit at the Science Museum of V irginia. In addit ion features the Earth and the to a wide range of exhibits, the museum has such educational programs moon; “ New Energy V ir- as liv e demonst rations, c amp-ins, summer c amps, and labor atory, ginia,” an outdoor building school, af ter-school, teacher, and outreach prog rams. Courtesy of the Virginia Museum of Science. powered by solar panels, a wind turbine, and geotherSCIENCE MUSEUM OF mal en ergy; “S olar Dec athlon House ,” an WESTERN VIRGINIA award-wining V irginia Tech house with innoThe Science Museum of Western Virginia vative architecture and day and electric lighting; in Roanoke was founded in 1970 by a group of the 1919 Car One private railroad passenteachers and community volunteers to pro vide ger coach and 1925 Kitchen Car 20, which once informal science experiences to enhance educaserved as the kitchen car for Car One; 1918 Elistion in the c lassroom. Over the years, the muabeth Scott Bococ k S treetcar, which was purseum has expanded its offerings and moved into chased by Mrs. Bococ k and restored to st imularger and mo re accessible qu arters, but the late interest in a modern light-rail transit system focus has r emained basic ally the same. N ow, in Richmond; and 1964 Reynolds Aluminaut, the steps ar e under way fo r what is being c alled a world’s fi rst a luminum submar ine that set a “Reinvention” to have e ven gr eater impact in world record for the deepest dive by a sub. the schoolroom and the community. The m useum’s educ ational offerings inIn 1983, the m useum moved into its curclude live demonstrations, laboratory programs, rent ho me o n t wo floo rs of a m ulti-cultural “Science S aturdays” explo rations, c amp-ins, building in the downtown Center in the Square. school and af ter-school progr ams, summer In the process, it evolved from a collecting mucamps, Junior Solar Sprint vehicle building and seum into a science center with interact ive exracing, “Wonderplace Lab” for preschool-grade hibits and a planetarium. The museum now has 2 children, outreach programs, and teacher proembarked on a inquir y-based lear ning plan to grams, resources, and professional development. expand how the museum serves school children Science Museum of V irginia, 2500 W . Broad S t., Richmond, VA 23220-2054. P hones: 804/864-1400 and the community. As part of the plan, it is deand 800/659- 1727. F ax: 804/864- 1560/ E-mail: veloping three new galleries—“Healthy Bodies,”
[email protected]. W eb site: www .smv.org. “Healthy Earth,” and “How It Works.” Hours: 9:30 –5 Mo n.–Sat, 11:30 –5 S un.; c losed The “Healthy Bodies” exhibit emphasiz es Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: adults, $10; getting and staying healthy. The goal is to moseniors, mil itary, and c hildren 4 –12, $9; c hildren tivate v isitors to c hange their behav iors and under 4, free. lifestyle choices to de velop and maintain
Science healthy bodies. The “Healthy Earth Gallery” is devoted to understanding and safeguarding natural resources. The objective is to recognize and conserve such resources. The exhibit focuses on minerals, c limates, r ivers, watersheds, oceans, and energy sources, and incorporates the previously installed “The Living River” exhibit that enables visitors to hand le specimens of whelk , barnacles, and crabs. The “ How It Works” exhibit seeks to encour age cur iosity about ho w things work. It explores topics in physics, chemistry, and technology, with emphasis on practical applications and knowledge that can lead to job skills in cutting-edge fields. When completed, the new galleries will replace or incorporate some of exist ing exhibits, which now include such galleries as the “ Body Tech Ga llery,” whic h explo res the m uscular, skeletal, and other systems of the human body; “Earth Treasures Mineral Gallery,” featuring a collection of minerals and crystals from around the wo rld; “Geolog y Ga llery,” whic h explains how ign eous, metamo rphic, and sedimentar y rocks are formed; and “The Living River,” a living model that demonstrates the connectedness of habitats as water emerges fro m a mountain spring, expands into rivers, and eventually flows into the ocean. The water exhibit has a saltwater t idal touc h tank with l ive specimens fro m coastal environments. The Science Museum of Western Virginia also presents multimedia sky shows in the Hopkins P lanetarium and has a 40-foot-diameter domed theater—“ MegaDome Theater ”—in which IMAX and other fi lms are shown. The education program inc ludes such of ferings as elementary, middle, and high sc hool classes in the ph ysical and l ife sciences; c amps; ho me school classes; and a “Science on the Go!” outreach program. The annual attendance is about 150,000. Science Museum of Western Virginia, 1 Market Sq., Roanoke, VA 24011. Phone: 540/342-5710. Fax: 540/ 224-1240. E-mail: fro
[email protected]. Web site: www.smwv.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 1–5 S un.; closed Mon., Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Dec. 23 –25, and Dec. 3 1–Jan. 1. A dmission: adults, $8; senio rs, $7; childr en 3 –12, $6; childr en under 3, free.
SCIENCE MUSEUM OKLAHOMA
The Omniplex Science Museum in Oklahoma City became the Science Museum Oklahoma in 2007 a long with o rganizational and
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(General)—Extensive content changes. But its history goes back nearly a half century. The museum was founded as the Oklahoma Science and Arts Foundation on the fair grounds in 1962, and gr adually de veloped into a hands-on science and technology center. In 1978, it mo ved into the n ew Kirkpatr ick Center m useum complex (founded by oilman John E. Kirkpatrick), added the exist ing Kirkpatrick Planetarium (which began in 1958), and changed its name to the Omniplex Science Museum. In 1996, the Omniplex, the Kirkpatr ick Center, and the Oklahoma Air and Space Museum (which mo ved into the center in 1980) merged to form the Kirkpatrick Science and Air Space Museum at Omniplex, but the m useum continued to be known simply as the Omniplex. Its annual attendance now is nearly 400,000. The Science Museum Oklahoma now has over 350 hands-on science exhibits and educ ational programs. Among the exhibits are “Gadget Trees,” a 24-foot slide (the tallest spiral slide in the world) with the oldest oak tree west of the Mississippi Riv er and exhibit units about nature, Newton’s laws, and simple mac hines that make life easier; “Explorazone,” with hands-on exhibits about waves, sound, and light; “Destination S pace,” which dea ls with esc aping Earth’s gravitational pull, Newton’s law of motion and how it relates to launching into space, living and working in space, and exploring the universe; “ Tinkering Gar age,” wher e v isitors can cr eate, design , exper iment, construct, and destroy almost anything; “Aviation,” devoted to the histo ry of av iation and space and O klahoma’s role, with vintage aircraft, a Mercury capsule simulator, and the Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame; “Parlor Car and Train Collection,” f eaturing a 1903 P ullman par lor c ar and a miniat ure town where visitors can interact with a train layout; and “Kidspace,” a handson exhibit for young children and their parents, The m useum a lso houses the Internat ional Gymnastics Hall of Fame, which honors those with outstanding competitive achievement and contribute to the de velopment of the spo rt worldwide. In addition to the sky shows at the planetarium, the science center has a “ Dome Theater” that presents large-format nature and science films on a 70-foot-diameter dome screen. The educ ation program inc ludes l ive demonstrations, o vernight c amp-ins, science sho ws, traveling labs, and progr ams fo r c hildren and adults.
(General)—Extensive Science Museum O klahoma, 2 100 N.E. 52nd S t., Oklahoma Cit y, OK 73 111. P hones: 405/602-6664 and 405/602-3726. Fax: 405/602-3767. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www. sciencemuseumok.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 9 –6 Sat., 11–6 Sun.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $9.95; seniors and children 3–12, $8.75; children under 3, free.
SCIENCE SPECTRUM
Science Spectrum was founded as a handson science center in Lubbock, Texas, in 1986. It has gro wn steadil y and no w has o ver 250 exhibits on thr ee floors that r ange from anima ls and aqu ariums to fl ight and space , numerous educational activities, an Omni Theater with a 55-foot dome screen, and an annual attendance of nearly 200,000. In addition to exhibits on the physical science, biology, and human heath, the center’s has such exhibits as “Texas Alive! the Brazos River Journey,” an exhibit with over 30 aquariums and terrariums that feature interactive exhibits and the fish, anima ls, and the sights and sounds of the r egional r iver ecosy stem; “ Flight,” wher e visitors can learn how airplanes and spacecr aft defy gravity to fl y; see hundr eds of model aircraft, an astro naut space suit, roc ket engin es, and shuttle t iles; and exper ience sitt ing in a trainer and seeing how to stay airborne; “Science of S ports,” which explains the p hysics, chemistry, and biology involved in sports and enables visitors to play v irtual vol leyball and r ide a hang-glider; “ExploraZone,” featuring a yearly rotation of three interactive science exhibitions through a new partnership with other museums, called “TexNET”; and “ Kidspace,” a hands-on exhibit for young children. One of the most popular attractions of the ScienceSpectrum is the Omni do med theater that presents nature and science fi lms. Among the center’s education programs are live demonstrations, audito rium pr ograms, c lasses, and outreach programs. ScienceSpectrum, 2579 S. Loop 289, Suite 250, Lubbock, T X 79423. P hones: 806/745-6299 and 806/ 745-2525. Fax: 806/745- 1115. Web site: www .sciencespectrum.com. Hours: 10 –5 Mo n.–Fri., 10 –6 Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: adults, $7.50; seniors and children 3–12, $6; children under 3, free.
SCIENCE STATION
Science Station, a hands-on science center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was devastated by floods
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Science in June 2008, and now is operating on a limited basis at an interim location in the Lindale Mall shopping center . The center had t wo loc ations—the main facility in a historic downtown building that was a 1917 fi re stat ion and a branch at the Lindale Mall. Both sites normally had perman ent exhibits and travel ing exhibitions, but now only a few of the permanent exhibits, travel ing exhibit ions, and a n ew pr eschool ar ea ar e pr esented unt il the main museum is r estored, r eopened, o r mo ved. An IMAX dome theater , which open ed in 200 1, also was loc ated in a separate building at the downtown museum, but was closed in 2008 because it was not profitable. Science Station was founded by the Junior League of Cedar R apids in 1986 after the cit y moved the fi re cr ew and equipment fro m the historic fi re stat ion to another site. Af ter a three-year fund-r aising dr ive to r enovate the building, the science center was t urned over to a no nprofit co mmunity group . The fi remen’s pole st ill r emained v ertical on the main floo r, which also had a display of original fire station photographs. A new building housing the “Alliant Ga llery,” administrat ive offices, and exhibit storage and fabrication was added in 2000. The ma ll site later was open ed pr imarily to show traveling exhibitions. Science Station had over 100 hands-on exhibits and a range of educational programs co vering more than 40 topics, suc h as electr icity, magn ets, sound, l ight, optical illusions, fl ight, computers, dinosaurs, bubbles, human body , heat, simple mac hines, and solar system. The “Genencor Gallery” had exhibits devoted to the International Space Station, programs and videos from space, views of the Earth from space, and news updates on the space program. The “Alliant Gallery” featured a giant stat ic-electricity exhibit and other hands-on exhibits dea ling with magn ets, circuits, levers, pulleys, and the ear thquake table. Exhibits on senses and perceptions were located in the “Upper Level Gallery” and an exhibit for young c hildren in the “ Lower L evel Ga llery.” The annual attendance of the science center was 90,000, but now is much less. Science Station, 427 1st St., S.E., Cedar Rapids, IA (Lindale Mall location is 4444 1st Ave., N.E., Cedar Rapids, IA 52402). P hone: 3 19/363-4629 and 319/294-4367 (Linda le Ma ll). Fax: 3 19/366-4590. Web site: www.sciencestation.org. Hours at Linda le Mall inter im loc ation: Jun e–Aug.—10 –6 Mo n.– Sat., 12–5 Sun.; remainder of year—10 –6 Tues.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon. and major holidays. Admis-
Science sion: $3 per perso n; children under 2, fr ee; families, $10.
THE SCIENCE ZONE
The Science Zone, a participatory science center in Casper, Wyoming, grew out of the city council’s co mmunity-wide planning sessio n known as “Vision 2000.” Among the needs frequently voiced at the planning sessions was for a hands-on explo ratory center wher e famil ies and c hildren together could lear n mo re about math and science. This r esulted in a pilot collaborative project invol ving the cit y, count y school distr ict, Casper Col lege, and Casper Area Community Foundation in 1997, and then an independent nonprofit science center c alled the Wyoming Science Adventure Center (later changed to The Science Z one) in the S unrise Shopping Center in 2005. The 10,000-square-foot science center now provides informal science education through interactive exhibits, programs, and outreach services. A mong the perman ent exhibits ar e “ Nature’s Jewels,” “Zone Zoo,” and “Bubble Zone.” The center also presents rotating and traveling exhibitions and such educ ational act ivities as live demonstrations, films, after-school science classes, summer science camps, “Storybook Science” programs, specia l e vents, and outr each programs. The Science Zone, 3960 W. Poplar St., Sunrise Center, Casper, WY 82601. Phone: 307/473-9663. Fax: 307/261-6131. Web site: www .thesciencezone.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat.; closed Sun. and major holidays. A dmission: adults, kkL$4; childr en abo ve 2, $3; children under 3, free.
SCIENCENTER
The Sciencenter in Ithac a, N ew York, is an interactive science center that grew out of a hands-on science program provided by two volunteer teachers, Debbie Levin and Ilma Levine, in the city’s elementary schools for 15 years. In 1982, they held a publ ic meeting to deter mine the interest in starting a science discovery center. The r esponse r esulted in the founding of the Science Disco very Center of T ompkins County (later changed to Sciencenter) in 1983. The Science Discovery Center’s first exhibition demonstrating science pheno mena and principles was presented in 1984, but it was not until 1993 that the volunteers and suppo rters opened their fi rst building housing the science center. S ince then , the building has been ex-
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(General)—Extensive panded t wice to 32,000 squ are feet, most r ecently in 2003, as the exhibits and programs expanded and the annual attendance grew to more than 90,000. The Sciencenter no w has mo re than 250 hands-on exhibits, a 9,000-square-foot outdoor “Science Park” playground, and suc h other offerings as the “Cur iosity Corner” (for children 4 and younger), an animal room, a 1,200-meter walking model of the solar sy stem, and a seasonal mini science golf course. Visitors also can interact with such exhibits as a tide touch pool with live animals, a two-story kinetic sculpture, parabolic mirror, slap organ, air c annon, gravity dam, magnetic drawing, puzzles, water flow, reaction t ime, ho neybee hiv e, and making a square wheel roll. The science center also develops and presents traveling exhibitions. The education program includes demonstrations, afterschool progr am, summer c amp, and school outreach program that includes hands-on activities and a Starlab portable planetarium. Sciencenter, 60 1 1st S t., Ithac a, NY 14850. P hone: 607/272-0600. Phone: 607/272-0600. Fax: 607/2777460. Email: info@sciencenter .org. Web site: www . sciencenter.org. Hours: July–Aug.—10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun; remainder of year—10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; c losed Mon. and majo r hol idays. A dmission: adults, $6; senio rs, $5; childr en 3 –17, $4; childr en under 3, free.
SCIENCEPORT, NORTHERN VIRGINIA’S SCIENCE CENTER
The Belmont Bay Science Center Foundation is wo rking on plans and fund-raising fo r SciencePort, Northern Virginia’s Science Center in Woodbridge. The center is being de veloped in collaboration with George Mason University af ter the Science Museum of V irginia withdrew its suppo rt bec ause of lac k of state funding. It was one of three museums that the Science Museum of V irginia was assist ing as subsidiaries. SciencePort plans to open o n the university’s Woodbridge campus in 2012. SciencePort, Northern Virginia’s Science Center, c/o Belmont Elementar y Sc hool, 75 1 Norwood L ane, Woodbridge, VA 22191. Phone: 703/494 –5715. Fax: 703/494 –0127. E-mail: lbeauchamp@science-po rt. com. Hours and admission: still to be determined.
SCIENCESOUTH
ScienceSouth is a science center in F lorence, S outh Carol ina, that curr ently specia lizes in science educ ation progr amming rather
(General)—Extensive than exhibits. It was establ ished in 2000 by a group of educ ators and busin ess leaders who were seeking to address the science and technology gap . Their object ive was to advance scientific understanding and increase the competitiveness of fut ure gen erations. The y began offering outr each pr ogramming in 2003 and since have expanded the programs to inc lude family hands-on wo rkshops, summer science camps, live science shows, teacher professional development wo rkshops, and “Science o n Wheels” mobile lab, assembly shows, and class workshops programs. It also presents two major special e vents—“Science P alooza” and “ Mad Scientist Gala.” In 2008, the science center open ed the “ScienceSouth Pavilion” in the hear t of F lorence. It serves as the home base for the center and where hands-on science workshops are presented. The n ext step plann ed in ScienceS outh’s development is the construction of a permanent science center with exhibits and programs. ScienceSouth, 1511 Freedom Bl vd., F lorence, SC 29505. P hone: 843/679 –5353. Fax: 843/662 –7539. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. Web site: www .sciencesouth.org. Hours: varies with programs.
SCIENCEWORKS HANDS-ON MUSEUM
ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum is an interactive science center in Ashland, Or egon, that occupies a 26,000-square-foot building that formerly housed the Pacific Northwest Museum of Natural History. Founders Sharon and John Javna and Dave and Marge Bernard bought the long-closed building in 2001 and retrofitted the structure, developed the exhibits and programming, and open ed the science center in 2002 with the assistance of more than 100 volunteers. Today, it ser ves 40,000 v isitors annu ally from southern Oregon and northern California. The center’s exhibits include “Hall of Illusions,” featuring more than 20 optical illusions; “Pedal Power Railroad,” using energy from pedaling a bike to send an electric train around the track; “ Bubble-ology Room,” containing fi ve ways to play with and learn about soap bubbles; “Shadow Wall,” using a strobe l ight to capture a perso n’s shado w; “ Einstein’s Ar t S tudio,” where visitors can construct a mobile , animate a pict ure using o nly colo r, and cr eate other things; “All Mixed Up,” where visitors can blend their faces with others; “ Make an Impression,”
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Sci-Port making a body impression by pushing against a 5-foot-high wa ll made of 65,000 plast ic pins; and “Kids Space and Kids Space Junior,” an exhibit where young children can play and experiment. ScienceWorks a lso has science sho ws, summer camps, and outreach activities. ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum, 1500 E. Main St., Ashland, OR 97520. P hone: 54 1/482-6767. F ax: 541/482-5716. E-mail: info@science worksmuseum. org. Web site: www.scienceworksmuseum.org. Hours: 10 –5 W ed.–Sat., 12 –5 S un.; c losed Mo n.–Tues., Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $7.50; seniors and children 2 –12, $5; children under 2, free.
SCI-PORT: LOUISIANA’S SCIENCE CENTER
Sci-Port: L ouisiana’s Science Center is a 67,000-square-foot hands-on science center on Shreveport’s downtown r iverfront. It began in the late 1980s with educ ational exhibits and programs in loc al bank lobbies and ar ea malls, and then open ed a 5,000-squ are-foot inter im science center do wntown in 1994, with init ial funding from the Junior League, city of Shreveport, convention and tourism bureau, National Science Foundation, other o rganizations, and community residents. The inter im site was so successful that a larger $21-million facility was opened in 1998. This was followed by a 25,000square-foot Space Center expansion with additional exhibits and the “ Dayna and Ro nald L. Sawyer S pace Done P lanetarium” that sho ws IMAX films in 2006. Sci-Port now has an annual attendance of about 300,000. The science center has nearly 300 exhibits in nin e ga lleries—many with l ive demonstrations in the nat ural and p hysical sciences. Among the exhibits ar e “ Red River Ga llery,” Sci-Port’s signature exhibit dedicated to the exploration of the river and its natural and cultural history with numerous terrariums with such animals as frogs, t urtles, snakes, and a lligators; a riverboat r eplica, and a nat ure lab; “ BodyWorks,” de voted to the st udy of the human body with exhibits about spo rts, hea lth, and body sy stems; “ Animation Co mputer L ab,” which a llows v isitors to cr eate their o wn animations through fl ipbooks, t wo-dimensional computer animat ion, and stop mot ion animation; “Physical Sciences Gallery,” where visitors can explo re c hemistry and ph ysics, inc luding making a pol ymer and experiencing some radical r eactions; “ Mathematics,” whic h empha-
Sci-Quest sizes measur ement, est imation, logic, and the use of math in e veryday l ife; and “Childr en’s Gallery,” an exhibit fo r young c hildren wher e they can do such things as build a house, plumb the bathroom, learn about animal defenses, pet a gec ko, and befr iend a Madagasc ar hissing cockroach. In addit ion to the l ive science demonstrations, the education program includes camp-ins, summer camps, and a “Science Carnival” outreach program of science presentations and teacher workshops. Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center, 820 Clyde Fant Pkwy., Shreveport, LA 71101. Phone: 318/424-3466. Fax: 3 18/222-5592. W eb site: www .sciport.org. Hours: Memorial Day–L abor Day—10 –6 dail y; remainder of y ear—10 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –6 S at., 1–6 Sun.; c losed Easter , Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $ 12; c hildren 3 –12, $9; c hildren under 3, free.
SCI-QUEST, THE NORTH ALABAMA SCIENCE CENTER
Sci-Quest, The N orth A labama Science Center is a hands-o n science center in Huntsville that ser ves the Tennessee Valley in northern Alabama and southern Tennessee. It is located in Cummings Research Park, one of the nation’s largest r esearch parks. It seeks to promote science l iteracy through inter active exhibits and inno vative lear ning exper iences, strives to develop children’s interest in science,
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(General)—Extensive technology, engineering, and mathematics; and serves as a community resource for science education. The 40,000-squ are-foot Sci-Q uest was founded by a group of co mmunity volunteers concerned about science education in 1989, but it took a decade to raise the necessary funds to open in 1999 in a renovated old manufacturing facility donated by a loc al community college. It no w has mo re than 125 interact ive exhibits and o ver 150 educ ational programs, many of which are designed to stimulate interest among children in scient ific and technologic al fi elds. Visitors ar e able to exper ience an ear thquake and travel through the human body in the exhibit area. Other exhibits deal with such topics as electr icity, magnets, world ecosy stems, and fluid dynamics. The science center also has special and traveling exhibitions. The principal attraction at Sci-Quest is the “Immersive Theater ,” wher e v isitors c an personalize their learning experience. The theater projects 3D images o nto a scr een and v iewers can ask questions, take quizzes, and interact in other ways. Among the many educational activities are “Science Liv e” demonstrations, group science c lasses, weekend wo rkshops, science camps, special events, and overnight, Scout, and home school programs. Sci-Quest, The North Alabama Science Center, 102D Wy nn D r., Huntsv ille, AL 35805-1957. P hone: 256/8370606. Fax: 256/837-4536. E-mail:
[email protected]. W eb site: www.sci-quest.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –6 S at., 1–5 S un.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas Eve and Day . Admission: adults, $9; senio rs, $8.50; children, $8.
SCI-TECH CENTER OF NORTHERN NEW YORK
A Van deGraaff electrostatic generator c auses a visitor ’s hair to stand on end at the Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center in Shreveport. T he science center has more than 300 exhibits in nine g alleries. Many of the exhibits have live demonstrations in the natural and physical sciences. Courtesy of Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center.
The Sci- Tech Center of Northern New York, is a 3,600square-foot science center in Watertown with hands-o n exhibits, demo nstrations, and programs. It was established in 1983 to help the publ ic gain a better understanding of science and technology, and now serves nearly 6,000 visitors a year. The science center has
(General)—Extensive over 40 inter active exhibits. Amo ng its r ecent exhibits have been “ The Internet S howroom,” where visitors can take digital pictures, manipulate them, examine things under an electronic microscope, and explo re the human body o n CD-ROM; “ Magic Wand,” which display s a thin strip of a projected image at a t ime, but a person’s eye assembles the strips into a complete image; and “IYA Space Images,” featuring photographs of deep space taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, astronauts, and spacecraft and displayed during the International Year of Astronomy. The educ ational act ivities inc lude demonstrations, wo rkshops, c lasses, and outreach programs. The science center a lso serves a chess center, offering instruction, serving as a playing site, and fielding a competitive team for tournaments. Sci-Tech Center of N orthern New York, 154 S tone St., Watertown, NY 13601. P hone: 3 15/788-1340. Fax: 3 15/788-2738. E-mail: scitec h@scitechcenter. org. Web site: www .scitechcenter.org. Hours: 10 –2 Tues.–Thurs., 10 –4 F ri.–Sat.; c losed S un.–Mon., Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $4; seniors, $2; children over 2, $3; children under 3, free.
SCI-TECH DISCOVERY CENTER
The Sci-Tech Discovery Center in P lano, Texas, has been presenting preview exhibitions as it raises funds for the opening of its building. The exhibits ar e designed to giv e the co mmunity a sampling of what can be expected in the way of permanent exhibits in science, math, and technology—in what is being c alled “ mindstretching fun.” More than 25,000 people have attended the previews. The science center was established in 2004 by the Junior League of Plano. The plan calls for a building that has 42,000 square feet of exhibits and programs, 6 to 15 acres of land, indoor and outdoor experiences, and serves as an “exciting, futuristic destination” for an estimated 100,000 visitors annually. The temporary preview exhibitions have included “Engineer It,” a traveling show with thr ee major testing areas that del ve into the design and engin eering pr ocess, and “Zap! S urgery Be yond the Cutt ing Edge ,” a traveling exhibit ion whic h demo nstrates the basic science concepts behind some of the new surgical techniques. The science center also offers outreach science programs to schools. Sci-Tech Discovery Center, PO Box 261544, Plano, TX 75026. P hone: 972/546-3050. E-mail: info@ mindstretchingfun.org. Web site: www.mindstretch-
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SciWorks ingfun.org. Hours and admissio n: st ill to be determined.
SCITECH HANDS ON MUSEUM
The SciTech Hands On Museum in A urora, Illinois, was founded in 1988 with the emphasis on “learning by doing.” The science center, located in Aurora’s old post office building, has mo re than 200 hands-o n exhibits in the physical and l ife sciences, an outdoo r science park, and suc h educ ational act ivities as dail y shows, overnights, summer camp, and informal educational programs for children. The science center has hands-o n exhibits on l ight, magn etism, weather , math, ph ysics, and chemistr y, with the larger exhibits and a virtual r eality exper ience being of fered in the outdoor science park. Sc hool and other group field trips can include interaction with exhibits, science demonstrations, and a hands-on laboratory session. A planetarium also is being developed at the museum. The annual attendance is over 50,000. SciTech Hands On Museums, 18 W. Benton St., Aurora, IL 60506. Phone: 630/859-3434. Fax 630/8598692. E-mail: jo
[email protected]. Web site: www.scitech.mus.il.us.org. Hours: 10 –2 Tues.–Wed., 10 –5 Thurs.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon. and major holidays. Admission: adults and children over 3, $8; seniors, $7; children under 3, free.
SCIWORKS
SciWorks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, describes itself as “the Science Center and Environmental P ark of F orsyth Count y.” Founded in 1964 under a dif ferent name, SciWorks now is oper ated by a no nprofit foundation and co nsists of 25,000 squ are f eet of exhibits, a planetarium, a 15-acre “Environmental Park,” and other exhibits and facilities. The science center occupies a 70,700-squ are-feet museum building, has indoor and outdoor exhibits on 32 acres, and serves an annual attendance of over 100,000. The science center feat ures indoo r exhibits—mostly interactive—on physics, biology, health, sound, technology, specimen collections, and the biologic al and geologic al div ersity of the state. It also has two exhibits for young children. The exter nal park ar ea contains habitats with live river otters and white-tailed deer; wetland ponds with waterfowl; hummingbird, butterfly, and herb gardens; a barnyard with goats, sheep, cows, donkeys, and a miniat ure horse; a
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demonstration forest; a composting site; and a nature walk. The center also presents traveling exhibitions, plan etarium sky and laser l ight shows, and suc h educ ational programs as l ive demonstrations, science camps, camp-ins, home school programs, and outreach science and Starlab programs. SciWorks, 400 W. Hanes Mill Rd., Winston-Salem, NC 27 105. P hone: 336/767-6730. F ax: 336/66 11777. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.sciworks.org. Hours: Jun e–Labor Day— 10 –5 Mo n.– Sat.; remainder of year—10 –4 Mon.–Fri., 11–5 Sat.; closed S un., N ew Year’s Da y, Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $10; seniors and youth 6 –19, $8; children 2–5, $6; children under 2, free.
SEACOAST SCIENCE CENTER, Rye, NY.
See Marine Science Centers section.
SEE SCIENCE CENTER
The SE E Science Center , a co mponent program of Southern New Hampshire Services Inc., a private nonprofit human services agency, opened in 1986 in space do nated in Manchester’s millyard. It provides interactive science experiences in an informal learning environment.
(General)—Extensive The science center began by taking science shows to schools and organizations as part of its “SEEmobile” outr each progr am. In 1992, the first traveling exhibition—on robotic dinosaurs —was offered. As its popular ity grew, the science center expanded into larger space at its present location in 1998 and added man y new exhibits. The science center was expanded again in 2004 with the Lego 1900 millyard re-creation project, followed by a new educational program in 2007 and additional exhibits in 2008. The science center no w has exhibits o n such subjects as fo rce, light, sound, electr icity, simple machines, and the L ego millyard. project. The educ ational act ivities inc lude thr ee guided options—group tours, chemistry lab experiments, and Lego 1900 millyard programs; as well as summer c amp, o vernights, workshops, mini-courses, and SEEmobile outreach science demonstrations. SEE Science Center , 200 Bedfo rd St., Manchester, NH 03 101. P hone and fax: 603/669-0400. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .see-sciencecenter.org. Hours: 10 –4 Mo n.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat.–Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Da y, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: $6 per perso n for everyone age 1 or more; children under 1, free.
SOUTH DAKOTA DISCOVERY CENTER
The “ Bicycle W heel G yroscope” exhibit in the “ PhysicsWorks” gallery at SciWorks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina demonstrates the pr inciples of angular momentum. The museum, which c alls itself “ The Science Center and Environmental Park of Forsyth County,” has a planetarium and 25,000 square feet of indoor exhibits on science , technology, and natural histor y and a 15-acre environmental park with wild life and far m animals, wetland ponds, g ardens, demonst ration forest, and nat ure walk. Courtesy of SciWorks.
The S outh Dakota Disco very Center and A quarium in P ierre has dropped “aquarium” from its name, but still has an aquarium with fish from the Missouri River. The emphasis continues to be on the hands-on exhibits and programs r elating to science , math, and technolog y at the science center founded in 1989. The Discovery Center has 9 ,000 square feet of suc h hands-on exhibits as “ Dig fo r Bones,” “ Whisper Dish,” “Human K aleidoscope,” “ Bubblizer,” “Wooden Ramp,” and “Giant Zipper.” The center also displays and then circulates to schools, libraries, and community centers such travel ing exhibitions as “ Animals as Ar chitects,” “Light and Color,” “Bug’s Eye V iew,” “Dinostories,” and the recent “Go Figure” exhibit on math learning as part of a “Hands-on Partnership” program.
(General)—Extensive
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The center also has planetarium shows and such educational activities as “Science Fridays” series of science programs, wo rkshops, c ampins, outreach van programs, and inquir y-based professional de velopment and assistance programs for teachers. The Discovery Center’s annual attendance is over 12,000. South Dakota Discovery Center, 805 W. Sioux Ave., Pierre, SD 5750 1. P hone: 605/224-8295. F ax: 605/224-2865. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.sd-discovery.com. Hours: Memorial Day– day before L abor Day— 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 1–5 S un.; remainder of y ear—1–5 Sun.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat.; closed New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $4 + tax; children 3–12, $3 + tax; children under 3, free.
SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE MUSEUM
The S outh F lorida Science Museum in West Palm Beach features hands-on science exhibits, nat ural history displays, and aqu ariums with sea l ife fro m war m waters around the world. Founded in 1959, the 60,000-square-foot science museum has become an interactive science center as it broadened its offerings over the years, and now serves over 100,000 visitors annually. The S outh F lorida Science Museum has exhibits ranging from the “Egypt Gallery,” with a mummy and artifacts from ancient Egypt, and “Suzie: The Ice Age Mastodo n,” an adult female extinct mammal similar to mammoths discovered in P alm Beac h Count y in 1961, to “Worlds of W onder,” with hands-o n exhibits throughout the museum which demonstrate scientific principles and technological applications and enable v isitors to cr eate c louds, gen erate electricity with a bike , mar vel at opt ical il lusions, and build and co ntrol a robot ; “S pace Gallery,” featuring an Apollo 13 moon rock and mission footage; and “ McGinty A quariums,” with over 5,000 ga llons of sa ltwater sea l ife, a living coral reef and other sea l ife, and a touch tidal tank. Among the other exhibits ar e “ The Perry Cubmarine,” a protot ype t wo-person submersible built by Palm Beach resident John H. Perry Jr. in the 1960s”;All Aboard the Solar Express,” containing model trains and a town operated by solar po wer; “Ga laxy Golf ,” a nin ehole miniat ure golf course with eac h hole containing a science theme and info rmation; and “ Interactive O utdoor Science T rail,” a winding trail of interactive exhibits that feature parabolic whisper dishes, a re-created fossil dig
Tech with authent ic F lorida fossils, and dinosaur tracks. The m useum a lso pr esents sky and laser light shows in the Dekelboum Planetarium, observatory viewing, and suc h educational offerings as the “Science Saturday” biotech lab program, “ Engineering Is Elementar y” progr am, summer science c amps, lect ures, fi lms, distant learning program, outreach program, and teacher assistance services. South Florida Science Museum, 480 1 Dresher Trail N., West Palm Beac h, FL 33405. P hone: 56 1/8321988. Fax: 56 1/833-0551. Web site: www .sfsm.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –6 Sat., 12–6 Sun.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: adults, $9; seniors, $7.50; c hildren 3 –12, $6; c hildren under 3, free.
TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION
The Tech Museum of Inno vation in S an Jose, California, began as a project of the Junior League of Palo Alto in 1978 and later was joined by the San Jose League. It opened in 1990 in a 20,000-square-foot temporary test facility in an old convention center, and then expanded to its present 132,000-square-foot home and today serves around 360,000 visitors a year. The science and technolog y center seeks to engage people in exploring and experiencing the technologies affecting their lives, aiming to inspire the innovator in everyone. It has a wide range of interactive exhibits and floor programs that show how technology works, how it affects everyone, and how people live, work, play, and learn. The m useum’s exhibits ar e pr esented largely in themed ga lleries that ar e focused on innovation, the Internet, the human body, and exploration. It also has changing exhibitions, an IMAX Dome Theater , and extensive educ ational programming that inc ludes live demonstrations, laboratories, workshops, after-school activities, on-line exhibitry, outreach programs, and other learning activities. The Tech Museum of Innovation has four themed galleries—“The Spirit of American Innovation,” “Life Tech,” “Innovation,” and “Exploration.” “ The S pirit of Amer ican Inno vation,” which focuses on the National Medal of Technology and the laureates, is the newest addition to the exhibits. The “Life Tech Gallery” is de voted to ho w machin es—such as gen etic advances, digita l imaging and sensing , and medical technology—work to keep people alive and how technologies enhance human perform-
Tellus
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(General)—Extensive
Students learn about genetics in the hands-on “ Wet Lab” at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, California. The museum has themed interactive exhibits that show how technology works, how it affects everyone, and how people live, work, play, and lear n. The objective is to eng age visitors in exploring and exper iencing technologies that affect their lives. Courtesy of the Tech Museum of Innovation.
ance. In the “ Innovation Ga llery,” v isitors are invited to use Silicon Valley inventions—such as a robot torch, virtual design, or clean room—to design their o wn rol ler coaster , build a microchip, and make a self-portrait with a 3D laser scanner. V isitors shake in an ear thquake, see under the sea, and use gadgets that take them to places that the y hav e only imagined in the Exploration Gallery. Tech Museum of Innovation, 201 S. Market St., San Jose, CA 95113. Phone: 408/294-8324. Fax: 408/2797167. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. W eb site: www . thetech.org. Hours: 10 –5 daily; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: $8 for all ages.
TELLUS: NORTHWEST GEORGIA SCIENCE MUSEUM
One of the n ewest hands-on science centers is Tellus: Northwest Georgia Science Museum in Car tersville. The 120,000-square-foot facility opened in 2009 as an outgro wth of the Weinman Mineral Museum that had served the region for more than 20 years. Tellus features four main ga lleries—“Fos-
sil Gallery,” which features a Tyrannosaurus rex, the 9-foot jaw of a Mega ladon shark that was larger than a sc hool bus, and a battle bet ween two southeastern dinosaurs; “Science and Motion Ga llery,” which c hronicles 100 y ears of changes in tr ansportation tec hnology; “ Weinman Mineral Gallery,” containing more than 50 cases of gems, gold, and some of Georgia’s most prized min erals; and “Col lins Family My Big Backyard,” a science playground with a walk-in tree, an interactive garden that explores science, and a gr eenhouse wher e youngsters c an play with l ight, rainbows, mirrors, and mo re. Each gallery has l ive education programs tailored to school grades. The m useum also has planetarium, obser vatory, speaker , home sc hool, and other education programs. Tellus: Northwest Georgia Science Museum, 100 Tellus D r., Car tersville, GA 30 120. P hone: 770/6065699. Web site: www .weimanmuseum.org. Hours: 10 –5 dail y; c losed N ew Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $ 12; senio rs and mil itary, $ 10; st udents and children 3–17, $8; children under 3, free.
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(General)—Children’s
TRAILSIDE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, Mountainside, NJ. See Nature Science Centers section.
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER, Tucson. See Flandrau Science Cen-
ter and Planetarium.
WHITAKER CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND THE A RTS , Harrisburg, P A. S ee Harsco Science Center.
WORLD OF WONDERS SCIENCE MUSEUM
A visit to The Exploratorium in San Francisco inspired Dan Ingrum, a downtown jeweler in Lodi, California, to approach the L odi Rotary Club about gett ing behind the de velopment of a similar science center. The club members liked the idea and a steering committee was
Alice appointed that bec ame the board of dir ectors. The bylaws were adopted, a nonprofit status was received for the World of Wonders Science Museum in 2006, and a lease opt ion was obtained from the city of Lodi to use the lower level of a parking garage fo r the m useum. A $ 1 million fund-raising campaign is now under way to prepare the building space , acquir e the exhibits, and staff the W orld of W onders Science Museum. The m useum building wil l be 12,000 square f eet with space fo r 30 to 40 exhibits. Plans call for about 30 to 35 rotating exhibits to be obtained annually from The Exploratorium through ExNet, and the remainder to be permanent exhibits. World of W onders Science Museum, 2 N. S acramento S t., L odi, CA 95258 (mail ing addr ess: PO Box 1671, Woodbridge, CA 95258). Phone: 209/3276369. Web site: www.wowsciencemuseum.org. Hours and admission: still to be determined.
Children’s Science Centers ADVENTURE SCIENCE CENTER
The A dventure Science Center in N ashville, Tennessee, is one of more than 200 nature centers and children’s museums that John Ripley Forbes, the noted nat uralist, conservationist, and educator, helped to start in the twentieth cent ury. His enthusiasm fo r c hildren’s museums was instrumental in convincing some of the city’s most prominent and influential citizens to back the idea. The institution began as the Children’s Museum of Nashville in 1944 and its name changed over the years as it grew, gave greater attention to science, and began to appeal to adults as well as children. In 1974, it moved from do wntown to the O ld S t. Cloud Hil l, known as Fort Negley in the Civil War, and in 2002 changed its name from Cumberland Science Museum to Adventure Science Center. It now ser ves mo re than 250,000 c hildren and adults annually. The science center has such hands-o n exhibits as “Space Chase,” where visitors can experiment with space exploration tools in a twostory astronaut training and technology center, walk through the solar system, and discover the relationships bet ween the plan ets and their moons; “BodyQuest,” which shows how human body systems work and invites visitors to experience their co mplexities; “Adventure Tower,”
featuring a 75-foot tower with seven levels overlooking the city; “Mission Possible,” describing how science and medicin e have made it possible for those with ph ysical handic aps to o vercome obstac les; and “ BlueMax,” containing a flight simulator that enables t wo people to experience such co ncepts of fl ying as the co ntrolled use of speed and air pressure to take off, fly, and land. The science center a lso presents planetarium sho ws and night star gazing at the n ew Sudekum P lanetarium and has a l ive anima l room, demonstration theaters, and such educational programs as c lasses, c amp-ins, l ive demonstrations, science camps, and special programs. Adventure Science Center , 800 F ort N egley Bl vd., Nashville, T N 37203. P hone: 6 15/862-5160. F ax: 615/862-5178. W eb site: www .adventuresci.com. Hours: Memo rial Day–L abor Day— 10 –5 Mo n.– Thurs., 10 –7 Fri.–Sat., 12:30 –5:30 S un.; remainder of y ear—10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12:30 –5:30 S un.; c losed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: adults, $11; seniors, mil itary, col lege st udents, and c hildren 3 – 12, $9; childr en under 3 and T ennessee teac hers, free.
ALICE AYCOCK POE CENTER FOR HEALTH EDUCATION, Raleigh, NC. See
Health Science Centers section.
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ANN ARBOR HANDS-ON MUSEUM, Ann Arbor, MI. S ee General Science Centers section.
BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY SCIENCE LEARNING CENTER, Upton, NY. S ee En ergy Science Centers section)
CHARLOTTE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM,
Charlotte, NC. See Discovery Place in General Science Centers section.
THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
The Children’s Museum in West Hartford, Connecticut, provides hands-on learning expe-
In “The Big Catch” exhibit at the Adventure Science Center in N ashville, children take cont rol of the fingers on a giant hand and work together to c atch an over head basebal l. T he e xhibit demonstrates how skeletal muscles pull to move the joints and often work in pairs. It is part of the “BodyQuest” g allery, whic h takes visitors on a journey through the human body systems. Courtesy of the Adventure Science Center and photographer Peyton Hoge.
(General)—Children’s riences in science and nature for children 12 and under. It was founded in 1927 as the Children‘s Museum of Hartford, became the Science Center of Co nnecticut in the 1970s, and in 2006 changed its name to the Childr en’s Museum, with the tag l ine, “ Igniting cur iosity through science and nature.” It moved to its present site in 1958 from a former home, became affiliated with the Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton, Massac husetts, in 1973, and no w ser ves over 210,000 visitors annually. “Conny the Whale,” a 60-foot replica of a sperm whale, greets visitors outside the entrance to the m useum. Children can c limb inside the whale, hear wha le sounds, and get spra yed by water from the whale’s blow hole when spouting during the summer months. Among the exhibits inside the museum are “Kids’ Corner,” an exploration of light, sound, touch, and bubble science through interactive experience and role playing; “Idea Zone,” a collection of interactive and fun stations, inc luding the wo rld’s largest wa lk-in kaleidoscope; “ Excavation S tation: Dinosaurs, Rocks, and Fossils,” an earth science exhibit with three dig pits, a mining sluice , a l ive a lligator, rock and mineral samples, and a life-size Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur model; “United Technologies Wildlife Sanctuary,” which features nearly 80 species of live animals from around the world, periodic anima l demo nstrations, and a dail y feeding schedule; “Turtle Town,” home to over 20 t urtles, terrains, and to rtoises; “ Pendulum Staircase,” with the largest F oucault pendulum in the r egion; “S tar S tation One,” an exhibit about l iving and wo rking aboard the International Space Station with the latest images and discoveries on the View Space monitor, located at the entrance to the “Travelers Science Dome Theatre,” and “Cr itter Crossing ,” a whimsic al play space for toddlers aged 4 and under. Space and science sho ws are presented in the Travelers Science Dome, a digital theater at the site of the 1968 Gergras Planetarium. The Roaring Brook N ature Center , whic h was founded in 1948 as the Canton Children’s Nature Museum in Canto n, Massachusetts, and was expanded in 1964 with the addit ion of the adjacent 100-acre Werner Farm, now ser ves as the Childr en’s Museum’s nat ure center. It has some hands-on c lasses and act ivities and displays of local flora and fauna, changing seasonal exhibits, a small collection of animals, an Eastern Woodland Indian longhouse, a wildlife attraction area, and outdoor flight cages.
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(General)—Children’s The Children’s Museum also has a Children’s Museum P reschool, o ne of the oldest ear ly c hildhood educ ational centers in the nation. The school offers a var iety of c hildcentered act ivities and is one of the f ew—because of the m useum—with an ability to enr ich and engage children in scientific exploration. The Children’s Museum a lso has such other educ ational activities as l ive demonstrations, science c amp, youth progr ams, fi eld trips, outreach programs, and teacher programs.
Children’s
Children have an opportunity to pet animals, such as this chinchilla, in the wildlife sanctuary at the Children’s Museum in West Hartford, Connecticut. The sanctuary has nearly 80 species of live animals from around the world. The museum was founded as a general c hildren’s museum in 1927, became the Science Center of Connecticut in the l970, and changed to its present name in 2006. Courtesy of the Childr en’s Museum and PhotoPros Studios.
The Childr en’s Museum, 950 Trout Brook D r., West Hartford, CT 06119. P hone: 860/231-2824. F ax: 860/ 232-0705. E-mail: info@ thechildrensmuseumct.org. Web site: www.thechildrensmuseumct.org. Hours: summer— 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; remainder of year—10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon., Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, L abor Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: persons 2–62, $11; seniors, $10; children under 2, free. Roaring Brook Nature Center, 70 Gracey Rd., Canton, MA 06019. Phone: 860/231-0263. Fax: 860/2320705. E-mail: r
[email protected]. Web site: www .sciencecenterct.org/rbnc. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed Mon. except Jul y–Aug. Admission: adults, $5; seniors, $4; children, $3.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF HISTORY, NATURAL HISTORY, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY
The Children’s Museum of Histo ry, Natural History, Science, and Technology in Utica, New York, not only has one of the longest museum names in the countr y, but a lso has made more name changes and moved more than most institutions. It was founded in 1963 by the Utica Junior League and originally was called the Junior Museum of On eida Count y. It began in the basement of the Ut ica Public Library and consisted of only one exhibit—an Iroquois longhouse, which is still on display at the museum. As its popular ity gr ew, the m useum ex-
panded by moving to a former parks and recreation building in 1965, a countr y club in 1974, and finally to its present home—a five-story Romanesque Revival former dry goods brick building—in 1979. A long the way , its name was changed to the Mohawk V alley Museum in 1975; Childr en’s Museum of Histo ry, N atural History, and Science in 1979; and the curr ent name of Children’s Museum of History, Natural History, Science , and T echnology in 2002. It also was in 2002 that the museum was adopted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which have provided some of the exhibits. The museum is an interactive learning center with 24,000 squ are feet of exhibit space o n four floo rs. Among the exhibits ar e “ Weather Room,” which features Doppler radar programs and other inter active exhibits; “ Dinorama,” a multimedia display of dinosaur models and fossils; “Transportation Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” co ntaining histo ric fi re and pol ice equipment and an o riginal Amtr ak r ailway switching station; “Diorama,” a multimedia exhibit on the history of central New York state; “Living Science Learning Center,” with animal and insect displa ys; “ Exploration S tation,” a
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play village with numerous stores to explore; and “Playspace,” a l ife-size wooden tr ain act ivity center for children aged 5 and younger. Other exhibits inc lude a 17-foot air plane that children can climb into and pretend to fly, computer room, gr avity exhibit, r adio stat ion, space exhibit, science room, plasma exhibit, Iroquois longhouse, plasma exhibit, outdoo r display of r eal trains, and inter national ha lls of fame fo r bic ycles, ro wboats, and c anoes. The museum also has t wo theaters and educ ational programs for school groups, ho me school st udents, Scouts, and day care centers. Its annu al attendance is 18,000. Children’s Museum of History, Natural History, Science, and Technology, 311 Main St., Utica, NY 13501. Phone: 315/724-6129. Fax: 315/724-6120. Web site: www.museum4kids.net. Hours: 9:45 –3:30 Mo n.– Tues. and Thurs.–F ri., 10 –3:45 S at.; c losed Wed., Sun., N ew Year’s Eve and Day , Easter , Memo rial Day, Independence Da y, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $9; seniors, $8; children 2–17, $7; children under 2, free.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The Childr en’s Museum of Science and Technology, located in Rensselaer Technology Park in Troy, New York, seeks to instill “a sense of wonder and disco very in y oung minds” and to inspire “a lifelong exploration of science and technology.” The 12,000-square-foot science center was founded in 1954 and no w ser ves 65,000 visitors annually. The museum uses its exhibits as a catalyst for exploring the world of science and technology. The exhibits inc lude “ Light, Opt ics, and Vision,” devoted to light and how it affects what people see—or think the y see; “Go P ower!” an interactive exhibit de voted to energy pathways and transformers; “WeatherFront,” where children learn about weather sy stems and hav e an opportunity to give their weather forecasts on a large tele vision scr een; “ Watershed T able,” which explains how the local watershed is part of the larger Hudso n Valley watershed; “ Hudson River,” an exhibit with l ive animals, touch screen games, and an outdoor interactive hiking trail that explores one of America’s most historically signifi cant t idal r ivers; “Operat ion W.I.L.D.—Working in the Liv ing Domain.” featuring a collection of exotic animal species in an interactive and sensory stimulating environment; “PlayMotion,” a physically and mentally
(General)—Children’s interactive exhibit invol ving scr een shado ws, virtual water, and planet manipulation; and “Junior Science Lab with Electron Microscope Experience,” wher e v isitors c an see objects o n a nanoscale level with an electron microscope. The science center a lso pr esents sky and film shows in the “ Lally Digital Dome Planetarium” and has such educ ational programs as school, group , and famil y progr ams, science camps, c amp-ins, Gir l Scout programs, ho me school programs, outreach programs, festivals, and teacher assistance activities. Children’s Museum of Science and Technology, 250 Jordan Rd., Troy, NY 12180-8344. Phone: 518/2352120. Fax: 5 18/235-6836. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. Web site: www.cmost.com. Hours: July-Aug.—10 –5 Mon.–Sat.; c losed S un.; r emainder of year— 10 –5 Thurs.–Sun.; c losed Mon.–Wed., N ew Year’s Day, Easter, Memo rial Day, Independence Day , L abor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: persons over 1; children under 2, free.
CHILDREN’S SCIENCE EXPLORIUM
The Childr en’s Science Explo rium is a hands-on science center fo r c hildren 5 to 12 years of age and their caregivers in Boca Raton, Florida. Founded in 1998, the center is operated by the city in the 132-acre Sugar Sand Park and serves more than 80,000 visitors annually. About 4,000 square feet are devoted to interactive exhibits, largel y in the ph ysical sciences. Among the exhibits ar e “ Molecules in Motion,” wher e v isitors c an exper iment with the mo vement of molecules as the phases change from solids to liquids to gases and back again; “Sand Plotter,” with magnetic force and computers interacting to create unusual patterns in sand; “Mission Control,” devoted to the concept of thrust and how the Space Shuttle is able to launc h into space; “”V ortex,” where v isitors can experiment with gravitation pull and orbits; “Fog Chamber,” demonstrating how fog is created when pressure is released as air molecules are co mpressed; “ Hand-cranked Gen erator,” where a v isitor’s energy is co nverted into electricity to po wer a model tr ain; and “ Aerolean Landscape,” whic h explains wh y sand dun es form in the deser t and sno w piles up in dr ifts. The center also has other exhibits, such as those dealing with sound in space, Bernoulli blower, and ther amin instr uments. It a lso sc hedules three traveling exhibitions each year. The Children’s Science Explorium also has such educational activities as formal education
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programs, after-school and weekend progr amming, l ive demo nstrations, summer science camps, Scout wo rkshops, par ent/child programs, outdoor science playground, and teacher training activities. Children’s Science Explorium, Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Mil itary Trail, Boc a R aton, FL 33486. P hone: 561/347-3913. F ax: 56 1/347-3910. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.scienceexplorium. org. Hours: 9–6 Mon.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat.–Sun. and holidays; c losed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istmas. Admission: $2 suggested donation.
THE DISCOVERY CENTER
The Discovery Center, a m useum of science and natural history for children in Fresno, California, offers an outdoo r lear ning exper ience “ to simulate passion, curiosity, and wo nder for the environment and physical sciences.” Children are encouraged to use a ll their senses in lear ning new science co ncepts. The science center, founded in 1956 and located in a 6-acre park, serves 25,000 children, teachers, and parents each year with hands-o n science lesso ns and activities. The center functions as an outdoor educational and r ecreational sanct uary fo r childr en who want to exper ience the nat ural wo rld. It has hands-on exhibits and programs, as well as a portable Starlab planetarium, workshop, pond, gardens, ar eas to dig , and other things to explore. Among the exhibits is a replica of a 1961 Gemini space capsule that visitors can enter, sit at the co ntrols, and imagin e fl ying through space. The center also has a cactus garden with 250 species of cactus and succulents, a 13,000gallon riparian ecosystem, a ca. 1892 barn once part of a vineyard and now used for workshops, three cedar bark dwell ings constructed in the traditional way of the Mo no and Miwok peoples, and numerous hands-on classes and other programs. Among the science center ’s hands-on activities are digging in the dino pit, exploring the creatures and plants in the pond, and classes on such subjects as magnets and electricity, earthquakes and volcanoes, animal mania, weird science, and rocket science. Other educational activities inc lude summer and winter science camps, “Saturday Science” programs, preschool nature programs, “S ummer S tar Parties,” and “Suitcase Science” outreach program. The Discovery Center, 1937 N. Winery Ave., Fresno, CA 93703 (mail ing address: 1937 N. W inery Ave.,
Discovery Fresno, CA 93703). Phone: 559/251-5533. Fax: 550/ 251-5531. E-mail: of fi
[email protected]. Web site: www .thediscoverycenter.net. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –4 Sat.; closed Sun., New Year’s Day, Easter, Independence Day , Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. Admission: free.
DISCOVERY CENTER MUSEUM
Discovery Center Museum in Roc kford, Illinois, is a hands-o n children’s science center with over 250 inter active exhibits. Founded in 1981, the 18,000-square-foot museum a lso has an 8,000-squ are-foot outdoo r park—c alled Rock River Disco very Park—with science exhibits. The co mplex ser ves more than 135,000 visitors annually. Among the exhibits ar e “S imple Machines,” with pulleys, levers, and gears that can be operated; “Power House,” where visitors can explore shoc k, stat ic, polar ization, and other electrical exhibits; “Colo r and Light,” which shows ho w l ight affects colo rs seen e veryday; “Body S hop,” de voted to the human body ; “Construction Z one,” wher e v isitors dr ess as construction workers and operate a crane in creating a building ; “ Wild Weather,” which explores the planet’s atmosphere; “Air and Flight,” which explains ho w gr avity, l ift, thr ust, and drag influ ence fl ight; “Amusement Park Science,” a look at the role of ph ysics in rol ler coasters and other amusement park rides; “Robotics Lab,” where visitors can design their own Mars Ro ver, space stat ion, o r robot ; “ WIFR Kids N ews S tudio,” which enables v isitors to serve as an anc hor or behind the c amera in an interactive news studio; and “Team Up! Explore Science and Sports,” where it is possible to ski on a virtual snowboard, measure the speed of a pitch, and engage in other sports involving science. The Disco very Center Museum a lso has an ar t st udio exhibit, “ Top S pot” exhibit fo r children under 6, and plan etarium shows. The educational act ivities inc lude theme-based classes, toddler and family classes, after-school and weekend c lasses, summer c amps, ho me school program, and outreach program. Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 61103. Phone: 815/983-6769. Fax: 815/9680164. Web site: www .discoverycentermuseum.org. Hours: Memorial Day-Labor Day—10 –5 Mon.–Sat. (Thurs. to 7), 12–5 S un.; r emainder of y ear—10 –5 Mon.–Sat/., 12–5 S un.; c losed New Year’s Eve and Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas week. Admission: adults, $6; children over 1; children under 2, free.
Discovery
DISCOVERY CENTER OF SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI
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The Discovery Center of Springfield, Missouri, is a children’s museum with exhibits and programs in the hard sciences, tec hnology, math, health, and env ironment, as well as culture, art, and communications. It was founded in 1991 and opened in 1998 after purchasing a downtown building for its home, renovated the structure in 1992–98, expanded the facil ity in 2006, and co mpleted a seco nd renovation and expansion in 2007 . It no w has 60,000 squ are feet of inter active exhibit space o n four floo rs and 40,000 visitors annually. The science-oriented center has suc h exhibits as “ EnergyExchange,” whic h explo res simple machines and how different engines use and create energy; “WaterTable,” where visitors turn Ar chimedes scr ews to act ivate a water wheel and crank a water-bucket conveyor belt in an exhibit o n water flo w and waves; “ Flight,” where v isitors c an exper iment with dif ferent shapes to create an aircraft and test it on a vertical launch pad; “Watershed,” visitors can make it rain, see how creatures in a c ave are affected by pollution, and look at the dif ferences env ironmentally safe practices make on erosion and water qu ality issu es; “ BodyWorks Theater ,” combines health-related exhibits with state-ofthe-art audiovisual components for inter active
(General)—Children’s health education; “HighWire Bike,” where visitors can pedal their way across a high wir e 20 feet abo ve the floo r; “Cr use Char itable Trust ChromeZone Ga llery,” which feat ures 22 exhibits developed by The Exploratorium in San Francisco about the characteristics of all living things; “Explore,” a paleo-exploration in which visitors can engage in a paleo dig, climb a rock wall, and lear n about loc al strata in a geolog y exhibit with co mputer kiosks; and “ Discovery Town,” wher e youngsters c an pr etend to be grownups by doing such tasks as writing a newspaper article, serving as a television crew member, being a puppeteer , buy ing and coo king food, building an arch or curtain wall in a construction project, and taking blood pr essure readings and viewing x-rays in a doctor’s office. The Discovery Center also has a changing “Phenomena” exhibit, whic h features different exhibits on electr ical, weather , and other explainable pheno mena that ar e rotated; “ Exploratory Lab,” a laboratory exhibit with a variety of o ngoing themat ic invest igations; and “Immersion Cinema,” which blends educ ation entertainment, interactivity, and films as viewers seated with wireless computers interact with presentations o n subjects that c hange eac h month.. In educ ational programming , the center offers c lasses, summer wo rkshops, Scout programs, outreach programming, distance learning through v ideoconferencing, and curriculum-based science web programs with interactive modules and laboratory activities. Discovery Center of S pringfield, Missour i, 438 E. S t. L ouis S t., S pringfield,, MO 65806. Phone: 417/862-9910. Fax: 417/8626898. Hours: 9 –5 Tues.–Thurs., 9 –8 Fri., 10 –5 S at., 1–5 S un.; c losed Mo n., N ew Year’s Day , Easter , Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. A dmission: adults, $7; senio rs, $6; children 3–12, $5; children under 3, free.
DISCOVERY CENTER OF THE SOUTHERN TIER The “Dino Dig ” is one of over 250 c hildren’s interactive exhibits at the Discover y Center Museum in Roc kford, Illinois. T he museum has indoor and outdoor exhibits relating to suc h subjects as simple mac hines, elect ricity, color and light, human body , constr uction, weather , atmosphere, physics, robotics, sports, art, and broadcasting. Courtesy of the Discovery Center Museum.
The Disco very Center of the Southern T ier in Binghamto n, N ew York, is a r egional hands-on c hildren’s museum of the ar ts, sciences, and humanities. The 22,500-square-foot museum n ext to the Binghamto n Z oo in Ross Park began in 1978 when the Junior League and interested community
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parties began to collaborate on a proposed children’s m useum with interact ive exhibits designed fo r spo ntaneous lear ning that would spark the imagination and engage the senses of youngsters. This resulted in the opening of Discovery Center in an abandoned inner city school gymnasium in 1984. The m useum pro ved so popular that it moved to a larger r ecycled utility building—with the opportunity to have joint programs with the zoo—in historic Ross Park in 1988. The museum was renovated in 1990, expanded in 2002, and no w ser ves o ver 50,000 visitors annually. The Discovery Center has science-oriented exhibits that make it possible to become a pilot and fl y an air plane, ser ve as a n ewscaster o r weather man in a tele vision st udio, work in a hospital or dental office, be a firefighter on a fire truck, and step inside a giant bubble. Other exhibits with science aspects inc lude “ Pedal Power!” devoted to the development, riding, and impact of the bicycle; “Weather Watch,” a working weather station; “Kids Chiropractic,” where the human body c an be explo red; “Get in the Game!” a sports and fitness exhibit; and “Story Garden,” a garden with themes fro m children’s literature that has 13 interact ive areas. Among the other exhibits are “Books and Beyond,” featuring books and videos of local celebrities reading favorite selections in a theater sett ing; “On Noah’s Ark ,” based on Jan Brett’s story of that name from Kenya loc ated in a water play ar ea; and “ Music A lley,” wher e childr en c an make music of their o wn as the y wander through a music area. In addit ion, the Disco very Center presents traveling exhibitions, such as the “ Dinosaurs!,” a collaboration with the Binghamton Zoo. The museum also has a “Fetch! Labs” program with experiments and activities similar to those o n the popular publ ic tele vision sho w. Other m useum educ ational act ivities inc lude preschool, after-school, and summer camp programs. Discovery Center of the S outhern Tier, 60 Morgan Rd., Binghamton, NY 13903. Phone: 607/773-8661. Fax: 607/773-80 19. E-mail: help@thedisco verycenter.org. W eb site: www .thediscoverycenter.org. Hours: 10 –4 Tues.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $5; children 1–16, $6; children under 1, free.
THE DISCOVERY MUSEUMS,
MA. See Science Discovery Museum.
Acton,
East
DISCOVERY SCIENCE CENTER, S anta Ana, C A. S ee Gen eral Science Centers section. DISCOVERY SCIENCE PLACE
Discovery Science Place in Tyler, Texas, is a hands-on science center fo r childr en of a ll ages, with the emphasis on children 4 to 14 years of age. It seeks to open young minds to science, technology, math, and cult ures. The 20,000square-foot center , which began as Junio r League project in 1991 and opened in 1993, has three exhibit ha lls, as wel l as a wet labo ratory and two classrooms that are art of the education program. The annu al attendance is about 60,000. Discover Science Place has two permanent exhibits. The “Discovery Landing” exhibit has over 80 hands-on activities, with such units as “Discovery Mountain ,” “S hip ‘ Awakening,’ ” “Kids TV,” “Raceway’s Room,” “Magic School Bus.,” “S hip’s Theater ,” “ The Body Theater ,” and var ious act ivity tables. The other exhibit, “Hometown USA,” f eatures a c hild-size community with a grocery, bank, emergency room, veterinary clinic, restaurant, pet store, eye clinic, car repair shop, and other sto res and facil ities. The center a lso has a third exhibit ha ll that is devoted to traveling exhibitions, such as the recent one that explored perception and how color is seen (or not seen). In addition, the science center has a “Fetch! Lab,” based on the popular public television series, whic h helps c hildren to tac kle problems, overcome fears, brainstorm, and col laborate as a team, and a Starlab portable planetarium program. Other educational activities include science and ar t c lasses, af ter-school progr ams, camp-ins, summer c amps, hea lth educ ation program, and teacher workshops. Discovery Science P lace, 308 N. Broadway A ve., Tyler, TX 75702. Phone: 903/533-8011. 9 –5 Mon.– Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $6; senio rs and mil itary, $5.40; childr en o ver 2, $6; childr en under 3, free.
EAST TENNESSEE DISCOVERY CENTER
The East Tennessee Discovery Center is a hands-on children’s science center in Knoxville’s Chilhowee Park that was part of a two-facility
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program until recently. The second center, the KAMA Hea lth Disco very, a hea lth programs center in the 1982 World’s Fair Park, was closed in 2008. The Discovery Center has exhibits in the ph ysical, l ife, and ear th sciences, pr esents planetarium progr ams, and of fers a var iety of education programs. F ounded in 1960, it no w serves nearly 60,000 visitors annually. The exhibits co ver suc h subjects as l ight and vision, sound, simple machines, energy, microscopes, insects, live arthropods, amphibians and reptiles, honey bees, fossils, rocks and minerals, and Discovery Space Shuttle. The science center a lso has a “ Kidspace” exhibit fo r young children and t wo labo ratories—a “Co mputer Mini-Lab” and a “Lego Lab.” The educational activities inc lude science c lasses, summer camps, and home study programs. East Tennessee Discovery Center, Chilhowee Park, 516 N. Beaman S t., PO Bo x 6204, Kno xville, T N 37914-0204. P hone: 865/594- 1494. Fax: 865/5941469. E-mail: etdc@co mcast.net. Web site: www.etdiscovery.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mo n.–Fri., 10 –5 S at.; closed S un. and majo r hol idays. Admission: adults, $4; seniors and children over 4, $3; children 3–4, $2; children under 3, free.
EXPLORA
Explora is a bil ingual c hildren’s science center in Albuquerque. It was founded in 1996 and opened in 2003 to give y oungsters oppor-
(General)—Children’s tunities for “inspirational discovery and the joy of lifelong learning through interactive experiences in science , tec hnology, and ar t.” The 50,000-square-foot center ’s info rmation, exhibits, and progr ams are given in Engl ish and Spanish and the annual attendance now exceeds 200,000. The science center has 250 exhibits, most of whic h ar e sma ll hands-o n tabletop units. They are organized under such themes as water, light and color, and electricity. Among the subjects covered are electricity, circuits, generators, gears, pipes, mirrors, air power, robots, origami, water, ba ll mac hine and wa ll, whisper dishes, and arts and crafts. The center a lso has a high wire bike r ide, an exhibit ar ea for young c hildren, and such educational activities as field trip classes, preschool and senior citizen programs, overnight c amp-ins, seaso nal c amps, af terschool club programs, science kits, home-school programs, outr each pr ograms, and teacher workshops and institutes. . Explora, 1701 Mountain Rd., N.W ., A lbuquerque, NM 87 104. P hone: 505/224-8300. F ax: 505/2248325. /E-mail: explo
[email protected]. Web site: www. explora.us. Hours: 10 –6 Mon.–Sat., 1–6 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Independence Da y, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $7; senio rs, $5; children 1–11, $3; children under 1, free.
FERNBANK SCIENCE CENTER, Atlanta. See N atural Histo ry Science Centers section.
HANDS ON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
This photograph shows two children working with a tabletop harmonograph that c an be adjusted to allow exper imentation with thousands of possible suspension combinations at the Explora, a bilingual children’s science center in Albuquerque. The hands-on museum, which has an annual attendance of over 200,000, has 250 exhibits org anized under themes suc h as water , elect ricity, and water and color. Courtesy of Explora.
The Hands On Childr en’s Museum in Olympia, Washington, is a science and ar t center with hands-on exhibits and programs designed to encourage interaction and inquiry by children and their famil ies. Founded in 1987, it oper ated as a “ museum without wa lls” based in a sma ll storefront unt il moving in 1998 to its pr esent loc ation o n the State’s Capitol Campus. S ince then, the museum has expanded its offerings, the annu al attendance has c limbed to o ver 100,000, and it has received a $9 million grant from a public facility distr ict to be used in co n-
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structing a new larger home on Olympia’s downtown waterfront. The museum has more than 55 interactive exhibits in six ga lleries designed to ser ve children up to 10 years of age. They include such exhibits as a wo rking water front wher e c hildren explore a cargo ship, serve as a city planner, and investigate the channels and currents of a water table; a bac kyard wilder ness, wher e c hildren learn to c are for orphaned and injured animals at a wild life r escue center , c limb a tr eehouse, create a c ard to help ident ify anima ls tr acks, participate in a puppet theater, and dress in costumes in a wildlife play; and a design/construction site, where children can create an array of paths in a magnetic ball run, operate gears, design structures, load and operate a dump truck, and transfer a cargo onto a ship. Other exhibits include a ga llery which helps educ ate children and their parents about what they can do to live healthy, happy, and mo re act ive l ives; an ar ea where children can create artworks; and a toddler exhibit with numerous age-appropriate arts and crafts. The m useum a lso has such educ ational programs as science and art day camps, parents’ workshops, “Playwise Early Learning Program,” monthly Friday night family programs, a “Toddler Disco very L ab,” and v isiting ar tists’ programs. Hands On Children’s Museum, 106 11th Ave., S.W., Olympia, WA 9850 1. P hone: 360/956-08 18. F ax: 360/754-8816. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. Web site: www.hocm.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Easter , Independence Da y, Thanksgiv ing, Christmas, and first full week of new school year. Admission: adults and childr en 2 –12, $7.95; senio rs, $6.95; toddlers 12–23 months, $4.95; children under 1, free.
HANDS-ON SCIENCE CENTER
The Hands-On Science Center in T ullahoma, Tennessee, was establ ished in 1995 to serve as a regional learning center “to stimulate an interest in, an understanding of, and an appreciation for science and mathematics, particularly among children in their formative years, their par ents, and their teac hers.” S ince then , the museum has doubled in siz e and expanded its programming. The science center has such exhibits as “Race with the Anima ls,” wher e v isitors c an compare their running speed with those of a variety of anima ls in a ser ies of l ight flashes that travel at the animal speed; “Real Flight,” where
Howard a flight simulator provides realistic flight experience; “Animal Alley,” containing over 15 live animals, ranging from a bearded dragon to leopard geckos; “Whisper Dishes,” which two parabolic dishes demonstrate hearing whispers at a distance; and hands-o n exhibits o n such subjects as aerodynamics, pressure, sound and light, geology, and electricity. The center a lso pr esents educ ational themed programs and demonstrations to school groups, historical plays about famous scientists, a childr en’s “ inventors c amp,” and a “ Visiting Wizards” outr each program that pr esents science demonstrations at schools and other facilities. Hands-On Science Center, 101 Mitchell Blvd., Tullahoma, TN 37388. Phone: 931/455-8387. Web site: www.hosc.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 1–5 S un.; closed Mon. and major holidays. Admission: $5 per person; children under 2, free.
HAROLD W. M CMILLEN CENTER FOR HEALTH EDUCATION, Fort Wayne,
IN. See Health Science Centers section.
HAWAI’I NATURE CENTER, Honolulu and Wailuku, HI. See Nature Science Centers section. THE HEALTH ADVENTURE, Ashe ville, NC. See Health Science Centers section. HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM,
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland. See Health Science Centers section.
HEALTH WORKS ! K
IDS ’ M USEUM , South Bend, IN. S ee Hea lth Science Centers section.
HOWARD B. OWENS SCIENCE CENTER
The Howard B. Owens Science Center in Lanham-Seabrook, Mar yland, is a hands-o n science center and planetarium founded in 1978 by the P rince George’s Count y P ublic Sc hool District. The center, named for a science teacher who worked to further science education in the area, pro vides interact ive science exhibits and instructional programs for the sc hool district’s students. In addit ion to science c lasses and planetarium programs, it has labo ratory facil i-
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ties, nat ural history specimens, r eptile center , Challenger Learning Center , nat ure trail , and garden. The science center , which is c losed to the general public except for special events, has an annual attendance of 90,000. Howard B .Owens Science Center , 960 1 Greenbelt Rd., L anham-Seabrook, MD 20706. P hone: 30 1/ 918-8750. Fax: 301/918-8753. Web site: www.pgcps. org. Hours: 9 –4 Mon.–Fri..; c losed S at.–Sun. and school holidays. Admission: free (but closed to general public).
HULT HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER, Peoria, IL. S ee Hea lth Science Centers
section.
THE IMAGINARIUM SCIENCE DISCOVERY CENTER
The Imaginarium Science Discovery Center in downtown Anchorage is the only handson science center in Alaska. It was founded primarily fo r childr en in 1987 in the bel ief that people can have fun lear ning about science by actually doing science. On e of The Imaginarium’s most popular features is an “Activity Station,” wher e v isitors c an conduct exper iments and explore science first hand by using a microscope, mixing chemicals, and building contraptions. Approximately 100,000 now visit the center each year. The science center a lso has exhibits o n such subjects as Alaska salmon, bubbles, insects, physics, flight, reptiles, and dinosaurs. Visitors can stand in a bubble , discover ocean l ife in a marine touch tank, learn about physics by playing with specialized toys, and observe and touch exotic reptiles. The Imaginar ium also presents such traveling exhibitions as “The Space Spot,” which deals with basic astronomy and space science, and “Outreach to Space,” devoted to concepts of outer space—how to get there, what life is l ike in space , and what the fut ure holds fo r space exploration. It also has a planetarium with sky sho ws and such educ ational programs as classes, l ive demo nstrations, c amps, ho me school progr am, sc hool and group wo rkshops, Scout programs, outreach offerings, and teacher assistance. The Imaginariam Science Discovery Center, 737 W. 5th A ve., S uite G, Ancho rage, AK 9950 1. P hone: 907/276-3179. F ax: 907/258-4305 E-mail: info@ imaginarium.org. Web site: www .imaginarium.org. Hours:10–6 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and
(General)—Children’s Christmas. A dmission; adults, $5.50; senio rs and children 2–12, $5; children under 2, free.
IMAGINATION HANDS-ON MUSEUM, Fort Myers, FL. S ee General Science Centers section.
IMAGINATION STATION
Imagination Station in Lafayette, Indiana, is a hands-on science center where children and their families can explore the worlds of science, space, engin eering, and tec hnology. It was founded in 1992 by a group who had fo rmed the Associat ion for S pace, Science , Engineering, and Technology, known as ASSET. With the help of volunteers and do nors, the science center opened in 1996 to promote science literacy while pro viding enjo yable exper iences fo r children and their families. Imagination S tation has t wo ga lleries of interactive exhibits that inc lude a Mars Ro ver remotely controlled robotic explorer that visitors can pilot in a sim ulated Mar tian env ironment and such other exhibits as thr ee fl ight simulators, 1928 fi re engine, unfi x-it table, magnetic racer, wind t unnel, act ive bee hiv e, and pr eschool activity area. Among the educational activities are “Mission to Mars” c lasses and educator workshops, “Science Explorers” programs for 6- to 10-year-olds, “ Family Science L ab” programs, summer science c amps, fi eld tr ip classes, and home school science club. Imagination S tation, 600 N. 4th S t., L afayette, IN 47901. P hone: 765/420-7780. F ax: 765/420-8260. Web site: www.imagination-station.org. Hours: 9 –5 Fri.–Sat., other t imes by appointment. A dmission: adults, $4; children 3–12, $3; children under 3, free.
IMAGINATION STATION SCIENCE MUSEUM
Imagination S tation Science Museum in Wilson, North Carolina, is a hands-on science center with exhibits and pr ograms mainl y fo r children. Founded in 1989, the m useum has 14,000 squ are feet of exhibit space , a S tarlab portable planetarium, educational facilities, mobile van outr each program, and 20,000 annu al attendance. The exhibits enable v isitors to gen erate electricity, look in a mirro r and see themsel ves floating in air, and race against a bat, bear, and cheetah. O ther exhibits dea l with such topics as opt ical illusions that pro ve you c an’t a lways
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believe your eyes, the pull of a magnet, the spinning force of a g yroscope, and how size relates to pitch in music you create. The many interactive education programs are designed to pro mote st udent invest igation into science co ncepts at var ious grade le vels. The museum also has “Science Courtroom Programs” where pre-visit and post-visit activities are sent to teac hers so that lear ning can be extended into the st udents’ o wn c lassroom setting. Another educ ational ser vice is the “Science on Wheels” outreach program that brings hands-on demonstrations to schools and civ ic functions. Imagination Station Science Museum, 224 E. N ash St., W ilson, NC 27893 (mail ing addr ess: PO Bo x 2127, W ilson, NC 27894). E-mail: mail@imagin escience.org. W eb site: www .imaginescience.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Sat.,; closed Sun., Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $5; senio rs and children 4 –17, $4; children under 4, free.
JUNIOR CENTER OF ART AND SCIENCE
The Junior Center of Ar t and Science in Oakland, California, seeks to encour age “children’s act ive wo nder and cr eative r esponses through ar tistic and scient ific explo ration of their nat ural ur ban env ironment.” It has exhibits, classes, workshops, and events that integrate ar t and science “ to pro mote childr en’s fresh, hands-on, and perso nalized interact ion with their world,” according to the center. The center serves over 35,000 children annually. The Junior Center of Art and Science was an idea that e volved after World War II when the Junior League sought new ways to serve the community. It sought guidance fro m an adv isory co mmittee of 52 educ ators, scient ists, artists, go vernment officials, and co mmunity leaders, who recommended working with children in creative fields to provide new interests, encourage talent, and foster understanding in a climate of common interest. The Art League of the East Bay and the East Bay Children’s Theatre then wer e inv ited to join in explo ring the concept of a n ew center fo r children. The cit y of Oakland’s Recreation Department then became interested in the project, and a co mbination of public and private funds resulted in the opening of the Junio r Center of Ar t at Mosswood Park in 1954 and the addit ion of “Science” to the name se veral years later. In 1992, the Junior Center relocated to Oakland’s Lake-
Junior side Park along the shores of Lake Merritt, next to a bird sanctuary and public gardens, followed by a capital campaign to renovate the new home and an expanded program of ar t and science programs for children, teens, and school groups. Two educational exhibits—usually involving hands-o n display s and/or progr ams—are mounted each year in the “Children’s Gallery.” Among the r ecent exhibits hav e been “African American Invento rs” and “Ca lifornia N ative Americans.” The Junio r Center a lso of fers hands-on science and art workshops at the center and schools, a summer art and science camp, and programs for preschoolers and their parents and caregivers. Junior Center of Art and Science, Lakeside Park, 558 Bellevue Ave., Oakland, CA 94610. Phone: 510/8395777. F ax: 5 10/839-8102. E-mail: jr
[email protected]. Web site: www .juniorcenter.org. Hours: June-Aug.—8:30 –5:30 Mo n.–Thurs.; c losed F ri.– Sun.; Sept.–May—10 –6 Tues.–Fri., 10 –3 Sat.; closed Sun.–Mon., Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Dec. 20-Jan. 3 winter break. Admission: free, but fee for programs and special exhibitions.
JUNIOR MUSEUM OF BAY COUNTY
The Junio r Museum of Bay Count y in Panama Cit y, Florida, is a hands-o n children’s museum with an emphasis o n science. It seeks to inspire and educ ate children through interactive exhibits and programs in science, history, culture, and environment. The Junior Women’s Club and Women’s Club of Panama Cit y conceived the idea of a c hildren’s museum in 1967, with the first exhibit being opened in 1969 in a farmer’s market building shar ed with an elementary sc hool’s kindergar ten c lass. The current 12-acre museum property was leased from the cit y in 1972, but it was not unt il 1981 that the present museum building was er ected and the first exhibit presented. Since then, many objects and exhibits have been added, including a 1943 railroad engine, pioneer buildings from the area, a nat ure tr ail, and indoo r inter active exhibits beginning in the early 1990s. The m useum’s hands-on exhibits inc lude “Hands-On Science,” where visitors can explore light and color, watch sound make waves, direct a laser, create lighting, write with light, and investigate other scientific concepts at activity stations; “Body Works,” featuring a skeleton, riding a bike , seeing ho w fast the hear t pumps blood in different animals, putting on a lab coast and preparing to “operate,” and learning about
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the human body and how to stay healthy; “Nature Play,” where a realistic Econfina Creek diorama can be explored and animals and sea bird nestings c an be found; “ Imagine Me ,” wher e youngsters can learn about inhabitants in loc al waters by fishing from a boat or dockside in St. Andrews Bay and taking their catch to the fish market; and “Toddler Town,” featuring a treehouse, a pool of ba lls, and other act ivities and toys. O utside attr actions inc lude the “ Pioneer Homestead,” a r e-created far m from the late 1800s; the historic Bay Railroad locomotive on which c hildren may play , and a 1,500-foot boardwalk and nat ure tr ail through wetlands and a fo rested ar ea. The m useum a lso offers classes and camps. Junior Museum of Bay Count y, 1731 Jenks A ve., Panama City, FL 32405. Phone: 850/769-6128. Web site: www.jrmuseum.org. Hours: 9 –4:30 Mon.–Fri., 10 –4 S at.; c losed S un. and majo r hol idays. Admission: $5 per person.
KANSAS LEARNING CENTER FOR HEALTH, Halstead. See Health Science centers section.
KOPERNIK OBSERVATORY AND SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTER, Vestal, NY.
See Astronomy Science Centers section.
LIGO L IVINGSTON CENTER SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTER, Livingston, LA. See Astronomy Science Centers section.
LIVING ARTS AND SCIENCE CENTER
The Liv ing Ar ts and Science Center in Lexington, Kentucky, provides creative opportunities in the arts and sciences for children and adults through ga llery exhibits, c lasses, workshops, and specia l e vents, with emphasis o n hands-on explo ration and exper imentation. Founded in 1968, the center pr imarily ser ves children—offering more than 400 ar t and science classes and wo rkshops each year for children 18 months old up to adulthood. The Kentucky science center has an annual attendance is 25,000. The center’s “Discovery Field Trips” program offers three-component classes in art and science to sc hool groups. The ar t components include exhibits in the ar t gallery, studying art
(General)—Children’s making, and learning about the cult ures and histories of the art on display, while the science components feature a science exhibit, an interactive classroom program, and a Starlab planetarium show. The center pr esents a major participatory exhibit each year for the school year, such as the recent interactive “Invisible World: The Beauty of Microscopic Life” exhibit, and a hands-on exhibit ion dur ing the summer . The microscopy exhibit dealt with such areas as the artistic and scient ific wo rlds of micr oscopic photography, micro and macroscopic l ife forms, and the behavior of light. The center also has such other educational programs as parentchild c lasses, e vening c lasses fo r teens and adults, af ter-school c lasses, and outr each programs. Living Ar ts and Science Center , 362 N. Mar tin Luther King Bl vd., L exington, K Y 40508. P hones: 859/252-5222 and 859/255-2284. F ax: 859/2557448. E-mail: info@lasc lex.org. Web site: www.lasclex.org. Hours: ac ademic year—8:30 –4:30 Mon.– Fri., 11–2 Sat.; closed Sun., New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: free.
LONG ISLAND SCIENCE CENTER
The Long Island Science Center in Riverhead, New York, is a children-oriented science center with inter active exhibits and progr ams, live demonstrations, and an outreach program. The center, founded in 1994 and loc ated at its present site since 2000, has partnerships with 25 Long Island sc hool distr icts and wo rks with other youth and co mmunity o rganizations in furthering its “learning by doing philosophy” in science, math, and technology. The science center has hands-o n exhibits of bubbles, magn ets, str uctural engin eering, bats, archaeology, and other subjects, as well as displays of Long Island’s historic wireless station and photogr aphs of the Ga lapagos Islands. A large r ange of science progr ams a lso ar e pr esented to school groups on field trips and at the schools. Two of the center ’s specia l programs are “Fetch! Labs,” which mixes live action with animation based on the public television series, and “Camp Invention,” a creativity and discovery program of the N ational Inventors Hall of Fame fo r c hildren in gr ades 2 –5 pr esented at schools. Long Island Science Center ,11 W. Main S t., Riverhead, NY 11901. Phone: 631/208-8000. Fax: 631/2088304. Web site: www.lisciencecenter.org. Hours: 10–2 Mon.–Fri., 11–4 Sun.; other times reserved for school
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groups and closed major holidays. Admission: adults, $2; children, $5.
LOUISIANA ART AND SCIENCE CEN-
TER, Baton Rouge. See General Science Cen-
ters section.
NATURALIST CENTER, L eesburg, V A. See Natural History Science Centers section. ORPHEUM CHILDREN’S SCIENCE MUSEUM
The Orpheum Children’s Science Museum is housed in and named for a historic vaudeville and mot ion pict ure theater in do wntown Champaign, I llinois. Many of the gr eat stage entertainers—including Will Rogers, Red Skelton, Jac k Benny, Harr y Houdini, Bob Hope , and the Max Brothers—per formed at the New Orpheum Theatre, whic h opened in 1914 and closed in 1986. The building was pr eserved when pur chased by the cit y in 1990 and r eopened as the Disco very P lace, an inter active children’s science center, in 1994. The name was changed to Or pheum Children’s Science Museum in 1996. It now serves over 13,600 visitors annually. The museum is located in the theater’s entrance area, has exhibits in an adjoining outside courtyard, and plans to turn the stage and theater sections into exhibit halls. The exhibits include the “Castle Workalot,” a miniature re-created medieval castle where children can explore and create with simple machines such as levers, pulleys, and carpenter and blacksmith tools; “SS Ackermann Tugboat,” where an interactive simulator enables v isitors to examin e and pilot a tugboat; “Waterworks,” with learning activities about rivers, groundwater pollution, and tornadoes; “Whisper Dishes,” where giant sound devices make it possible to ex change messages across a courtyard; and “Critter Corner,” featuring a family of small animals. The m useum a lso has t wo outside exhibits—“Dino Dig,” where children can dig for dinosaur bo nes in a cour tyard, and “ Rock Grotto,” a place to explo re and appr eciate the beauty of roc ks and water and possibl y fi nd a gem. Among the museum’s education programs are “Weekend Wizards” science activities, afterschool c lasses, c amps, gir ls’ science c lub, Bo y
Rocky and Gir l Scout act ivities, ho me sc hool programs, and special events. Orpheum Children’s Science Museum, 346 N. N eil St., Champaign , IL 6 1820-3614. P hone: 2 17/3525895. F ax: 2 17/352-8160. E-mail: o rpheumkids@ gmail.com. Web site: www.orpheumkids.com. Hours: 10 –4 Tues.–Fri., 1–5 S at.–Sun.; c losed Mon., N ew Year’s Day, Easter, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $3; children 2–18, $2; children under 2, free.
ROBERT CROWN CENTER FOR HEALTH EDUCATION, Hinsdale, IL. See
Health Science Centers section.
ROCKY MOUNT CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AND SCIENCE CENTER
The cit y-operated Roc ky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center in Roc ky Mount, North Carolina, has bounced back after water from the 1999 Hurr icane F loyd flooded and destroyed the museum’s building and all its exhibits and col lections, including 18 l ive animals, in S unset Park. To avoid possible fut ure flooding, the City Council rebuilt the museum at a new cultural complex at the downtown site of the Br aswell Memo rial Libr ary and wher e the fo rmer Imper ial Tobacco Factory was located. The new location includes the Arts Center and makes use of the ent ire old library and a portion of the former tobacco factory site The Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center was founded in 1952. The initial plan was de veloped by the Roc ky Mount Jaycees and the Junior Guild. They raised funds to start the museum in the basement of the old Braswell Memo rial Librar y. B ut the m useum quickly outgr ew the space and was mo ved to the Sanitarium Nurses’ Dormitory. The building, however, lacked heat ing and the m useum had to be mo ved again—this t ime the Junio r Guild raised enough funds for a fledgling building in S unset Park that bec ame its per manent home in 1954. In the years that followed, the museum became a par t of the cit y’s parks and r ecreation department, was expanded, and made fur ther improvements with the help of other organizations. W hen the hurr icane str uck in 1999, the museum was about to br eak ground o n its largest expansion in its history. Instead, the children’s m useum/science center and four buildings of the Arts Center were destroyed by Hurricane F loyd, and it was decided to r elocate them to a new cultural complex that would oc-
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cupy all of the Braswell Memorial Library (replaced by new library built across the street) and part of the old tobacco factory site. The Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center is linked to the Arts Center Theater and Visual Arts Gallery and an Education Center (located in the old Braswell Library) by a common complex entrance and plaza. The museum’s exhibits inc lude “Live Animal Gallery,” featuring such animals as mammals, fish, reptiles, birds, and insects that show the diversit y of l ife on the plan et and engage the v isitors’ senses of sight, sound, and touc h; “Space Spot,” a hands-on exhibit with numerous stat ions containing info rmation about astronomy and the space sciences; and such traveling exhibit ions as “ Microbes: Inv isible Invaders, Amazing A llies,’ “MazeMania,” and “Inside Africa.” The museum also has daily onfloor science demo nstrations, plan etarium sky and laser l ight shows and seaso nal stargazing , and such special events as “Science Carnivale,” featuring hands-on science, and “Winter Wonderland,” a Chr istmas-time fest ival with seasonal act ivities. The m useum’s annu al attendance is 45,000. Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center, 270 Gay S t., Rocky Mount, NC 27804. P hone: 252/972-1167. Fax: 252/972-1535. E-mail: museum @rockymountnc.gov. Web site: www.rockymountnc. gov. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed Mon., Easter, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $4; senio rs and childr en 3 –15, $3; childr en under 3, free.
ROPER MOUNTAIN SCIENCE CENTER
Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, South Carolina, is operated by the School District of Greenville County and its school-focused exhibits and progr ams are largel y aimed at pro viding hands-on science enr ichment fo r children. But its annual attendance of 238,000 also includes many adults. The idea of developing a science center to supplement sc hool progr ams sur faced in 1978 and was implemented in 1982 when the school board appointed an advisory council of parents, educators, and business leaders to assist in developing such a hands-on center. A master plan was adopted in 1984 to focus on the life, Earth, and p hysical sciences, and an agr eement was reached for the advisory committee to raise the necessary funds to build the science center and
(General)—Children’s the school district to pay salaries and operating costs. The plans met with broad community and corporate suppo rt, and the science center opened in 1985. In the process, the adv isory council became the supportive Roper Mountain Science Center Associat ion in a col laborative effort between public education and the private sector. The science center’s programs correlate to the curriculum of the school district and provide reinforcement for concepts covered in the classroom. During the summer, many children also participate in a four-day “Science for Fun” minicourse dealing with such topics as L ego Logo, rocketry, kitc hen c hemistry, seasho re cr itters, and unusual pets. The public can use the nature trails and tour the Ar boretum and B utterfly Garden without charge any time the main gate is open , but publ ic progr ams ar e l imited to “Starry N ights” progr ams o n F ridays and to “Second Saturday” science progr ams on a paid admission basis.. The science center consists of the “Symmes Hall of Science,” with exhibits about the physical sciences, hea lth educ ation, and weather ; “Darrell W. Harrison Hall of Natural Science,” containing Discovery and Rainforest rooms and Life Science, Ecology, Rainforest, Marine, and Computer labo ratories; the Hooper P lanetarium and Daniel Observatory; Hooper Planetarium and Daniel O bservatory Hand suc h outdoor facil ities as a “ Living Histo ry F arm,” “Arboretum,” “ Butterfly Garden ,” and nat ure trails. Hands-on programs on light, sound, matter, electr icity, and c hemistry are giv en in the “Physical Science /Chemistry L ab”; human anatomy is explored through the study of body systems in the “Health Education Center”; and meteorology and weather measurements are featured in the “WYFF TV-4 Weather Lab.” The discovery rooms exhibit r eptiles, amphibians, and birds, while the “ Palentology L ab” and “Earth Science Lab” contain rock, mineral, and fossil col lections. Inter active exhibits c an be founded in the Co mputer, Robot ics, Ecolog y, and Marine laboratories, while the outdoor facilities include the “Living History Farm,” “Arboretum,” “ Butterfly Garden ,” “ Water Lil ly Pond,” “ Kitchen Garden ,” and “ David E. Cromwell Vegetable Garden.” The science center also has a 170-seat planetarium, obser vatory v iewing, and a 300-seat auditorium, and such education programs as sci-
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ence classes, live demonstrations, distance lear ning, outr each progr ams, and teacher workshops. Roper Mountain Science Center , 402 Roper Mountain Rd., Gr eenville, SC 29615. P hone: 864/355-8900. F ax: 864/ 355-8948. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.ropermountain.org. Hours: school groups—8:30 –5 Mon.–Fri.; c losed S at.–Sun. and majo r holidays; publ ic—nature trails, Ar boretum, and B utterfly Garden: 8:30 –5 Mon.–Fri.; “S tarry N ights”—7–10 F ri. from Jan. to mid–N ov.; “S econd S aturday”—9–1 second Sat. of month. Admission: count y sc hool groups, fr ee; other school groups, fee; public visits to nature trails, Arboretum, and Butterfly Garden, free; “S tarry N ights:” adults, $4; senio rs and c hildren 6 –12, $3; c hildren under 5 not admitted; “Second Saturday:” adults, $5; senio rs and childr en 6 –12, $4; children under 6, free.
RUTH LILLY HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER, Indi-
anapolis. See Health Science Centers section.
Students are able to examine the feeling of a real cloud in the hands-on “Sea of C louds” exhibit at the Science Discover y Museum, one of two children’s museums that are part of the Discovery Museums in Acton, Massachusetts. T he exhibit also enables visitors to explore such elements as fog, sky, and wind in the Earth’s atmosphere. The museum complex began as a c hildren’s museum in 1982, with the science m useum being added in 1988. Courtesy of the Discovery Museums.
ST. JOSEPH MERCY HEALTH EXPLORATION S TATION , Canto n, MS . S ee
Health Science Centers section.
St., Space C-2, Car bondale, IL 6290 1. Phone: 618/ 529-5431. Fax: 618/529-5431. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.yoursciencecenter. org. Hours: 10–6 Tues.–Fri., 10–9 Sat., 12–5:30 Sun.; closed Mon., Easter, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. Admission: adults and children over 2, $3.50; children under 3, free.
THE SCIENCE CENTER
The Science Center in Car bondale, I llinois, is a sma ll regional hands-on science center that serves children 3 to 13 in age and their families. It was founded in 1992 and opened in 1994 in 8,000 squ are f eet of space do nated by the cit y in the Universit y Ma ll. N early a ll of the exhibits have been built by high school and Southern I llinois Univ ersity st udents, facult y, and staff. The center has such exhibits as an Aerolian landscape that features patterns in sand from an adjustable fan, a swir ling vapor that looks l ike a to rnado, shado w ka leidoscope, co rner r eflector, catenary arch, bicycle wheel gyro, muscle bar, l ight box, mar ble maz e, bee hiv e, and huge cockroaches from Madagascar. The education act ivities inc lude week ly progr ams, camps, and after-school, Scout badge, and outreach programs. The center’s annual attendance is 28,000. The Science Center, University Mall, 1237 N. Main
SCIENCE DISCOVERY MUSEUM
Science Disco very Museum is o ne of the two childr en’s m useums (the other being the Children’s Disco very Museum) that co mprise “The Discovery Museums” on a 3-acr e suburban campus in Acton, Massachusetts. The Discovery Museums complex was started in 1982 by Donald B. Verger, a math teacher and naturalist. It began with the Children’s Discovery Museum, with the science center being added in 1988. The initial children’s museum is housed in an 1880 three-story Victorian house and the science center occupies an 8,200-square-foot postmodern building . Together, the t wo facil ities serve 140,000 visitors annually. The exhibits at the Science Discovery Museum begin at the entrance to the building . Large parabolic whisper dishes and a variety of sound and music exhibits are located outside the building. Inside the science center are hands-on themed exhibits, such as “Earth Science,” which
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focuses on the geologic al histo ry of the state and where prehistoric fossils and other objects can be examin ed; “Sea of Clouds,” wher e visitors can explore such elements as fog, sky, wind, and clouds in the atmospher e surrounding the Earth; “ Rubber Ba ll Music W all,” f eaturing a whimsical musical instrument made from a variety of o rgan pipes that c an be po wered by squeezing rubber balls; “Solar Storms to Radio Waves,” which shows how radio waves are affected by space weather in the Earth’s upper atmosphere caused by storms on the Sun; and “Inventor’s Workshop,” where visitors can create a boat, car, sculpture, or some other object working with wood, paper, ribbons, beads, and other materials. The science center also offers “Traveling Science Workshops” that br ing outreach science programs to schools. Science Disco very Museum, 177 Main S t., A cton, MA 0 1720. P hones: 978/264-02 10 and 987/2644200. Faxes: 978/264-0030 and 978/264-0210. Web site: www.discoverymuseums.org. Hours: June-Aug. —9–4:30 daily; remainder of year—1–4:30 Tues. and Thurs.–Fri., 1–6 W ed., 9 –4:30 S at.–Sun.; c losed Mon., N ew Year’s Day, Easter , Independence Day , Labor Day, Thanksgiving Eve and Day, and Christmas Eve and Day . A dmission: $9 per perso n; children under 1, free.
SCIENCE FACTORY CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AND PLANETARIUM
The Science F actory Childr en’s Museum and Planetarium in Eugene, Oregon, traces its founding to 1961, but it was not unt il a co re group of leaders made perso nal and fi nancial commitments in 2002 that the future service of the science center was secur ed. The 10,000square-foot center, located in Alton Baker Park, now serves 35,000 visitors per year. The center’s exhibit ha ll has 50 hands-o n exhibit units, including “Wild Weather,” a look at extr eme weather ; “ Wonders of the Eye: A Wall of Illusion,” with examples of optical illusions; “Recyclotron,” an exhibit about recycling; “Renegade-Green Iguana,” where the r esident iguana can be seen as he climbs through his jungle; and “ The Tot P lace,” an exhibit space fo r toddlers under 5 y ears of age. The center a lso has outdoor activities in the park , planetarium shows, and such educational programs as “Super Science Saturdays” program; “Discovery Days” monthly pr eschool program; “ Yes! Yea! Day s” interdisciplinary progr am on no-sc hool day s; hands-on c lasses; af ter-school workshops; and summer science camp program.
(General)—Children’s Science Factory Childr en’s Museum and P lanetarium, 2300 Leo Harris Pkwy., PO Box 1518, Eugene, OR 97440. P hone: 54 1/682-7888. F ax: 54 1/4849027. E-mail: info@sciencefacto ry.org. W eb site: www.sciencefactory.org. Hours: 10 –4 W ed.–Sat.; closed S un.–Tues. and majo r hol idays. A dmission: adults and c hildren over 2, $4; senio rs, $3; c hildren under 3, free.
SCIENCE LEARNING CENTER, Upton, NY. S ee Brookhav en N ational L aboratory in Energy Science Centers section.
SCIENCE MUSEUM OF LONG ISLAND
The Science Museum of L ong Island in Plandome, N ew York, is mo re of a childr en’s science activity center than a science m useum. It relies on hands-on programs rather than exhibits, offering a variety of nursery and kindergarten, school, after-school, and famil y weekend enr ichment workshops. Founded in 1963, the science center is loc ated o n the 36-acr e Leeds Pond Preserve in Nassau County. To experience the science museum, it is necessary to register for one of the programs. The science center seeks to st imulate and nurture c hildren’s inter est in science through hands-on lear ning. In addit ion to educ ational programs, it engages in fi eld explorations and research activities. The center offers more than 50 hands-on science workshops, covering such programs as l ife sciences, p hysical sciences, earth sciences, outdoo r pr ograms, 4th grade proficiency progr ams, and gif ted elementar y, junior high, and high sc hool programs. It a lso has nurser y science exper ience and summer camp programs, outreach programs for schools and co mmunity groups, specia l courses fo r teachers, and an expedit ion progr am that has gone to suc h dest inations as Easter Island, Cairo, Cuba, and Patagonia. Science Museum of Long Island, 1526 N. Plandome Rd., PO Box 908, Plandome, NY 11030. Phone: 516/ 627-9400. Fax: 5 16/365-8927. E-mail: info@sml i. org. Web site: www.snli.org. Hours: 10 –5 dail y, but may vary; closed on major holidays. Admission: varies with the programs.
SCI-QUEST, The N orth A labama Science Center, Huntsv ille, AL. S ee Gen eral Science Centers section. SHENANDOAH VALLEY DISCOVERY MUSEUM
The S henandoah Valley Disco very Mu-
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seum in W inchester, V irginia, is a hands-o n children’s m useum whic h focuses o n science , mathematics, humanities, and the arts, with the emphasis on science exhibits and programs. The museum was founded in 1993 by three women— Peggy McKee, Martha Wolfe, and Mary Bruce Glaize—who felt there was a need in the region for expanded science and cultural opportunities beyond tr aditional sc hool instr uction. It no w occupies a 8,500-square-feet facility in a downtown pedestr ian ma ll, but is planning a n ew 28,500-square-foot env ironmentally fr iendly “green” building in the cit y’s Jim Barnett Park. The m useum curr ently ser ves 40,000 v isitors annually. The Discovery Museum has such scienceoriented exhibits as “S imple Machin es,” with six simple machin es used in an apple pac king operation; “Paleo Lab,” featuring a collection of fossils; “ Raceways,” a hands-o n test of the physics of mot ion; “ Building Boards,” wher e visitors can build a house, chair, or bench with a construction set; “Natural History and Ranger Station,” containing nine discovery draws in a ranger station; “Emergency Clinic and Ambulance,” which simulates emergency medical facilities and ser vices; “Duck In,” where visitors can look through a giant kaleidoscope; “A Stop Along the Moccasin Trail,” a miniature Iroquois village with a lo ng house and an oppo rtunity for children to dress in authentic Native American c lothing; and “ Discovery Museum Goes Green,” containing plans and a model of the museum’s planned $8-million new building and showing wh y it is co nsidered an en vironmentally “ green” building . The m useum a lso has such other exhibits as a c limbing wa ll, Eagle Scout exhibit, art exhibit, and tabletop exhibits of puzzles and games. Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, 54 S . Loudoun S t., W inchester, VA 2260 1. P hone: 540/7222020. Fax: 540/722-2189. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .discoverymuseum. net. Hours: 9–5 Mon.–Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed federal holidays. Admission: $6 per person; children under 2, free.
TERRE HAUTE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
The Terre Haute Childr en’s Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana, seeks to enr ich the l ives of c hildren through the explo ration of science and technolog y. The hands-o n science center opened in 1988 in the basement of the Centra l
Western Christian Chur ch and mo ved into a 3,000square-foot building in 1991. In 2009, the museum opened its present home of 35,000 square feet on the fi rst three floors of a n ew structure built on do wntown proper ty pro vided by the Dora Brothers Hospitality Corporation, which has developed an extended stay hotel above the museum and in the renovated Tribune Building on the adjacent property. The museum has been getting nearly 20,000 visitors a year, but anticipates a major increase with the larger building and new exhibits and programs. Exhibits at the n ew building no w include “Technology Station,” which features such interactive exhibits as lasers, optics, electrical circuits, robots, and video and computer technology; “ Dinosaur Dig ,” a large exc avation site where children can unearth full-scale dinosaur skeletons and lear n about pa leontology, anatomy, and geolog y; “Construction Z one,” where v isitors lear n about and co nstruct their own bridges, vehicles, and sculpt ures; “Sailing Ship,” contains a large ship anchored on a winding water way wher e childr en c an c limb the ship’s r igging, peer through telescopes, and learn about navigation; “The Reef,” with a tropical reef, colorful corals, exotic fish, and sea creatures; “Animal Hospital,” a veterinary hospital where v isitors beco me the docto rs and lear n about the l ife sciences, co mparative anatomy, and the diverse anima l kingdom; and “S ecret Tree House,” a t wo-story tree house with hidden slides, tunnels, climbing activities, and special observation and communication devices. The science center a lso a todd ler space with a variety of physical and cognit ive activities; travel ing exhibit ions; thr ee learning labs that suppo rt demonstrations and specia l programs; and such educational activities as “Toddler Tuesday” and “Science S aturday” science programs. Terre Haute Children’s Museum, 523 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute , IN 47807 . P hone: 8 12/235-5548. Email: info@terr ehautechildrensmuseum.com. Web site: www.terrehautechildrensmuseum.com. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Fri, 10 –4 S at.; c losed S un.–Mon. and major hol idays. A dmission: adults, $4; senio rs and children 3–12, $3; children under 3, free.
WESTERN COLORADO MATH AND SCIENCE CENTER
The Western Colorado Math and Science Center in Grand Junct ion is a hands-o n exploratoreum fo r childr en and teachers o n the
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state’s W estern S lope. The m useum was founded by r etired physicist John McConnell, who sought to bring more math and science to local sc hools in the ear ly 1990s by pr esenting hands-on exper iments and interact ive pr esentations to classes. As the popularity of his volunteer mobile program grew, McConnell established the science center in 2000 in the N ew Emerson sc hoolhouse pro vided by the sc hool district. The interactive center has mo re than 160 exhibits dealing with science and math concepts and a 5.5-acre Riverview Science Park, a nearby outdoor lear ning center a long the Colo rado River. Because of its extensive hands-on science exhibits and progr ams for c hildren, it has acquired the acro nym SI THHOK, standing fo r “Science in the Hands of Kids.” The exhibits cover such diverse subjects as grav ity, magnetics, sound waves, vacuums. lightning, fuel cells, human body, and bees. Among the educational activities ar e science demo nstrations, c lasses, summer camps, and science kits for teachers. Western Colorado Math and Science Center , 2660 Unawee A ve., Gr and Junct ion, C O 8 1503. P hone: 970/254-1626. W eb site: www .sithok.org. Hours: 10 –4 Wed.–Sat.; closed Sun.–Tues. and major holidays. Admission: $3 per person; families, $10.
WONDERLAB MUSEUM SCIENCE, HEALTH, AND TECHNOLOGY
OF
The W onderLab Museum of Science , Health, and Technology in Bloomington, Indiana, is a hands-on children’s science center that introduces children to basic scient ific concepts and principles and to the process of scientific inquiry in an informal setting. It was founded in 1995 and now serves more than 70,000 visitors each year. Among the 15,000-square-foot m useum’s exhibits ar e the “Grape vine Cl imber,” a t wostory maz e with whimsic al leaf-l ike pads that provide a change of perspective as a child goes to higher le vels; “Bubble-Airium,” which provides unexpected ways to using bubbles to explore geometry and science co ncepts; “Cosmic Dance,” composed of five translucent floor panels which light up as cosmic ray articles hit them from outer space; “ Heat Camer a,” an exploration of infrared light which uses different colors to highl ight the hot and cool spots of objects, inc luding ar eas of the human body ;
(General)—Children’s “Lester P. B ushnell Wondergarden,” a garden beside the building that c hanges with the seasons and c an be explo red with “ nature pac ks” containing act ivity sheets, guides, and science equipment available at the welco me desk; and other exhibits on such subjects as health and the human body , sound, l ight, colo r, electr icity, magnetism, gravity, kinetic energy, fossils, and live insects, reptiles, amphibians and fish. The museum also has an enc losed exhibit area with science advent ures fo r todd lers and preschool-age children, and an amphitheater in the garden where outdoor science programs are presented. Other educational programming includes “Science o n the S pot” l ive demonstrations in exhibit ar eas, science c amps, Scout badge pr ograms, “Science in the Bo x” and “Classroom L abs” outr each programs, and an early childhood educator training program. WonderLab Museum of Health, Science, and Technology, 308 W . 4th S t., Bloomington, IN 47404. Phone: 8 12/337-1337. E-mail: w riteus@wonderlab. org. Web site: www .wonderlab.org. Hours: 9:30 –5 Tues.–Sat., 1–5 S un.; c losed Mon. and majo r hol idays. Admission: adults, $7; c hildren 1–17, $6; children under 1, free.
YOUTH SCIENCE CENTER
The Youth Science Center in Hacienda Heights, California, was established in 1962 to improve math and science educ ation. F irst opened by par ents and teac her volunteers in Fullerton, the science learning center moved to its pr esent loc ation in 1984 and no w pr esents hands-on exhibits and pr ograms in science , math, and computers to K-8 students throughout San Gabriel Valley. The center , located in the W edgeworth Elementar y School , of fers classes for different grade levels, family activities, and a S tarlab plan etarium outr each program. Youth Science Center , 16949 Wedgeworth Dr., PO Box 5723, Hacienda Heights, C A 9 1745. P hone: 628/854-9825. F ax: 628/855-3790. E-mail: y sc@ youthsciencecenter.org. Web site: www.youthsciencecenter.org. Hours: 12–4 Tues.–Fri., 10 –2 Sat.; closed Sun.–Mon. and major holidays. Admission: free.
YOUTH SCIENCE INSTITUTE
The Youth Science Inst itute, a nat urebased science educ ation center in Ca lifornia’s Santa Clara Count y, provides hands-on learning in the life, physical, and social sciences, including biolog y, chemistr y, ph ysics, geolog y,
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and astronomy. Founded in 1953, it no w presents programs at three science and nature centers in the A lum Roc k, Vasona, and S anborn parks and in schools and at community events. The institute seeks to develop the critical thinking skills of c hildren and to help them understand and appreciate the interrelationships between themselves and the wo rld around them. It ser ves o ver 30,000 pr eschool through high school st udents out of a tota l attendance of 70,000 annually. The hear t of the inst itute’s progr ams ar e the school and group programs, which compliment the Ca lifornia S tate Science S tandards and f eature l ive mamma ls, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. The children’s science center a lso has a summer c amp progr am, af terschool science classes, and “Science Safaris and Explorer Hikes.” The fi rst programs were presented at the A lum Roc k Science and N ature Center in San Jose in 1953. It has geologic formations, min eral spr ings, e vidence of seismic events, nat ive flo ra and fauna, a histo ric bird
Youth collection, and exhibits of animals that populate the n earby Mount Hamilto n R ange. The V asona Science and N ature Center in L os Gatos opened in 1980 and has animals that live in the Guadalupe Watershed, nat ive plant tr ail, and exhibits, c lasses, labo ratories, science c amps, and after-school science sessions. The Sanborn Science and N ature Center , whic h began in 1982, is located in Saratoga, in the Santa Cruz Mountains and has exhibits of animals from the mountain range , ear thquake and geolog y displays, arthropod zoo, garden, science day camps, and an annual insect fair. Youth Science Inst itute, 16260 Penitencia Rd., S an Jose, CA 95 127 (mail ing addr ess 296 Garden Hill Dr., Los Gatos, CA 95032-4322). Phone: 408/2584322. Fax: 408/358-3683. E-mail: info@y si-ca.org. Web site: www.ysi-ca.org. Hours: A lum Rock Center—12–4:30 Tues.–Sun.; closed Mon. (also Sun. in Oct.–Apr.); V asona Center—9 –4:30 Mo n.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun.; Sanborn Center—by appointment. Admission: A lum Roc k—adults, $ 1; childr en, 50¢; Vasona and Sanborn—free.
Specialized Science Centers With Hands-On Exhibits and P rograms
Astronomy Science Centers ADLER PLANETARIUM AND ASTRONOMY MUSEUM Adler Planetarium in Chicago was the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, opening in 1930. It was founded and named for Max Adler, a senio r officer of S ears, Roebuc k and Company, who wanted to under write a publ ic facility that would benefit future generations of Chicagoans. He provided the funds after learning about and going to Germany in 1928 to see a new optical projection device that created the illusion of a night sky by project ing images of celestial objects o nto the inn er sur face of a dome. The success of A dler P lanetarium sky shows and astronomical exhibits resulted in the establishment of many other Amer ican planetariums in the years that followed. The plan etarium—now c alled the A dler Planetarium and Astro nomy Museum—has been renovated and expanded se veral t imes to provide addit ional space and ser vices. An underground facil ity was added in 1973, a $6.5 million renovation was completed in 1991, and the planetarium was renovated and expanded in 1999, adding a 60,000-square-foot Sky Pavilion with four additional exhibit galleries and other facilities. Today, it has three full-size theaters— the all-digital projection “Definite Space Theater,” the “Sky Theater” with Zeiss optical projector, and the “ Universe 3D Theater .” It a lso has an extensiv e exhibit ar ea, f eaturing one of the world’s most important antique instrument collections and other astronomical and space exploration exhibits. The annu al attendance is 400,000. Among the interact ive exhibits ar e “O ur Solar System,” where visitors can drive a rover that is examining the sur face of Mars, shoot projectiles into a soft surface to measure craters, and use a computer to build a solar system and test is stability over time; “CyberSpace,” where
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“VisionStations” provide realistic immersive experiences of the univ erse, a c lassroom for current information on astronomy, and a studio for interactive videoconferencing (a central component of Adler’s Center for Space Science Education); and “S pace Visualization Laboratory,” a working v isualization lab wher e projects ar e developed, new devices are tested, and v isitors can interact with laboratory activities and personnel. The many other exhibits include “From the Night S ky to the Big Bang ,” which traces the changing views of the cosmos, highlights 1,000 years of astro nomical disco very, and f eatures treasures from the planetarium’s world-renowned collection of histo rical astro nomical instr uments; “Bringing the Heavens to Earth,” featuring the div erse ways that var ious cultures have sought to understand their place in the universe and found div erse way s to inco rporate astronomy in their dail y l ives; “ Universe in Y our Hands,” containing astrolabes, armillary spheres, and sundials used to illustrate the medieval, European, and Middle Eastern concept of the universe when people bel ieved the Ear th was the center of the univ erse; “Atwood Sphere,” a 15foot diameter sphere with 692 holes that sho w the positions of the brightest stars in the night sky; “Milky Way System,” with a 3D tour of the Milky Way home ga laxy; and “S hoot fo r the Moon,” which tells stories of space exploration and America’s plans to return to the moon, featuring the jour ney of astro naut J im L ovell to the moon, the ful ly restored Gemini 12 spacecraft, and L ovell’s collection of perso nal space artifacts. Adler P lanetarium’s educ ational offerings range from interactive demonstrations to graduate level coursework. Visitors also can experience the night sky through a telescope o n Adler’s telescope terrace or in the Doane Observatory; do science experiences; spend overnights
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Arecibo
at the plan etarium; attend lectures; and engage in other education act ivities. The planetarium a lso pro vides outreach progr amming, curriculum-related science loan kits and field trip support materials, professional development progr ams fo r teac hers and administrato rs, teac her and co mmunity inter active videoconferencing, and podcasts of v ideoconferences, lectures, and sy mposia that the public can download. Adler P lanetarium and Astro nomy Museum,, 1300 S . L ake Shore D r., Chic ago, IL 60605. Phone: 312/922-7827. Fax: 312/ 322-0995. E-mail: m useum@ad lerplanetarium.org. W eb site: The Adler Planetarium, founded in Chicago as the first planetarium w w w. a d l e r p l a ne t a r i u m . or g. in the W estern Hemisphere in 1930, has one of the wor ld’s most Hours: Memo r8ial Day-L abor important ant ique inst rument col lections. S ome are displayed in Day—9:30–6 daily and 9:30 A.M. hands-on exhibits, such as this extraordinary 22-foot telescope from –10 P.M. first Fri. of mo nth; re- 1675 that visitors can look through. The planetarium also has handsmainder of year—9:30 –4:30 on computer exhibits that enable visitors to explor e the sur face of Mon.–Fri., 10 –4:30 S at.–Sun.; Mars, lear n more about the universe , and find out about the latest 9:30 A.M.–10 P.M. first F ri. of month; closed Thanksgiving and space science technology. Courtesy of Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum. Christmas. A dmission: adults, Chicago adults, $8; no nresident adults, $10; Chicago seniors, $6; nonresident seniors, versity. The r esearch led D r. Gordon to r adar $8; Chicago children 4 –17, $5; nonresident children back sc atter st udies of the io nosphere, which 4 –17, $6; children under 4, free. led to the co nstruction of the obser vatory in
ARECIBO OBSERVATORY ANGEL RAMOS FOUNDATION VISITOR CENTER
The Angel R amos F oundation V isitor Center at the Ar ecibo O bservatory in P uerto Rico tells the visiting public about the observatory with the wo rld’s largest single-dish r adio telescope. The obser vatory is par t of the N ational Astronomy and Ionosphere Center operated by Cornell University under a cooperative agreement with the N ational Science Foundation. The astronomy and ionosphere center assists researchers in the areas of astronomy, planetary st udies, and space and atmospher ic sciences by providing facilities, instrumentation for data col lection and ana lysis, and logist ical support. The Ar ecibo O bservatory r esulted fro m the study of the ionosphere in the 1950s by Professor William E. Gordon, then of Cornell Uni-
1960 –63. In addition to the 305-meter reflector telescope, the site has an optical laboratory with a variety of instrumentation used for the passive study of terrestrial airglow. A lidar (light detection and ranging instrument) is used pr imarily with an Fabry-Perot interferometer to measure neutral winds and temper atures of the midd le atmosphere. This c apability complements that of the incoherent scatter radar and gives Arecibo a unique c apability in ter ms of aero nomic r esearch. The obser vatory was upgr aded with a new high precision surface in 1974 and a ground screen around the per imeter of the r eflector to shield the feeds from ground radiation in 1997. Other impro vements hav e inc luded a Gr egorian dome with subreflectors and new electronics to increase the capability of the telescope, as well as a more powerful radar transmitter. Among the many accomplishments of the Arecibo O bservatory hav e been the disco very of the first planets outside the solar system, establishment of the rotating rate of Mercury, de-
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tailed maps of the distribution of galaxies in the universe, discovery of two classes of pulsars, and major contributions to the understanding of the chemistry and dynamics of the Earth’s upper atmosphere and ionosphere. More than 100,000 v isitors pass through the Angel R amous Foundation V isitor Center each y ear. The 10,000-square-foot center , named fo r the foundat ion of an ear ly P uerto Rican media o wner and philanthropist, has bilingual exhibits with the theme “ More Than Meets the Ey e—Exploring the Inv isible Universe.” It contains interactive exhibits, audiovisual displays, and informative panels that introduce v isitors to basic astro nomy, atmospher ic science, and the operation of the radio telescope and related research areas and present some of Arecibo’s most exciting discoveries in the fields of r adio astronomy, solar sy stem r adar astronomy, and the Earth’s atmosphere. It also has an observation platform that offers an overall view of the 305-meter radio telescope. Angel R amos Foundation V isitor Center , Ar ecibo Observatory, HC03, Ar ecibo, P uerto Rico 006 12. Phone: 787/878-2612/ Fax: 787/878-1861. Web site: www.naic.edu. Hours: Jun e-July and Dec. 15-Jan. 15—9–4 dail y; remainder of y ear—9–4 Wed.–Sun.; closed Mon.–Tues. and majo r hol idays. Admission: adults, $6; seniors and children, $4.
BREVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE PLANETARIUM AND OBSERVATORY
The Br evard Community Col lege P lanetarium and Observatory is an astronomy science center located on the college’s campus in Cocoa, Florida. The center , a lso kno wn as the BC C Planetarium and O bservatory, was founded in 1976. In addit ion to star and laser l ight shows and sky obser vations, it f eatures an “Astronaut Memorial Hall” with hands-on science exhibits and historical artifacts from human spaceflight, and presents science fi lms in an I werks largeformat theater . The annu al attendance is 40,000. The exhibits ar e centered in the “Science Quest Exhibit Ha ll,” a 5,700-squ are-foot gallery in the Astro naut Memo rial Ha ll that contains such exhibits as “ViewSpace,” a continuously updated visual display of current astronomy; “The Van de Gr aaff ‘Lightning’ Generator,” a high-voltage gen erator that gives hair-raising exper iences; “ Whisper Dishes,” which demonstrate ho w concave dishes co mmunicate sounds; “Your Weight on Other Plan-
(Specialized)—Astronomy ets,” sho wing ho w weights dif fer o n var ious planets; “The Foucault Pendulum,” a swinging pendulum that demonstrates that the Earth rotates; and a display of meteorites and other exhibits. The Astronaut Memorial Hall also has an “International Hall of Space Explorers,” which celebrates those who have flown into space and remembers those who perished in that pursuit. The exhibit co ntains flags of so me 30 nat ions that have been r epresented in space fl ights; memorabilia from American, Russian, and Chinese that have had manned space flights; an authentic V2 engine, scale models of the Saturn V rocket and S pace Shuttle, and numerous photographs, mission badges, and other objects. The BC C P lanetarium and O bservatory has one of the pr emier planetariums in the r egion and a roof top observatory with a 28-inc h telescope that is the largest in the state. P lanets, fuzzy nebula, double stars, star clusters, and galaxies ar e amo ng the sights o n any giv en night. Members of the Br evard Astronomical Society operate the telescope and serve as guides in touring the night sky. The center a lso has a Starlab inflatable planetarium for instructional purposes. and an outreach program. BCC P lanetarium and O bservatory, 1519 Clear lake Rd., Cocoa, FL 32922. P hone: 32 1/433-7373. Fax: 321/433-7646. Web site: www.brevardcc.edu. Hours: 1:30–4:30 Wed., 6:30–10:30 Fri.–Sat.; closed remainder of week and major holidays. Admission: exhibits and observatory—free; planetarium—adults, $7; seniors, military, and students, $6; children under 13, $4.
CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER
The Chabot S pace and Science Center in Oakland, California, began as the Oakland Observatory in 1883 and de veloped into a mo re comprehensive hands-o n science center . It started in downtown Oakland with a gift to the city of a 8-inch telescope and funds fr om Anthony Chabot, a successful h ydraulic engineer and provider of water to the city, for whom the science center later was named. In 1915, a new observatory with a 20-inch refractor instrument was built on a hill 5 miles east of the cit y, and physics and biolog y programs, science c lassrooms and laboratories, and a planetarium were added in the 1960s at what became known as the Chabot Science Center. In the 1980s, a new concept evolved for a broader science center , plans wer e adopted to
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move to a new site because of seismic concerns, and the name was changed to Chabot Observatory and Science Center (the obser vatory was located on the creep zone of the Hayward Fault and publ ic sc hool st udents’ access was ter minated fo r saf ety r easons). The n ew expanded 86,000-square-foot facilities were built on a 13acre site o n East Bay park land in the hil ls of Oakland. The site was opened and the institution’s name became the Chabot Space and Science Center in 2000 and no w ser ves 150,000 visitors annually. The science center features the Chabot telescopes, a plan etarium, a large-scr een theater, hands-on science and technolog y exhibits, a Challenger Learning Center , st udent and teacher tr aining labo ratories, and publ ic programs. Among the exhibits are “Beyond Blastoff: S urviving in S pace,” whic h display s r eal space suits, spacecraf t, and astronaut food and where visitors can try out astronaut exercise gear and space tools; “On e Giant L eap: A Moo n Odyssey,” a hands-on exhibit where visitors can take a simulated moon walk, try on a space helmet, c limb into a Mercury capsule, and land a lunar module; “Solar-Go-Round,” a tour of the solar sy stem fol lowed by v isitors designing a solar sy stem and launc hing planets into o rbit; “Destination Univ erse,” sim ulates a tour ney from the sun to the farthest reaches of the cosmos; and “ Kinetic Sculpt ure: The W ave,” a large-scale sculpture by Reuben Margol in that hangs from the lobby ceiling and captivates visitors with its fluid mo vement. It is possible to explore the exhibits from home on the computer via the “Virtual Science Center.” The space /science center has a Challenger Learning Center , wher e par ticipants become members of eight teams and hav e a c hance of being both the missio n controller and a spacecraft astro naut o n a sim ulated space missio n from l ift-off to co mpletion of the missio n. It also is possible to explo re the center ’s exhibits from home on the co mputer. In addit ion, the center has t wo obser vatories, with a 36-inch reflector, 20-inch refractor, and the original 8inch refractor telescopes for day and night viewing of the sky; “Ask Jeeves Planetarium,” featuring star sho ws; “ Tien MegaDo me Theater ,” where science and nat ure films are shown on a huge screen; and suc h educational offerings as after-school act ivities, summer c amps, wo rkshops, o vernight sta ys, Scout pr ogram, and teacher training and resource programs.
Clark Chabot S pace and Science Center , 10000 S kyline Blvd., Oak land, CA 946 19. P hone: 5 10/336-7300. Fax: 510/336-7491. Web site: www.chabotspace.org. Hours: 10 –5 Wed.–Thurs., 10 A.M.–10 P.M., Fri.–St., 11–5 S un.; c losed Mon.–Tues., Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. A dmission: adults, $ 14.95; senio rs and students, $ 11.95; mil itary and immediate famil y, $8.50; children 3–12, $10.95; children under 3, free.
CLARK PLANETARIUM
The two-theater Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City opened in a downtown shopping center in 2003 as a replacement for the historic 1965 Hansen Planetarium. It has two theater distinctions—it features an I MAX big-screen theater that is the wo rld’s fi rst digita l star theater and the fi rst “pitless” digita l dome plan etarium in the United S tates. The “ATK IMAX Theatre” contains a screen that is 70 feet wide and by 50 feet tall and presents three-dimensional shows, science fi lms, and laser l ight sho ws, and the “Hansen Dome Theatr e” has sloped stadium seating with a 55-foot t ilted dome, indiv idual interactive sea button controls, and nothing in the middle of the room, providing unobstructed views of planetarium star shows. The new planetarium is named fo r S heila M. Clark , who made a $ 1 million co ntribution through her Clark Foundation. The Clark Planetarium, which has an annual attendance of 350,000, co ntains 15,000 square feet of fr ee exhibits—many of a handson nature. Between the two theaters, a “Parade of Planets” exhibit f eatures scale models of a ll the planets in the solar system. The planetarium also has a roo m that r e-creates the lunar and Martian landscapes and galleries with such exhibits as “S olar and L unar Eclipses,” an interactive exhibit that explains what causes eclipses; “Reason for the Seasons,” a hand-on exhibit that helps visitors understand the reason for seasons; “Weight on Other Worlds,” where visitors can see what the y would weigh o n 13 dif ferent worlds; “Star Power,” devoted to sun power and measures how much power visitors can produce; and “ Newton’s Da ydream,” an audio kin etic two-story sculpture that can be activated by the public. Other exhibits are devoted to rocketry, International Space Station, the moon, solar system, Mars landscape, meteorites, Hubble Space Telescope images, F oucault pendulum, co mputer animated globe, NASA’s Project Constellation, and Ear th globe. The plan etarium a lso
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(Specialized)—Astronomy
Los Angeles, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in S outhern Ca lifornia, ser ving 1 million visitors annually. It opened in 1935, but its history goes bac k to 1896 when Gr iffith J . Griffith, a wealthy mining and real estate speculator, gave the land to the city for Griffith Park in 1896 and left money in his 1913 will to build the observatory. He felt the Los Angles should have a gr eat publ ic park and obser vatory. The 3,015 acr es he do nated bec ame Gr iffith Park, Clark P lanetarium, 110 S outh 400 W est, S alt L ake City, UT 84101. Phone: 801/456-7827. Fax: 801/456but it was not unt il the 1930s that an obser va4928. Web site: www.clarkplanetarium.com. Hours: tory with a planetarium was built. The popular10:30 –8 Mo n.–Wed., 10:30 –9 Thurs., 10:30 –11. ity of the observatory/planetarium resulted in a Fri.–Sat., 10:30 –6 S un.; c losed Thanksgiv ing and $93-million major renovation, building expanChristmas. Admission: exhibits—free; shows—adults, sion, and new exhibits in 2002 –06. $8, children under 13, $6. The Griffith Observatory offers both optical and solar telescopes fo r free public viewing COCA-COLA SPACE SCIENCE CEN- during the day and e vening. About 7 mill ion TER, Columbus, GA. See Aviation/Space Scipeople hav e looked through the obser vatory’s ence Centers section. 12-inch Z eiss telescope—mo re than through any other telescope on Earth, and the observaFLANDRAU SCIENCE CENTER AND tory’s triple-beam solar telescope is o ne of the largest such publ ic instr uments in the wo rld. PLANETARIUM, Tucson. S ee Gen eral SciThe observatory’s 300-seat planetarium has new ence Centers section. dome, star projecto r, digita l laser projecto rs, sound sy stem, l ighting, and seats, as wel l as a GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY new name , “S amuel Osc hin P lanetarium.” Its The Gr iffith O bservatory, whic h sits o n sky sho ws ar e pr esented with a lect urer who 1,134-foot Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park in conveys astronomical information. The observatory has numerous exhibits inside and outside the building—some of whic h are interactive. Although there is a nominal charge for the plan etarium progr ams, the exhibits are free. A number of exceptional new exhibits have been added to the observatory’s original two exhibits. Among the exhibits no w are “Gunther Depths of Space,” consisting of a panorama of real astronomical images, large sc aled models of planets, and many interactive objects and exhibits; “Edge of Space Mezzanine,” which provides a cosmic perspective by the most sophist icated astronomical instr uments e ver built and a display of samples of the uniThis audio kinet ic, 2-stor y sculpt ure, whic h demonst rates verse that hav e come to Ear th from Newton’s laws of physics, can be activated at the Clark Planspace or have been acquired through etarium in Salt Lake Cit y. The planetarium, which replaced the historic Hansen Planetarium in 2003, has the world’s first space explo ration; “ Wilder Ha ll of digital star theater and the initial “pitless” digital dome in the the Eye ,” which il lustrates the nanation. It also has hands-on exhibits in such areas as solar and ture and progress of human observalunar eclipses, sun power, seasons, and differences in weight tion of the sky and the tools used in on various planets. Courtesy of Clark Planetarium. that exploration, shows the transforhas a multiple choice video presentation on solid rocket motors at the Clark O bservatory and a “KUTV Channel 2 Weather Station” atop the building which is a full y funct ioning weather station where visitors can give a weather report on c amera. The educ ational progr ams inc lude auditorium interactive science demonstrations, gallery ta lks, c lasses, lect ures, st udy c lubs, hobby workshops, and outreach programs.
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mation from individual telescopic obser vers to large research observatories and the pioneering role Ca lifornia obser vatories and r esearchers have played, displays new instruments that detect and r ecord r adiation be yond v isible l ight, and the gives demo nstrations of the histo ric Tesla coil the makes giant ar cing sparks and loud noise; “Ahmanson Hall of the Sky,” which features three solar telescopes and a three-mirror coelostat where visitors can see l ive images of the sun; “ W. M. Kec k Foundation Centra l Rotunda,” co ntaining a F oucault pendulum showing the Ear th’s rotat ion, murals by Hugo Ballim on the advancement of science , and an exhibit on founder Griffith J. Griffith’s life and contributions; and “Cosmic Connection,” a 150foot corridor gallery linking the historic observatory building with the new “Gunther Depths of Space” exhibit with a timeline containing celestial-themed je welry in a lo ng glass-wa lled case. Exterior exhibits include the “Astronomers Monument,” which pay s homage to six of the greatest astronomers of all time; “Solar System Lawn Model,” a scale model of the solar system mounted in the fr ont side walk; “S unset and Moonset Radial Lines,” seven stone and bronze lines embedded in the W est O bservation Terrace that point to ward a notable sunset o r moonset position on the horizon; and East and West Observation Terraces, with telescopes that give visitors panoramic views of downtown, the Pacific Ocean, and other sights. The obser vatory a lso has the “ Leonard Nimoy Ev ent Ho rizon,” a 200-seat pr esentation theater for film showings, live demonstrations, and other programs. In addition, the observatory uses the theater for some of its school visit program programs. Griffith Observatory, 2800 E. Observatory Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90027. Phone: 213/473-0800. Fax: 213/ 473-0816. E-mail: info@griffithobservatory.org. Web site: www .griffithobservtory.org. Hours: 12 –10 Tues.–Fri.. 10 A.M.–10 P.M. Sat.–Sun.; closed Mon., Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: free.
‘IMILOA ASTRONOMY CENTER OF HAWAI’I
The ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai’i is a $28 mil lion exhibit ion and plan etarium complex in the Universit y of Hawaii ’s Science and T echnology P ark abo ve the universit y’s Hilo br anch c ampus on the island of Hawaii. The center , whic h was founded as the Mau-
‘Imiloa nakea Astronomy Education Center by a group of educators, scientists, and community leaders and funded pr imarily by N ASA in the mid– 1990s, tel ls the du al sto ries of the r enowned Maunakea (White Mountain) dormant volcano with its world famous astronomical laboratories and the rich traditions of Hawaiian culture. The center’s spectacular building celebrates Hawaiian culture’s connection to the sea and sky, with a roof top co ntaining thr ee t itanium-covered cones, r epresenting the volc anoes of the thr ee largest volc anoes o n the island—Maunakea, Maunaloa, and Hualalai. The 40,000-square-foot astronomy science center features interactive exhibits and planetarium shows near the 13,796-foot Maunakea (also known as Mauna Lea), site of the world’s largest and most important collections of telescopes operated by astro nomers from 11 countries. The summit is an idea l astronomical obser ving site because the atmosphere in extremely dry, cloud free, and very dark. The 13 working telescopes consist of nine used for optical and infrared astronomy, three for submillimeter wavelength astronomy, and one for radio astronomy. They include the largest opt ical/infrared telescopes in the wo rld ( W. M. Kec k O bservatory), the largest dedic ated infrar ed telescope (United Kingdom Infrar ed Telescope), and the largest submillimeter telescope in the wo rld ( James Clark Maxwell Telescope). The Onizuka Center fo r Internat ional Astronomy, which has a Visitor Information Center with exhibits about the mountain and its observatories, star-gazing programs, and summit tours, is located at midlevel of Mauna Kea. The ‘ Imiloa Astro nomy Center o n the University of Hawaii-Hilo c ampus has bil ingual exhibits—man y with hands-o n units— under the overall themes of “Origins” and “Discoveries.” The “Or igins” sect ion of fers t wo paradigms o n wher e the Ear th and humans came fro m—the popular theo ry of the “ Big Bang” favored by astronomers and the Hawaiian “Kumulipo,” the cr eation chant that tr aces the genealogy of people back to the beginnings of time. The “Origins” science exploration section identifies both the known and the unknown about the birth of the cosmos and the beginning of life on Earth, as well as exhibits on such subjects as black holes, multi-wavelengths, infrared, and Mauna Kea. The Smithsonian’s interactive national travel ing exhibit ion, “Cosmic Q uestions,” has become a permanent addition in the
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science section, and the “Science o n a S phere” global display sy stem, de veloped by the N ational Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration and housed in a separate room, uses computers and video projectors to show planetary data on a 6-foot-diameter animated globe. The Hawaiian “Or igins” sect ion makes a simulated ascent of Maunakea and feat ures a “Kumulipo Theater ” product ion about the Hawaiian perception that “po”—the dark, fathomless, intense source of ceaseless creation and all t ime—gives bir th to the Ear th and cr eates life. This is fol lowed by scientific theories that explain the earliest moments of the universe and the last 13.5 billion years of its evolution. The “ Discoveries” sect ion exhibits use Hawaiian voyaging canoes and Maunakea’s astronomical observatories as vehicles to tell about some of the greatest achievements of human exploration. The stories of perseverance and inspiration emphasiz e the qu est fo r kno wledge in how we know what we know and how the search goes on for new answers. The center piece is a one-fifth model of a voyaging canoe. Other exhibits explo re the histo ry of hula, the r enaissance of the Hawaiian language, the Keiki Forest, and the astronomical contributions made by scientists at the Maunakea obser vatories. The section a lso has a theater with a thr ee-dimensional virtual tour of space. The astronomy center’s planetarium is the first to have 3D stereoscopic capabilities. Every presentation includes a l ive sky lect ure featuring the sky as viewed from Maunakea. ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai ’I, 600 ‘ Imiloa Pl., Hilo. HI 96720. Phone: 808/969-9700. Fax: 808/ 974-7622. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.imiloahawaii.org. Hours: 9 –4 T ues.–Sun.; closed Mon., N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $17.50; children 4–12, $9.50; children under 4, free.
KITT PEAK NATIONAL OBSERVATORY VISITOR CENTER AND MUSEUM
The Kitt P eak N ational O bservatory, located on 6,875-foot Kitt P eak on the T ohono O’odham Indian Reser vation 56 miles southwest of Tucson, has the largest collection of optical research telescopes in the world. Founded in 1958, it is par t of the N ational Optical Astronomical Observatory and supports the most diverse collection of astronomical observatories for nightt ime opt ical and infrar ed astronomy
(Specialized)—Astronomy and da ytime st udy of the sun. It shar es the mountaintop site with the N ational Solar Observatory, operates three major nighttime telescopes, and is home to 24 optical and two radio telescopes r epresenting eight astro nomical r esearch institutions. Before Kitt P eak was built, it was a lmost impossible for astronomers and students to secure time at a major telescope. Another change is that co mputers control today ’s instr uments with image sensors converting light into digital form and sto ring it o n computer tape fo r later analysis. Most telescopes at Kitt Peak maximize their l ight-gathering po wer r ather than their magnification, resulting in distant stars looking the same size even though the largest telescopes. An exception is the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope, which produces a 30-inc h image of the sun by using mirrors in a slanted 500-foot corridor (300 feet of which r uns belo w ground). Visitors can go inside to look up and down the long chamber and see the mirr ors. Among the other observatories at Kitt Peak are an 84-inch telescope that was the first telescope on the peak for nightt ime obser ving that has a v iewing gallery and exhibits at the instrument; the 158inch Maya ll telescope, one of the largest telescopes in the world, occupies an 18-story building, with an ele vator taking v isitors to a tenth floor observation deck; and. a giant r adio telescope of the Very Long Baseline Array, one of 10 spaced bet ween Hawaii and the Car ibbean that link a single antenna with extr emely high resolution. The Kitt Peak National Observatory Visitor Center and Museum has exhibits, v ideos, programs, and guided tours devoted to the observatories, the nature of light, and the workings of telescopes. V isitors can take hands-on tours of thr ee n earby obser vatories—the McMathPierce S olar Telescope, the 18-story Maya ll Telescope, and 2. 1-meter T elescope, a 1964 workhorse still in high demand at the peak. The annual attendance is an estimated 60,000. Kitt P eak a lso has e vening sky-v iewing programs. The “ Nightly O bserving P rogram” includes touring the visitor center, a light meal, learning to use a planispher e to fi nd stars and constellations in the sky, and viewing everything from plan ets to distant ga laxies at o ne of the reflector telescopes. As par t of this progr am, youth groups c an see the exhibits, exper ience star gazing , hav e a bo x mea l, and c amp overnight on the grounds of the v isitor center. An
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“Advanced O bserving Program” treats par ticipants as visiting astronomers, enabling them to dine with other astronomers and view the night sky using a high qu ality telescope o r state-ofthe-art instruments. Kitt Peak Visitor Center and Museum, Kitt Peak National Observatory, State Rte. 86/Rte. 386. Tucson, AZ 857 19 (mail ing addr ess: 950 N. Cherr y A ve., Tucson, AZ 85719). Web site: www.noao.edu/kpno. Hours: 9–3:45 daily; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. A dmission: v isitor center— free; guided tours—adults, $4; children 6 –12, $2.50: children under 6, free.
KOPERNIK OBSERVATORY AND SCIENCE CENTER
The Koper nik O bservatory and Science Center in V estal, N ew York, was founded in 1973 by the Koper nik S ociety of Broo me County to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Mikolaj Kopernik, known as the father of modern astronomy. The three-domed astronomy science center, located atop a 1,720foot hill southwest of Binghamton, was the first science laboratory facility in the state to be designed specifically for K-12 teachers, students, and parents. It functions as a regional center for earth science, astronomy, and ph ysical science studies, serving 12,500 students and visitors annually. The 1,500-square-foot observatory/science center, which occupies a 20-acre site, has three observatory telescopes, 12 portable telescopes, solar hel iostat, solar pro minence scope , thr ee science labo ratories, outdoo r lear ning ar ea, weather and ear thquake stat ions, solar en ergy array, science/media library, and NASA satellite downlink. The science inquiry process is used in the school programs, with emphasis on skills in measurement, journaling, obser vation, prediction, experimentation, use of science tools, and formulating qu estions. The center a lso offers week-long summer science explorations for students in grades 3 –12, an introductory program for young children in grades 1 and 2, and public programs in astronomy, computers, and other fields. Kopernik Observatory and Science Center, 698 Underwood Rd., V estal, NY 13850. P hone: 607/7483685. E-mail: info@koper nik.org. Web site: www . kopernik.org. Hours: 10 –2 Mon.–Fri. (and 7:30 P.M. Fri. for Observatory programs); varies for school and public programs; c losed S at.–Sun. and majo r hol idays. Admission: adults, $5 seniors and students, $3; families, $16.
LIGO
LIGO LVINGSTON LABORATORY SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTER The LIGO Science Educ ation Center is located at the L aser Inter ferometer Grav itational-Wave O bservatory, par t of a $365-million experimental physics project, in Livingston, Louisiana. Opened in 200 1, the obser vatory is a joint project of scientists at the California Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology funded by the National Science Foundation. It is dedicated to the detection of cosmic gravitational waves and the measurement of these waves for scientific research. It is one of two widely separated installations in the United S tates (the other at the Hanfo rd N uclear Reser vation near Richland, Washington) operated in unison as a single observatory to detect gravitational waves. The waves are ripples in the fabric of space produced by violent events in the distant univ erse, such as the col lision of two black holes or shockwaves from the cores of supernova explosions. Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in his 1916 general theory of relativity, but so far the y hav e been detected only indir ectly in st udies of the influ ence of gravitational wav es on the binar y pulsar (t wo neutron stars o rbiting eac h other). L IGO is being used to delve into the fundamental nature of grav ity and could open a n ew window into the universe. The observatory detects ripples in space-time by using a laser inter ferometer, which measur es l ight tr aveling bet ween suspended mirr ors in a 2.5-mile L-shaped ultra high vacuum system. The LIGO Science Educ ation Center is an astronomy science center aimed primarily for school and youth groups. V isits are made only as part of tour groups o n an advanced r eservation basis. The center has over 40 hands-on exhibit exper iences that r elate to the science of detecting gr avitational wav es. V isitors explore such science co ncepts as l ight, gr avity, wav es, and interference and learn about LIGO’s search for gr avitational wav es through hands-o n exhibits and activities. Among the many exhibits are the bouncing ba ll, water spinn er, tautochrone ramp, pendulum snake, hot light, oscylinder scope, wave wall, ultraviolet light detector, gr avity’s r ainbow, and inter ferometer. Visitors also meet and interact with one or more of the observatory’s scientists and engineers and tour the observatory’s control room.
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LIGO Science Education Center, LIGO Livingston Observatory, 19100 LIGO Lane, PO Bo x 940, Livingston, LA 70754. Phone: 225/686-3100. Fax: 225/ 686-7189. E-mail: kholt@l igo-la.caltech.edu. Web site: www.ligo.la.caltech.edu. Hours: 9:30 –1:30 and 12:30 –2:30 Tues.–Sat.; closed Sun.–Mon. and major holidays. Admission: free.
LOWELL OBSERVATORY STEELE VISITOR CENTER
The Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, is one of the oldest astronomical research observatories in the United States. It was established in 1894 by astro nomer Percival L owell, whose 24-inch A lvan Clark telescope st ill is among the telescopes in use today at the observatory. The L owell O bservatory no w has t wo locations in the F lagstaff area—with the main facility on Mars Hill west of downtown and the Anderson Mesa dark sky site 12 miles southeast of Flagstaff. It hosts more than 75,000 v isitors annually. In 20 10, a thir d site was added with the opening of the Disco very Chann el Telescope in the Coco nino N ational Forest n ear Happy Jack, Arizona. The histo ric 24-inch Clark Refr acting Telescope that Lowell used to predict the existence of the planet Pluto is located at the Mars Hill main site , but no w is a publ ic educ ation tool and no lo nger used fo r r esearch. V isitors come day and night to view the wonders of the sky through his c lassic instrument of scient ific history. Another historic observatory at the location is the 13-inch Pluto Discovery Telescope that was used by amateur astro nomer Cl yde Tombaugh in 1930 to disco ver the P luto dwarf plan et. A specia l solar telescope a lso is set up during the day to view sunspots and sun flares. Among the other attr actions at the Mars Hill site are the 6,500-square-foot Steele Visitor Center, with inter active exhibits about astronomy and the observatory and where guided tours begin; its “John Vickers McAllister Space Theatre,” a 3D digital auditorium facility which features hour ly space fi lms and a m ultimedia presentation at night; and the Slipher Rotunda Library Museum, co ntaining exhibits o n the history of the obser vatory. Two obser vatory highlights are walks—“Discover the Universe,” an interactive walk through the Milky Way and surrounding universe at the v isitor center, and “Pluto Walk,” a guided tour of a 350-foot model of the solar system as visitors wind their way up
(Specialized)—Astronomy the spir al c limb to the P luto Disco very Telescope. Lowell Observatory has four research telescopes at the Anderson Mesa site that study asteroids and other objects trav eling n ear the Earth in partnership with scientists from other institutions. They inc lude the 72-inch Perkins Telescope operated with Boston University; 42inch John S. Hall Telescope, and N avy Prototype Optical Interferometer in partnership with the U.S. Naval Observatory and Naval Research Laboratory. The new telescope at the Discovery Channel Telescope, de veloped in par tnership with Disn ey Chann el Co mmunications n ear Happy Jack, will enable Lowell astronomers to reach even farther and deeper into the universe. The Lowell Observatory conducts research on a wide r ange of solar sy stem and astroph ysical topics using ground-based, airborne, and spacebased telescopes. Steele Visitor Center, Lowell Observatory, 1400 W. Mars Hill Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Phone: 928/7743358. Fax: 928/774-6296. Web site: www.lowell.edu. Hours: Mar.–Oct.—9–5 dail y; r emainder of y ear— 12–5 daily; closed New Year’s Eve and Day , Easter, Independence Da y, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $6; seniors and college st udents, $5; c hildren 5 –17, $3; c hildren under 5, free.
MCDONALD OBSERVATORY FRANK N. BASH VISITORS CENTER
The McDonald O bservatory is an astronomical research unit of the University of Texas at Austin located at 6,791 feet on Mount Locke near Fort Davis in the Davis Mountains of west Texas. It o riginally was endo wed by T exas banker W illiam Johnson McDonald, who lef t $800,000 for an astronomical observatory after his death in 1926. But it was not until 1939 that the obser vatory fi nally was dedic ated af ter a long legal fight with McDonald’s relatives who challenged that portion of the will. The observatory initially was operated under contract by the University of Chicago until the 1960s when the University of Texas assumed control. It has specialized in imaging and spectroscopy in the optical and infr ared, and oper ates one of the first and most productive lunar ranging stations. The obser vatory has beco me one of the most visited tour ism sites in the state , ser ving approximately 130,000 visitors annually. The McDonald Observatory operates four research telescopes and works with the univer-
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sity’s Department of Astronomy in research and teaching. The pr incipal instr ument is the Hobby-Eberly Telescope with a 433-inch mirror, making it o ne of largest opt ical telescopes in the world. It is designed to gather a very large amount of light for spectroscopy—the decoding of l ight from stars and ga laxies to st udy their properties. It is idea l for searching for planets around other stars, and studying distant galaxies, exploding stars, blac k holes, and mo re. It began oper ations in 1999 as a Univ ersity of Texas joint project with Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and Georg-AugustUniversität Göttingen. The observatory’s other research telescopes are the 107-inch Har lan J . S mith Telescope, which is used every clear night of the year; 82inch Otto Struve Telescope, the first major telescope built at the observatory in 1933–39 and still in use today ; and a 30-inc h large fo rmat imaging telescope. The obser vatory a lso has a laser system that measures the distance between Earth and moo n and trac ks the dr ift of the Earth’s continents. The high and dr y peaks of the Davis Mountains make for some of darkest and clearest night skies in the region, providing excellent conditions for the telescopes and astronomical research. The Frank N. Bash V isitors Center features a 2,400-squ are-foot inter active exhibit hall, with the main attraction being “Decoding Starlight,” an exhibit about spectroscopy and the wo rk of the McDo nald O bservatory. The center also has publ ic viewing telescopes in an astronomy park , dail y l ive solar v iewings in a 90-seat theater , tours of the large telescopes, and evening sky-viewing “Star Parties.” The observatory also offers special viewing nights on a reservation basis when visitors can stay on site, have dinner, and look through some of the large telescopes. The obser vatory’s educ ation program also includes hands-on inquiry-based activities fo r sc hool groups and teacher wo rkshops. Frank N. Bash Visitors Center, McDonald Observatory, HC 75, PO Bo x 1337VC, F ort Dav is, T X 79734-1337. P hones: 432/426-3640 and 877/9847827. E-mail: info@mcdo naldobservatory.org. Web site: www.mcdonaldobservatory.org. Hours: 10 –5:30 daily; c losed N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $8; children under 13, $7; families, $30.
Morehead
MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER The Mo rehead P lanetarium and Science Center at the Univ ersity of N orth Carolina in Chapel Hil l was the fi rst plan etarium in the South. It opened in 1949 as a plan etarium donated to the univ ersity by John Motle y Morehead III, a c hemistry alumnus who discovered acetylene gas and de veloped a n ew process fo r the manufacture of calcium carbide. When the U.S. space program began, the planetarium provided training for American astronauts from the Mercury to the Apollo-Soyuz programs. More than 60 astronauts, including 11 of the 12 men who walked on the moo n, under went training in celest ial nav igation at the site. In 1973, the East Wing with an observatory was added and in 2002 the mission of the planetarium was expanded to beco me a mo re comprehensive science center with hands-o n exhibits and programs. It no w has an annu al attendance of nearly 200,000. The 250-seat plan etarium has a 68-foot domed “Star Theater” with a Zeiss VI Star Projector that features shows written and produced at the Mo rehead center , and the obser vatory contains a 24-inch Schmitt-Cassegrain reflecting telescope and observation decks. The planetarium presents star and m ultimedia productions, and the public can view the skies with the telescope at the observatory. In 2003, the planetarium took its first steps to include other sciences when it co-produced the “DNA: The Secret of Life” film, followed by its first interactive exhibit, “Z oom In: Science at the Extr emes,” which explores the size and scale of things in the universe. Other exhibits include “The Ancient Carolinians,” featuring artifacts of native families from thousands of years ago that have been found in the state , and “A Tribute to MPSC ’s Astronauts,” de voted to the ear ly astro nauts who trained at the center. The Morehead complex, which now serves nearly 200,000 visitors annually, also offers “Science 360 sho ws that co mbine animat ions, videos, and other big-scr een gr aphic images with live interaction between a show presenter and the audience on such current science topics as life in outer space, genetic engineering, heat waves, stem cel ls, and P luto the dwar f planet. Among the other programs are “Science LIVE!” shows on materials, chemicals, and physics that feature experiments, demonstrations, and v isi-
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tor par ticipation; “ NASA Digita l Theater Movies,” where the DNA film and “Life,” a motion picture on biodiversity, are presented; and school and group, afterschool, youth and family, family science, one-day camp, and “Meet a Scientist” programs are offered. In addition, the center has art galleries, rose gardens, and a large sundial. Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 250 E. Franklin St., CB 3480, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3480. Phone: 919/962-1236. Fax: 919/962-1238. E-mail: mhplanet @unc.edu. Web site: www.moreheadplanetarium.org. Hours: 10 –3:30 Tues.–Thurs., 10 –3:30 and 6:30 – 8:45 Fri.; 10 –5 and 6:30–8:45 -Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed Mon., Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Eve and Day . Admission: free.
MOUNT WASHINGTON OBSERVATORY WEATHER DISCOVERY CENTER
Mount Washington Observatory’s Weather Discovery Center at the foot of the 6,288-foot mountain in N orth Conway, New Hampshire, is a hands-o n science center that seeks to advance awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the atmosphere, its complexity and impact on human experience, and the many way s in which atmospheric phenomena are observed and interpreted. The center is the result of collaboration between the Mount Washington Observatory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric A dministration F orecast S ystems Laboratory. The fi rst r egular meteo rological obser vations o n Mount W ashington—known fo r its dangerously erratic weather (so metimes called the world’s worst weather)—were conducted by the U.S. Signal Service , a precursor of the U.S. Weather B ureau, fro m 1870 to 1892. The weather stat ion was the fi rst of its kind in the world. The Mount Washington Observatory reoccupied the summit in 1932, and t wo y ears later recorded a wind gust of 231 miles per hour, a world record. The obser vatory st ill monitors and disseminates weather information under the auspices of the W eather Bureau. It a lso ser ves as a benchmark station for the measurement of cosmic ray activity in the upper atmosphere, develops instrumentation for severe weather environments, and conducts many types of weather research and test ing. In 1973, a seasonal Summit Museum, now known as the Mount Washington Museum, was established to further the
(Specialized)—Astronomy observatory’s educ ational efforts. It no w contains a Weather Discovery Room to help v isitors explore the mountain’s weather phenomena and how they are obser ved and r ecorded. The Weather Discovery Center was opened in North Conway in 1999 to operate as a hands-o n museum on a year-around basis. The Weather Discovery Center has interactive exhibits and programs about Mount Washington and the weather that surrounds it, and contains the Gladys Brooks Memorial Library, which features a large col lection of materials r elated to Mount W ashington and the White Mountains. A mong the exhibits ar e an air cannon, flow tank, and wind room. Visitors also can have ta lks and inter action v ia a v ideo link with obser vers wo rking at the summit weather station, and special programs and visits to the summit of Mount W ashington, weather stat ion, and Mount W ashington Museum can be arranged for school groups. Mount Washington Observatory Weather Discovery Center, 2779 Main St., PO Box 2310, North Conway, NH 03860. P hone: 603/356-2 137. F ax: 603/3560307. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.mountwashington.org. Hours: usually 10–5 daily, but so metimes o nly weekends; c losed N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: free.
MOUNT WILSON OBSERVATORY VISITOR CENTER
Mount W ilson O bservatory on a 5,7 15foot peak in the San Gabriel Mountains in Angeles N ational Forest southeast of P asadena, California, was founded in 1904 by astronomer George Ellery Hale and funded by the Carnegie Institution of W ashington. It quic kly do minated astro nomy ef forts wo rldwide with the world’s t wo largest telescopes and the most powerful facilities for studying the sun. The pioneering instruments and scientists revolutionized astronomy through such discoveries as relocating the sun far from the center of the Milky Way galaxy and finding the existence of countless ga laxies and an eno rmous univ erse, the magnetic field of the sun and its key role in solar activity, the r ecession of the ga laxies impl ying the Big Bang , and the populat ions of stars of various ages. Since then, numerous other obser vatories have been founded and made important discoveries, but Mount W ilson st ill hosts se veral of the most advanced technologically advanced fa-
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cilities fo r st udying astronomical objects with great r esolution and c larity. The histo ric 100inch Hooker telescope (whic h Edwin Hubble used to disco ver the gen eral expansion of the universe) remains in active scientific service, and the solar towers continue to collect data daily for the world’s longest continuous record of the sun. The obser vatory a lso has suc h interferometers as the Infrared Spatial Interferometer, an array of three 65-inch telescopes that oper ate in the mid-infrared and the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy, consisting of an array of six 40-inch telescopes, which can resolve down to 0.0005 arcseconds. The no nprofit Mount W ilson Inst itute now oper ates the obser vatory under an agr eement with the Carn egie Inst itution, with the focus on scient ific r esearch, histo ric pr eservation, astronomical educ ation, and publ ic outreach. Guest institutions now operating facilities at the site inc lude the Univ ersity of California at Berkeley, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and Georgia State University. The obser vatory’s histo ric 60-inc h Ha le telescope, one of the most product ive and successful telescopes in astro nomical history, now is the largest in the world devoted exclusively to public viewing. Mount Wilson also has a small astronomical m useum with histo rical objects, guided tours, and fr ee walking tours. It a lso is necessary to obtain a Forest Service Adventure Pass since the obser vatory is loc ated in a national forest. As part of a major Second Century Campaign, the observatory is planning an extensive visitor center co mplex with a colo nnaded passageway around an open cour tyard and a tr am system to fur ther publ ic understanding of the observatory’s her itage and co ntinuing role in contemporary astronomy. It will feature interactive exhibits and media, as wel l as ar tifacts, to tell the history and story of the discoveries made at Mount Wilson, and have such other facilities as a “Sun Pavilion”; “Night Sky Amphitheater” with sky and constellation shows; and t wo telescope domes housing a 16-inch reflecting telescope and a historic 6-inch refracting telescope. Mount Wilson Observatory, Mount Wilson Red Box Rd., PO Bo x, 60947, Pasadena, CA 9 1106. P hone: 626/440-9016. Fax: 626/405-98 14. Web site: www . mtwilson.edu. Hours: Apr .–Nov.—10 –4 dail y; r emainder of year—may be closed to public; closed holidays. Admission: free, but fee for some activities.
National
NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH VISITOR CENTER The National Center for Atmospheric Research began oper ations in Boulder, Colorado, in 1960 as a progr am of the N ational Science Foundation managed by the University Corporation fo r Atmospher ic Resear ch, whic h provides the university community with such tools as aircraft and radar to observe the atmosphere and the tec hnology and assistance to inter pret and use these observations, including supercomputer access, co mputer models, and user support. The r esearch center was cr eated af ter a National A cademy of Sciences appointed a committee of distinguished scientists in 1956 to investigate the state of meteorology, which lost ground in the post war y ears. The co mmittee recommended an exponential increased in support for basic research and the establishment of a national institute for atmospheric research operated by a consortium of universities with support from the National Science Foundation. Boulder was selected as the site for the research center bec ause of its a ltitude and c lear skies and the Univ ersity of Colorado’s work in atmospheric r esearch. The Mesa L aboratory was the center ’s fi rst building , loc ated high above Boulder against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and design ed by noted ar chitect I. M. Pei. S ince then , t wo other sites have been added in Boulder—the F oothills L aboratory, consisting of fi ve buildings, and the Center Green campus, with three buildings. The v isitor center, which contains the center’s “Science Discovery Exhibits” and a co mmunity ar t gallery, is located at the Mesa Lab. The science exhibits descr ibe the wo rk of the laboratories and give visitors a comprehensive v iew of the Ear th’s past and pr esent c limate. The exhibits contain the center’s original weather satel lites and super computing equipment and interactive exhibits with insights on a variety of nat ural phenomenon from the c haracteristics of lightening to a live tornado simulation and 3D demo nstrations of atmosp heric circulation, S hort mo vies and v ideos explain weather and c limate phenomena and pro vide overviews of the interaction of the Earth’s systems—atmosphere, biosp here, h ydrosphere, and cryosphere. Guided noontime tours are offered daily, and educational materials are available on the web site. The center also has an out-
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door weather trail with inter pretive info rmation. National Center fo r Atmospher ic Resear ch V isitor Center, Mesa L aboratory, 1850 T able Mesa D r., Boulder, CO 80305 (mailing address: PO Box 3000, Boulder, C O 80307-3000). P hones: 303/497- 1174 and 303/497-1000. Web site: www.ucar.edu. Hours: 8–5 Mon.–Fri., 9 –4 Sat.–Sun. and holidays
PALOMAR OBSERVATORY VISITOR CENTER
The P alomar O bservatory o n P alomar Mountain in the in north San Diego County is owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology. It is home to five telescopes that are used nightly for a wide variety of astronomical research progr ams conducted by Ca ltech’s faculty, post-doctoral fellows and students, and researchers at collaborating institutions. The obser vatory and its 200-inch Ha le Telescope were built by the university after astronomer George Ellery Hale received a $6 million gr ant fro m the Roc kefeller Inst itute in 1928. The Ha le T elescope was the wo rld’s largest effective telescope from 1948 to 1993 and still is the wo rkhorse of moder n astro nomy. Noted astronomer Edwin P owell Hubble was the first to use the telescope for observing. The Hale Telescope, now operated by a consortium of Caltech, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Cornell University, has discovered hundreds of asteroids and made other astronomical advances. Other majo r instr uments at P alomar include a 60-inch telescope, built to take some of the demand off the 200-inch telescope and used to discover the fi rst brown dwarf star; 48-inch Samuel Oschin Schmidt Camera that disco vered the Er is dwar f plan et; 24-inch telescope completed in 2006; 18-inch Schmidt Telescope, the obser vatory’s fi rst oper ational telescope in 1936 that disco vered the co met S hoemakerLevy 9; S leuth: The P alomar P lanet F inder Telescope, a sma ll robot ic telescope used to search for planets around other stars; and Palomar Testbed Inter ferometer, whic h a llows fo r very high resolution measurements. The obser vatory’s history and disco veries are featured at the P alomar O bservatory V isitor Center , which a lso contains astronomical photographs, a spectr a exhibit, and other displays. Touch-screen computer kiosks ar e used in a tour of the obser vatory’s telescopes, a tour of the solar sy stem, and an exhibit o n supernovae/gamma-ray bursts, and mo re interactive
(Specialized)—Astronomy exhibits are in development. In addition to selfguided and guided public tours of the 200-inch Hale T elescope, the obser vatory a lso of fers members of its friends organization behind-thescenes tours, evening observing events, and talks by Palomar researchers. Palomar Observatory Visitor Center, 35899 Canfield Rd., P alomar Mountain , C A 92060-0200. P hone 760/742-2119. E-mail: pa
[email protected]. edu. W eb site: www .astro.caltech.edu/palomar. Hours: 9 –4 dail y; c losed Chr istmas Ev e and Day . Admission: free.
ROSE CENTER FOR EARTH AND SPACE
The Rose Center for Earth and Space is a 335,000-square foot largel y astronomical exhibit, education, and research center that incorporates the r ebuilt Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Opened in 2000, it is located on the north side of the museum in a spectacular building with the largest glass curtain wall in the nation. The center , named fo r majo r do nors Phineas and S andra P riest Rose , explo res the 13-billion-year history of the universe; the vast range of sizes in the cosmos; the nature of galaxies, stars, and planets; and the dynamic features of the plan et Ear th—making extensiv e use of interactive techniques. The “Cullman Hall of the Universe” on the entrance level of the Rose Center pr esents the discoveries and explo rations of modern astr ophysics. It is divided into four zones with exhibit islands f eaturing astronomical imager y, rotating video displays, interactive exhibits, and educational programming . It examin es ho w the universe evolved into ga laxies, stars, and planets, and how the atoms from which we are made were created in the hearts of stars. The “ Heilbrunn Cosmic P athway” is a gently sloping 360-foot walkway that leads visitors on an exploration of the 13 billion years of cosmic evolution. It winds around the Hay den Sphere and il lustrates the de velopment of the universe using a range of media. V isitors c an measure the length of their str ide and determine how many millions of years pass with each step. Thir teen markers a long the way denote the passage of each billion years, and computer interactives at eight landings help v isitors understand the nat ure and siz e of the universe. The wa lkway a lso has ar tifacts on display, including evidence of the earliest bacterial life on
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Earth and the fossilized tooth of a giant carnivorous dinosaur. At the end of the circular pathway, the thic kness of a human hair il lustrates the relative duration of human history. The “Scales of the Universe” is a 400-footlong wa lkway that hugs the glass cur tain wa ll along the second level of the Rose Center. It illustrates the vast range of siz e in the universe , from the sma llest subato mic par ticles to the enormous expanse of the obser vable univ erse. It sho ws the r elative siz es of ga laxies, stars, planets, and atoms through text panels, interactive terminals, and large models hanging fro m ceiling. The “Gottesman Ha ll of P lanet Ear th” combines touchable rock specimens with computer inter actives, v ideo, and soundsc apes to convey the power and beauty of planet Earth. It contains 168 geological samples and 11 dramatic full-scale models of significant outcrops and geological features. In the process, the exhibit explores such questions as how the Earth evolved; the r eason fo r ocean basins, co ntinents, and mountains; what c auses c limate and c limate change, and why the Earth is habitable. The “ Hayden S phere” contains the 429seat “ Hayden P lanetarium S pace S how” in its upper ha lf and the “ Big Bang Theater ” in its lower hemisphere. The planetarium features the world’s largest v irtual r eality sim ulator that
Ames gives a hyperrealistic view of planets, star clusters, n ebulae, and ga laxies in an exhilar ating journey from the Ear th to the edge of the observable univ erse. V iewers a lso c an f eel the ground shake dur ing a meteo r impact in the “Cosmic Col lisions” pr esentation. The “ Big Bang Theater” uses v isual and audio ef fects to dramatically re-create how scientists believe the universe began. The Rose Center for Earth and Space can be enter ed dir ectly from the center ’s entr ance on the north side of the A merican Museum of Natural History on West 81st Street, just west of Central Park West, or through the main museum entrance o n Centra l Park West at 79th Street (see Natural History Space Centers section). Entrance to the Rose Center is inc luded in the suggested museum administration. Rose Center for Earth and Space, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West and 79th St., New York, NY 10024. P hone: 2 12/769-5100. Fax: 212/769-5018. E-mail: co
[email protected]. Web site: www.mnh.org/rose. Hours: 10 –5:45 daily; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: suggested donation—adults, $ 15; senio rs and st udents, $11; children 2–12, $8.50; children under 2, free.
SUNRIVER NATURE CENTER AND OBSERVATORY, Sunriver, OR. See Nature Science Centers section.
Aviation/Space Science Centers AMES RESEARCH CENTER EXPLORATION CENTER The N ASA Ames Resear ch Center at Moffett Field near Mountain View, California, has a visitor center called the Exploration Center de voted to the N ational A eronautics and Space Administration’s technology and missions and the work at the research center. The Ames Research Center was established in 1939 as the second labo ratory of the N ational A dvisory Committee for Aeronautics and was named for the committee’s chairman, James S. Ames. The laboratory was r enamed with the fo rmation of NASA in 1958. It o riginally pioneered in a ll flight regimes through the co nstruction of increasingly sophisticated wind tunnels, research aircraft, and methods of theoretical aerodynamics, and then expanded into computational fluid dynamics, sim ulation tec hnology, info rmation
technology, air traffic management research, tilt rotorcraft, and life sciences. Some of the research center’s greatest contributions have been the swept-back wing concept used o n all high-speed air craft today ; the blunt body concept used on every spacecraft to prevent bur ning pr ior to plan etary entr y; and management of the Pioneer planetary spacecraft that was the fi rst human-made object to leav e the solar system, the Viking Life Detection experiment spacecraf t that was the fi rst to perform exper iments on another plan et, and the Lunar Prospector Mission that discovered water on the moon. The center now is a leader in nanotechnology, info rmation tec hnology, fundamental space biolog y, biotechnolog y, therma l rotation systems, and human factors research. The Explo ration Center , loc ated just inside the main gate of the r esearch center, features the largest “ Immersive Theater ” on the
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West Coast. It pr esents pano ramic v iews of Mars and Saturn’s rings and other films and special effects on a cur ved 40-foot-wide scr een. The exhibits inc lude “ Edgarville Air port,” an interactive display which allows visitors to manage air traf fic at a fi ctional air port and has a three-dimensional hands-on immersion env ironment with animated characters to guide visitors through a v irtual air port; “ Mars Terrain Globe,” a topogr aphical spher e of the r ed planet’s landsc ape that enables v isitors to see and touch geological formations on Mars; “Mercury Redstone 1A (MR-IA),” containing the capsule launched in 1960 that was the last unmanned test fl ight befo re the Mercury 7 astronauts took fl ight. F ive months later A lan Shepard bec ame the fi rst Amer ican to fl y in space; “Moon Rock,” which consists of a lunar sample r etrieved by the cr ew of Apollo 15, as well as meteorite and other geological samples. The center has an annu al attendance of o ver 150,000. The Ames Resear ch Center a lso has an “Exploration Encounter ” educ ational program about science, math, and technology for school groups in the fourth through sixth grades. The program, located in a renovated supersonic wind tunnel building , feat ures four hands-o n stations—exploring p hysics, fl ight, space , and Earth. S tudents exper ience basic ph ysics concepts; explo re the pr inciples of fl ight, use of wind tunnels, and the role of computers in designing roto rcraft; per form var ious roles o n a simulated space missio n,; and wo rk with scientific info rmation gather ed from space missions and high a ltitude flights to better understand planet Earth. Ames Research Center Explo ration Center, NASA Ames Resear ch Center , Mof fett F ield, Hwy. 101, Mountain View, CA 94035. P hones: 650/604-6274 and 650/604-6497. Web site: www.nasa.gov/centers/ ames/home/exploration.html. Hours: 10 –4 Tues.– Fri,, 12–4 Sat.–Sun.; closed Mon. and f ederal hol idays. Admission: free.
ASTRONAUT MEMORIAL HALL, Cocoa, FL. See Brevard Community College Planetarium and O bservatory in Astro nomy Science Centers section.
BREVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE PLANETARIUM AND OBSERVATORY, Cocoa, FL. S ee Astro nomy Science Centers section.
(Specialized)—Aviation/Space
CASTLE CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
The Castle Challenger Learning Center of San Joaquin V alley in At water, Ca lifornia, is one of more than 50 Challenger Learning Centers in the United States, Canada, and England. The inter national space progr am was established by the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, founded as a l iving memorial by the families of the seven astronauts who died in the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle accident in collaboration with educators, scientists, and engineers. The Challenger program seeks to keep the spirit of the mission alive by using space exploration as the theme and cr eating posit ive learning experiences; raising students’ expectations of success; fostering a long-term interest in mathematics, science, and technology; and motivating them to pursue careers in those fields. The Castle Challenger Learning Center is a complimentary par ticipatory science center with the Castle Science and T echnology Center (see separate listing in General Science Centers section) operated by the Castle Challenger Learning Center Foundation near the entrance to the former Castle Air Force Base. The Challenger program is a 2.5-hour hands-o n experience in r ealistic moc k-ups of missio n control and the inter ior of a spacecr aft. School groups of 16 to 36 perso ns work as cr ew members in eight teams on a simulated space mission on one of three flights—“Rendezvous with Comet Halley,” “ Return to the Moo n,” o r “ Voyage to Mars.” The participants ser ve as scient ists, engineers, or researchers on communications, data, navigation, probe, medical, remote, life support, and isolation teams. In the process, students enhance their skills of problem solv ing, teamwork, and communication. Similar programs are available for corporate, ser vice, and pr ivate parties. Other Challenger Learning Centers have similar programs. Castle Challenger Learning Center of the San Joaquin Valley, 3460 Cha llenger Way, At water, CA 9530 1. Phone: 209/726-0296. E-mail: info@challengersjv. org. Web site: www.challengersjv.org. Hours: 8:30 –4 Mon.–Fri.; c losed S at.–Sun. and majo r hol idays. Mission rate: $600 per group mission.
CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CEN-
TER , Oak land, CA. S ee Astronomy Science Centers section.
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COCA-COLA SPACE SCIENCE CENTER
The Coc a-Cola S pace Science Center in Columbus, Georgia, is a space-o riented science center named for a major benefactor that is a part of Columbus State University. Opened in 1996, it seeks to further public education in space science, physics, and astronomy. The $5.5-mil lion center is loc ated do wntown a long the Chattahoochee Riverwalk and adjacent to the histo ric district. It has an annual attendance of 25,000. The science center has four principal components—interactive lobby exhibits, Challenger Learning Center, “Omnisphere Theater Planetarium,” and Mead O bservatory. The exhibits feature se ven fl ight sim ulators, four of which have motion bases and ar e network connected. The Challenger Learning Center is wher e groups of st udents and v isitors can fly a sim ulated space mission and complete scientific tasks in replicated mission control and space stat ion facilities. The Omnisphere presents science and nature fi lms and planetarium sky shows, while the obser vatory offers publ ic astronomy programs at the center and throughout the r egion with a fleet of portable telescopes. It also is the home of the “ Remote Imaging Solar Observatory,” where visitors can view and take photographs of the sun. Coca-Cola S pace Science Center , 70 1 Front A ve., Columbus, GA 3 1901. P hone: 706/649- 1470. Fax: 706/649-1478. E-mail:
[email protected] rg. W eb site: www.ccssc.org. Hours: 10 –4 Mo n.–Thurs., 10—8 Fri., 10:30 –8 S at.; c losed S un. and majo r hol idays. Admission: adults, $6; seniors and military, $5; children 4 –12, $4; children under 4, free.
DISCOVERY MUSEUM SCIENCE AND SPACE CENTER, S acramento, C A. S ee
Sacramento Museum of Histo ry, Science , Space, and T echnology in Gen eral Science Centers section.
GLENN RESEARCH CENTER VISITOR CENTER
The NASA Glenn Resear ch Center , located adjacent to the Cle veland Hopkins Airport, develops critical systems technologies for advancing exploration of the solar sy stem and beyond and maintaining the global leadership in aeronautics. It has a 6,000-squ are-foot v isitor center with inter active exhibits and space objects devoted to the research and achievements
Glenn of the r esearch center and the N ational Aeronautics and Space Administration. The research center was founded in1941 as the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and in 1948 became the L ewis F light Propulsion Laboratory (then Lewis Research Center in 1958), named fo r the late Geo rge L ewis, who was the committee’s director of aeronautical research. As the emphasis changed to space exploration, the center was renamed in 1999 the John H. Glenn Resear ch Center at L ewis F ield for the Ohio astronaut who was the first American to orbit the Earth and later became a U.S. senator. The center is kno wn for providing innovations in air craft engine tec hnology and pioneering the use of l iquid h ydrogen fo r roc ket and aircraft propulsion that helped the United States to be the first nation to reach the moon. In addition to providing support for all NASA missions and major programs, it currently is the lead fo r managing the Constellation Program’s Orion service module and spacecraft adapter development and the crew exploration vehicle requirements and fur nishes engineering support for the Pad Abort-1 and Ascent Abort-1 flight test and the crew module. The v isitor center, loc ated just inside the Glenn Center ’s main gate , has six ga lleries— most of whic h hav e inter active exhibits. The y include “Aero A dventure,” which feat ures the basic concepts of aircraft propulsion and the different engine types used in today’s vehicles, and contains a fl ight simulator that puts v isitors in an authent ic pilot ’s seat fro m a high-per formance jet and enables them to “fly” aircraft ranging from a single propeller plane to a commercial jet ; “John Glenn: Tribute to an A merican Hero,” an exhibit with spacecraft models, spacesuit replicas, and a multimedia kiosk devoted to the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth when he piloted the Mercury Friendship 7 space capsule in 1962 and 36 y ears later r eturned to space at the age of 77 on the shuttle Discovery; “The Apol lo Er a,” whic h contains the Apol lo command module used o n Skylab 3, NASA’s first space station; a model of the Saturn V rockets that launched Apollo vehicles into space, information about Glenn ’s contributions to the Apollo program, and a real moon rock; “Space Flight,” with a broad col lection of inter active shuttle and space station exhibits and where visitors can try out the module the Columbia crew used to train fo r the STS-107 flight, conduct
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microgravity experiments in a drop to wer, and count down to a simulated rocket launch; “Solar System,” a ga llery of images and sounds that describe the sun, planets, and moons of the solar system, and wher e v isitors c an stand o n solar system scales to find out how much they weigh on Ear th, eight other plan ets, and the moo n; and “Space Communications,” which compares transmitted high-speed signa ls from the 1993 Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) de veloped by Glenn Center with conventional communications satellites and has interactive video bays that simulate a videoconference using satellite technology. The space science center a lso pr esents videos on NASA progr ams, l ive broadc asts of Space Shuttle launches, in-flight activities, and landings in the auditorium; offers tailored grade programs to school and other field trip groups; has special programs for college science and engineering st udents; and pro vides bus tours of the research facilities from the visitor center the first Saturday of each month from April through October. Glenn Research Center Visitor Center, NASA Glenn Research Center, 2 1000 Brookpark Rd., Cle veland, OH 44 135-3191. P hone: 2 16/433-3156. F ax: 2 16/ 433-3601. E-mail: f
[email protected]. Web site: www. nasa.gov/centers/glenn. Hours: 9–4 Mon.–Fri., 10 –3 Sat. and hol idays, 1–5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: free.
GOODARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER VISITOR CENTER
The Goddard S pace F light Center , with its main facil ities in Greenbelt, Mar yland, is a major NASA laboratory for developing and operating unmann ed scient ific spacecraf t and managing many of the space agency’s Earth observation, astronomy, and space ph ysics missions. It is ho me to o ne of the nat ion’s largest concentrations of scient ists, engineers, and r elated personnel (consisting of o ver 3,000 employees and nearly 7,000 supporting contractors on site) dedic ated to learning and shar ing knowledge of the Earth, sun, solar system, and the universe via observations from space in the United States. The Goddard Visitor Center interprets its role with exhibits—so me of whic h are interactive—about its work in such fields as Earth science, astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science, engineering, communication, and technology development.
(Specialized)—Aviation/Space The Goddard Space Flight Center was established in 1959 as the N ational Aeronautics and S pace A dministration’s fi rst space fl ight center. Or iginally c alled the Beltsv ille S pace Center, the name later was c hanged to ho nor Dr. Robert H. Goddard, the American pioneer of modern roc ket propulsion. It co vers 1,270 acres 6.5 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., and has a number of other facil ities, including the Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia (see separ ate l isting); Goddard Inst itute for S pace S tudies in N ew York Cit y, and the Independent Verification and Validation Facility in Fairmont, West Virginia. It is the only space facil ity that de velops and co nstructs spacecraft software, scientific instruments, and spacecraft themselves. The space flight center initially had a lead role in Project Mercury, America’s first manned space flight program. It then pro vided support and radar tracking of fl ights through a wo rldside network of ground stations; and moved into designing unmann ed satell ites and spacecraf t for scientific research missions. Today, it is involved in all of NASA’s principal programs, and has made suc h contributions as se veral spacecraft in the Ear th Observing System fleet, the EOSDIS science data collect ion, processing , and distribution system; tools for use by astronauts in extra-v ehicular act ivity in mann ed space flights; and operation of such programs as the L unar Reco nnaissance Or biter, Hubble Space Telescope, Tropical R ainfall Measur ement Mission, W ilkinson Micro wave Anisotropy Probe, and Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. The Goddard V isitor Center f eatures a collection of roc kets and other ar tifacts in the outdoor “Goddard Roc ket Garden”; a garden called the “ Aura O zone-Monitoring Garden” that is ful l of plants that scient ists have found to be especially sensitive to levels of ozone in the air; and “ The Goddard Moo n Tree,” one of a few tress whose seeds wer e flown to the moo n and back. The indoor exhibits inc lude “Bringing the Universe Down to Earth,” featuring cosmology and the science that led to John Mather’s Nobel Prize in 2006 and wher e v isitors can explore black holes and the technology being developed to unlock mysteries of the universe; “ Exansive Changes: Understanding Ice Through ICESat,” devoted to the 2003 Earthobserving mission that measures ice sheet mass, cloud and aerosol heights, and land topography
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and vegetat ion char acteristics; “ Hubble S pace Telescope: N ew V iews of the Univ erse,” containing Hubble images of plan ets, ga laxies, black holes, and other cosmic phenomena; “Beyond Hubble: The James W ebb S pace Telescope,” which describes the new telescope that will be launched in 2013 to find the first galaxies that fo rmed the ear ly univ erse, connecting the Big Bang to the Milky Way Galaxy; “Space Operations Learning Center,” which focuses on the TDRS tracking and data relay satellite and other satel lites, the solar sy stem, and other Goddard Space Flight Center projects; “Worlds Beyond,” an ar t exhibit f eaturing science; and “Science On a S phere,” an inter active projection system that allows a Footprints video to be shown on a 6-foot-diameter globe. Among the educational activities are facility tours, oz one monitoring garden progr am, field tr ip c lasses and demo nstrations, summer science inst itute, education showcases, science club scholars programs, and digital learning network. Goddard V isitor Center , N ASA Goddard S pace Flight Center , 8800 Gr eenbelt Rd., Code 130, Greenbelt, MD 2077 1. P hone: 30 1/286-3978. Fax: 301/286-1781. Web site: www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard. Hours: June-Aug.—10 –5 Tues.–Fri., 12–4 Sat.; closed S un.–Mon.; remainder of y ear—10 –3 Tues.– Fri., 12–4 Sat.–Sun.; closed Mon. and f ederal hol idays. Admission: free.
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER SPACE CENTER HOUSTON
Space Center Houston serves as the visitor center for NASA’s Johnson Space Center, home of the mann ed space fl ight program where astronauts train and mission control is located. It contains space exhibits and attract ions, special presentations, and hands-on activities that tel l the story of the mann ed space fl ight program. The Johnson S pace Center was establ ished in 1961 as the Mann ed S pace F light Center and later renamed for the late President Lyndon B. Johnson, led NASA’s efforts in human space exploration from the ear ly Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab projects to today’s Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs. The visitor center was founded in 1992 and now has an annual attendance of 850,000. Space Center Houston exhibits include the “Astronaut Gallery,” which contains the world’s best collection of space suits, as well as portraits and cr ew photos of e very U.S. astronaut who
Kansas has flown in space; “The Feel of Space,” featuring a living in space module with a live presentation of how astronauts live in a space environment and sophist icated computer technolog y that pro vides v isitors with the exper ience of landing the orbiter, retrieving a satellite, or exploring the shuttle systems; “Starship Gallery,” which opens with a film titled On Human Destiny, and display s space ar tifacts and hardwar e that trace the progression of America’s manned space flight; and “Kids Space Place,” a children’s exhibit with interactive units and a themed area that explo re dif ferent aspects of space and manned space flight The visitor center has t wo theaters where the space progr am co mes a live—the “S pace Center Theater,” featuring an IMAX film on a 5-story scr een that c aptures the excitement, commitment, and risks taken by astronauts who fly in space, and “Blast Off Theater,” where visitors can experience the thrill of launching into space l ike a r eal astronaut and get updates o n current shuttle missio ns and details about exploring Mars. The center a lso has specia l programs fo r students and sc hool groups, suc h as “ Radical Rhonda” touching down daily to take st udents on a voyage through space, and “Space School” where children experience a fi ve-day engineering mission and land a ro ver on the Mars surface, analyze rock samples, loft a rock sample in the Mar tian o rbit, and r eturn to Ear th in a rocket of their o wn design. O ther educational offerings inc lude day c amps, Scout c amp-ins, distant learning program, behind-the-scen es tram tours, and “Orbital Outreach” program. Space Center Houston, NASA Johnson Space Center, 1601 NASA Pkwy., Houston, TX 77058. Phone: 281/244-2100. F ax: 28 1/283-7724. E-mail: info@ spacecenter.org. W eb site: www .spacecenter.org. Hours: summer—9–7 daily; remainder of year—10 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –6 S at.–Sun.; c losed Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $19.95; seniors, $18.95; children 4–11, $15.95; children under 4, free.
KANSAS COSMOSPHERE AND SPACE CENTER
The 105,000-square-foot Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson is one of the nat ion’s most co mprehensive space m useums. It all began in 1962 when civic leader Patricia Brooks Carey created one of the first public plan etariums in the Midwest inside the poultry building at the K ansas S tate F air-
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grounds. Four years later, the Hutchinson Planetarium was r elocated to the c ampus of the Hutchinson Community College, where it r eceived numerous space artifacts after the Apollo program concluded. In 1980, the plan etarium got a n ew home and name—K ansas Cosmosphere and Discover Center—as it built new facilities and expanded its of ferings to inc lude a space exhibit ha ll and an Omnimax theater , as well as the plan etarium. The facil ity was enlarged to its present size in 1997, nearly tripling the area devoted to the “Hall of Space.” It now serves 150,000 visitors each year. The space center is known for its large collection of space ar tifacts. Most of what is no w displayed was flown in space or built as a backup or a test ing unit fo r what was flo wn in space , with only a few replicas. Many of the objects are featured thr oughout the exhibits in what is called the “ Hall of S pace Museum.” They include the act ual Apollo 13 command module , Liberty Bell 7 Mercury capsule, and Russia’s Vostok spacecraft. The center has a col lection of U.S. space ar tifacts that is seco nd only to the Smithsonian’s National Air an S pace Museum and the largest number of Russian space objects outside of Moscow.
(Specialized)—Aviation/Space The “Hall of Space” contains such exhibits as the “German Ga llery,” which feat ures rar e V-1 and V-2 rockets and displays that show how they made space explo ration possible; “Cold War Gallery,” devoted to the first steps of both the U.S. and R ussian space progr ams and the standoff bet ween the t wo super powers; “ Mollette Early Space Flight Gallery,” featuring actual spacecraft, hardware, space suits, and training gear from American and Russian programs that c apture the ingenuit y, accomplishments, and tensions of the Cold War as the two nations competed in the race to the moon; and “Apollo Gallery,” which traces America’s technological achievement in landing on the moon from Neil Armstrong’s fi rst steps o n the lunar sur face to Gene Cernan’s last visit to the moon. The space center also has a historical timeline exhibit and photo gallery. The center also such participatory units as a centr ifuge exhibit wher e v isitors c an sit in a Mercury spacecraft replica, ride a g-force simulator, and get a gl impse of what it is l ike to be an astronaut, and education and camp programs where c hildren built roc kets, oper ate a sim ulated lunar base, and explore space in the Mars Academy. Among the other attractions are “Dr. Goddard’s Lab,” a live demonstration show in a sett ing r epresenting the 1930s laboratory of Robert Goddard, the father of moder n roc ketry; “Carey I MAX Dome Theater ,” which wraps around the audience and shows space films on 44-foot screen; and Justice Planetarium, which presents m ultimedia explo rations of the solar sy stem, nav igational tec hnology, deep space, and astronomical research.
Firing rockets is part of the Future Astronaut Training Program and special e vents at the K ansas Cosmosp here and Space Center in Hutchinson. T he center, which began as a planetarium in 1962, developed into a comprehensive space museum that features a large collection of space artifacts from the United States and Russia. It also has such par ticipatory exhibits as pretending to be an astronaut in a Mercury spacecraft and r iding a g-force sim ulator. Courtesy of the K ansas Cosmosphere and Space Center.
Kansas Cosmosphere and S pace Center, 1100 N. P lum S t., Hutchinso n, K S 67501-4499. P hone: 620/662-2305. F ax: 620/662-3693. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .cosmo.org. Hours: summer—9–8 Mon.–Sat., 12–8 Sun.; remainder of y ear—9 –5 Mo n.–Thurs., 9 –8 Fri.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; spring and Chr istmas breaks—9–8 Mon.–Sat., 12–8 Sun.; closed Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. A dmission: single venu e—adults, $8.50; seniors and children 3–12, $8; children under 3, free; all-day venue—adults, $15; seniors and children 3–12, $13; children under 3, free.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX America’s space history and exploits are on display at the Kenn edy S pace Center V isitor Complex at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s space center , establ ished in 1962 at Cape Canav eral in F lorida. It is where visitors c an see 10-story-high roc kets from a ll eras of space explo ration, walk through a ful lsize S pace S huttle moc k-up, see act ual spacecraft and other space exploration equipment, interact with space sim ulators and other space exhibits, meet with astronauts, view IMAX space films on huge fi ve-story screens, and Kenn edy Space Center working space flight facilities. Visitors see the “ Rocket Garden” as the y approach the visitor center. It features Redstone, Atlas, and Titan rockets that first put NASA astronauts in space and oppo rtunities to c limb aboard Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo capsules to get an idea of the cramped qu arters the ear ly astronauts endured. Inside the visitor center are such exhibits as “Early Space Exploration,” with artifacts from the first manned space flights, including the o riginal Mer cury mission control consoles; “ United S tates Astro naut Ha ll of Fame,” a tr ibute to Amer ica’s astronauts with the world’s largest collection of personal memorabilia and realistic astronaut training simulators; “Space Shuttle P laza,” where v isitors can experience how astronauts live and work aboard Space Shuttles at a r eplica of a full-siz e Space Shuttle with a huge external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters; “Eye on the Universe: The Hubble Space Telescope,” featuring vibrant images from the Hubble Space Telescope; and “Astronaut Memorial,” a memorial honoring the 24 U.S. astronauts who gave their l ives fo r space exploration. Among the other experiences at the visitor complex are two IMAX theaters showing space films o n fi ve-story-high scr eens; “S huttle Launch Experience,” where visitors can participate in a sim ulated roc ket launch; “Astronaut Encounter,” featuring dail y briefings by astronauts and an opportunity to meet and talk with an astronaut; “ Mad Mission to Mars,” wher e visitors become “astronaut trainees” for a 2025 mission to Mars using the co medic ant ics of “Professor P ruvitt” and his wac ky col leagues, stereoscopic 3D computer animation, and theatrical ef fects; and “Childr en’s P lay Do me,” where children can play among the next gener-
McAuliffe-Shephard ation of spacecr aft and roc kets to tr avel to the moon and beyond. A guided bus tour of the Kenn edy S pace Center is inc luded in the v isitor center admission. It takes visitors to the International Space Station Center, where NASA prepares components for the Inter national S pace S tation that has been placed in orbit and displays a full-scale mock-up of the habitat ion module where crew members live, sleep, and work; C 39 O bservation Gantr y, the 60-foot-ta ll launch co mplex that provides a 360-degree view of the S huttle Launch Pad structures, Launch Control Center, crawlerway, and massiv e V ehicle Assembl y Building, as wel l as a br iefing on what it takes to launc h and land a S pace S huttle; and Apollo/Saturn V Center, whic h contains a r eal Saturn V rocket and a tr ibute to the Apollo astronauts and the mac hines that took them to the moon and brought them bac k saf ely. Two other tours—“ NASA Up-Close ” and “Cape Canaveral: Then and Now”—also are available at additional cost. Among the special programs at the visitor center ar e “ Lunch with an Astro naut,” wher e visitors can meet and have lunch with an astronaut—and get an autograph; “Astronaut Training Experience,” a hands-on session where visitors progr ess through missio n sim ulation, exploration, and training fo r spacefl ight and hear fro m v eteran astro nauts; and “Camp Kennedy S pace Center,” a week-lo ng summer day camp for children ages 8–14 where they interact through Space Shuttle simulations, make space center tours, and witn ess the e veryday challenges faced by astronauts. Tickets also are sold for scheduled Space Shuttle launch days at the Kennedy. Kennedy S pace Center V isitor Co mplex, N ASA Kennedy S pace Center , S tate R te. 405, Kenn edy Space Center, FL 32899. Phone: 866/737-5235. Web site: www.kennedyspacecenter.com. Hours: 9 –5:30 daily; closed Christmas and certain launch days. Admission: adults, $38 plus tax; children 3–11, $28 plus tax; children under 3, free.
LANGLEY
RESEARCH
CENTER.
Hampton, VA. S ee V irginia Air and S pace Center.
MCAULIFFE-SHEPARD DISCOVERY CENTER
In 1990, the Chr ista McAuliffe P lanetarium was founded in Concord, New Hampshire,
National to honor the loc al science teac her who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. In addition to pr eserving the memo ry of the fi rst teacher in space , the plan etarium provided astronomy and air science educ ation. The planetarium bec ame a broader based space science center with interactive astronomy, aviation, and earth and space sciences exhibits and programs in 2009 when it bec ame the McA uliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. The name and the co ntents were changed to also honor Alan B. Shepard, the fi rst American astronaut in space who also was from New Hampshire. The space science center no w feat ures a full-size replica of a Mercury-Redstone rocket in its outdoor plaza with an interactive multi-sensory exhibit that tells the story of Shepard, his historic space flight in 1961, and the space race. The internal exhibits inc lude “ Tribute to Two NH Heroes,” de voted to the l ives and acco mplishments of A lan S hepard and Chr ista McAuliffe; “Space Shuttle Model,” a large-scale model of a S pace Shuttle surrounded by so me of the act ual items S hepard and McA uliffe brought with them into space; “ Looking at Earth-Looking Beyond,” an interactive gallery about the Earth, other planets, and the universe, and a hands-o n oppo rtunity to be a weather forecaster; “Expedition to Mars,” where visitors can plan an expedition to the red planet; “Walk on the S un,” which projects images of the sun onto a large platform as visitors move across it, triggering music with information as increasing brightness indic ates sunspots; and “ Mercury Capsule,” a full-size replica of the capsule that took Shepard into space. The space science center a lso has a 103seat plan etarium that pr esents star sho ws, a rooftop observatory to view the wonders of the sky, and such educ ational progr ams as the “Little Explo rers” and “ Rocketeers” wo rkshops, summer camps, and educator programs. The center ’s annu al attendance is mo re than 50,000. McAuliffe-Shepard Disco very Center , 2 Inst itute Dr., Concord, MA 03301. Phones: 603/271-7827 and 603/271-7831. Fax: 603/27 1-7832. Web site: www . starhop.com. Hours: 10 –5 S at.–Thurs., 10 –9 Fri.; closed N ew Y ear’s Day , Easter , Memo rial Day , Independence Da y, L abor Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $9; senio rs, and st udents, $8; childr en 3 –12, $6; c hildren under 3, free.
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NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM
The S mithsonian Inst itution’s N ational Air and S pace Museum in W ashington is among the world’s great aviation and space museums and one of the most popular museums in the United States with an annual attendance of over 5 mill ion. It maintains the largest collection of histo ric air craft and spacecraf t in the world, and is an impo rtant center of r esearch into the history, science, and technology in aviation and space fl ight; plan etary science; and terrestrial geolog y and geoph ysics. A lthough largely ar tifact oriented, the m useum a lso has interactive exhibits, po rtable disco very c arts, flight simulators, science demonstrations, learning labo ratories, and other hands-o n educ ational activities. The Smithsonian began collecting aircraftrelated objects in the late 1800s, but it was not until 1946 that the N ational Air Museum was created. With the adv ent of the space age , the name was changed to the N ational Air and Space Museum 20 years later. The museum got its separate building o n the N ational Ma ll in 1976 and opened the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and S torage Facility, named for a fo rmer curator of the col lection, in S uitland, Maryland in the 1980s and the S teven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, a branch museum named for a majo r donor, adjacent to D ulles International Airport, in 2003. The National Air and Space Museum now has approximately 50,000 objects in its col lections, inc luding air craft, spacecraf t, engin es, rockets, uniforms, space suits, balloons, and artworks. It a lso maintains a large ar chive of historic manuscr ipts, photographs, fi lms, documents, and N ASA planetary images and data. Among the hundr eds of ar tifacts on display at the Mall museum are the original 1903 Wright Flyer, Char les Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis , and Apollo 11 command module. The UdvarHazy Center, which occupies t wo large hangers and an obser vation tower, has many other historic objects on exhibit, including the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the B-29 Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in W orld War II, and Space Shuttle Enterprise. The Dulles International Airport museum contains most of the aircraft and spacecr aft previously stored at the Garber Facility, and eventually will become the museum’s primarily artifact restoration facility.
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National
The Mall museum has 22 exhibit ga lleries, including “ Milestones of F light,” the entry hall gallery featuring histo ric air craft; “Golden Age of F light,” which descr ibes the advances made in av iation in the period between the t wo world wars; “ Jet A viation,” devoted to the development and impact of t urbojets; “Space R ace.” whic h tel ls about the U.S.–Soviet space rivalry and its af termath; “Looking at Ear th,” whic h explores the technolog y of aerial and space observation and its many uses; “Explore The Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum now consists of two museum sites—the original museum on the Washingthe Univ erse,” sho ws ho w ton Mall and the ne w Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at D ulles Interthe n ew astro nomical innational Airport. Both feature collections of historic aircraft and space struments have c hanged objects, but they also have interactiv e exhibits and educ ational prostudying the universe; “How grams T his photog raphshows one of the “ Discovery S tations” with Things Fly,” with numerous hands-on activities that are moved among the e xhibits at the UdvarHazy Center. Courtesy of the Smithsonian ’s N ational A ir and Spa ce hands-on exhibits that explore the nat ure of grav ity Museum and photographer Mark Avino. and air , ho w wings wo rk, Dulles Inter national Air port m useum. O ther supersonic flight, aircraft and rocket propulsion, educational activities include guided tours, stoand fl ying in space; and “ Flight S imulator rytimes, online activities, electronic field trips, Zone,” f eaturing interact ive fl ight sim ulators interactive v ideoconferencing, and teac her r ethat enable visitors to simulate performing 360sources. The Mall and Udvar-Hazy Center mudegree barrel rol ls, fl y jet- age co mbat sorties, seums also has IMAX theaters for showing aviand engage in air combat in an F-4 Phantom II ation and space films on a large screen, and the jet fighter. Exhibits at the Udvar-Haz y Center Albert Einstein P lanetarium on the Ma ll f eacover such subjects as the Wright Brothers and tures shows about cosmic collisions, black holes, the aer ial age , World War I and II av iation, stars, and other outer space subjects. commercial aviation, human spaceflight, vertical fl ight, roc kets and missiles, sea-air operaNational Air and S pace Museum, N ational Ma ll Bldg., Independence A ve. at 6th S t., S.W., Washtions, the Apollo mission, exploring the planets, ington, DC 20560 (mailing address: Office Commuand Saturn images. nications, MRC 321, PO Box 7012, Washington, DC The National Air and Space Museum also 20013-7012). P hones: 202/633- 1000 and 202/633has “ Discovery S tations,” po rtable interact ive 2370. Fax: 202/633-8174. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web carts whic h encour age info rmal lear ning with site: www.nasm.si.edu. Hours: late Mar.–early Sept. hands-on activities related to aviation, space ex—10 –7:30 dail y; remainder of y ear—10 –5:30 dail y; closed Christmas. Admission: free. ploration, astronomy, and plan etary geolog y. Three-dimensional r ide sim ulators at the Steven F. Udvar-Haz y Center , N ational Air and Space Museum, 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy., Udvar-Hazy Center take v isitors on an orbital Chantilly, VA 20151. Phone: 202/633-1000. E-mail: journey around the International Space Station
[email protected]. Web site: www.nasm.si. and also allow them to ride on a variety of hisedu/udvarhazy. Hours: late May-ear ly S ept.— tory’s greatest flying machines. Science demon10 –6:30 dail y; r emainder of y ear—10 –5:30 dail y; strations ar e conducted throughout the day at closed Christmas. Admission: free. the Ma ll m useum and “ Learning L abs” combine demonstrations, experiments, and handson act ivities in inquir y-based progr ams at the
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STENNIS SPACE CENTER STENNISPHERE VISITOR CENTER The 14,000-square-foot StenniSphere Visitor Center at the NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi features exhibits—many of which are interactive—about NASA, the Naval Meteorology and Oceanogr aphy Co mmand, and other agencies at the site. The space center, one of 10 NASA field centers in the nation, has been the space agency’s primary center for testing and proving flight worthy rocket propulsion systems for the Space Shuttle and future generations of space vehicles for four decades. In 1961, Hancoc k Count y in Mississippi was selected as the site of a static test facility for launch vehicles to be used in theApollo manned lunar launch program. The 13,500-acre site , 45 minutes fro m G ulfport and 45 miles east of New Orleans, was chosen primarily because of its water access, n ecessary for the tr ansporting of large roc ket stages. It a lso offered a sound buffer of c lose to 125,000 acr es, which was needed because of the loud sound of the rocket testing. The space center’s primary mission was to certify all first and second stages of the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo and Skylab programs. Then came the test ing of the main engin e for the Space Shuttle beginning in 1975. The center now is a m ultidisciplinary facility made up of NASA and 30 other r esident agencies engaged in space and environmental programs and the national defense. The center originally was called the Mississippi Test Operations site. In the years that followed, the name was changed to Mississippi T est F acility, then N ational Space Technology Laboratories, and fi nally to John C. Stennis Space Center in 1980 in honor of the Mississippi senator who had served from 1947 to l989 and was a staunch supporter of the space program. Visitors to the StenniSphere Center board shuttle buses for a 25-minute narrated tour that begins at the Launch Pad stop containing a 30foot L unar L ander train er that was used by Apollo astronauts, and then proceeds to the site of America’s largest rocket engine test complex where visitors sometimes experience the shake, rattle, and roar of a rocket engine being tested. At the v isitor center, visitors see suc h outdoor exhibits as the S pace S huttle’s main engin e, scale model of the Saturn V rocket that took America’s astronauts to the moo n; the F- 1 engine that po wered the fi rst stage of the Saturn V rocket; sol id rocket booster that po wers the
(Specialized)—Aviation/Space Space S huttle into o rbit; a ful l-size Juniper-C rocket, the t ype that put the fi rst U.S. satellite into orbit; Learjet Model 28 mounted with remote sensors that gather detailed images of the Earth; and a full-scale Nomad buoy that represents the auto mated obser ving sy stems that measure weather and ocean conditions. The exhibits inside the v isitor center include a v isualization laboratory wher e v isitors can experience how Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge flooded the gulf coast ; a test co ntrol mock-up center that enables visitors to “test” a Space S huttle and launch a roc ket; a S pace Shuttle cockpit where visitors can help a computerized shuttle cr ew c apture satel lites; the Apollo 4 Command Module , an unmann ed module launc hed in 1967 to test the ther mal protection system during re-entry; a ful l-scale mockup of the Inter national S pace S tation habitation and laboratory module; a moon rock estimated to be 3 billion years old that was collected by the Apollo 15 crew in 1971; Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command with a weather center , a r epresentation of the ocean floor, and information about the Earth’s oceans; how r esident agencies suppo rt pr eservation of the Gulf of Mexico; a history of the center and information on the local environment; a pictorial histo ry of Amer ica’s space progr am; and how NASA’s space exploration has led to technological advances. Exper iments on ho w the space environment affects the human body also are conducted live at the new “Experimentation Station,” and the v isitor center of fers a weeklong “Astro Camp” fo r c hildren ages 7 –9 and 10 –12 e very summer and o ne-day S aturday camps fo r 9 –12 c hildren dur ing the school year. StenniSphere V isitor Center, NASA S tennis S pace Center, S tennis S pace Center , MS 39529-6000. Phones: 228/688-2370 and 800/237-1821. Web site: www.ssc.nasa.gov. Hours: 10 –3 Tues.–Sat.; c losed Sun.–Mon. and federal holidays. Admission: free.
U.S. SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER
The U .S. S pace and Roc ket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is a state-oper ated space science center that a lso ser ves as a v isitor center for NASA’s Marsha ll Space F light Center. It is known for its extensive space hardware and artifacts, hands-o n exhibits and space travel simulators, and U.S. Space Camp and other aviation and space educ ation programs. The center, whic h opened in 1970, a lso traces Hunts-
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ville’s role in the moon rocket, space race, Apollo mission, Space Shuttle program, International Space Station, and NASA’s next major project— the Constellation project. It ser ves mo re than 450,000 visitors annually. The space and rocket center has one of the greatest collections of rockets and space memorabilia in the wo rld, consisting of mo re than 1,500 pieces of space and rocket objects. It was founded in 1968 af ter being proposed by D r. Wernher von Braun while he served as director of the Marshall Space Flight Center. The U.S. Army donated the site fo r the m useum/visitor center on its Redstone Arsenal land wher e the Marshall Space Flight Center is located. The Marshall Space F light Center began as the Ordnance Guided Missile Center at Redstone Arsena l in 1950, became the Ar my Ba llistic Missile Agenc y in 1956, and then the George C. Marsha ll S pace F light Center in 1960 when the Army ’s space missio ns wer e transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and S pace Administration. It is wher e the Saturn family of launch vehicles were developed that later were used in the Apollo manned lunar landing progr am, Skylab experimental space station program, and U.S.–Soviet ApolloSoyuz test project. Marshall’s Mercury-Redstone rocket a lso boosted Amer ica’s fi rst astronaut, Alan B. Shepard, on a suborbital flight in 1961. Today, the space center manages Space Shuttle propulsion elements and science aboard the International S pace S tation and co nducts other research. The U.S. S pace and Roc ket Center takes visitors from the beginning of roc ketry to the shuttle sy stem and be yond. Its col lections include the original Mercury and Gemini capsule trainers, Apollo 16 capsule, a retrieved fragment of the Skylab space stat ion, Pathfinder orbiter mock-up, and a full-size replica of the Saturn V rocket used in the Apollo 11 program. In addition to “Rocket Park,’ the center has a “Spacedome Theater,” an IMAX domed theater that sho ws space fi lms; “ Discovery Theater,” f eaturing l ive sho ws and hands-o n demonstrations; Educ ation Training Center , which houses N ASA’s Educ ation Resour ce Center; “ Aviation Cha llenge” progr ams fo r those interested in aviation and flying; and U.S. Space Camp and other camp programs, including X-Camp, which teaches leadership, teamwork, and co mmunication through spo rts activities, wilderness survival training, overnight
U.S.
The U.S. S pace and Roc ket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is known for its extensive collection of space hardware and ar tifacts, numerous hands-on exhibits, and popular U.S. Space Camp and other c amp prog rams. T his photog raph shows a space c amp par ticipant in a m ulti–axis trainer—one of many space training activities at the camp. T he science center also ser ves as the visitor center for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Courtesy of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
camping, first aid and lifeguard training, and a physical stamina race. The newest exhibit is the “Davidson Center for Space Exploration,” a 476-foot long, 90foot wide, and 63-foot high structure suspended 10 feet above the floor which features the Saturn V rocket, other space exploration hardware and artifacts, and a 3D theater, while one of the center’s most histo ric exhibits is the “ Aviation Challenge” co mpound, which co ntains eight historic military aircraft and other aviation-related hardware, and is used as par t of an av iation education program. The most unusual exhibit is the bur ial ground of “ Miss Baker ,” a squirrel monkey who fle w on a subo rbital test flight of the PGM-19 Jupit er rocket in 1959. Baker lived in a facility at the museum for many years before dying of kidney failure in 1984.
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Among the many hands-on exhibits at the space science center ar e “S pace S hot,” wher e visitors can find out what a roc ket launch feels like; “G-Forces A ccelerator,” whic h propels a person three times the force of gravity while he or she is spinning in the accelerato r; “ Apollo Cockpit Trainer,” an exhibit that simulates what it is l ike to be inside the co mmand module on an Apollo mission to the moon; “Mars Mission, Mars Climbing Wall,” which tells about the red planet and Mars missio n and has a c limbing wall that r esembles the terr ain on the ta ll volcano on the planet that v isitors can climb; and “Kids Cosmos Energy Depletion Zone,” where children under 8 acco mpanied by an adult ar e able to crawl inside a space station. The center a lso has c hanging exhibit ions such as the r ecent display of a German V -2 rocket and of the R ussian MIR space stat ion that per formed space r esearch fro m 1986 to 2001, and such other education programs as student, parent/child weekend, adult, specia l, educator, and corporate programs. U.S. S pace and Roc ket Center , 1 Tranquility Base , Huntsville, AL 35805. P hones: 256/72 1-7199 and 800/637-7223. Fax: 256/72 1-7180. Web site: www . sacecamp.com. Hours: 9 –5 daily; closed New Year’s Eve and Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. A dmission: adults, $24,95; childr en 6 –12, $19.95; children under 65, free.
VIRGINIA AIR AND SPACE CENTER
The V irginia Air and S pace Center in Hampton is an interact ive av iation and space science center that serves as the visitor center for the nearby NASA Langley Research Center and the L angley Air F orce Base. The 110,000square-foot inter active air and space science center was founded as the V irginia Air and Space Center and Hampto n Roads Histo ry Center in 1991, and later adopted the pr esent shortened name as it emphasiz ed av iation and space. It now has over 100 exhibits—many that trace the achievements of Langley and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration— and an annual attendance of more than 400,000. Langley Research Center was founded as a civilian flight laboratory in 1917—just 17 years after the histo ric fi rst po wered fl ight of the Wright Brothers. It became an important aeronautical labo ratory dur ing World War I and concentrated on av iation unt il 1958 when the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, which created the Langley Aeronautical Labo-
(Specialized)—Aviation/Space ratory, bec ame the N ational A eronautics and Space Administration and Langley got its present name and space exploration became part its responsibilities. L angley star ted P roject Mercury and the Space Task Group, which oversaw the growing U.S. space program and the original eight astro nauts. The S pace Task Group later moved to Houston, but Langley continued to help send Americans into space and eventually the moon. It designed and operated simulators used in tr aining many of the astro nauts and later helped per fect the S pace Shuttle and made other contributions to space, aviation, and related programs, such as developing technologies to allow aircraft to fly at supersonic and hypersonic speeds and studying the Earth’s atmosphere to better understand globa l c limate change. The Virginia Air and S pace Center has a hands-on “S pace Ga llery” with “S pace Q uest: Exploring the Moon, Mars, and Beyond” as its theme. It begins with planning fo r space travel—featuring large overhead planetary models, examining various solar system surface elements, stepping onto planetary scales, and getting info rmation about space travel fro m an electronic travel brochure rack. It is followed by an interact ive inter-stellar journ ey that takes visitors to the Mars sur face that inc ludes such experiences as a simulated transporter, being on the Mars surface, learning about the Viking Orbitor that cir cles the plan et, directing the surface explo ration of t wo ful l-scale models of rovers, and comparing a piece of a Mars meteorite that landed on Earth with a moon rock acquired during the 1972 Apollo 17 mission. Visitors then lear n to make plan et craters, see the Lunar Excursio n Module S imulator built at Langley and used for training the Apollo astronauts, and exper ience landing on the moon on a Lunar Landing Simulator. The center has mo re than 20 histo ric aircraft and an “ Adventures in F light Ga llery,” where visitors can explore 100 years of aviation history, taking them fro m the o rigins of fl ight to the fut ure of fl ight. Interactive exhibits enable v isitors to fol low the role of Hampto n Roads in co mmercial, civ il, and mil itary av iation. Among the feat ures ar e a r eplica of the 1903 Wright Flyer; 1920s barnstorming and B24 Liberator rides in the “Curtiss Jenny Century of F light Theater ”; and gett ing behind-thescenes looks at commercial air travel by touring an AirTran Air ways DC-9, ser ving as a pilot
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with the aid of a Boeing 717 simulator, becoming an air traf fic controller, and c limbing into the cockpit of an F/A-22 Raptor, the Air Force’s newest jet. Other exhibits inc lude the “ Air Power at Sea” exhibits, which feature an interactive 1:48scale model of the USS Ronald Regan aircraft carrier and experiencing the launching of a Navy fighter from an air craft carrier through gr eenscreen technology; “Paper Airplane Flight Lab,” where v isitors c an build an air plane, test their engineering skills, and learn about N ASA and new aviation technology; “Ham Radio Exhibit,” which contains the histo ry and latest tec hnology at the center’s fully automatic digital amateur r adio satel lite stat ion; “ Little W ings,” where young children can build a plane, create their own air port, and c limb into a coc kpit to investigate fl ight.; inter active “planespotters” that a llow v isitors to access detailed info rmation on select aircraft on display in the center ’s main gallery; and personal story monitors containing interviews with key figures like a B-24 crew and the Tuskegee Airmen. The V irginia Air and S pace Center a lso has a 3D I MAX theater and extensive educ ational offerings, inc luding interact ive curr iculum-enhancing school programs, live hands-on demonstrations, guided tours, science c amps, “Science on the Move” van outreach programs, and in-service workshops for educators. Virginia Air and Space Center, 600 Settlers Landing Rd., Hampton, VA 23669. P hones: 757/727-0900 and 800/296-0800. F ax: 757/727-0898. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .vasc.org. Hours: late May-early S ept.—10 –5 Mon.–Wed., 10 –7 Thurs.– Sun.; remainder of year—10–5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $9.50; senio rs, $8.50; st udents and c hildren 3–18, $7.50; children under 3, free.
WALLOPS FLIGHT FACILITY VISITOR CENTER
The NASA Wallops Flight Facility along the eastern shore of V irginia on the Delmar va Peninsula is oper ated by the Goddard S pace Flight Center primarily as a roc ket launch site in support of science and explo ration missions for NASA and other federal agencies. It was established as the Pilotless Aircraft Research Station in 1945 by the N ational A dvisory Committee for Aeronautics, which evolved into the National A eronautics and S pace A dministration in 1958. It was r enamed the Wallops Sta-
Wallops tion under NASA, changed to Wallops F light Center in 1975 and then to Wallops Flight Facility when it became part of Goddard in 1981. The Wallops facility consists of three separate sites totaling 6,200 acres—the main base, the mainland, and the launc h site o n Wallops Island. It a lso operates mobile r adars, telemetry r eceivers, and co mmand tr ansmitters that can be deployed to loc ations around the wo rld to establ ish tempo rary ranges. S ince the fi rst rocket launch in 1945, the facil ity ‘s test r ange has launched more than 14,000 research vehicles to obtain information on the flight characteristics of airplanes, launch vehicles, and spacecraft, and to increase knowledge of the Earth’s upper atmosphere and the near-space environment. It also has been de veloping new range technologies, systems, and approaches since 2001 to improve the cost and responsiveness of launch and flight test activities. The Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center contains exhibits about the histo ry, accomplishments, and programs of the facility—many of whic h ar e inter active. The exhibits inc lude scale models of space probes, satell ites, and aircraft; a moon rock; a “Science on a Sphere” exhibit in which v isual effects are projected on a 6-foot-diameter globe; and co mputer inter active displays about flying a person’s own sounding rocket, NASA launch vehicles, and finding the way bac k to Ear th from space. Among the current progr ams descr ibed ar e the sounding rockets program, scientific balloon projects, and orbital tracking station activities. Full-scale rockets and air craft used in r esearch at Wallops also can be seen on the visitor center grounds, and sometimes it is possible to participate in a model rocket launch or to observe the launching of an actual sounding rocket from the center’s new observation deck. The visitor center also offers interactive educational programs, ranging fro m specia l presentations and films to age-appropriate tours of Wallops, for visiting school and civic groups. It also is possible fo r c hildren to ear n a “S pace Ace” cer tificate and l ithograph in educ ational activities presented by the visitor center. In addition, the center presents community outreach education programs and assists teachers with instructional mater ials through the W allops Educator Resource Center. Wallops V isitor Center, NASA Wallops F light Facility, Bldg. J-17, Wallops Island, VA 23337. Phone: 757/824-1344. W eb site: www .sites.wff.nasa.gov.
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Hours: Independence Day-L abor Day—10 –4 dail y; Mar.–Jan. and Sept.–Nov.—10 –4 Thurs.–Mon.; Dec. –Feb.—10 –4 Mo n.–Fri.; c losed N ew Y ear’s Da y,
(Specialized)—Energy Martin L uther King’ s Bir thday, P residents’ Day , Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. Admission: free.
Energy Science Centers AMERICAN MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND ENERGY
The Amer ican Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge , Tennessee, is a feder al science and technology center that seeks to further public understanding of energy, especially nuclear power. The museum, originally named the Amer ican Museum of Ato mic En ergy, began in 1949 in the old war time c afeteria of Oak Ridge N ational L aboratory, the site of World War II nuclear reactor development and now the nation’s largest science and energy laboratory. The museum still is part of the laboratory and its publ ic information program, but is located in separate facilities in Oak Ridge and is operated on a co ntract basis by the Univ ersity of Tennessee and Battelle. It moved to its present site in 1975, and changed its name thr ee years later. It now has an annual attendance of 90,000. In addit ion to histo rical and explanato ry
exhibits on nuclear, solar, geothermal, and other forms of energy, the museum has hands-on exhibits, l ive demonstrations, v ideos, c lassroom and outreach programs, and interactive “Science Saturdays” programs. At the “Exploration Station” exhibit, visitors engage in self-directed activities that explo re suc h ar eas as l ight, colo r, sound, v ision, stat ic electr icity, robot ics, and problem solving. The hands-on activities in the “Y-12 and N ational Defense ” exhibit demo nstrate processes, saf ety features, and c areers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The Y-12 was the laboratory’s pioneering graphite reactor that led to the development of the nation’s first nuclear weapons. American Museum of Science and En ergy, 300 S . Tulane A ve., Oak Ridge , T N 37830. P hone: 865/ 576-3200. F ax: 865/576-6024. E-mail: jco mish@ amse.org. W eb site: www .amse.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Sat., 1–5 S un.; c losed N ew Y ear’s Day , Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $5; seniors, $4; children 6–17, $3; children under 6, free.
BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY SCIENCE LEARNING CENTER
Children make salt water batteries in an educ ational program at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. T he m useum, which is par t of the Oak Ridge National Laborator y, beg an in 1949 in the laborator y’s old wartime c afeteria and now occupies separ ate facilit ies in the town. It has exhibits and education programs—many of which are hands-on—on nuclear, solar, geothermal, and other forms of energ y. Courtesy of the A merican Museum of Science and Energy.
Brookhaven National Laboratory, a multi-program U.S. Department of En ergy labo ratory in Upton, New York, operates a Science L earning Center that of fers science programs—many of whic h are par ticipatory—to elementar y and middle school classes. The program, which began in 1977 and was known as the BNL Science Museum unt il r ecently, has 6,000 square feet of exhibits and uses the inquiry method in co nveying scientific pr inciples and appl ications to school children. Ninety-minute and t wo-hour programs are offered at K-8 gr ade levels to school groups, scouts, and teachers—on a r eservation basis and without cost—that co ver subjects r anging fro m l ight, sound, magnetism, and magnifi cation to
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kinetic en ergy, spectroscopy, electromagnetic spectrum, and the Relat ivistic Heavy Ion Collider, the world’s newest and largest particle accelerator for nuclear physics located at the laboratory. Hands-o n exhibits ar e used in most instances as part of the instructional programs. The science center a lso has an outr each program that takes programs to schools. After being approached by nine major eastern universities, the federal government established Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1947 as a nuc lear ph ysics r esearch facil ity that a lso would conduct other basic research and develop large scientific machines that individual universities could not af ford. The labo ratory no w is operated fo r the Depar tment of En ergy on a contract basis by Brookhav en Science Associates, founded by State University of New York at Stony Brook and the largest academic user of the laboratory’s facil ities, and Battel le, a no nprofit science and technolog y o rganization. It has an annual attendance of 20,000. Brookhaven N ational L aboratory Science L earning Center, Brookhav en N ational L aboratory, W illiam Floyd Pkwy., Upton, NY 11973-5000 (mail ing address: Bldg . 438, Brookhav en N ational L aboratory, Upton, NY 11973). Phones: 631/344-2838 and 63 1/ 344-4495. F ax: 63 1/344-5832. E-mail: do noghue @bnl.gov. Web site: www.bnl.gov/slc. Hours: limited to K-8 gr ade school groups, scouts, and teac hers by appointment. Admission: free.
FERMI NATIONAL ACCELERATOR LABORATORY LEDERMAN SCIENCE CENTER
Lederman Science Center at the F ermi National A ccelerator L aboratory in Batav ia, Illinois, has hands-o n exhibits about science , nature, and the F ermi Laboratory and ho w its scientists seek to learn more about the universe and how it works. The laboratory is named for Enrico Fermi, the Nobel laureate who directed the first controlled nuclear chain reaction, while science center is named for Nobel laureate and former laboratory director Leon M. Lederman. The science and tec hnology center functions as a v isitor center fo r the f ederal laboratory, the largest Amer ican labo ratory fo r r esearch in high-en ergy physics. In high-en ergy physics research, the pr incipal instruments are accelerators, a lso known as col liders, in whic h counter-rotating beams of particles collide and reveal new insight. Fermilab has the world’s second largest collider. The laboratory’s “Tevatron”
Lawrence was surpassed in 2008 by the huge new collider at CERN, the European L aboratory for Particle Physics. Fermilab is operated by the Universities Research Association, a consortium of 90 research universities. Lederman Science Center has inter active exhibits about science and the instruments, research, and accomplishments of Fermilab. Visitors also can walk the “Margaret Pearson Interpretive Trail” through the laboratory’s restored prairie with inter pretive signage about pr airie flora and fauna. In addition, roaming bison can be seen elsewhere on the laboratory grounds. The science and tec hnology center is operated by the Fermilab Education Office, which seeks to str engthen pr imary and seco ndary school educ ation by using the labo ratory’s r esources to improve teaching and learning in science, mathemat ics, engin eering, and tec hnology. Among the educational services are science classes for children and families, teacher workshops, bibliographies, and consultation and reference assistance. Lederman Science Center, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Kirk Rd. and Pine St., Fermilab MS 777, Bo x 500, Batav ia, IL 605 10. P hone: 630/8408258. Fax: 630/840-2500. Web site: www.ed.fnal.gov. Hours: 8:30 –4:30 Mon.–Fri., 9 –3 Sat.; c losed Sun. and major holidays. Admission: free.
LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY DISCOVERY CENTER
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a national security facility responsible to ensuring that the nat ion’s nuc lear weapons r emain safe and r eliable through advances in science and engineering, has a hands-on visitor center— called the Discovery Center—at its site in Livermore, California. Founded in 1952, the laboratory was managed fo r the N ational N uclear Security A dministration, within the Depar tment of En ergy, by the Univ ersity of Ca lifornia until 2007, and now is operated by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC. The Discovery Center has a number of interactive exhibits, inc luding computer, energy, glove box, and other hands-on science exhibits, and a broad-based display of the labo ratory’s history and information about its research programs, computational capabilities, and exper imental tools. The center a lso is part of a main site tour that gives visitors a look at some of the laboratory’s r esearch progr ams and facil ities. The
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tours start and end at the visitor center, and usually include stops at the N ational Ignition Facility, which has the wo rld’s largest and most energetic laser; the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center; and the Terascale Simulation Facility, home of the world’s fastest supercomputer. The tours ar e co nducted o n Tuesdays. Another tour that normally is offered the first and third Friday of the month is a look at Site 300, where non-nuclear explosives testing is conducted. Discovery Center , L awrence Liv ermore N ational Laboratory, Greenville Rd. o n Eastgate D r., Livermore, CA 94550. P hone: 925/423-3272. W eb site: www.llnl.gov. Hours: 1–4 Tues.–Fri., 10–2 Sat.; closed Sun.–Mon. and major holidays. Admission: free.
LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY BRADBURY SCIENCE MUSEUM
The Bradbury Science Museum at the Los Alamos N ational L aboratory oper ated by the University of Ca lifornia at Berkele y in L os Alamos, New Mexico, was one of the first handson science centers in a federal laboratory. Founded in 1963, it co ntains exhibits about the nuc lear physics laboratory and its r esearch and r elated scientific and tec hnological fields, using interactive techniques, computers, videos, and demonstrations. It serves 86,000 visitors annually.
(Specialized)—Energy The en ergy science center has thr ee ga lleries—relating to the labo ratory’s history, defense, and r esearch act ivities. The “ History Gallery” shows the world events leading to the Manhattan P roject and the ato mic bomb, describes Los Alamos before and after the project, and contains photos, documents, and objects relating to l ife in L os A lamos dur ing the y ears when scient ists raced to build the bo mb. The “Defense Gallery” describes the national security role of the laboratory and displays such artifacts as an ear ly war head, an air-launched cruise missile , and a bo mb c asing ident ical to the “ Fat Bomb” dropped o n N agasaki dur ing World War II. The “Research Gallery” has exhibits on the var ied basic and appl ied research conducted at the laboratory. In addit ion to the exhibits and l ive demonstrations, the m useum has a “Science on Wheels” outreach programs. Bradbury Science Museum, L os A lamos N ational Laboratory, 15th St. and Central Ave., Los Alamos, NM 87544 (mailing address: MSC330, Los Alamos National Laboratory, L os A lamos, NM 87545). Email:
[email protected]. Web site: www.lal.gov/museum. Hours: 10 –5 T ues.–Sat., 1–5 S un.–Mon.; closed N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. Admission: free.
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY VISITORS CENTER
A visiting family uses a hand-held Geiger counter in an activit y describing different types of ionizing r adiation at the Br adbury Science Museum at L os Alamos N ational Labor atory in L os Alamos, New Mexico. The museum’s exhibits are devoted to the nuclear physics laboratory and its research and related scient ific and technological fields. Courtesy of Bradbury Science Museum at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The U .S. Depar tment of Energy has a N ational Ren ewable En ergy L aboratory in Golden, Colorado, that seeks to advance the nation’s energy goals by accelerating research and furthering use of a lternative energy solutions. As par t of the ef fort, the laboratory operates a visitor’s center with exhibits that sho w how n ew technologies c an save energy, impro ve the env ironment, and lo wer the cost of energy. The science and technology center has an interact ive ha ll where visitors can learn about energy fro m the sun , wind, biomass, and other sour ces of r enewable energy. The exhibits also show ho w scient ists c apture a lternative energy resources to produce electricity and fuels. Other displays describe the likely future
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(Specialized)—Health of transportation. In addit ion, several outdoor exhibits demonstrate the sun ’s po wer and energy-conserving strategies for the home that can be implemented today. The visitor’s center also has a public reading room with current information about renewable energy, makes energy-related videos available to the v isiting publ ic, pr esents en ergy
Dolan programs to groups, and hosts en ergy wo rkshops and other educational programs. National Ren ewable En ergy L aboratory V isitors Center, 15013 Denver W est Pkwy ., Golden , C O 80401-3393. P hone: 303/384-6565. F ax: 303/3846568. E-mail: v
[email protected]. Web site: www.nrel.gov/visitors_center. Hours: 9–5 Mon.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun. and major holidays. Admission: free.
Health Science Centers ALICE AYCOCK POE CENTER FOR HEALTH EDUCATION
The Alice Aycock Poe Center fo r Health Education in Raleigh, North Carolina, is dedicated to positively impacting lives of the state’s youth through health education. The Poe Center, named in memo ry of the daughter of the Poe famil y who do nated the center ’s land, opened in 1991 to provide information to help young childr en and teens lead hea lthier l ifestyles. It has teaching theaters, exhibits, and offsite programs that have reached 715,000 participants from 73 counties since its founding. The hea lth science center has nutr ition, drug prevention, dental health, general health, and famil y l ife theaters; a “Cr anium Connection” section; and a “PlayWELL Park.” Among the exhibits ar e the “ Transparent Anatomical Mannequin,” “ Walk-in Br ain,” and suc h outdoor units as giant ears and a to ngue sl ide in the park. The center a lso has suc h hea lth-related games as “Mission Nutrition,” “Road Trip Fun,” and “My Body Scavenger Hunt!” Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education, 224 Sunnybrook Rd., R aleigh, NC 276 10. P hones: 919/231-4006 and 866/402-4799. Fax: 919/231-4315. E-mail: info@poehea lth.org. Web site: www .poehealth.org. Hours: 8:30 –5 Mon.–Fri.; c losed S at.– Sun. and major holidays. Admission: $6 per student.
DNA EPICENTER
The DNA EpiCenter, located in the Connecticut Col lege Ar boretum in N ew L ondon, seeks to promote “the understanding of the science of life.” The health science center evolved from the fo rmer Thames Science Center that began in the 1970s with the gift of land from the college through the ef forts of Richard Goodwin, then prof essor of botany . In 1994, it became the Science Center of Eastern Connecticut, and was r enamed the DN A EpiCenter in 2004 in recognition of the importance of science literacy and the key role of genomics.
The center no w focuses o n the DN A, forensics, and gen etics and seeks to empo wer people through l ife science educ ation. But the emphasis is on educational programming, rather than functioning as a museum open to the public. It has hands-o n inquir y-based bioscience experiments and exhibits for students in grades K-12, bioscience prof essional de velopment workshops for educators, and exhibits and educational programs to educ ate the gen eral public about current events relating to DNA. The science center offers laboratory classes, one-hour DNA programs, summer c amps, professional development wo rkshops, and a c areer-based summer internship program for high school students interested in such fi elds as forensics, education, technology, and business. DNA EpiCenter, Connecticut College, 33 Ga llows Lane, N ew L ondon, CT 06320. P hone: 860/4420391. Fax: 860/442-5008. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.dnaepicenter.org. Hours: 8:30 –5 Mon.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun. and major holidays. Admission: varies with program.
DOLAN DNA LEARNING CENTER
The Dolan DNA Learning Center is a genetics lear ning center af filiated with the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, an important center for molecular genetics research in Cold S pring Harbor, New York. It was the first science center dedic ated ent irely to DN A science educ ation. The center began with the showing of the Smithsonian Institution’s “The Search for Life” in 1988–92, followed by the first major in-house exhibition, “Story of a Gene,” in 1995–2001 and a second exhibition, “The Genes We Share,” in 2002.The center a lso has de veloped a number of sma ller exhibits o n such topics as DN A fingerprinting, Nobel Prize, Lasker Award, and Barbara McClintock, the laboratory’s noted scientist. “The Genes We Share” continues to be the
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featured exhibit at the Dolan DN A L earning Center. This hands-on exhibit follows the path of ancient humans across the globe, shows how DNA sequencers churn through 3 billion bases of human genome, traces the first reconstruction of an adult N eandertal skeleton, takes v iewers on a tour through the geno me, and descr ibes some of the landmarks in the fi eld. The center also has a m ultimedia audito rium wher e suc h films ar e sho wn as “Cell S ignals,” a 3D animated fi lm on a body ’s cellular response to an injury; “DNA: The Secret of Life,” which combines animat ion and v isual effects to tell the story of the 1953 discovery of the DNA structure by James W atson and F rancis Cr ick; and “Long Island Discovery,” a multimedia presentation of the history of Long Island. Among the science center’s education programs are class field trips that include hands-on laboratory exper iments and interact ive co mputer exper iences, summer day c amp gen etic workshops for middle school students, “Saturday DN A!” c lasses fo r the gen eral publ ic, teacher training workshops, and on-line DNA programming. Dolan DN L earning Center , Cold S pring Har bor Laboratory, 334 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724-1407. P hone: 5 16/367-5170. E-mail: dna lc@ cshl.edu. W eb site: www .dnalc.org. Hours: 10 –4 Mon.–Fri., 12–4 S at.; c losed S un. and majo r hol idays. Admission: free.
GLOBAL HEALTH ODYSSEY MUSEUM
The Global Health Odyssey Museum is an interactive health science center that serves as a visitor center at the Centers for Disease Control and P revention in Atlanta. The m useum, founded in 1996 and housed in the Tom Harkin Global Communications Center, tells about the federal hea lth agenc y, publ ic hea lth, and benefits of pr evention to e veryone’s life. It has an annual attendance of 56,000. The exhibits include “Global Symphony,” a multimedia exhibit that introduces visitors to the CD C and publ ic hea lth; “ The S tory of CDC,” whic h tr aces the histo ry of the hea lth agency that emphasiz es pr evention; and “ The Messengers,” whic h f eatures a large-sc ale serpentine stone sculpture by artist Lameck Bonjisi of Z imbabwe that illustrates the inter play of public health, culture, and community. The permanent exhibits ar e supplemented by such changing exhibitions as “The Changing Face of
(Specialized)—Health Women’s Hea lth,” “O utbreak: P lagues that Changed History/the Work of Br yn Barnard,” and “Your Genes and Your Choices.” The Global Health Odyssey Museum also has a “CDC Disease Detective Camp,” a pubic day camp which explores how the federal agency safeguards the nation’s health by probing a disease out break, and the “ Excite!” col lection of teaching and r eference materials developed by CDC to introduce and excite youngsters about the kno wledge and skills ut ilized by publ ic health professionals. Global Health Odyssey Museum, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tom Harkin Globa l Communications Center, Mailstop A-14, 1600 Clifton Rd. N.E. at CD C Pkwy., Atlanta, GA 30333. P hone: 404/639-0830. E-mail:
[email protected] v. Web site: www.cdc.gov. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 9 –7 Thurs.; closed S at.–Sun. and f ederal hol idays. Admission:
free.
HALL OF HEALTH
The Ha ll of Hea lth in Berkele y, Ca lifornia, is a co mmunity health education museum and science center dedicated to promoting wellness and indiv idual r esponsibility fo r hea lth. The philosophy of the hands-o n center, sponsored by the Childr en’s Hospital and Research Center at Oakland, is that an understanding of how the body works provides a meaningful context fo r a ll the pr actices that pro mote good health. Approximately 18,000 children and family members visit the Hall of Health each year. The Hall of Health began as a tempo rary exhibit in the lobby of the A lta Bates Hospital in Berkeley in 1974. The exhibit became so popular that it mo ved to a semi-per manent home. In 1989, Alta Bates Hospital and the Children’s Hospital in Oak land agr eed to pool their r esources and talent and become joint sponsors of the health science center. The hall then moved to its present 6,200-square-foot location and the Children’s Museum became the sole sponsor in 2001. It now features hands-on exhibits involving such techniques as electronic quizzes, medical equipment, hea lth-related computer programs, and body and o rgan models. A docent leads discussio ns and demo nstrates exhibits, with presentations being available on the human body, nutrition, puberty, safety, genetics, body image, and drugs and addition. Hall of Hea lth, 2230 S hattuck A ve. (lo wer le vel), Berkeley, CA 94704. Phone: 510/549-1564. Web site: www.hallofhealth.org. Hours: 10–4 Tues.–Sat.; closed
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Sun.–Mon. and majo r hol idays. A dmission: $5 per person over 2; children under 3, free.
HAROLD W. MCMILLEN CENTER FOR HEALTH EDUCATION
The Harold W . McMil lan Center fo r Health Education in Fort Wayne, Indiana, seeks to pro vide hea lth educ ation fo r childr en that promotes p hysical, emot ional, and socia l well being. The 16,000-square-foot hea lth science center open ed in 1981 with suppo rt from the Harold W. McMillan and J im Kelley famil ies and numerous indiv iduals, foundat ions, and corporations. It loc ated on 11 wooded acres on Fort Wayne’s south side and now serves approximately 40,000 children annually at the site, at schools on an outreach basis, and through interactive video conferences. The McMillen Center offers 72 education programs fo r pr eschool through high school students, covering such fields as general health, safety, personal hygiene, nutrition, fitness, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, breast and testicular self examination, bullying prevention education, and drug, a lcohol, and tobacco abuse pr evention. The center has six themed teaching theaters, an auditorium, and a ha ll with hands-o n exhibits that deal with suc h subjects as smoking cessation and dental care. Harold W. McMillen Center for Heath Educ ation, 600 Jim Kelley Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46816. Phone: 260/456-4511. E-mail: mcmil len@mcmillencenter. org. W eb site: www .mcmillencenter.org. Hours: 8–4:30 Mon.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun. and major holidays. Admissi\on: $4 per student.
THE HEALTH ADVENTURE
The Health Adventure, a long-time health science center for children in Ashe ville, North Carolina, is about to move to new quarters and become a general science center for children and adults with a new name—the Momentum Science and Health Adventure Park. It was one of the first health education centers of its kind in the nation. Founded in 1968 by the Buncombe County Medical Society Auxiliary, it sought to improve health awareness and promote wellness lifestyles, and later to incr ease science l iteracy through exhibits and programs. The center’s first home was in a small storage room in Memorial Mission Hospital and its primary init ial focus was to r educe childr en’s fear of hospita l sett ings. In the years that followed, its mission broadened and it moved to an
Health abandoned gym and then a log cabin at the hospital, to the Mountain Area Health Education Center in 1978, to the P ack P lace Educ ation, Arts and Science Center in 1992, and to the new Momentum Science and Hea lth A dventure Park in 2010. It now has an annual attendance of over 130,000. The new 39,000-square-foot facil ity is an interactive science m useum and disco very park on an environmentally friendly 10-acre campus. It will serve visitors of all ages with exhibits and programs that to explore life, health, and the environment. In addition to indoor hands-on science and health exhibits, the new site will have outdoor exhibits, a c hildren’s garden , an openair amphitheater, and walking trails. Among the new additions will be a large tree house (with a classroom) for exploration, c limbing, sl iding, and lear ning, and the co ntinent’s fi rst peda lpowered monorail in whic h v isitors c an peda l through the tr ee tops. Amo ng the lo ng-time health favorite exhibits to be moved to the new facility ar e “ TAM” (sho rt fo r T ransparent Anatomical Mannequin), whic h shows human anatomy and how the body functions, and “Mr. Bones,” the skeleton that teaches visitors about the dynamics of mot ion and exercise. The new facility also will have an updated “Creative Playspace” for children under the age of 6, traveling exhibitions, and suc h educ ational act ivities as Girl Scouts, home school, and other programs. The Health Adventure, 2 S. Park Sq., Asheville, NC 28801 (mailing address: PO Box 180, Asheville, NC 28802-0180). Momentum Science and Hea lth A dventure Park is at Catalpa and Broadway in Asheville, Phone: 828/254-6373. Fax: 828/257-4521. Web site: www.thehealthadventure.org and www .momentumscience.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed Mon. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $8.50; seniors and students over 11, $7.50; children under 2, free.
HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM OF CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The Hea lth Educ ation P rogram of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History resulted from the 2007 merger of Hea lthSpace Cle veland, a health science center, with the Cleveland museum. It no w is an inquir y-based lear ning program on hea lth and l ife science within the natural histo ry m useum. It st ill has hands-o n exhibits, but they are used for teaching purposes rather than serving as public exhibits.
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The various health programs now are given to school groups through the Health Education Department of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. They are presented at the museum, as well as through the “Health on Wheels” outreach program and distance learning interactive videoconference program. They take the form of classes, hands-o n wo rkshops, pr eschool programs, school assemblies, large group programs, and distance learning and dea l with such subjects as the human body , senses, cel ls, bacteria and viruses, drugs, nutrition, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, DN A, gen es, str ess, and AIDS. Health Educ ation P rogram, Cle veland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade O val Dr., University Circle, Cle veland, OH 44 106-1767. P hones: 2 16/2318002, 2 16/231-4600, and 800/3 17-9155. Web site: www.cmnh.org/site/classesandprograms/schoolprograms/healthed. Hours: 10 –5 Mo n.–Tues. and Thurs.–Sat., 10 –10 Wed., 12 –5 S un.; c losed N ew Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: $4.75 per student.
HEALTHWORKS! KIDS’ MUSEUM
The Hea lthWorks! Kids’ Museum in South Bend, Indiana, is a 12,000-square-foot health science center aimed at teaching children from kindergarten through gr ade 6 about ho w health choices they make wil l impact their future quality of l ife. The center has 11 different learning tracts (and mo re progr ams on weekends), with c hildren learning through inter active exhibits, computer stations, and other challenges about the br ain and body that r eveal information about their talents. HealthWorks! was founded in 1999 and opened in 2000 under the leadership of the Memorial Health System and Memorial Health Foundation. It no w operates as an af filiate of the Memorial Health System and serves 70,000 visitors annually. The program has been so successful that ef forts ar e under way to de velop similar inst itutions in suc h places as T upelo, Mississippi; Ever ett, Washington; and High Point, North Carolina. The hands-on exhibits and progr ams ar e about such subjects as staying clean and healthy, oral h ygiene, hea lthy foods, senso ry o rgans, conflict resolution, anatomy and physiology, respiratory and circulatory systems, changing bodies, puberty, human gro wth and de velopment, general hygiene, sexually tr ansmitted diseases, and abst inence-based pr ogram. The science
(Specialized)—Health center a lso has week-lo ng summer c amp programs, a Gir l Scouts badge pr ogram, and a “HealthWorks Hummer ” outr each progr am that travels to schools and other organizations. HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum, Memo rial L eighton Healthplex, 111 W. Jefferson St., Suite 2000, S outh Bend, IN 46601. Phone: 574/287-5437 and 574/6472680. Web site: www .healthworkskids.org. Hours: 9–4 Mon.–Fri., 12–4 Sat.; closed Sun., Sat. between Memorial Day and L abor Day, and majo r hol idays. Admission: $4 per perso n o ver 1; c hildren under 2, free.
HULT HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER
The Hult Hea lth Educ ation Center in Peoria, Illinois, features five themed classrooms with interactive exhibits as part of its health education offerings. The classrooms are devoted to general health, substance abuse, family life, nutrition, and “TAM”—the Transparent Anatomical Mann equin. The c lasses ar e fo r sc hool groups, but the hea lth science center a lso has evening classes for adults, special programs for seniors and children with cancer, and outreach programs that take hea lth education classes to schools. The health science center, founded in 1989 and opened in 1990, is named fo r donor Marvin Hult. In the theater progr ams, large electronic display s, audio visual pr esentations, and interactive models that can be explored are used part of the instr uction. D uring the year , the center a lso offers a mo nth of progr amming in three other areas—such as dental health, heart, and saf ety—in addit ion to the r egular c lasses. The theater programs also include other activities and take-home packets. The Hult Center’s annual attendance is nearly 25,000. Hult Hea lth Educ ation Center , 52 15 N. Kno xville Ave., Peoria, IL 6 1614. P hone: 309/692-6650. F ax: 309/692-6575. E-mail: info@hult-hea lth.org. Web site: www.hult-health.org. Hours: 8–4:30 Mon.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun. and major holidays. Admission: $3 per student.
JOHN P. MCGOVERN MUSEUM OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL SCIENCE
The John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medicin e Science in Housto n is better known simply as the “The Health Museum.” It came into existence in 1969 as a r esult of the successful 1962 “ Victory over Polio” campaign sponsored by the Harris County Medical Soci-
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Kansas
ety and the Junior Chamber of Commerce. After a high-level citizens co mmittee r ecommended that permanent health exhibits be developed for public education, the medic al society init iated plans to build the exhibits with funds fro m public and physician contributions, the polio immunization program, and the Housto n Endowment. The init ial exhibits wer e called the “ Museum of Medical Science” and placed in the Houston Museum of N atural History, where they remained with outreach programs for 21 years. In 1996, following a suc- An exhibit about teeth and their care is among the hands-on exhibits cessful $9 .5 mil lion c apital at the Kansas Learning Center for Health in Halstead. The health campaign by suppo rters, the science center has been of fering health educ ation prog rams to Museum of Health and Med- school children since 1965. Courtesy of the K ansas Learning Center ical Science opened. In 2001, it for Health. was named fo r D r. Jo hn P . and Fri.–Sat., 9–7 Thurs., 12–5 Sun.; closed ThanksMcGovern, an allergy and asthma specialist, in giving and Christmas. Admission: adults, $8; seniors recognition of his contributions to the museum’s and children 3–12, $6; children under 3, free. success. The museum now serves nearly 190,000 visitors annually. The museum’s principal exhibits are “The KANSAS LEARNING CENTER Amazing Body P avilion,” feat uring three illuHEALTH FOR sion presentations that dramatically communiThe Kansas Learning Center for Health in cate health and wellness information about the Halstead has been of fering hea lth educ ation lungs, heart, and brain and 61 interactive video programs to sc hool children at the site and o n and audio kiosks that inv ite v isitors to pose an outreach basis since 1965. The programs emquestions about human anato my and hea lth, phasize tobacco and dr ug free living and other and “You: The Exhibit,” which takes visitors— healthy l ifestyle c hoices. The center , whic h is with m ultimedia and specia l effects technolopen to the publ ic, also offers professional deogy—on a jour ney to explo re their ph ysical velopment workshops for teachers and programs selves, mental state, and future selves. Other exfor adults, par ents, and Gir l Scouts. It has an hibits include the “Challenge Gallery,” with six annual attendance of 25,000. game-like hands-on exhibit units that test the The c hildren’s progr ams ar e de voted to reflexes, m uscles, and br ains of v isitors, and a such subjects as hea lthy habits, saf ety, denta l “Sensory Garden,” where visitors can smell the health, bones and muscles, nutrition and fitness, flowers, touch the plants, and listen to the birds digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory in exploring the world of nature. The museum system, nervous system, immune system, body also has such educ ational activities as l ive sciand puberty, bull ying, human gro wth and deence sho ws, famil y science program, day and velopment, healthy foods, drug use, and healthy summer c amps, home school program, Scout and unhea lthy r elationships. The Gir l Scouts classes, outreach program, and teacher services. have a badge program. Programs for adults and John P. McGovern Museum of Hea lth and Medical parents ar e offered on such subjects as hea lth Science, 1515 Hermann D r., Houston, T X 77004. and wellness for adults, growing old gracefully, Phones: 7 13/521-1515 and 7 13/942-7054. F ax: eating for health, and the horse and buggy doc713/526-1434. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .mhms.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Wed. tor, and teac her de velopment wo rkshops dea l
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with youth and teen depr ession, adult depr ession, adolescent sexuality, puberty, and healthier students. In addit ion to c lasses, the hea lth science center has multimedia and hands-on model exhibits, and f eatures “ Valeda,” the tr ansparent talking woman—with plast ic replicas of internal organs lit by tiny bulbs—who stands on a revolving pedestal and describes the human body. Kansas L earning Center fo r Hea lth, 505 Main S t., Halstead, KS 67056. Phones: 316/835-2662 and 800/ 798-2124. Fax: 316/835-2755. Web site: www.learningcenter.org. Hours: 9 –4 Mon.–Fri.; c losed S at.– Sun. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $2; seniors and children, $1.50; families, $5; school groups— $3.50 per student for half day and $5.50 per student for full day.
KLEIST HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER
The Kleist Hea lth Education Center, located at F lorida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, is known for using highly interactive and animated techniques in presenting health education programs that promote healthy lifestyles for c hildren and adults. The hea lth science center br ings thr ee teac hing theaters to l ife using dynamic models, hands-on exhibits, and multimedia presentations. The center was made possible by a $1 million contribution in 2001 by developer Peter Kleist and his wife, Eleanore. The hea lth educ ation progr ams seek to build an appreciation for the human body, mind, and spir it among children from 3 years of age and adults. The programs co ver fi ve different aspects of health—general health, human growth and development, nutrition and fitness, drug education, and character educ ation. The center also offers outreach programs and specia l programs fo r summer c amps and Bo y and Gir l Scouts. Kleist Health Education Center, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Bl vd. S., Fort Myers, FL 33965. Phone: 239/590-7459. Fax: 239/590-7464. Email:
[email protected]. Web site: www.fgcu.edu/ khec. Hours: 10:15 and 11.30 Mon.–Fri., but programs also may be scheduled for other times and days; generally c losed Sat.–Sun. and majo r hol idays. Admission: $3 per person, with a program minimum of $72.
MILLIS REGIONAL HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER
The Mil lis Regio nal Hea lth Educ ation
(Specialized)—Health Center is a ser vice of the High Point Regional Health System in High Point, North Carolina. It was opened in 1998 to provide an education facility devoted to community health education needs. The health science center takes a “handson” approac h to lear ning, with touch-scr een computers, larger than l ife displays, high-tech exhibits, and interactive programming. It helps school students, church groups, local organizations, and indiv iduals learn about the human body and how to keep themselves healthy. The “ Wellness Discovery P lace” contains the inter active hea lth educ ation display s. The exhibits range from a transparent talking mannequin to a bic ycling skeleton, sn eezing machine, touc h-screen computers, and a l ife-size Michael Jordan measuring exhibit. The center also has two specialized learning theaters. Giant 3D models and super-siz e exhibits br ing the human body sy stems to l ife in the “Gen eral Health and W ellness L earning Theater ,” and basic models and exhibits explain the significance of l iving a hea lthy l ife and c lasses focus on issues from puberty to human development in the “Family Life Learning Theater.” Millis Regional Hea lth Educ ation Center , 600 N. Elm S t., High P oint, NC 27262. P hone: 336/8786713. W eb site: www .millishealth.com. Hours: 8:30 –5 Mon.–Fri., but other times available upon request; generally closed Sat.–Sun. and major holidays. Admission: $2 to $4 per person, varying with type of group.
MOMENTUM SCIENCE AND HEALTH ADVENTURE PARK, Ashe ville, NC. S ee General Science Centers section.
NATIONAL HEALTH MUSEUM
A N ational Hea lth Museum is being planned for Atlanta that has the mission of “inspiring Americans to live healthier lives through access to kno wledge and themed exhibits focused on the life sciences.” More than $12 million has been raised so far to de velop plans for the museum and to operate current educational programs. The m useum intends to cr eate programs of “ intergenerational famil y appea l that foster interactive learning, enter tainment, and curiosity about good health and the science behind it.” The plans call for the visitor experience to be a blend of “experiential family attraction, twenty-first-century science museum education and health information center, and globa l distribution network.” Meanwhile , a “Cy berMu-
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(Specialized)—Health seum” online service has been launched to advance the educational mission and build interest in the project. Plans call for a National Health Museum of about 190,000 square feet to be built in Atlanta ’s Centennia l Olympic Park by 20 13, with the building design by wo rld renowned ar chitect Moshe Safdie and the tota l cost being around $250 mil lion. In addition to the interactive exhibits and the o nline ser vice, the museum will have an Education Center with K- 12 programs, c lassrooms, and science labo ratories and a Health Conference Center to serve as the site of majo r health-related meet ings and activities.
Robert
In addition to health c lasses for school g roups, the Rober t Crown Center for Health Education in Hinsdale, Illinois, has such programs as the “Body Trek Summer Camp.” In this photograph, students are practicing computer-assisted surgical operations as part of the camp program. Courtesy of the Robert Crown Center for Health Education.
National Hea lth Museum Office, 1350 Connecticut A ve., N.W., 5th floo r, W ashington, DC 20036. P hone: 202/7372670. Fax: 202/833-2070. E-mail: info@nat ionalhealthmuseum.org. Web site: www .nationalhealthmuseum.org. Hours and admissio n: st ill to be determined.
ROBERT CROWN CENTER FOR HEALTH EDUCATION
The Robert Crown Center for Health Education in Hinsda le, I llinois, was the wo rld’s first fully instructional health education center for st udents and teachers. It is open o nly to school groups par ticipating in the programs. The health science center began in 1958 as the Hinsdale Hea lth Museum, a pio neering venture in the fields of health, family living, and sex education made possible by the support of Eugene and V irginia Ketter ing. In 1972, P aul Schwender donated land for a new site and the Henry Crown Family provided the support for a n ew building at the m useum’s pr esent loc ation. The facil ity, whic h was r enamed the Robert Crown Center of Hea lth Education in memory of Crown family’s son, opened in 1974. It now has an annual attendance of 150,000 boys and girls from more than 600 sc hools in eight counties. The Robert Crown Center also oper-
ates branch facilities in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood and in suburban Aurora, and offers c lasses at Chic ago’s Museum of Science and Industry. The Robert Crown Center seeks to mot ivate c hildren to make behav ioral c hanges by teaching them the skil ls necessary for hea lthy decisions. More than 30 age-appropr iate programs for children from preschool through high school ar e offered—many with interact ive exhibits as teaching tools, as well as “Valeda,” the talking transparent anatomical mannequin. The programs range from general hea lth and wel lness to such areas as drugs, alcohol and tobacco abuse pr evention, and famil y l iving. The y progress from teac hing pr e-adolescents about the changes they will experience during puberty, through the r isks and consequences of teenage sexual act ivity, to dif ficult r elationship issu es. The center also presents summer camp and outreach programs. Since the health education program began in 1958, more than 5 million children have participated in the progr am over the ha lf century. Many hea lth educ ation centers in the nat ion and other countries have patterned their facilities and programs after the Robert Crown Center.
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Robert Crown Center for Health Education, 21 Salt Creek L ane, Hinsda le, IL 6052 1. P hone: 630/3251900. F ax: 630/325-3970. E-mail: r
[email protected]. Web site: www .robertcrown.org. Hours: mid–Sept.–mid–June—9:45–2:30 Mon.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun. and nat ional holidays. Admission: $4 per student.
RUTH LILLY HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER
The Ruth Lilly Health Education Center in Indianapolis came about from the interest of six loc al ser vice c lubs to be of assistance to young people in hea lth educ ation. Under the leadership of the Rotar y Club, the Exchange , Kiwanis, Lions, Optimist, Rotary, and Sertoma clubs formed Life Leadership Development Inc. in l981 to provide a health education center for children. In 1985 and 1986, the Methodist Hospital gave the land and a successful $4 mil lion capital fund dr ive was completed with a majo r gift of $ 1 from philanthropist R uth Lilly. The health educ ation center open ed in 1989 dedicated to the pro motion of hea lthy l ifestyles through pr eventive educ ation and to helping students make better choices and live healthier lives. S ince then , it has ser ved mo re than 1.5 million youngsters. The Lilly Center, which has become Indiana’s largest health education center, empowers children from age 3 to adult to make mo re informed decisions about their hea lth and well being. Useful information is pro vided on general health, nutrition and fitness, human growth and de velopment, dr ug educ ation, menta l health, violence prevention, and disease prevention and control. The center has seven teaching theaters in which 35 age-appropr iate interactive programs are offered. It delivers high-tech, hands-on health education lessons in a facil ity with such features as 3D anatomical models and computerized display s, inter active vot ing buttons, m ultimedia elements, co mputerized exhibits and v ideos, high-tech audio and v isual aids, and such other exhibits as the transparent anatomical mannequin and a life-size skeleton. Ruth Lilly Health Education Center, 2055 N. S enate A ve., Indianapol is, IN 46202- 1210. P hone: 317/924-0904. Web site: www.rlhec.org. Hours: 8–5 Mon.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun. and major holidays. Admission: $3 per student, with a program minimum of $72.
(Specialized)—Health
ST. JOSEPH MERCY HEALTH EXPLORATION STATION
The St. Joseph Mercy Health Exploration Station, a 3,500-square-foot health science center loc ated in the S t. Joseph Mer cy Canto n Health Center in Canto n, Michigan, provides interactive hea lth progr ams fo r pr eschool through high school st udents. The pr ograms, which include a classroom presentation and exploration in the hands-o n exhibit ga llery, ar e designed to enhance and support school instruction and meet se veral state curr iculum objectives. The exhibit ga llery a lso is open to the public the fourth Thursday of the month. The hea lth science center of fers age-appropriate progr ams in such ar eas as gen eral health, nutr ition, saf ety, famil y l ife, and dr ug education, as wel l as a teac her in-ser vice program on bull y and v iolence pr evention in the classroom. The exhibit gallery, which the children enter through a giant walk-through of the human body, is filled with hands-on exhibits to engage the senses of touch, sound, and sight. In the ga llery, c hildren leap , pul l, and str etch in the fitness areas, hear the rhythm of their heartbeat, test their nutr ition sav vy using a touch screen, and interact in other ways. St. Joseph Mer cy Hea lth Explo ration S tation, S t. Joseph Mercy Canton Health Center, 1600 S. Canton Center Rd., Suite 10, Canton, MI 48188. Phone: 734/398-7518. Fax: 734/398-7537. Web site: www . healthexplorationstation.com. Hours: sc hool groups —9:30, 11:15, and 1 Mon.–Fri. dur ing school year ; closed in June-Aug. and major holidays; public viewing of exhibits— 10 –6 on 4th Thurs. of mo nth. Admission: $4 per student plus school group fee; public exhibit viewing—adults, $2; children, $1.
SUSAN P. BYRNES HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER
The S usan B . By rnes Hea lth Educ ation Center in York, Pennsylvania, seeks to educate and inspire people of a ll ages to make hea lthy choices. It was the dream of Susan P. Byrnes, a registered nurse, who sought to bring the innovative teaching concept to central Pennsylvania. It opened in 1995 through the ef forts of hundreds of volunteers and $3 million in a community capital campaign. The health science center no w ser ves appro ximately 60,000 v isitors annually in over 40 health education programs. The By rnes Center has four educ ational platforms—teaching theaters, outr each program, web-based and e-learning programs, and
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(Specialized)—Marine “Wellness W orks” pr ogram that is an adult health educ ation and co rporate wel lness program to assist emplo yees and their famil ies to reduce health risks by making voluntary health behavior changes. The center has fi ve interactive teac hing theaters with progr ams that address such health topics as substance abuse, nutrition, fitn ess, human ph ysiology, denta l health, puberty, safety, and the five senses. Each program makes use of multimedia exhibits, engaging teaching tools, and an effective presenter. To reach additional students, outreach programs ar e pr esented in sc hool c lassrooms, teachers are given e-learning interactive activities and lesson plans to use in school health programs, and a n ew web site has been launched that offers effective ways to teach K-6 children about healthy lifestyles. Susan P. By rnes Hea lth Educ ation Center , 5 15 S. George S t., York, PA 17401. P hone: 717/848-3064. Web site: www .learntobehealthy.org. Hours: 8 –5 Mon.–Fri.; closed Sat.–Sun. and major holidays. Admission: $7 per person.
YOUZEUM
YouZeum is a hea lth science center that opened in Columbia, Missouri, in 2008. It seeks to impro ve personal, famil y, and co mmunity health with an engaging hands-on approach to health educ ation. YouZeum r esulted fro m a 1991 proposal by the Boo ne Count y Medic al Society Alliance, calling for an interactive science center focused o n hea lth, welln ess, and fitness. The Columbia Chamber of Co mmerce health committee endorsed the co ncept, a 15member task force was formed, the project was incorporated initially as the Hea lth Adventure Center, the cit y of Columbia gav e its support, the hea lth center r eceived the 30,000-squ arefoot Federal Building from the Depar tment of Education at no cost, the Y ouZeum name was adopted in 2005, and hea lth science center opened three years later in the histo ric Federal Building.
Aquarium The YouZeum exhibits inc lude “All S ystems Go!” a 3D fi lm explaining how body systems function; “Power Plant,” featuring a cast of phytochemical super heroes and the po wer of food; “All Foods Din er,” wher e hea lthy food choices are investigated; “Snackster,” where visitors inter act with a ta lking v ending mac hine; “Bone S tatue,” a milk-dr inking, weightl ifting skeleton demonstrates the impact of c alciumrich foods and weight-bearing exercise on bone health; “Fine Tune Body Shop,” devoted to the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, body mechanics, and r outine maintenance; “Body Fair,” wher e v isitors c an test their ba lance, flexibil ity, gr ip str ength, v ertical jump , and other attr ibutes; “ Virtual O bstacle,” v isitors jog o n a v irtual tr ail o r have their image projected as they jump , dance , and wav e to dodge aco rns thro wn by a squirr el o r swat at bumblebees; “Cycle,” riding a bike along a virtual replica of Columbia’s Hinkson Creek Trail; “Brainasium,” with touch scr een co mputer games that bolster brain po wer and test memory; “Are You Ready?” dealing with the joys and trials of par enthood; “Healthy Baby,” learning how to keep the mother and baby healthy during pregnancy; “YouNewz,” serving as a television news reporter and interviewing health experts; “ Plun P hysiology,” a 16-foot ta ll audio kinetic sculpt ure where ba lls roll, bells chime, and percussion devices clatter to represent food and blood g oing through the human body ; “Health Professions Kiosk ,” which describes a variety of health professions; and “Explore and More Room,” designed for interactions and explorations by children from 6 months to 7 years of age. YouZeum, 608 E. Cherry St., Columbia, MO 65201. Phone: 573/886-2006. F ax: 573/874- 1566. E-mail:
[email protected]. W eb site: www .youzeum.org. Hours: 10 –5 Wed.–Fri., 10 –6 Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed Mon.–Tues. and majo r hol idays. Admission: adults, $8; children 4 –13, $5; children under 4, free.
Marine Science Centers AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC The A quarium of the P acific in L ong Beach is Southern California‘s largest aquarium and home to 12,500 ocean animals representing nearly 500 species. It seeks “to install a sense of wonder, r espect, and ste wardship” fo r the
planet’s largest and most diverse body of water. Founded in 1998, the aquarium now features 19 major habitats and 32 focus exhibits and has an annual attendance of 1.4 million. The aquarium has three main galleries devoted to the three major regions of the Pacific— “Southern California/Baja,” “Tropical Pacific,”
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and “Northern Pacific.” Among the exhibits are the “S hark L agoon,” a 10,000-square-foot lagoon containing more than 150 sharks—where zebra, bamboo , and epaulette sharks c an be touched in thr ee sha llow sub-pools; L orikeet Forest, an aviary where visitors can fed the Australian birds, who will sit o n their hand, arm, and even head to get some of the sweet nectar; and “Our Watersheds: Pathway to the Pacific,” where visitors can interact with a three-dimensional watershed model, make it rain, and activate hands-on stations. Other galleries include “Gulf of Ca lifornia,” “ Whales: Voices in the Sea,” and “S horebird S anctuary.” N umerous oceanographic-related videos are shown in the “Ocean on the Edge Gallery,” and two 3D animated films also are available—Monsters of the Abyss, which takes viewers to the depths of the ocean, and A Fish Stor y, feat uring a l ittle fish named Deepo and his undersea friends. The marine science center also offers three behind the scen e tours /animal encounters— “Sea Otter,” where visitors help prepare sea otter food as the y learn about taking c are of the otters; “Seals and Sea Lions,” which enables visitors to experience how the aquarium’s mammalogists care for seals and sea lions; and “Sharks,” a two-hour guided tour of many of the aqu arium’s most exit ing behind the scenes areas, including caring for sharks. It a lso is possible to be an “Oceanographer for a Day” and do so me fairly sophist icated ana lysis of loc al mar ine habitats, inspect ocean sediments, measure and record otter tr awl, v iew mar ine plankton, and sieve burrowing benthic cr eatures during a r esearch cruise on Conqueror, the 80-foot research vessel. Whale watching and harbor cruises also are available. In addition, the aquarium has such educational act ivities as c lasses, sleepo vers, home school program, “Out of the Box Science” traveling tr uck progr am, and “ Aquarium o n Wheels” outreach program. Aquarium of the P acific,,100 Aquarium Way, L ong Beach, CA 90802. P hone: 562/590-3100. Fax: 562/ 951-1629. E-mail: aquariumofpacifi
[email protected]. Web site: www.aquariumofpacific.org. Hours: 9 –6 dail y; closed Chr istmas and dur ing Grand P rix of L ong Beach o n thr ee day s in Apr . A dmission: adults, $23.95; seniors, $20.95; c hildren 7 –11, $11.95; children under 7, free.
AUDUBON AQUARIUM AMERICAS
OF THE
The Audubon Aquarium of the Amer icas
(Specialized)—Marine was one of the v ictims of the 2005 Hurr icane Katrina in New Orleans. Although its building along the Mississippi River o n the edge of the historic French Quarter survived, the aquarium staff was fo rced to e vacuate the building , the hurricane disr upted the po wer needed to keep the life support systems operating, and most of the 10,000 fish did not sur vive. It was unt il a year later that the aqu arium reopened, but the aquarium is st ill r ebuilding and r unning an adopt-an-animal progr am. Amo ng the improvements made ar e moiré species in the Caribbean and jellyfish exhibits and a major revamp of the Gulf of Mexico tank. The Audubon Aquarium of the Amer icas is part of the nonprofit Audubon Nature Institute family of institutions that also includes the Audubon Z oo, A udubon L ouisiana N ature Center, and A udubon Insectar ium. The inst itute a lso has t wo anima l species pr eservation centers—Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center and A udubon Center fo r Research of Endanger ed Species). The aqu arium began as a part of the Audubon Zoo, which was established in 1914. In the mid– 1980s, a $25 million bond issue was passed to r eplace a decaying war ehouse ar ea a long the Mississippi River with the A udubon A quarium and the Woldenberg Riv erfront P ark. The aqu arium opened in 1990 and immediately began drawing large crowds, which resulted in the addit ion of a new wing housing the Entergy IMAX Theatre and a changing exhibit ion ga llery. It no w has 122,000 square feet of exhibit space and an annual attendance approaching 1 million. The aquarium currently has about 15,000 sea l ife cr eatures r epresenting n early 600 species. “Adventure Island” is an action-packed interactive play z one at the aqu arium. V isitors can cr awl on, c limb in , sit o n, and touc h exhibits. Among the highlights are a 2,600-gallon pool where visitors can touch and help feed the cownose rays. The “Shark Touch Pool” also allows visitors to touch a baby shark and talk with the naturalist, and the new “Frogs!” exhibit involves hands-on activity. One of the most eyecatching exhibits is the “Caribbean Reef,” which has a 30-foot aqu atic tunnel that giv es visitors an under water v iew of sea l ife surrounded by 132,000 gallons of water. Among the other exhibits are “Mississippi River Gallery,” which features a r are white a lligator; “Amazon Rainforest Gallery,” with freshwater stingrays, piranhas, macaws, and an ana-
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Birch
conda; “Gulf of Mexico Gallery,” which has sea turtles, sharks, and st ingrays fro m the gulf; “Seahorse Gallery,” with sea horses and dragons; “Sea Otters,” home to two playful southern sea otters; and “ Penguins,” a colo ny feat uring t wo species of warm-water penguins. The aquarium also has c hildren and adult c lasses, “AquaVan” outreach program, and educational activities. Audubon A quarium of the Amer icas, 1 Canal S t., New Or leans, LA 70130 (mail ing address: PO Bo x 4327, N ew Or leans, L A 70 178). P hones: 504/58 14629 and 800/774-7394. Fax: 504/565-3010. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .audubon institute.org/aquarium. Hours: 10 –5 T ues.–Sun.; closed Mon., Mardi Gras Day , Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $18; seniors, $14; children 2–12, $11; children under 2, free.
BIRCH AQUARIUM AT SCRIPPS
The Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla, California, is the public arm of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego. It has a three-fold mission—to pr ovide ocean science educ ation, interpret Scr ipps Inst itute of Oceanograph y r esearch, and pro mote ocean co nservation. The Scripps Institution, which was founded in 1903 as the Mar ine Biologic al Associat ion of S an Diego, has had a publ ic aqu arium since 1905 when the aquarium was opened on the first floor of the institution’s first permanent building and an oceanographic museum was located in an upstairs lecture hall. In 1915, the first building devoted solely to an aquarium was built o n the c ampus, and in 1951 it moved into a thr ee-story building and became the Scr ipps A quarium-Museum. In 1985, the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation gave $6 mil lion to a fund-r aising campaign to build a n ew larger aqu arium-museum. It r esulted in the pr esent 28,246-square-foot complex atop a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Scripps Institution, opening in 1992 as the Birch Aquarium at Scr ipps. The annual attendance now is over 400,000. The Scripps Institution of Oceanogr aphy was started in 1903 when zoologist William E. Ritter of the University of California at Berkeley and newspaper owner E. W. Scripps, philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, and physician Fred Baker chartered the Marine Biological Association. Today, it is one of the oldest, largest, and most important centers for ocean and earth science research, education, and public service.
Two girls inspect the shar p teeth of a bull shark at the Birch A quarium at Scr ipps, a par t of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of Califor nia at San Diego . T he Bir ch Aquarium, which opened in 1992, provides ocean science education, interprets the oceanographic institution, and promotes ocean conser vation. Courtesy of the Birch Aquarium at Scripps.
The r esearch encompasses ph ysical, c hemical, biological, geologic al, and geoph ysical st udies of the oceans and earth. Most of the more than 300 research programs under way ar e interdisciplinary. The obser vation, measur ement, and collection of samples and data are accomplished on a global scale by shipboard, ground, and aerial oper ations, and inc lude r emote sensing by satellite and the use of wide-ranging instrument networks. The exhibits and programs at the Bir ch Aquarium at Scr ipps are based on the foundation of scientific expertise at the research institution. The aquarium is designed around a central lobby with entr ances to main inter pretive areas. Amo ng the exhibit highl ights ar e the “Hall of F ishes,” containing about 60 tanks of Pacific fishes and invertebrates, with the largest habitat being a 70,000-ga llon kelp fo rest;
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“Scripps Explorers Gallery,” with interactive exhibits f eaturing cutt ing-edge disco veries of Scripps explorers in c limate, ear th, and ocean sciences; “Preuss Tide Pool Plaza,” a plaza overlooking the Pacific Ocean that has three living tide pools fo r hands-on disco very; “S margon Courtyard,” featuring a 13,000-gallon shark reef tank and the “ Wonders of Water” exhibit with three outdoor waterplay stations; “Tropical Seas Gallery,” which contains colorful displays of live coral and reef residents such as lionfish, chambered nautilus, and giant c lams; and “ The Art of Decept ion,” wher e mar ine cr eatures use camouflage to esc ape detection or sneak up on prey in the case of predators. The aquarium also displays traveling exhibitions, such as the r ecent “ Whales: Voices in the Sea,” feeding observations, and such education programs as school classes, “Discovery Lab” investigations, family programs, “Aquarium Express Van” outreach progr ams, teac her prof essional development workshops, and outdoor adventures l ike explo ring n earby t ide pools, observing seasonal runs of grunion fish coming ashore to spawn , sno rkeling with exper ienced naturalists, and naturalist-guided whale watching cruises. Birch A quarium at Scr ipps, 2300 Expedit ion Way, La Jolla, CA 92037 (mail ing address: University of California at S an Diego , 9500 Gilman D r., Mail Code 0207, La Jolla, CA 92093-0207). Phone: 858/ 534-3474. Fax: 858/534-7114. E-mail: aquariuminfo @ucsd.edu. W eb site: www
[email protected]. Hours: 9–5 daily. Admission: adults, $11; seniors, $9; college students, $8; UCSD staff, students, and youth 3–17, $7.50; children under 3, free.
CABRILLO MARINE AQUARIUM
The Cabr illo Mar ine A quarium in S an Pedro, California, has pro vided visitors with a natural and inter active approac h to lear ning about the marine environment of Southern California since 1935. The aqu arium, operated by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, is located on Cabrillo Beach adjacent to the Cabrillo Beach Coastal Park and the Port of Los Angeles and n ear the t idepools of P oint Fermin Mar ine Lif e Refuge , a sa lt marsh, a fishing pier, and fossil r ich cliffs. It has an annual attendance of over 300,000. The main exhibit hall of the marine science center is the “S outhern Ca lifornia Mar ine Habitats Hall,” which contains a tidepool touch tank and interpretive exhibits on sandy beaches,
(Specialized)—Marine mudflats, kelp forests, rocky shores, Channel Islands, open ocean, offshore oil, jellyfish, sharks, whales, and current issues. The principal handson gallery is the Exploration Center, which focuses on the habitats and organisms that live at the Cabrillo Beach Coastal Park. It is where visitors c an lear n to use the tools of nat uralists/ field r esearchers in st udies of o rganisms and habitats in the “Naturalists Corner” and explore specimen boxes and other resources in the “Discovery Center.” The latter exper iences range from completing a mar ine l ife cr aft project to role play ing as a cr ab or sea star . V isitors a lso can see the habitats of the par k on weekend tours of the park with aqu arium-trained sea rangers. Another interactive exhibit area is the “Susanne Lawrenz-Miller Exhibit Hall,” which features a touc h tank , sandy beac h wave tank , fish diversity tank , and the many anima ls and plants that l ive in thr ee major environments— rocky sho res, sand and m ud, and open ocean ecosystems. The aquarium also has an “Aquatic Nursery,” a working laboratory where visitors can see research being co nducted on the gro wing and caring of young animals. Other educational activities inc lude mar ine labo ratory wo rkshops, public classes, school and group programs, and whale watch and other voyages. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium,, 3720 Stephen M. White Dr., S an Pedro, CA 9073 1. P hone: 3 10/548-7562. Fax: 3 10/548-2649. Web site: www .cabrilloaq.org. Hours: 12 –5 T ues.–Fri., 10 –5 S at.–Sun.; c losed Mon., Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: suggested donation—adults, $5; seniors and children, $1.
CHULA VISTA NATURE CENTER, Chula V ista, CA. See Nature Science Centers section.
CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM
The Clear water Mar ine A quarium in Clearwater, F lorida, began in 1972 when a group of dedic ated volunteers who had a mounted fish exhibit at Clearwater Marina decided it was time to establish a permanent marine biolog y lear ning center in the ar ea. The y formed the Clear water Marine Science Center and began the search for a site. In 1978, the city of Clear water agr eed to do nate an abando ned water treatment plant with huge holding tanks and a bay side loc ation for new mar ine science center. The building gradually was modified for
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aquarium purposes, and in 1980 was gr anted a research facil ity permit that a llowed it to pr epare two 65,000 gallon tanks for the rehabilitation of dolp hins, wha les, and sea t urtles. The first exhibit room—featuring the mounted fish exhibit—opened in 1981 as an increasing number of anima ls were c ared for and r eleased. In 1984, however, an Atlant ic bottlenose dolphin was rescued and given a permanent home at the center. In the 1990s, building renovations resulted in more publ ic areas and educ ation progr ams, more co mmunity inter action, and a name change to Clear water Marine Aquarium. This was followed by more animals, exhibits, and research as the aqu arium de veloped into a r espected mar ine science center fo r anima l c are, public education, and marine research. In addition to specializing in the rescue, rehabilitation, and r elease of sic k or injur ed mar ine anima ls, the center no w has exhibits o n t urtles, sharks, stingrays, and r iver otters; produces dolphin shows; and has such facilities as rehab and animal kitchen ar eas, educ ation rooms, outside mangroves, and a waterside deck. The stingray exhibit has a touc h tank wher e v isitors hav e a chance to feel a ray, and visitors have an opportunity to wo rk with tr ainers in tr aining and feeding dolphins in the “ Dolphin Encounter ” program and in serving as a “Trainer for a Day” in observing and assisting trainers in their work with dolphins and river otters. The center a lso offers a variety of hands-on educational opportunities, including children’s camps, behind the scenes tours, kayaking tr ips, and “Sea Life Safari” intracoastal tours. Clearwater Mar ine Aquarium, 249 W indward Passage, Clear water, FL 33767 . P hone: 727/44 1-1790. Fax: 727/445- 1139. Web site: www .seewinter.com. Hours: 9–5 Mon.–Thurs., 9–7 Fri.–Sat., 10 –5 Sun.; closed N ew Year’s Day, Easter , Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $11; seniors, $9; children 3–12, $7.50; children under 3, free.
ECHO L AKE AQUARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER, Burlington, VT. See Gen-
eral Science Centers section.
FLORIDA OCEANOGRAPHIC COASTAL CENTER
The Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center in S tuart, F lorida, is mar ine science center located on Hutchinson Island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Riv er L agoon. It
Georgia occupies a 57-acre site that contains the Florida Oceanographic S ociety headqu arters, l ibrary, nature trails, Frances Langford Visitor’s Center, Rays on the Reef R ay Pavilion, and Children’s Activity Center. It also is the site of the oceanographic society’s reef dive team and research on such topics as o yster r eef r estoration, coasta l marsh enhancement, leaf l itter, plankton seasonality, seagrass bed fauna seaso nality, beach profiling, queen conch and clam aquaculture research, and bathtub reef fish counts. The center f eatures aquariums fi lled with coastal sea l l ife and hands-o n act ivities l ike stingray feedings and shallow touch tanks with local underwater species from across the beach. It also has a hands-on experience for 3 to 5 year olds, and such other programs as classroom programs, summer c amp, home school program, naturalist program, seining and snorkeling adventures, kayaking, and guided nature walk. Florida Oceanogr aphic Coasta l Center , 890 N.E. Ocean Bl vd., S tuart, FL 34996. P hone: 772/2250505. E-mail: info@flo ridaoceanographic.org. Web site: www .floridaoceanographic.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–4 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $8; children 3–12, $4; children under 3, free.
GEORGIA AQUARIUM
The Georgia A quarium in Atlanta is the world’s largest aqu arium and o ne of the most popular. It co vers 580,000 squ are feet, has 8 million ga llons of water and mo re aquatic l ife than any another aqu arium, and an annu al attendance of 2.6 mill ion. It a ll began with a $250-million founding contribution from businessman and philanthropist Bernie Marcus, cofounder of Ho me Depot, in 200 1 to build the aquarium. It was followed by a donation of the 9.5-acre site by the Coc a-Cola Company, the design of the building to loo k like a giant ship breaking through a wav e, co ntents center ed around five major exhibits, and the grand opening in 2005. The mar ine science center has 60 exhibit units, five themed habitat exhibit galleries, and more than 100,000 animals of 500 species. The major exhibits are “Ocean Voyager,” the world’s largest single habitat that feat ures an ocean habitat with more than 6 million gallons of saltwater co ntaining wha le and t iger sharks, a manta r ay, and thousands of fish, as well as 4,574 square feet of viewing windows and a 100foot-long underwater tunnel; “Coldwater Quest,”
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containing fish and mar ine mamma ls suc h as Australian weedy sea drago ns, beluga wha les, dolphins, and giant P acific octopus found in cold ocean waters; “Georgia Explorer,” a highly interactive gallery with fi ve touch pools full of cownose r ays, bo nnethead sharks, ho rseshoe crabs, sea stars, st ingrays, and shr imp found along the Georgia coastline; “River Scout,” the only freshwater exhibit with a wide diversity of animals from rivers in Afr ica, South America, Asia, and the state of Geo rgia; and “ Tropical Diver,” where visitors see tropical coral reefs designed like a garden of living art and encounter such anima ls as garden eels, glassy sweepers, seahorses, fair y bassets, yel low-head jawfish, and jellyfish. The Geo rgia A quarium a lso has a “4D Theater” with interactive seats and unique special effects built into the theater that sho ws Deepo’s Undersea 3D W ondershow; behind the scenes tours that take visitors to the top of various exhibits wher e the y lear n ho w sa lt water and crashing waves ar e cr eated, disco ver ho w the massive fi ltration sy stem wo rks, and v iew the husbandr y commissary, v eterinary c linic, and surgical room; “Kids Corner,” where children c an play games, watch anima l webc ams, learn about aquarium animals and careers, and the aquarium camp program; and “The Learning Loop,” which offers school groups an innovative fi eld tr ip approach—with st udents and teachers having their own level of the aquarium and being engaged by animal encounters, interactive activities, and research applicable to realworld situations. Georgia A quarium, 225 Baker S t., Atlanta, GA 30313. P hone: 404/58 1-4000. E-mail: v
[email protected]. W eb site: www .georgiaaquarium.org. Hours: 10–5 Sun.–Fri., 9–6 Sat. (although so me day s var y in Mar ., Apr ., and May). Admission: adults, $26; senio rs, $2 1.50; c hildren 3–12, $19.50; children under 3, free.
GULF SPECIMEN MARINE LABORATORY AQUARIUM
Unlike most of the large public aquariums that emphasiz e large fish and mamma ls, the Gulf S pecimen Mar ine L aboratory A quarium in Panacea, F lorida, focuses o n sma ll anima ls such as seaho rses, her mit cr abs, emer ald e yed spiny box fish, electr ic rays, and red and white spotted calico crabs. The marine science center has sea water tanks and aquariums that sustain a collection of the bizarre and the beautiful.
(Specialized)—Marine The labo ratory was founded in 1963 by Jack Rudloe, who worked on shrimp boats and kept species that wer e of no va lue to commercial fishermen. He then began co mbing the beaches and exploring the waters of the Florida panhandle in search of specimens that he supplied to university scientists for marine education and research. The aquarium was opened in 1990 and gradu ally developed it into a mar ine science center. It no w has 8,500 squ are feet of interior exhibit ion and progr am space with touch tanks and educ ational exhibits in thr ee buildings. Visitors can touch and pick up many of the anima ls in the touch tanks, inc luding starfish, sea pansies, sand dollars, whelks, and clams. Concrete outside tanks hold trigger fish, black sea bass, dr um, sheepshead, and other species that can be seen, but not touched. A pproximately 16,000 visitors come to the laboratory each year to see the hundreds of species of local invertebrates, fish, and a lgae—and sometimes sharks and sea t urtles from the G ulf of Mexico. Gulf S pecimen Mar ine L aboratory A quarium, 222 Clark Dr., PO Box 237, Panacea, FL 32346. Phone: 850/984-5297. Fax: 850/984-5233. Web site: www. gulfspecimen.org. Hours: 9–5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –4 Sat., 12–4 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. A dmission: adults, $7 .50; senio rs, $6; children 3–11, $5; children under 3, free.
HATFIELD MARINE SCIENCE CENTER VISITOR CENTER
The Hatfield Marine Science Center of the Oregon State University is a major marine laboratory on Yaquina Bay in Newport with a visitor center that has acqu ainted the publ ic and school groups with mar ine species, mar ine research, and the coastal environment since l965. The 49-acre laboratory site also encompasses a large group of par tners from fi ve col leges and more than 10 departments at the univ ersity, as well as a var iety of g overnment act ivities involved in research and management of the marine environment. The v isitor center is o ne of a handful of Coastal Ecosy stem L earning Centers that teach, shar e r esearch, and info rm the publ ic about the nat ion’s coastal and mar ine habitats. The exhibits and pr ograms explain ho w scientific research enhances the ability to interpret the natural patterns that shape the world and to better appr eciate, manage , and sustain coasta l and marine resources. The center is part aquar-
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ium and par t labo ratory that is dedic ated to showcasing scientific exploration. The exhibits focus on patterns in nat ure and ho w scient ists use them to cr eate models to explain , understand, and pr edict the co mplex and changing environment. The mar ine science center has such exhibits as “The Pattern Garden,” featuring an introduction to patterns of science, showing similarities in sound, text ure, color, and behav ior; “Marine Research Gallery,” which describes different scales of patterns (global, bird’s eye, eye level, and microscopic); “Magic Planet,” a giant interactive globe that a llows visitors to explore dynamic digita l media of the plan et’s atmosphere, oceans, and land; “Invasion of the Habitat S natchers,” with l ive display s, v ideo, and hands-on activities that demonstrate how invasive species enter and affect new environments; and “Chaos Theory,” devoted to an explanation of the complexities involved in scient ific modeling and the chaos theory. The visitor center also has scheduled feedings of a Pacific octopus and wolf eel, more than 100 natural science videos that can be shown in Henning Auditorium, and such educational activities as ta lks by scient ists, demonstrations, summer c amps, wo rkshops, seminars, o nline programs, and tours. Dail y updates a lso ar e posted at the center and o n the web of act ivities at the NeMO multi-year seafloor observatory on Axia l S eamount, an act ive submar ine volcano about 250 miles off the coast of Oregon, that is examining relationships between volcanic events, the c hemistry of seafloo r hot spr ings, and the biologic co mmunities that depend o n them. Hatfield Marine Science Center Visitor Center, 2030 S. Mar ine Science D r., N ewport, OR 97365-5296. Phone: 541/867-0100. Web site: www.hmsc.orergonstate.edu. Hours: Memo rial Day weekend-L abor Day—10 –5 dail y; remainder of y ear—10 –4 Thurs.– Mon.; closed Tues.–Wed., New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: donation.
JOHN G. SHEDD AQUARIUM
The John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago was the inspiration of Shedd, the retired president of the Marshall Field & Company department sto re. He gav e $2 mil lion fo r an aqu arium—and then another $ 1 million later—as he got civ ic and busin ess col leagues behind the idea. S hedd and his suppo rters then fo rmed Shedd Aquarian Society in 1924 and asked the
John Chicago Park District to use an area created by landfill along Lake Michigan, and the park district agreed. The founders then worked to incorporate the latest techniques in what became the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater col lection, the gr eatest var iety of sea l ife under one roof, and the world’s largest aquarium at that t ime. The octago nal aqu arium with Doric columns, fo rmal stair case, and a do me opened in 1930, but S hedd n ever saw the finished product. He lived only long enough to see the ar chitect’s fi rst dr awings of the aqu arium. The S hedd A quarium has been r estored, updated, and expanded, and no w is a nat ional historic landmark. W ith the addit ions of the “Oceanarium” and “ Wild Reef ” sect ions, the aquarium now has 32,500 animals representing 1,600 species, and ser ves 2 mil lion visitors annually. The pr incipal attr action is the “Oceanarium,” which features beluga whale, dolphin, sea lion, and sea otter shows in a 3-million gallon tank—the largest indoo r mar ine mamma l facility in the wo rld. The 1991 “Oceanarium” reopened in 2009 after a $50-millionr aquarium renovation that inc luded new anima l habitats, life-support sy stems, hands-o n exhibits, and dining areas. It also provided increased opportunities fo r interact ions with anima ls and the furthering of co nservation and educ ation missions. Among the c hanges ar e the “Gr ainger Foundation Beluga Encounter Habitat,” where visitors guided by tr ainers c an wade into the water and make connections with the gentle giants of the sea; “ Regenstein O tter Trail and Habitat,” which takes visitors through Shedd’s rain forest to the coast; “ITW Foundation Beluga Trail,” whic h winds a long a r ushing r iver that flows into a pr istine est uary exhibit ; “Secluded Bay,” the impro ved bir thplace of the aquarium’s beluga c alves; “Birds of Prey,” containing red-tailed hawks, barred owls, and other birds; “ Polar P lay Z one,” a specia l hands-on place for young children where they can put on a penguin suit, tr y being a bird, explo re Arctic waters in a kid-sized submarine, and touch sea stars and other anima ls in touch pools; and a greatly enlarged sea l ion habitat that f eatures new staging ar eas and train er platfo rms fo r “Fantasea” sho ws by beluga wha les, dolphins, penguins, sea lions, and birds of prey. Other exhibits inc lude the “Car ibbean Reef,” a 90,000-gallon circular tank in the cen-
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tral rot unda where a div er f eeds nurse sharks, barracudas, stingrays, and a hawksbill sea turtle and uses a microphone to talk about the species and their eat ing habits; “ Wild Reef: S harks at Shedd,” a ser ies of 26 co nnected habitats that house a P hilippine co ral r eef with sharks and other pr edators; “ Amazon Rising ,” a wa lkthrough flooded forest re-creation of the Amazon River and surrounding jungle, featuring piranhas, anacondas, giant spiders, t urtles, and tiny to xic frogs; and “ Waters of the W orld,” with 90 habitats wher e v isitors c an see co ral shrimps, blue iguanas, giant octopus, moon jellies, sea stars, map turtles, and other sea life. The S hedd A quarium a lso of fers a 4D high-definition digital experience with 3D animation and special seats that produce bubbles, wind, smells, t ickles, and strange sounds; “Habitat Chats” fo r v isitors to lear n about the aquatic wo rld and its inhabitants fro m staf f members in info rmal sett ings in a var iety of habitats; “Animal Encounters,” wher e v isitors can learn about and touc h such creatures as an African bullfrog, Chilean rose tar antula, leopard gec ko, r ed-tailed boa, and king snake; “Trainer for a Day” program, where participants assist a marine mammal trainer with daily routines and training and feeding sessions; “Beluga Encounter,” whic h of fers an oppo rtunity to touch and tr y some training techniques with a beluga wha le; and behind-the-scen es tours, which take visitors to the animal healthcare center, behind exhibit galleries, and where food for feedings is prepared, and where they learn about the breeding program and see the aqu arium at work. In addition, the aquarium has such diverse educational programs as “S hedd Educ ational Adventures,” which supplies K-12 teachers with fact sheets, m ultimedia interactives, and other resources based o n the “ Wild Reef ” exhibit ; “Windy Sails,” featuring a Lake Michigan sail aboard W indy, a 148-foort, four-masted schooner, and assist ing the cr ew in raising the sails and taking part in family activities to protect the Great Lakes; “Camp Shedd,” an imaginary canoe trip through the Great Lakes where participants visit a camp site and get close to native fishes, t urtles, snakes, fr ogs, and bir ds of prey; “Family F irst Saturdays,” where famil ies meet some of the aqu arium’s anima ls, explo re the ecosystems, and lear n what the y can do to make a dif ference; “S hedd Explo rers Weekends,” an aquatic science program fo r students
(Specialized)—Marine 11 to 14 in age; “ Asleep with the F ishes,” overnight aquarium stays with special programs and hands-on activities; “Tots on Tuesdays” allday program for preschoolers that includes storytelling, anima l touc hing, cr afts, cost umed characters, v ideos, dancing , and singing ; and summer c amp and fi eld-based pr ograms. As part of an extensive r esearch progr am, the aquarium has a r esearch vessel, the Coral Reef II. John G. S hedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605. Phone: 312/939-2438. Fax: 312/ 939-8069. E-mail: co
[email protected]. Web site: www.sheddaquarium.org. Hours: Memorial Day-Labor Day—9 –6 daily; remainder of year— 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 9 –6 S at.–Sun.; c losed Chr istmas. Admission: aqu arium—adults, $ 15..95; senio rs and children 3–11, $11.95; children under 3, free; including Oceanarium shows—adults, $24.95; seniors and children 3 –3-11, $17.95; Chicago residents receive a discount.
LOGGERHEAD MARINELIFE CENTER OF JUNO BEACH
The L oggerhead Mar inelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida, seeks to pro mote conservation of the state ’s coastal ecosystem through education, research, and r ehabilitation, with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. It functions as an ocean conservation organization and sea t urtle hospita l adjacent to one of the most heavily nested sea turtle beaches in the world. Visitors can get a close look at sea turtles and lear n about the fr agile mar ine ecosystem they live in. The specialized marine science center r esulted fro m the act ions of r ealtor Eleano r Fletcher, who bec ame kno wn as the “ Turtle Lady” because of her interest in sea turtles. She became concerned about the area’s turtles when they star ted to be thr eatened by human encroachment, and began to offer classes to children in her home and then above the real estate office. She felt the best hope for the sea turtles was conservation and protection. This led to the founding of the Childr en’s Museum of Juno Beach in 1979 and to moving to an old house in Loggerhead Park, taking on an expanded role , and changing the m useum’s name to the Marinelife Center of Juno Beac h in 1990. The center began to raise funds to build a new stateof-the-art marine museum, veterinary hospital, and visitor center in Juno Beac h Park in 200 1, changed its name to L oggerhead Mar inelife Center, and occupied the new facilities in 2006.
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The center no w has a var iety of exhibits, live sea turtles and other coastal creatures, a sea turtle hospital, nature trails, and picnic grounds. The exhibits include a giant leatherback sea turtle, sa lt water aqu arium, display s of loc al wildlife, and exhibits about south Florida’s marine en vironment. A mong the exhibits ar e “Archelon,” which features a replica skeleton of an ancient sea turtle that lived 65 million years ago and where the original skeleton was found, and “Beach Ecology and Shells!” containing two interactive exhibits o n ho w sand is made and what animal “wears” a shell. The center also has an outdoor “soft play” ar ea for young c hildren with such cr eations as a sea t urtle, manta ra y, and sea star. Education programs include classes with live animals, crafts, and hands-on discovery; summer junior marine biologist camp; turtle labs featuring hand-on activities and exploration; tours of the “turtle yard” at the sea turtle hospital; and outreach services. Loggerhead Marinelife Center of Juno Beach, 14200 U.S. Hwy. 1, Juno Beach, FL 33408. Phone: 561/6278280. Fax: 561/627-8305. Web site: www.marinelife. org. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–3 Sun.; closed major holidays. Admission: donation.
MARINE SCIENCE CENTER
The Marine Science Center at Lighthouse Point Park in Ponce Inlet, F lorida, is a 5,300square-foot hands-on aquatic science center established in 2002. It has exhibits and programs with inter active exper iences, 5,000-ga llon aquarium with an artificial reef, sea turtle rehabilitation center, seabird rehabilitation sanctuary, butterfly garden, wildlife observation tower, and nat ure tr ail. V isitors a lso c an explo re Florida’s mangrove forests and visit a dune habitat. The center ’s focus is o n Volusia Count y’s marine life and environment. The exhibit gallery features coral propagation tanks, wha le and dolphin anato mical exhibits, a dune habitat with a cross-sect ion of a sea turtle nest, and a wide var iety of loc al fish and invertebrates in the aquarium. Visitors also can examin e wha le skul ls and a 300-y ear-old brain coral, and see ho w they measure up to a giant leatherback sea turtle. The two centers for rehabilitating sic k and injur ed t urtles and seabirds are located outside the main building. One of the principal objectives of the Marine Science Center is sea t urtle rehabilitation. Visitors c an see se ven t urtle “ hospital pools” from the Turtle Terrace near the front entrance
Monterey to the main facility. The pools contain sea turtles, hatchlings, and washbacks (newly hatched turtles that are washed bac k to shore by rough seas) that ar e undergoing r ehabilitation before being r eleased af ter ful l r ecovery. Mo re than 4,500 bir ds fr om o ver 140 species have been treated at the Mar y Keller Seabird Rehabilitation Sanctuary, named for a local bird rehabber who devoted more than 30 y ears to the c are of sick and injured birds. The center a lso has a labo ratory that is used for classes and lectures, a marine camp program, and guided tours of the center and nearby environment. Marine Science Center , 100 Lighthouse D r., Ponce Inlet, FL 32 127. P hone: 386/304-5545. E-mail:
[email protected].fl.us. W eb site: www .marinesciencecenter.com. Hours: 10 –4 T ues.–Sat., 12 –4 Sun.; closed Mon., New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $5; senio rs, $4; childr en 3 –12, $2; childr en under 3, free.
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM
The Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California, is one of the largest and most comprehensive aqu ariums in the wo rld. It co vers 322,000 square feet and has mo re than 35,000 plants and anima ls r epresenting 623 species. The aquarium, which has an annual attendance of over 1.8 million, is located at Monterey Bay, one of the P acific Ocean’s most prol ific oceanfront sites, where more than 30 species of marine mamma ls—ranging from the 5-foot-lo ng sea otter to the 100-foot-long blue whale—live in o r pass through its waters. The aqu arium’s mission is “ to inspir e co nservation of the oceans.” The marine science center opened in 1984 along “cannery row,” which once was a boo ming seafood c anning center. The aqu arium resulted from a $55-mil lion contribution from David P ackard, co-founder of the He wlettPackard technology company, made through the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. He also personally designed and made some of the early elements for the aquarium. His daughter, Julie Packard, a marine biologist, currently is executive director of the t wo-story aquarium, which was almost doubled in size in 1996 with the addition of the Outer Bay Wing. The aquarium has had a number of innovative “firsts.” It was the first aquarium to grow live California giant kelp, which now reach 28
Monterey feet high and fo rm one of the ta llest aquarium exhibits in the world. It used a wave machine at the top of the tank to cr eate water mo vement, a n ecessary pr econdition to a llow sunl ight to reach the under water ocean plant. The Mo nterey Bay Aquarium also was the init ial aquarium to keep a great white shark on exhibit successfully. In addit ion, it has a 1 million ga llon tank with one of the world’s largest single-paned windows that is home to the largest community of open-ocean animals at any aquarium. It also has been successful in de veloping cr eative exhibits, such as the one that mesmerizes visitors with brilliant orange sea netties, the shimmering r ainbow ef fects of co mb jel lies, and the nearly transparent crystal jellies. In addit ion to the “ Kelp Forest,” “O uter Bay,” and “ Jellies Ga llery” exhibits, the Mo nterey Bay A quarium has such exhibits as “Ocean’s Edge,” with touc h pools and a wa lkthrough tunnel where waves can crash over visitors without them getting wet; “Splash Zone,” which feat ures bil ingual interact ive exhibits, touch pools, a children’s play area, and such animals as sea dragons, pot-bellied seahorses, and penguins; “ Drifters Ga llery,” with the largest collection of jel lyfish in the nat ion; “ Rocky Shore,” containing monkeyface eels, barnacles, and other anima ls that l ive in sho reline rocks; “Sandy S hore,” which focuses o n sand crabs,
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(Specialized)—Marine clams, ghost shr imp, bat r ays, and other animals of coastal wetlands; “Wild About Sea Otters,” wher e sea otters ro mp, t umble, w restle, and interact like otters in the ocean; and “Giant Octopus,” feat uring large octopuses that c an grow to n early 30 f eet long and weigh a lmost 100 pounds. The daily activities at the aquarium range from diver hand-held feedings in the “Kelp Forest” and feedings of tuna, barracuda, and bonito in “Outer Bay” to penguin and sea otter f eedings, as well as auditorium programs about deep sea creatures, jellies, albatross, and otters. The aquarium also offers such adventure programs as underwater exploring, working with naturalists aboard a 65-foot sailboat, making sunset sails, interacting with animals like an aquarist, sleeping o ver at the aqu arium, and making behind the scenes tours. It also provides teen hands-on experiences through such teen programs as the Student Oceanography Club, Young Women in Science, Watsonville Ar ea Teens Conserving Habitats, and S tudent Guide Program; assists teachers with hands-on and field activities and classroom resources; offers podcast, videos, and web programs; and engages in research, conservation, and activist roles to protect the oceans. The Monterey Bay A quarium a lso has a sister organization, the Mo nterey Bay A quarium Research Institute, largely funded by a $13 million foundat ion co ntribution from Dav id Packard in 1987. It is located in n earby Moss L anding, California, and is dedic ated to advanced r esearch and educ ation in ocean science and technology. The institute has thr ee r esearch ships, two r emotely oper ated v ehicles, and se veral autonomous under water vehicles and offshore moorings that are used in its research and development activities.
Visitors can get close to bat rays and other sea creatures at the touch pools at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. Opened in 1984, the aquarium has become one of the largest and most comprehensiv e aquar iums in the wor ld. It seeks “to inspire conservation of the oceans.” @ Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Mo nterey, C A 93940. P hone: 831/648-4800. Fax: 83 1/648-4810. Email: equ arist@montereybaymbayaq. org. Web site: www.montereybayaquarium.org. Hours: late May-Aug.—9:30 – 6 Mo n.–Fri., 9:30 –8 S at.–Sun.; r emainder of y ear—10 –6 dail y; hol iday hours—9:30 –6; closed Christmas. Admission: adults, $29.95; seniors, college, and st udents 13 –17, $27..95; childr en 3–12, $17.95; children under 3, free.
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MYSTIC AQUARIUM AND INSTITUTE FOR EXPLORATION The My stic A quarium and Inst itute fo r Exploration in My stic, Connecticut, is the r esult of a 1997 merger of t wo aquatic education and r esearch efforts—the My stic Mar ine Lif e Aquarium operated by the Sea Research Foundation headed by Ohio industr ialist and philanthropist Kel vin S mith, co-de veloper of artificial seawater, and the Institute for Exploration founded by under water explorer Robert Ballard. The aqu arium began as a co mmercial venture in 1973, with S mith as the pr incipal shareholder. In 1979, the for-profit corporation was dissolved and S mith formed the nonprofit foundation to oper ate the aqu arium. Ba llard, who discovered the Titanic in 1985 and made other major underwater discoveries, became interested in the aquarium because of his desire to share with the publ ic the wo nders of the deep ocean and the emerging science of deep-water archaeology. The mar ine science center no w serves 750,000 visitors annually. The aqu arium makes it possible fo r v isitors to touch a co wnose r ay, go beak-to-nose with a penguin, stand in water next to a beluga whale, see Ca lifornia sea l ions in a l ive sho w, and meet suc h other l ive anima ls as sharks, steller sea l ions, and blue-tongued skinks. The aquarium has about 70 exhibits with over 12,000 fishes, invertebrates, and marine mammals representing 425 species. It a lso contains educ ation programs like lectures, labs, and field trips that aim to build a connection with the natural world and foster understanding of ho w organisms, habitats, and ecosystems work. Among the aquarium’s exhibits are “Dig It! Prehistoric Creatures of the Sea,” an interactive exhibit where visitors can uncover the fossils of sea creatures from 600 million years ago; “Fluorescent Co ral Exhibit,” a displa y of colo rful coral and what is being done to conserve it and use its fluo rescence in medic al r esearch; “ Return to the Titanic,” which tells the story of the discovery of the legendar y w reck and f eatures replicas of sections of the ship; “Exploring Your National Marine Sanctuaries,” which takes visitors into so me of the countr y’s sanct uaries to discover shipw recks and see colo rful co rals; “Noah’s F lood and A ncient S hipwrecks,” featuring a replica of an ancient shipw reck, video of two important 1999–2000 deep-sea ar chaeological expeditions (Black Sea Expedition and
National Ashkelon Expedit ion), a col lection of ancient artifacts, and a “ talking ampho ra” illustrat ing ancient P hoenician cult ure; and “ Ray Touch Pool,” wher e v isitors c an r each out and touc h cownoise rays as they swim by. The aqu arium a lso inv ites v isitors to encounters with beluga wha les and Afr ican penguins, daily sea l ion shows, and the f eeding of the belugas and penguins, as well as dolp hins, sharks, rays, harbor seals, and stel ler sea l ions. In addit ion, the aqu arium has a n ew r esearch laboratory that focuses primarily on aquatic animal health and conservation of the marine environment. Mystic Aquarium and Inst itute for Exploration, 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355-1997. Phone: 860/ 572-5955. Fax: 860/572-5969. E-mail: info@my sticaquarium.org. Web site: www .mysticaquarium.org. Hours: Mar.–Oct. and Dec.–Feb.—9–5 daily; Nov.— 9–4 daily; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Admission: adults, $24; seniors, $21; children 3–17, $ 18; children under 3, free.
NATIONAL AQUARIUM IN BALTIMORE
The N ational A quarium in Ba ltimore is one of t wo “national aquariums” in the United States. The o riginal nat ional aqu arium—now known as National Aquarium in Washington— was founded as a l imited aquarium in 1873 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts as part of the Federal Fish Commission (which later became the Bureau of F isheries and then U .S. F ish and Wildlife Service). In 1878, it was moved to the site of the W ashington Monument and co nsisted of holding ponds, then to the upper mall area with a hatching station and a small aquarium in the 1880s, and finally to the lower level of new Depar tment of Co mmerce Building in 1932. When f ederal funds fo r the N ational Aquarium were eliminated in 1982, the aquarium was thr eatened with c losure. A N ational Aquarium Society was formed to keep it operating, and in 2003 an a lliance was made with the National Aquarium in Baltimore for the two national aquariums to work together. The Baltimore aquarium now overseas the Washington site, which is much smaller and features “America’s Aquatic Treasures,” highl ighting the animals and habitats pr eserved by the N ational Marine Sanctuaries Program. The N ational Museum in Ba ltimore, which opened in 1981, has de veloped into o ne
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of the nation’s largest, most advanced, and popular aquariums. The aquarium idea surfaced in the mid– 1970s when May or W illiam Donald Schaefer and Co mmissioner of Housing and Community De velopment Rober t C. Embr y proposed that an aqu arium be built as a v ital component of Baltimore’s overall Inner Harbor redevelopment. In 1976, Baltimore residents approved a bond issue for the aquarium as part of an urban renewal program, and ground br eaking was held two years later. Since opening, the aquarium has been expanded and no w consists of t wo buildings join ed by a single enc losed walkway/bridge. In 1979, Co ngress voted to make the Baltimore aquarium a “National Museum,” thereby creating a second national aquarium. The National Aquarium in Baltimore now has over 14,000 animals of 650 different species of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and marine mammals that live in re-created habitats representing unique locations around the world and an annual attendance of n early 1.6 million. Its mission is “ to inspire people to enjo y, respect, and protect the aquatic world” through “transforming experiences.” Among its exhibits are the “Amazon River Forest,” which portrays an Amazon tributary at the beginning of its seaso nal flooding into the surrounding forest and contains such animals as
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dwarf caimans, pygmy marmosets, turtles, and thousands of large and sma ll fishes; “S outh American Upland Tropical R ain Forest,” containing rare woods, plants, and such animals as sloths, tamarin monkeys, piranhas, poison dart frogs, and tropic al birds; “Animal Planet Australia: Wild Extremes,” which depicts a typical northern Australia river gorge with fr eshwater crocodile, flying foxes, turtles, free-flying birds, and fishes; “Maryland: Mountains to the S ea,” featuring four Mar yland habitats in a water cycle that mo ves fro m an A llegheny str eam through a tidal marsh and coastal beach and out to the co ntinental shelf; “S urviving through Adaptations,” a multi-exhibit gallery in whic h diverse anima ls demonstrate ho w adaptat ions help them sur vive; and “ North Atlant ic to Pacific,” wher e v isitors explo re Atlant ic sea cliffs, an undersea kelp fo rest, and a br illiant Pacific r eef and a fi ber opt ics exhibit r eminds them of the fr agility of r ain fo rests in the world. Animals ar e feat ured in such exhibits as “Wings in the Water,” which contains dozens of stingrays and many sma ll sharks that c an be seen from the surface and through the underwater viewing windows of a 260,000-ga llon pool; “Atlantic Coral Reef,” with hundreds of colorful tropical fish—such as triggerfish, porcupine fish, and hogfish—in a reef in a 335,000-gallon tank that surr ounds v isitors and feat ures divers feeding the fish se veral times daily; “Open Ocean,” where sharks of var ying sizes and species slo wly encircle v isitors in a 225,000-gallon, r ingshaped tank; and “ Frogs: A Cho rus of Colo rs,” a collection of common and exotic colo rful frogs with interactive stat ions that allow v isitors to co mpare their v ision to that of a frog and engage in other hands-on activities. The National Aquarium in Baltimore also has A horseshoe crab is among the sea creatures that visitors c an touch at the National Aquarium in Baltimore—one of two designated “national such other attract ions as hin aquariums” in the United States. The aquarium, which opened in 1981, “Play!, The Dolp has over 14,000 animals of 650 species of fishes, amphibians, rept iles, Show,” where visitors can birds, and mar ine mammals. Courtesy of the N ational Aquarium in Bal- see Atlant ic bottlenose timore. dolphins swimming , per-
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forming, and being fed, with enr ichment sessions throughout the day; “Children’s Discovery Corner,” where children can discover the wonders of nature through living animals, touch experiences, and interactive exhibits; and “4D Immersion Theater,” which combines such sensory effects as mist, wind, and scents with the highdefinition of a 3D film in conveying the sights, sounds, and smel ls of the aqu atic and anima l worlds. In addit ion, the aqu arium engages in conservation act ivities and of fers such educ ational act ivities as lect ures, e vents, outr each programs, and teacher training activities. National A quarium in Ba ltimore, 50 1 E. P ratt S t., Pier 3, Baltimore, MD 21202. Phones: 410/576-3800 and 4 10/625-0720. F ax: 4 10/576-0720. Web site: www.aqua.org. Hours: Mar .–June—9 A.M.–10 P.M. Sat.–Thurs., 9 –7 F ri.; Jul y-Aug.—9 –7:30 S un.– Thurs., 9 A.M.–9:30 P.M. Fri.–Sat.; Sept.–Oct.—9–5 Sat,-Thurs,, 9 A.M.–10 P.M. Fri,; .N ov.–Feb.—10 –7 Sat.–Thurs., 10 A.M.–10 P.M. Fri.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $24.95; seniors, $23.95; children 3 –11, $14.95; children under 3, free.
NEW ENGLAND AQUARIUM
Boston has been a city of aquariums. It had three pr ior aqu ariums befo re the o ne that became the New England Aquarium was founded on Boston’s waterfront in 1969. It was designed to provide an underwater experience for visitors and to serve as a cultural institution that would connect Boston to its water front. It was one of the fi rst moder n publ ic aquariums and gr eatly influenced the use of mo re natural settings for aquatic life. The aquarium now is a major public education resource, a leader in global marine conservation and research, and one of the pr emier visitor attractions in Boston, with an annual attendance of over 1.3 million. Although better known for its exceptional exhibits, the New England Aquarium has a variety of hands-o n exhibit and progr am opportunities. For example, visitors can play with harbor seals or be a tr ainer for an af ternoon (with seal trainers) in the “Atlantic Harbor Seals Exhibit”; cr adle a sea star , pet a ho rseshoe cr ab, and get to know a sea urchin in the “Edge of the Sea” touc h tank; peer through a under water periscope, play with penguins at the penguin light stat ion, and l isten to penguin sounds at the “Hear a Penguin” interactive in the “Penguin Exhibit”; explore shapes, colors, and textures in the children’s “Curious George Discovery Center”; and do science experiments and squid dis-
New sections in the “ Harborside L earning L ab” as part of the overnight visit program. Among the other exhibit offerings are the “Giant Ocean Tank,” with more than 600 animals—including “Myrtle,” the gr een sea t urtle that has been at the aquarium since it opened in 1969—in a huge 200,000-ga llon tropic al coral reef exhibit; “Amazing Jellies,” a two-story exhibit that houses 14 different anima l exhibit tanks, including moon, sea, upside-down, comb, and Palauan lagoon jellies; green tree pythons; and an asso rtment of tropic al fishes; “Amazon Rainforest,” f eaturing pir anhas, anaco ndas, electric eels, stingrays, poison dart frogs, cardinal tetra fishes, and hundreds of tropical plants; “Pacific Reef Community,” containing nearly 70 different kinds of tropical reef fishes, including coral cat sharks, epaulette sharks, unicorn tangs, bird wrasses, and blue-striped cleaner fish; “Gulf of Maine,” with six exhibits featuring cod, halibut, dogfish sharks, giant sea stars, crabs, blu e and orange lobsters, and various shorebirds; and “Seadragon Exhibit,” with weedy and leaf y seadragons and nearly 25 other species of invertebrates and fishes that l ive in Australia’s temperate reefs. The marine science center also has the Simons I MAX Theatre, whic h projects fi lms about anima ls and habitats o n a giant 65- by 85-foot curved screen; behind-the-scenes tours; a high-speed c atamaran that takes people to watch wha les at the S tellwagen Bank f eeding area; and such educational programs as lectures, classes, o vernight stay s, summer programs, teacher professional development program, and school and co mmunity outr each progr ams, which can include a traveling hand-on tide pool. New England A quarium, Centr al W harf, Boston, MA 02 110-3399. P hone: 6 17/973-5200. F ax: 617/720-5098. E-mail: co
[email protected]. W eb site: www.neaq.org. Hours: Jul y-Aug.—9–5 Mon.– Thurs. and Sun., 9–7 Fri.–Sat.; 9–6 Sun.; remainder of year—9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 9 –6 S at.–Sun. and most holidays; c losed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $19.95; seniors, $17.95; children 3–11, $11.95; children under 3, free.
NEW YORK AQUARIUM
Founded in 1896, the New York Aquarium is one the oldest co ntinually operating aquariums in the United States. It first opened at Castle Garden in Lower Manhattan’s Battery Park, but was closed in 1941 because of the proposed construction of a bridge and tunnel from Lower
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Manhattan to Brooklyn. It reopened in 1957 at its present location by the sea in Co ney Island in Brooklyn. The aquarium was adopted in 1902 by what was then the New York Zoological Society, and no w is operated by the succeeding Wildlife Conservation Society, which also governs the Bronx Zoo. The aquarium, which occupies 14 acres, has over 8,000 specimens r epresenting 350 species of aquatic wildlife and an annual attendance of 765,000. It seeks to raise public awareness about issues facing the ocean and its inhabitants with special exhibits, publ ic events, and oceanic r esearch. The aqu arium is ho me to the Osbo rn Laboratories of Mar ine Sciences, which currently is st udying suc h subjects as co ral r eefs, dolphin cognit ion, and satel lite tagging of sharks. The first exhibit building visitors find upon entering the aqu arium is Co nservation Ha ll, which was the init ial exhibit str ucture opened on Coney Island in 1957. It houses “Glo ver’s Reef,” an exhibit de voted to the mar ine life of the Car ibbean r eef ecosy stem and f eatures jawfish, moray eels, sharks, and o ver 35 other species in a n ew 165,000-gallon tank. The building also contains exhibits about the Wildlife Conservation Society’s research in the laboratory and the field. Nearby is the Bathysphere, the original diving vessel used in 1934 by global explorer William Beebe and Otis Barton to set a deep-sea diving record for that time and usher in a new era of ocean research. Other exhibits at the mar ine science center include “Explore the Shore,” which contains touch pools, a ser ies of inter active educational galleries about the wonders of the ocean and its inhabitants, and a “Salt Marsh” exhibit that recreates par t of the Jamaic a Bay wetlands and features an underwater view of sheepshead minnows and her mit and ho rseshoe crabs; “S ea Cliffs,” a 300-foot-lo ng N orth Pacific habitat and rock coastline exhibit that is home to walruses, fur seals, sea otters, octopuses, penguins, seahorses, and fish; “ Alien S tingers,” which takes visitors into the world of corals, anemones, and jellies; “Sharks,” featuring sand tiger, sandbar, nurse , and white-t ip sharks swimming among st ingrays, sea t urtles, and fishes in a 90,000-gallon tank; and “Seahorses,” with leafy and weedy sea drago ns and other biz arre and beautiful creatures. At the “ Aquatheater,” Ca lifornia sea l ion training demonstrations are presented. Visitors
(Specialized)—Marine also can see daily feedings of sharks, penguins, walruses, and sea otters. The aquarium also offers behind-the-scenes tours and summer, teen and childr en’s, adult, and famil y educ ational programs that so metimes invol ve anima l tank feedings and making marine-themed crafts. New York A quarium, S urf A ve. and W . 8th S t., Brooklyn, NY 11224. P hone: 7 18/265-3474. F ax: 718/265-3482. E-mail: fhac
[email protected]. Web site: www.wcs.org. Hours: Memorial Day-=Labor Day— 10 –5 Mon.–Fri., 10 –7 S at.–Sun. and hol idays; r emainder of y ear—10 –4:30 dail y. A dmission: adults, $13; seniors, $10; children 3 –12, $9; c hildren under 3, free.
NORTH CAROLINA AQUARIUMS
In the 1976 bicentennial year, the state of North Carol ina establ ished three aquariums— Roanoke Island, P ine Knol l S hores, and F ort Fisher—to promote awareness, understanding, appreciation, and co nservation of the nat ural and cultural resources associated with the state’s ocean, est uaries, r ivers, str eams, and other aquatic environments. The three marine science centers are known collectively as the North Carolina Aquariums, which operates as a division of the N orth Carol ina Depar tment of Env ironment and Natural Resources. All three aquariums are highly interactive and have similar but different exhibits and programs. The Pine Knoll Shores aquarium has the largest attendance with over 444,000 visitors, followed by Fort Fisher at Kure Beach with 425,000 and Roanoke Island at Manteo with 350,000. The 68,000-squ are-foot N orth Carol ina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, loc ated on the Outer Banks, has sharks, alligators, river otters, and other anima ls and fishes; div e shows; l ive animal encounters; feeding programs; and a variety of hands-o n educ ation programs. Its exhibits deal with coasta l fresh waters, wetlands, hurricanes and northeasters, marine communities, c lose encounters, and the open ocean. It features mo re than 2,000 specimens of 300 species of native and regional fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. The n ewest exhibit is “Oceans Re vealed: Power of the Planet,” an interactive gallery that focuses on how the oceans affect everyday life, storm formation and weather , and ho w people affect the oceans. It contains a 6-foot spherical floating Ear th, tr acks sea t urtles and sharks, dives into the ocean depths, tr avels the ocean currents, and explo res science in inter active
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ways. The aqu arium a lso has many hands-o n special act ivities that inc lude fi eld trips, squid and shark dissect ions, inver tebrate labo ratory investigations, camps, sleepovers, crafts, and behind-the-scenes programs, as well as interactive outreach programs. The N orth Carol ina A quarium at P ine Knoll Shores has five principal galleries (Mountain, P iedmont, Coasta l P lain, T idal, and Ocean galleries) devoted to aquatic life; a marsh boardwalk and overlook; and two nature trails. In the “Tidal Waters Gallery,” visitors can make personal contact with saltwater creatures in the tidal touc h pool and skate and r ay encounters and see three exhibits that replicate famed shipwrecks of f the N orth Carol ina coast. The “Ocean Ga llery” enables v isitors using underwater microphones to interact with divers swimming with sharks and fishes in a 306,000-ga llon tank. The aquarium also offers a fossil hunt outside the exit where small bones, teeth, shells, coral, and other fossils fro m ancient sea beds can be found and kept as souvenirs. Other programs range from animal feedings and theater presentations to outr each programs and other educational offerings. At the N orth Carol ina Aquarium at F ort Fisher, the exhibits include a touch pool in the “Coastal W aters Ga llery”; a 235,000-ga llon tank with sa ltwater animals in the “Cape F ear Shoals” exhibit ; freshwater animals and plants in the “Cape Fear Conservatory”; octopus, hard bottom reefs, and jel lies in the “Open Oceans Gallery”; non-indigenous mar ine species l ike lionfish, poison dart fogs, and spiny lobsters in the “ Exotic A quatics” exhibit ; and st ingrays, skates, and guitarfish in the “S hadows on the Sand Gallery.” Many of the aqu arium’s educational and outreach programs are hands-on activities. North Carol ina A quarium on Roanoke Island, 374 Airport Rd., PO Bo x 967 , Manteo , NC 27954. Phones: 252/473-3494 and 866/332-3475. F ax: 252/473-1980 E-mail: r
[email protected]. Web site: www .ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island. Hours: 9–5 daily; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $8; senio rs, $7; children 6 –17, $6; children under 6, free. North Carol ina A quarium at P ine Knoll S hores, 1 Roosevelt Bl vd., P ine Knol ls S hores, NC 285 12 (mailing address: PO Box 580, Atlant ic Beach, NC 28512). P hones: 252/247-4003 and 866/294-3477 . Fax: 252/247-0663. E-mail: pksmail@nc aquariums. com. Web site: www .ncaquariums.com/pine-knollshores. Hours: 9 –5 dail y; c losed N ew Year’s Day,
SeaCoast Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $8; seniors, $7; children 6–17, $6; children under 6, free. North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 L oggerhead Rd., K ure Beac h, NC 28449. P hones: 9 10/ 458-8257 and 866/301-3476. Fax: 910/458-6812. Email: kath
[email protected]. W eb site: www . ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher. Hours: 9–5daily; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $8; senio rs, $7; childr en 6 –17, $6; children under 6, free.
SEACOAST SCIENCE CENTER
The S eacoast Science Center , loc ated in historic Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, New Hampshire, creates connections to nat ure and the sea through perso nal lear ning exper iences in the nat ural sciences. It open ed in 1992 in a public/private partnership that was managed by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire under contract with the state and overseen by the University of New Hampshire and Friends of Odiorne Point S tate Park. The center , whic h st ill operates under a state co ntract, bec ame independent in 2001 and the friends group merged with the center the following year. It now serves 50,000 visitors annually. The mar ine science center of fers a wide range of exhibits and programs that appeal to all ages, backgrounds, and lear ning st yles. It a lso has seven distinctly different habitants just outside the center (woodlands, uplands, salt marsh, freshwater and sa lt ponds, roc ky sho res, and sandy beac hes) and a div ersity of l ive anima ls that inhabit the aquaria and terraria. The newly opened “Gr egg Inter active L earning Center ” also makes it possible to pro vide high-quality distant learning . The center focuses o n such themes as co nnecting people to the nat ural world around them, interpreting climate change to demonstrate the dy namic properties of natural systems, highlighting biodiversity to illustrate the fr agility of the env ironment, and encouraging sustainable practices. In addition to a tidal touch pool, the center has such exhibits where visitors can act as research scient ists and obser ve and r ecord r eal data from buoys in the G ulf of Main e, take a virtual underwater trip up the Piscatagua River or out to sea, see a bath ymetric model demonstrate how water circulates in the Gulf of Maine, examine some of the ear ly div ing equipment, and obser ve some of the amazing cr eatures of the sea. The center also has marine, coastal science, and other progr ams—some of whic h are
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interactive—for preschoolers, schools and groups, adults, environmental day campers, and distant learners. Seacoast Science Center, 570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, NH 03870. P hone: 603/436-8043. F ax: 603/433-2235. Web site: www .seacoastsciencecenter.org. Hours: Apr.–Oct.—10 –5 dail y; N ov.–Mar.—10 –5 S at.– Mon.; closed Tues.–Fri. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $4; children 3–12, $2; children under 3, free.
SEATTLE AQUARIUM
‘The cit y-operated S eattle A quarium opened in 1977 on S eattle’s do wntown waterfront, funded by $5.4 mill ion in bo nds fr om King County’s “Forward Thrust” program. The aquarium pro ved so popular that it was expanded in 2009 af ter a $4 1.5- mill ion “ New Currents Capita l Campaign.” T oday, it ser ves 800,000 visitors annually at its Pier 59 location. Among its hands-o n attractions are “ Life on the Edge,” which features two large exhibit pools with touch z ones staffed by nat uralists where visitors can experience the tidepool life of Washington’s outer coast and S eattle’s inland sea, and “ Life of a D rifter,” where the v isiting public c an see, touc h, and explo re suc h P uget Sound creatures as young rockfish, sea stars, and plankton on an interactive 13-foot wet table. Other exhibits inc lude the “ Underwater Dome,” containing an undersea room with 360degree v iews into a 400,000-ga llon tank with salmon, roc kfish, st urgeon, sharks, and other fish and dail y feeding by a scuba diver ; “ Window on Washington Waters,” containing native marine l ife and thr ee div e sho ws dail y in a 120,000-gallon tank that can be viewed through a 20 x 40-foot angled window; “Marine Mammals,” an underwater mammal viewing area focusing on the antics of sea otters, har bor seals, and fur seals; “Pacific Coral Reef,” a man-made coral reef with a variety of warm-water fish and sharks in a 25,000-gallon tank and other tanks with actual living coral and smaller animals that call the r eef home; “ Puget S ound F ish,” with three habits-eelgrass co mmunities containing grunt sculpins, Pacific spiny lumpsuckers, midshipmen fish, c anary roc kfish, wolf eels, and other sea l ife; “Birds and S hores,” which gives a v iew of a var iety of bird habitats a long the coastal areas of the N orthwest; “Ocean Oddities,” de voted to str ange-looking sea cr eatures such as pinecone fish, cowfish, flying gurnards, potbelly seahorses, and sho rt dr agon fish; and
(Specialized)—Marine “Searching for S ixgills,” f eaturing v ideo highlights of the aquarium’s Sixgill Shark Research Program. The Seattle Aquarium also has suc h educational offerings as programs for children and adults, lect ures, fi lms, outdoo r tr ips, teacher workshops, and special events. Seattle A quarium, 1483 A laskan Way, S eattle, WA 98101. Phone: 206/386-4300. Fax: 206/386-4328. Email: aqu
[email protected]. W eb site: www.seattleaquarium.org. Hours: 9:30 –5 dail y; shorter hours on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $16; children 4 –12, $10.50; children under 4, free.
SHEDD AQUARIUM, Chicago. See John G. Shedd Aquarium.
STEINHART AQUARIUM, S an Francisco. See California Academy of Sciences in Natural History Science Centers section.
TY WARNER SEAT CENTER
The Ty Warner Sea Center, an interactive marine educ ation facil ity loc ated o n histo ric Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, California, is part of the S anta Barbara Museum of N atural History. The sea center, which opened in 2005, is named for a toy manufacturer and philanthropist who gave $1.5 million for its creation. The offsite marine facility is par t of the missio n of the natural history museum, which seeks to inspire a passion for the nat ural world. The museum, housed in a missio n-style S panish Mediterranean complex of buildings in Mission Canyon, was founded in 1916 and has an annual attendance of 110,000. The mar ine center of fers hands-o n exhibits, encounters with marine animals, and an opportunity to wo rk l ike scient ists—sampling and test ing ocean water , st udying anima l behavior, and examining microscopic marine life. The center has touc h scr eens, t idal and shark tanks, and a theater feat uring the wo nders of the Santa Barbara Channel. Among the exhibits are “Mammal Mezzanine,” showing the diversity of 36 species of mar ine mammals in Santa Barbara’s waters; “ Living Beac h,” a t idal pool with waves rushing through e very 60 seco nds; “Wet Deck,” featuring direct access to the waters below the pier”; “Submerged Science Lab,” where sample seawaters from under the pier are examined; and “BioLab,” which enables visitors to explore the life cycle of marine creatures.
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Virginia
Among the other v isitor exper iences ar e learning about the langu age mar ine mamma ls speak and r ecording themsel ves as they tr y to replicate the language; crawling through a tunnel inside a 1,500-gallon surge tank and observing sea stars, urchins, limpets, and other sea life; and learning about ongoing scientific research, getting information on marine mammal sightings, and singing along with whales and seals. The S anta Bar bara Museum of N atural History is kno wn fo r its dio ramas of birds, mammals, and southern California habitats, as well as its ha lls of mar ine l ife, geolog y, and Chumash Indian life and art gallery of antique natural history prints. It also has extensive educational programming—some of which involve the Ty Warner S ea Center. The of ferings include guided tours, lect ures, fi lms, c lasses, workshops, study clubs, discovery laboratories, field trips, outdoor nature explorations, school and teacher assistance services, and specific children, teen, adult, and family programs. Ty Warner S ea Center , S anta Bar bara Museum of Natural History, 211 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Phone: 805/962-2526. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web sites: www .stearnswharf.org and www.www.sbnature.org. Hours: 10 –5 dail y; c losed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: sea center—adults, $8; senio rs and youth 13–17, $7; children 2 –12, $5; children under 2, fr ee; natural history museum (includes sea center)—adults, $10; seniors and youth 13–17, $7; children 3 –12, $6; children under 3, free.
VIRGINIA AQUARIUM AND MARINE SCIENCE CENTER
The city-operated Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center in V irginia Beac h has over 300 interactive exhibit units among its offerings dea ling with V irginia marshes, the Chesapeake Bay , and the Atlant ic Ocean. Founded in 1986, the aqu arium feat ures t wo pavilions of exhibits, t wo touch pools, an outdoor aviary, a nature trail, marshlands, 3D films in an IMAX big-screen theater, and a cart program where visitors can examine shells, skulls, shark jaws, and other mar ine objects. The annual attendance is approximately 600,000. The Bay and Ocean P avilion introduces many aquatic animals and plants nat ive to the state as it takes v isitors from the r ivers to the Chesapeake Bay and then to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Amo ng its highl ights ar e the Chesapeake Bay touc h pool wher e visitors can see the largest collection of bay fishes and meet
It is possible to pet a har bor seal as par t of the “Harbor S eal S plash” prog ram at the V irginia Aquarium and Mar ine Science Center in V irginia Beach. The aquarium has over 300 interactive units per taining to V irginia marshes, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. Courtesy of the V irginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center.
a ho rseshoe cr ab; obser ve logger head, Kemp ’s ridley, and gr een t urtles in the “Chesapeake Light Tower A quarium”; watc h sharks, st ingrays, and other ocean species navigate “Norfolk Canyon Aquarium”; and learn about the science of oceanography through a variety of hands-on exhibits. The Marsh P avilion f eatures r iver otters, seahorses, snakes, and other marsh dwellers, as well as a “ macro-marsh” v iew that magnifi es plants and animals up to 10 times their normal size. Visitors then c an walk outside on an elevated deck to see a half-acre bird aviary with 55 different species of native birds. The “Animal Gallery” contains the harbor seals, cownose rays, loggerhead turtles, river otters, sand tiger sharks, and a great horned owl, while the “Science Gallery” has exhibits on anthropology, biology, geology, meteorology, and oceanography. The aquarium has 700,000 ga llons of aquariums with 200 species, including a
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300,000-gallon tank with sharks, 60,000-ga llon tank with har bor sea ls; and 40,000-ga llon tank with river otters. A nature trail also meanders through a salt marsh and wood land preserve, and dur ing the summer activity carts with an educator are stationed a long the trail to pro vide info rmation about the plants and animals in and around the creek. A 30-foot obser vation tower located on the grounds a lso giv es a v iew of O wls Cr eek from a tree-top level. Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Bl vd., V irginia Beach, V A 2345 1. Phone: 757/385-3474. F ax: 757/437-4976. E-mail: fi
[email protected]. Web site: www .virginiaaquarium.com. Hours: Memorial Day-Labor Day— 9 –6 dail y; r emainder of y ear—9 –5 dail y; c losed Thanksgiving and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $11.95; seniors, $10.95; children 3–11, $7.95; children under 3, free.
WAIKIKI AQUARIUM
The Waikiki A quarium in Ho nolulu has been around fo r mo re than 100 y ears. It was opened in 1904 as the Ho nolulu A quarium, a commercial v enture establ ished by the Ho nolulu Raid Transit and L and Company, which wanted “ to sho w the wo rld the r iches of Hawaii’s reefs,” as wel l as to ent ice v isitors to ride the n ew tr olley l ine to K apiolani P ark, where the aquarium was located. Two directors of the transit company—Charles M. Cooke and James B . Castle—co ntributed the building funds and site lease fo r the aquarium. In 1912, the C. M. Cooke Estate do nated funds fo r a marine biology laboratory adjoining the aquarium, beginning the aqu arium’s r esearch tr adition. When the aquarium’s lease expired in 1919, the Cooke Estate ceded the site to the Territory of Hawaii, which turned the administration of the aquarium and the labo ratory to the n ewly formed University of Hawaii, which still operates the facility. The aquarium, located on a living coral reef along the W aikiki sho reline, focuses o n the aquatic life of Hawaii and the tropic al Pacific. It seeks to increase public awareness of the ecology and co nservation of mar ine l ife and r eef habitats through exhibitory, research, and education. It now has more than 3,000 marine animals and o ver 500 species of aqu atic anima ls and plants, and ser ves about 320,000 v isitors annually. The aquarium’s exhibits inc lude “Edge of the Reef ,” an outdoo r exhibit that r e-creates
(Specialized)—Marine habitats that might be found along a Hawaiian rocky shoreline and contains yellow tangs, parrortfish, butterflyfish, rice coral, sea cucumbers, and other sea life, as well as an interactive area that provides personal experiences with some of the anima ls found in loc al t ide pools; “S outh Pacific Mar ine Communities,” display ing the range of marine life on coral reefs of the tropical Pacific Ocean , with touc h screens to identify the var ious species; “ Hawaiian Mar ine Communities,” which demonstrates the diversity of sea life in the Hawaiian Islands; “Corrals Are Alive!” showing how corals are living animals that c an grow, reproduce, and build their own skeletons; and “Hunters on the Reef,” devoted to sharks, jacks, and groupers that are the primary predators on coral reefs. Among the other exhibits are “Jet Set,” an exhibit about sea anima ls that mo ve about by pulling water from outside their bodies, passing it over their gills to exchange gases, and directing the water outside their bodies by way of a muscular tube called the siphon, as occurs with a naut ilus, squid, and octopus; “Ocean Drifters,” featuring delicate jellyfish found locally and abroad; “Hawaiian Monk Seal Habitat,” containing two of the rare Hawaiian monk seals found only in the Hawaiian Islands; “Coral Farms and Giant Clams,” which focuses on cultivated corals and a wide r ange of giant c lams; new exhibits on the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the mar ine l ife of Johnso n Island, and Hawaiian str eams with a water fall; and other exhibits dea ling with such topics as div ersity and adaptat ions, ocean aqu aculture, and fisheries and conservation. The Waikiki Aquarium, which had the first marine fi eld stat ion in Hawaii in 1912, was among the earliest public aquariums to engage in scient ific research and mar ine conservation. It successfully developed exhibits of living corals in 1978, was the first aquarium to maintain and breed chambered nautilus, and currently is conducting research on lobster l ife c ycles, growth patterns in giant clams, and the physiology and metabolism of the thr eatened Hawaiian mo nk seals. The marine science center also has school, parent/child, famil y, adult, summer c amp, and community gr oup educ ation programs—some of which involve hands-on activities. Waikiki Aquarium, 2777 K alakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815-4027. Phone: 808/923-9741. Fax: 808/9231771. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www. waquarium.org. Hours: 9 –2:30 dail y; c losed Hon-
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olulu Mar athon Day and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $9; local residents, seniors, military, and students, $6; youth 13–17, $4; children 5–12, $2; children under 5, free.
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION OCEAN SCIENCE EXHIBIT CENTER
The Ocean Science Exhibit Center is located at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the largest no nprofit oceanographic research and educational institution in the world, located in W oods Hole , Massac husetts. The marine science center is devoted to the institution’s ocean science research, its research ships, and the tools de veloped by the facil ity’s engineers and scientists for use in the research. It has an annual attendance of 30,000. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution was founded in 1930 following a report by the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Oceanography that recommended the establishment of a well-equipped oceanographic institution o n the East Coast and that the oceanographic activities at the Scripps Institution of Oceanogr aphy and the Univ ersity of Washington be str engthened o n the W est Coast. The startup funds were provided by the Rockefeller F oundation. It is loc ated in an ocean-related research village that now also includes the Mar ine Biologic al L aboratory and National Mar ine F isheries S ervice, whic h is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Among the ac hievements of the W oods Hole Oceanographic Institution have been the 1955 de velopment of the Alvin manned deep ocean research submersible, the 1977 discovery of h ydrothermal vents o n the botto m of the Pacific Ocean that that changed the under-
Academy standing of planet Earth and life on it, and the 1985 disco very of the w reck of the RMS Titanic. A mong the hundr eds of curr ent st udies are the r easons fo r the col lapse the Geo rges Bank and other fisheries, the causes and spread of the “ red t ide,” ocean water mo vement, sea floor rock and sediment, and interactions of the ocean and atmosphere. The institution operates three large r esearch v essels—Atlantis, Knorr, and Oceanus—as well as the Alvin submersible and se veral sma ller boats. It a lso has a joint graduate progr am in oceanograph y with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and provides ocean science experience for undergraduate students and teachers. The Ocean Science Exhibit Center provides a windo w into the r esearch conducted at the institution. It has an interactive exhibit that features wha le and dolphin r esearch and explores the roles sound and hear ing play in the lives of mar ine mamma ls, and other exhibits and videos that ser ve as an introduct ion to the institution and examine life forms and the natural processes of the deep sea. Visitors also can step inside a full-size model of the inner sphere of the Alvin submersible and see v ivid footage taken at deep-sea h ydrothermal vent sites. In the summer, volunteers take visitors on walking tours through the dock and other restricted village facilities, and a series of public talks about the institution’s scientific activities are given by the scientists and engineers in the exhibit center’s auditorium. Ocean Science Exhibit Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst itution, 15 Sc hool S t., Mail S top 45,Woods Hole, MA 02543. Phone: 508/289-2663. Fax: 508/457-2147. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.shoi.edu. Hours: May-Oct.—10 –4:30 Mon.–Sat.; closed Sun.; Nov.–Dec.—10 –4:30 Tues.– Fri.; closed Sat.–Mon.; Apr.—by appointment: closed Jan.–Mar., Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: $2 suggested donation.
Natural History Science Centers ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES The A cademy of N atural Sciences in Philadelphia is the nat ion’s oldest nat ural history r esearch inst itution and m useum. It was founded in 1812 by leading nat uralists for “the encouragement and cultivation of the sciences” in the young r epublic. S ince then , it has co nducted r esearch, spo nsored expedit ions, collected more than 17 million specimens, and pre-
sented exhibitions and educational programs in a museum of natural history. The academy first opened its collections to the public in 1828, and was forced to move to its present larger location in 1876 bec ause of the gr eat publ ic interest in the display of the world’s first mounted dinosaur skeleton in 1868. This later led to the development of dioramas to show animals in its collections in thr ee-dimensional exhibits. The m useum st ill has 37 dio ramas containing anima ls
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from Africa, Asia, and North America, but now offers much more as it has evolved into a handson nat ural histo ry science center ser ving 200,000 visitors annually. The academy began offering programming for children in the 1930s and in 1979 opened a hands-on children science museum (now called “Outside In”)—becoming among the first natural history museums to have a children’s “discovery room” with hands-on specimens. Today, the museum also makes use of hands-o n activities in other ways—ranging from a dig for dinosaur fossils in its pr incipal exhibit, the “ Dinosaur Hall,” to computer stations in the “Butterflies!” exhibit in a tropical garden and hands-on activities in its educational programming. More than 30 species of dinosaurs and other Mesoz oic creatures—about half being full skeletal mounts —are r epresented in “ Dinosaur Ha ll,” which also has a “ Fossil Prep Lab” where visitors can see fossils used for study and possible display. Among the other exhibits at the ac ademy are “Egyptian Mummies,” featuring two mummies inside a r econstructed Eg yptian to mb; “Living Downstream,” showing how the quality of water and the health of plants and animals in a watershed are affected by upstream actions; “Marveling at Mollusks,” displaying 100 specimens of clams, scallops, conches, cowries, land snails, c hambered naut iluses, and other mollusks; “Captain Cook’s Cannon,” a cannon from Captain James Cook’s HMB Endeavour that ran aground in A ustralia’s Gr eat Barr ier Reef in 1770 and was disco vered by an ac ademy expedition collecting fish in the reef; “Robert Peary’s Greenland Flag,” containing the flag planted on the far north of Greenland by Robert E. Peary’s 1891–92 expedition sponsored by the academy; and “Science at the A cademy,” which gives a sampling of some of the scientific research conducted at the academy. The museum also has the “Florence R. Foerderer Live Animal Center,” home to over 100 live birds, mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates, where v isitors c an look behind the scen es and see staff members c aring fo r the anima ls that are featured in daily “Naturalist Shows,” at the “Outside In ” c hildren’s m useum, and in the academy’s outreach program. Other educational programs inc lude c lasses, wo rkshops, summer camps, sleepo vers, Scout pr ograms, “ Wild Weekends” special events, and “ Town Square” public programs on environmental issues, evolution, and other science topics.
(Specialized)—Natural History Academy of N atural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, PA 19103-1195/ Phone: 215/299-1000. Fax: 2 15/299-1028. Web site: www . ansp.org. Hours: 10–4:30 Mon.–Fri., 10–5 Sat.–Sun.; closed N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $ 12; senio rs, mil itary, st udents, and children 3–12, $10; children under 3, free.
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The A merican Museum of N atural History in N ew York Cit y is o ne of the oldest, largest, and most popular m useums in the nation. It was founded in 1869 and now occupies a complex of 27 interconnected buildings totaling 1.6 million square feet in the middle of 18acre Theodore Roosevelt Park on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. It contains 45 permanent exhibit halls, a major planetarium-space center, a collection of over 32 million specimens and artifacts, a 487,000-volume l ibrary, a scient ific staff of 225 ful l-time specia lists, an extensiv e educational progr am that inc ludes awarding Ph.D. degrees, multi-faceted interactive activities, and an annual attendance of 4 million. The museum’s mission is “ to discover, interpret, and disseminate thr ough scient ific research and educ ation knowledge about human cultures, the nat ural world, and the univ erse.” As part of its exhibits and pr ograms, it makes use of such diverse hands-on activities as interactive plan etarium-space and other exhibits, staffed “touch carts” in eight ga lleries, a “ Discovery Room” and “Science and N ature P rogram” with hands-on science activities for young children, an interact ive science theater sho w, hands-on educ ational c lasses and labo ratories, and a 360-degree interactive online experience with “virtual dioramas” depicting the museum’s hallmark dioramas. Visitors can feel the ground shake beneath them as they experience a re-creation of a meteorite impact in Hayden Planetarium’s “Cosmic Collisions” presentation; interact with computers about the universe in the “Cullman Hall of the Univ erse”; hav e an oppo rtunity to hand le specimens and artifacts in gallery carts; hunt for animals, col lect specimens, and tr ack ear thquakes in the “ Discovery Room” fo r childr en 5–12 and families; interact with “Dr. Nebula” on topics ranging fro m ear ly human ancesto rs to the solar sy stem in the “ Interactive Science Theatre S how”; learn about scient ific inquir y by engaging in hands-on activities in interactive
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classes and labo ratory experiments; and “ tour” the museum at home via the Internet. The museum is best kno wn for its exceptional exhibit ha lls, which number 45. On e of the most impr essive attractions is the ser ies of fossil ha lls, inc luding t wo dinosaur ga lleries. The museum has the wo rld’s largest col lection of v ertebrate fossils, tota ling n early 1 million specimens. The m useum’s mamma l ha ll and habitat group dioramas also are among its most renowned and belo ved exhibits, pr oviding a window onto a wo rld of anima ls, their behavior, and their habitats. The m useum’s series of culture halls explore the tr aditional cultures of Asia, Africa, the Pacific, and North and South America—built on the groundbreaking work of Margaret Mead, F ranz Boaz, and other ear ly museum anthropologists. Another major exhibit is the “ Hall of Biodiv ersity,” de voted to what many scient ists bel ieve is the most impo rtant environmental issu e—the n eed to protect and preserve the plan et’s biodiv ersity, var iety, and interdependence of Ear th’s l ife fo rms.” It has 160 species of flo ra and fauna and a 100-footlong insta llation with mo re than 1,500 specimens and models, inc luding microo rganisms, mammals, bacteria, beetles, fungi, and fish. The m useum a lso has ha lls dedic ated to birds, ocean science, meteorites, minerals, gems, reptiles and amp hibians, and Ear th and space. The latter is in the spectacular Rose Center for Earth and S pace, which houses the Hay den Planetarium and numerous interactive space exhibits (see Astronomy Science Centers section). These per manent exhibit ha lls ar e supplemented each year with special temporary exhibitions. The m useum a lso has the “S amuel J . and Ethel L eFrak I MAX Theater” that pr esents science and nature films on a 66-foot-wide screen with a state-of-the-art digital sound system. The A merican Museum of N atural History has played a leading role in the exploration, discovery, and theoretical advances in the natural sciences. It conducts research in such fields as genomics, astroph ysics, z oology, pa leontology, ear th sciences, and anthropolog y, and works worldwide to survey and study biological diversity and to mit igate threats to the Ear th’s ecosystems. The museum’s scientists conduct research in the field on more than 120 expeditions each year, as well as in the m useum’s laboratories, extensive collections, and research library. The m useum a lso has col laborative gr aduate
Anniston programs with fi ve univ ersities invol ving approximately 100 students, doctoral training and post-doctoral prof essional de velopment programs with four universities, and began its own Ph.D. degree program in 2008. In addit ion, it provides a select number of undergraduate students with intense r esearch experience in suc h subjects as e volutionary biolog y, astroph ysics, and earth and planetary sciences. The museum also has extensive school and public educ ational offerings, del ivered par tly through the “David and Ruth Gottesman Center for Science Teaching and Learning,” which provides a wide variety of programs to enhance school teaching of c hildren, training of teac hers, and developing curriculum materials tied to national science standar ds, and the “ National Center fo r Science Literac y, Educ ation, and Technology,” which designs, produces, and distributes pr ograms and mater ials using such technologies as sof tware, video, web sites, and print publications. In addition, the museum has a broad array of other educ ation programs, including lect ures, curato r ta lks, per formances, classes, after-school courses, workshops, fi lms, tours, “Moveable Museum” outreach program, and ‘Science and Nature Program,” with handson act ivities for very young c hildren and their parents or caregivers. American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St., New York, NY 10024-5192. Phone: 212/769-5100. Fax: 212/769-5018. E-mail: co
[email protected]. Web site: www.amnh.org. Hours: 10 –5:45 dail y; c losed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istmas. Admission: suggestion donation—adults, $15; seniors and st udents, $ 11; c hildren 2 –12, $8.50; c hildren under 2, free.
ANNISTON MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY
OF
The Anniston Museum of Natural History in Anniston, Alabama, seeks to enhance public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of living things and their en vironments. It was founded in 1930 after the city accepted the gift of biologic al specimens and histo rical objects from H. Severn Regar when he moved his textile busin ess to Annisto n fro m N orristown, Pennsylvania. The col lection inc luded mo re than 1,800 o rnithological specimens collected in the late nin eteenth cent ury by W illiam H. Werner, who r an the Wonderland Museum in Atlantic Cit y, N ew Jersey in 1882–1910. The museum, originally called the Regar Museum,
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was located in the city’s Carnegie Library until 1965, when it was mo ved to the Ca lhoun County War Memorial Building. When John B Lagarde, c hairman of the m useum board, offered to do nate his col lection of mounted African anima ls if funds could be r aised for a new building, a fund-raising drive followed that resulted in the m useum’s present building on a 185-acre site in 1976 and a master plan c alling for se ven majo r exhibit ha lls (that wer e completed by 2000). Since the move to the expanded building , many n ew exhibits and progr ams hav e been added and the museum has become a center of flora and fauna in nat ural surroundings, with gardens, hiking trails, and aqu atic l ife. It a lso has made increasing use of hands-on techniques as a natural history science center and it annual attendance has c limbed to 112,000. The m useum’s exhibits no w inc lude “ NatureSpace,” a hands-on discovery room with co mputers and microscopes to explore plants, animals, geology, archaeology, and the env ironment. and wher e children can dig for fossils, explore a cave, and get a shake fro m a sim ulated ear thquake. Hands-on activities also are part of many educational programs, such as classes, behind-thescenes tours, educational resource trunks, earth science act ivity bo xes for home sc hool educ ators, sc avenger hunts, sc hool outr each programs, and “Touch Trek Tours.” Other exhibits inc lude “Dynamic Ear th,” which explores how such processes as weather, earthquakes, volcanoes, and plate tecto nics affect the Ear th; “Alabama S and to Cedars,” an exhibit with a 250-ga llon aquarium of indigenous fish and a 12-foot alligator, and where visitors wind their way through l imestone ridges, cool fo rests, wide r ivers, and steamy swamps; “Attack and Def ense,” sho wing the l ife and death relationship of predator and prey; “Birds of America,” with over 400 species of birds, including so me fro m the o riginal W erner o rnithology collection; “Environments of Africa,” illustrating ho w anima ls adapt and sur vive in the Afr ican savannah; and “ Ancient Eg ypt,” which contains 2,300-y ear-old Ptolemaic P eriod m ummies and sho ws wh y anima ls wer e deified in Egypt. The museum also has a changing exhibits gallery and such other features as a tropical co nservatory, four gardens, and t wo trails. Anniston Museum of Natural History, 800 Museum Dr., Anniston, AL 36206 (mailing address: PO Box
(Specialized)—Natural History 1587, Anniston, AL 36202- 1587). E-mail: www.annistonmuseum.org. Hours: 10–5 Tues.–Sat., 1–5 Sun.; closed Mon (except in summer), N ew Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $4.50; children 4 –17, $3.50; children under 4, free.
AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CEN-
TER, Austin, TX. See Nature Science Centers
section.
BELL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The James Ford Bell Museum of N atural History, which is known simply as the Bell Museum of Natural History, was established at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in 1872 by the state legislature to collect, preserve, display, and interpret the state’s diverse animal and plant l ife. The m useum is st ill col lecting, r esearching, and teac hing, and now has nearly 4 million specimens in its collections, four exhibit areas, and an annu al attendance of n early 100,000. The m useum is best kno wn fo r its t wo floors of dioramas displaying all of Minnesota’s habitats, along with the anima ls, birds, plants, and insects that populate the state. B ut one of the most popular exhibits is the “Touch and See Room,” which offers young children the chance to get up close and personal with nature. It was one of the nation’s earliest children’s science discovery rooms, originating in 1968. Children can pet a t urtle, examine animal furs, tr y on a 40pound set of moose antlers, touc h objects that are under glass in the dioramas, and investigate such things as a 10,000-year-old wool y mammoth t usk, an elephant skul l, and a l ife-sized Kodiak bear. The museum also has a “Rainforest Exhibit,” which offers a view of the rainforest c anopy from t wo aer ial wa lkways, and the “West Gallery,” which houses traveling exhibitions. The museum’s collections and exhibits are used in instr uction and research at the univ ersity. The m useum a lso provides tailored classroom progr ams fo r school groups at the m useum or the school, family programs, informal public courses, lect ures, workshops, field trips, traveling school kits, and diorama loan exhibits. Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455. Phone: 612/624-7083. Fax: 612/612/626-7704. E-mail: info@bellm useum.org. Web site: www.bellmuseum.org. Hours: 9 –5 Tues.–
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Fri., 10 –5 Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon., New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. A dmission: adults, $5; senio rs, non-university students, and children 3 –16, $3; University of Minnesota st udents and c hildren under 3, fr ee; free admission on Sun.
BOONSHOFT MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY
The Boonshoft Museum of Disco very, a hands-on science center in Day ton, Ohio, r esulted from the merger of the Dayton Museum of Natural History and the Children’s Museum of Day ton in 1996. It init ially was c alled the Dayton Museum of Disco very, but the name was changed to Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in 1999 in r ecognition of the suppo rt by Oscar Boonshoft. The science center e volved from discussions between the Dayton Museum of Natural History, whic h was founded in 1893, and a group of co mmunity leaders who wanted to start a children’s museum. Both parties were interested in inspiring children to lifelong learning and an appreciation of science and the world around them. They formed a governing board, launched a mobile outreach program, produced model exhibits, and merged their boards under the Dayton Society of Natural History, the parent organization of the natural history museum and two other sites—the Sun Watch Indian Village/Archaeological P ark and F inley N ature Preserve. A master plan was developed that converted the nat ural histo ry m useum into a broader-based 80,000-square-foot science center appealing to both c hildren and adults with nearly 250,000 in annual attendance. The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery still has its extensive natural history collections and some of its exhibits, but the exhibits no w include the physical sciences and technology. The “Oscar Boonshoft Science Central” exhibit section has inter active units that inc lude the “Bernoulli Blower,” where ba lls are suspended in mid-air; “Gravitron,” which explores motion and matter; “Roller Balls,” where the relationship bet ween mass and speed is il lustrated; “Construction Zone,” devoted to the construction process; “Color Wall,” where the phenomenon of colo r recognition and detect ion is explained; “ Water Table,” whic h explains basic principles about water and its proper ties; and “Manipulative ar ea,” wher e v isitors c an lear n about points, l ines, and cur ves through r ubber
Buffalo band art. A “ Do Lab,” where visitors can conduct interactive science experiments with aid of a staff member, also is in this section The “Bieser Discovery Center,” an exhibit section de voted to nat ural histo ry exhibits, is where v isitors c an examin e roc k specimens, shells from around the world, and animal skeletons, and see suc h exhibits as “ Rajeev, the Burmese P ython,” which feat ures a 14.5-foot Burmese python; “Emerald Tree Boa, Hissing Cockroaches, Tarantulas,” containing a tree boa, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, and red-kneed and Chilean rose tar antulas; and collections of rocks, minerals, insects, and mammals. Other exhibits in the museum are devoted to such topics as the rainforest floor, woodlands, zoo, enclosed tree house, three-story climbing tower and slide, junior observatory, weather station, career dress-up area, “Nesiur the Mummy,” Sonoran Deser t, computer center , t idal pool , “Lego Land,” and “Mechanics Garage,” where children c an work on repairing a sc aled-down version of a car. The museum’s sister organization—the S unwatch Indian V illage/Archaeological Park, an 800-year-old reconstructed site of the Fort Ancient Indians located elsewhere— also has a visitor center with exhibits about the prehistoric site. Daily act ivities at the science center include planetarium shows, hands-on science experiments, otter and bat feedings, sto ry times, and v isits with l ive anima ls. Among the other educational act ivities are ear ly childhood programs, af ter-school science c lub, community programs, special events, and an “ Exhibits-toGo” outr each progr am that goes to schools, camps, and senior care facilities. Boonshoft Museum of Disco very, 2600 DeW eese Pkwy., Day ton, OH 454 14. P hone: 937/275-743 1. Fax: 937/275-5811. E-mail: info@boonshoftmuseum. org. Web site: www .boonshoftmuseum.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 11–5 S at., 12 –5 S un.; c losed N ew Year’s Eve and Day , Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $8.50; senio rs and children 2–12, $7; children under 2, free.
BUFFALO MUSEUM OF SCIENCE
The B uffalo Museum of Science in B uffalo, New York, is a natural history museum and observatory that also operates a nature preserve for environmental education. It was founded in 1861 to house specimens, min erals, fossils, shells, insects, pr essed plants, sea weeds, and various paint ings and ar ticles of histo ric va lue
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from an o verflowing nat ural history col lection assembled by the Y oung Men ’s Associat ion, which ser ved as the center fo r o rganized cultural activities in the cit y at that t ime. As the collection and inter est in the nat ural sciences grew over the years, the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences museum moved from several temporary sites to its present building at the end of Humboldt Parkway on B uffalo’s East S ide in 1929. In 1982, the museum took over the operation of the 264-acr e Tifft Nature Preserve, located 3 miles fro m do wntown B uffalo, which features five miles of hiking trails, a nature and fitness trail, a 75-acre freshwater cattail marsh, wildflower garden, man-made lakes that attract wildlife, and Mako wski V isitor Center. L ater in the 1980s, the museum displayed robotic dinosaurs that led to a long list of special exhibitions. The museum became the first museum in the nat ion to hav e an elementar y sc hool both physically and programmatically linked in 1990 when the Dr. Charles B. Drew Science Magnet Elementary School became a multi-story addition. The museum now has more than 668,000 specimens pertaining to the greater Niagara region, as wel l as mater ial of wo rldwide pro venance of va lue in teac hing, exhibition, and research. The annual attendance is over 125,500. Most of the m useum’s o ngoing exhibits feature its collections, dealing with such topics as the history of dinosaurs, life in ancient Egypt, gems and min erals, wood land gro wth, ver tebrate evolution, fossils and artifacts found in archaeological digs, ecolog y and env ironment in the Niagara region, and Tibetan sand mandala ritual artwork. But the museum also has handson exhibits and programs, inc luding the “O ur Place in S pace” astronomy ga llery, whic h has five themed ar eas that engage v isitors, inc luding computer sim ulations of outer space and various hands-o n exhibits of meteo rites and other objects; “Co nnections Ga llery,” wher e learning facilitators take students through specimen and ar tifact act ivity stat ions to enhance their awareness of the world around them; “Exploration Gallery,” an interactive discovery exhibit with a mastodon dig area, water table exhibit, infant/toddler area, and cultural dramatic play areas for children 3 to 7 years of age to interact with par ents, teac hers, and c aregivers; “Science o n S tage,” audito rium science programs involving demonstrations and student interaction; “ Museum Workshops,” with hands-
(Specialized)—Natural History on activities designed to encourage inquiry and student-directed learning; and “Kellogg Observatory,” where the publ ic c an see ec lipses and other astronomical happenings through an 8inch reflecting telescope. The Tifft Nature Preserve, which is the center of the museum’s conservation and environmental education activities, also has such act ivities as self-directed discovery kits, hands-on workshops, discovery camps, guided nature walks, interactive teacher workshops, outreach programs, and special programs for c hildren, famil ies, adults, groups, and Scouts. The “Center fo r Science L earning” provides the educ ational pr ogramming at the museum, Tifft Nature Preserve, and Elmwood Science Spot, a satellite museum site. The programs—many of whic h hav e hands-on educ ational act ivities—include lect ures, c amp-ins, overnight stays, after-school programs, discovery camps, study trips, workshops, science stage programs, teen skills initiatives, distant learning program, home school science, Scout programs, and outreach activities. Buffalo Museum of Science, 1020 Humboldt Pkwy., Buffalo, NY 14211. Phone: 716/896-5200. Fax: 716/ 897-6723. Web site: www.sciencebuff.org. Hours: late June-Aug.—10 –5 Mon.–Sat.; closed Sun.; remainder of y ear—10 –5 Wed.–Sat., 12–5 S un.; c losed Mon. and Tues. r eserved fo r sc hool groups. A dmission: adults, $7; seniors, $6; students, military, and children 3–18, $5; children under 3, free. Tifft Nature Preserve, 1200 Fuhrman Blvd., Buffalo, NY 14203. Phones: 716/826-6397 and 716/896-5200. Web site: www .sciencebuff.org/tifft _nat ure_preserve.php. Hours: 9–5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: donation.
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
The Ca lifornia A cademy of Sciences in San Francisco was founded in 1853 as the fi rst scientific inst itution in the A merican West. It began as the Ca lifornia A cademy of N atural Sciences, a learned societ y that conducted surveys and col lected specimens. The ac ademy changed its name to the more inclusive California A cademy of Sciences in 1868, open ed its first museum in the Chinato wn neighborhood in 1874, moved to a larger building o n Market Street in 1891, and then to Golden Gate P ark in 1916 after its facilities were largely destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
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California
The mission of the California A cademy of Sciences today is “ to explore, explain , and pr otect the natural world.” It is one of the leading natural history museums and at the fo refront in scientific research about the natural world. In 2008, it consolidated its operations in 12 buildings into a single spectacular $500million, 400,000-squarefoot env ironmentally friendly building that is topped with a 2.5-acr e living roof of native California plants in Golden Gate Park. The structure is ho me to the Kimba ll It is possible to touch a red-tailed boa constr ictor in the “Rainforests of Natural Histo ry Muthe World” exhibit at the Califor nia Academy of Sciences in San F ranseum, S teinhart A quar- cisco. T he nat ural histor y museum, whic h beg an in 1874, occupies a ium, Morrison P lanetar- 400,000-square–foot building costing $500 million in Golden Gate Park. ium, and suc h other Its exhibits largely are devoted to the evolution and maintenance of life facilities as a 3D theater, on Earth. Courtesy of the California Academy of Science. “The Naturalist Center,” scientific process by “ collecting” v irtual speciscientific labo ratories, offices, lect ure ha ll, l imens; “Altered State: Climate Change in Ca lbrary, ar chive, roof terrace , sto re, t wo r estauifornia,” which examines the dangerous ef fects rants, and an adjacent garden and aviary. It has of climate change on natural habitats and gives an annual attendance of more than 700,000. visitors an opportunity to measure the impact of The museum’s exhibits largely address two everyday decisions on a carbon scale, help polar of the most signifi cant and closely intertwined bears mo ve from one ice flo w to another , and scientific issues—the evolution and maintenance share ideas on reducing their impact on the enof l ife on Ear th. It has n early 40,000 anima ls vironment; and “Science in Action: Beyond the and many of the exhibits and progr ams are inHeadlines,” an interact ive exhibit that a llows teractive and make use of digital media producvisitors to go be yond the head lines to gain intion, multimedia, technology platforms, and/or depth info rmation about scient ific disco veries interactive gaming tec hnologies. The exhibits around the world.. include “ Rainforests of the W orld,” a l iving Among the other exhibits are the “Foucault four-story exhibit in a glass do me where eac h Pendulum,” an 87-foot-long blue whale skelefloor represents a different rainforest and where ton, two artworks by Maya Lin that depict the visitors c an peer into a Bo rneo bat c ave, meet topography above and below San Francisco Bay, chameleons from Madagasc ar, c limb into the interpretive panels on the academy’s innovative tree tops of Costa Rita to fi nd free-flying birds “green” building, and wher e visitors can watch and butterflies, and descend in a glass ele vator scientists at work behind windows in an act ive to an Amazonian flooded forest; “African Hall,” research labo ratory. The m useum a lso has an featuring 21 dioramas that give an in-depth look “Early Explo rers Co ve,” an ear ly childhood into Afr ica’s diverse ecosy stems, with plasma hands-on education center wher e preschoolers touch screens that enable v isitors to take a v ircan explore such things as a 15-foot replica of tual safar i; “ Islands of Evolut ion,” whic h exan academy schooner, climb into a tr ee house, plores the remote islands and animals of Madaand tend an o rganic garden; “ Hearst Forum,” gascar and the Galapagos, featuring interactive an auditorium that is a 3D theater wher e temstations that allow visitors to participate in the
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porary exhibitions, movies, and special lectures and progr ams ar e pr esented; “ The N aturalist Center,” which offers a wide range of resources and services about the natural world; and online archived exhibits that no lo nger are on display at the museum. The S teinhart Aquarium has 38,000 animals representing 900 species from around the world in locations throughout the academy galleries rather than together. The exhibits include the “ Philippine Co ral Reef ,” which has the world’s deepest l iving coral reef tank (25 feet) that holds 212,000 gallons of water and has delicate soft and hard corals, blacktip reef sharks, stingrays, and o ver 2,000 colo rful r eef fish; “North California Coast,” containing a 100,000gallon tank that r eplicates the habitat of the Gulf of the F arallones National Marine Sanctuary, tanks that f eature a huge sea bass and a giant Pacific octopus, and a “ Discovery T ide Pool” wher e v isitors c an touc h and examin e a variety of ocean creatures; “Water Planet,” featuring dozens of tanks that contain a variety of fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and other invertebrates in a room that transforms into a 360degree projection theater every hour to show a 5-minute fi lm o n the impo rtance of water ; “Flooded Amazon,” with an underwater tunnel that provides stunning views of arapaima, giant catfish, and arowanas swimming overhead in a flooded Amaz on basin that is par t of the m useum’s “ Rainforests of the W orld” exhibit ; “African Penguins,” f eaturing a colo ny of 20 African penguins in a 25,000-gallon tank in the African Ha ll; and “ The S wamp,” which co ntains two American alligators and se veral alligator snapping turtles, faced by a tank with alligator gars. The Mo rrison P lanetarium is the largest all-digital planetarium in the world. It produces the most accur ate and inter active digita l universe and features a 75-foot diameter projection screen t ilted at a 30 degr ee angle that appears to disappear when imager y is projected, cr eating an experience more like flying than watching a movie. The star sho ws are supplemented by live “tours of the universe” and programs that include l ive NASA feeds as wel l as broadc asts from academy scientists in the field. The California Academy of Sciences is an international center for scientific education and research. It has o ver 50 prof essional educators and scient ists suppo rted by o ver 100 r esearch and field associates and mo re than 300 fello ws
(Specialized)—Natural History that conduct research in 11 fields of st udy, including anthropolog y, aquatic biolog y, botany, comparative genomics, entomology, geolog y, herpetology, ichthyology, invertebrate zoology, mammalogy, and o rnithology. The ac ademy’s research resources include a collection of 20 million specimens and a 2 10,000-volume research library. The academy also has extensive public educational of ferings suc h as “ The N aturalist Center” resources, school group class and laboratory lessons, children and adult programs, lectures, animal feeding obser vations and discussions, behind the scenes tours, outreach program, and teacher workshop professional development program. California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr., Golden Gate P ark, S an Francisco, CA 94 1184503. Phone: 415/379-8000. E-mail: info@c alacademy.org. W eb site: www .calacademy.org. Hours: 9:30 –5 Mo n.–Sat. 11–5 S un. A dmission: adults, $24.95; seniors and youth 12–17, $ 19.95; children 7– 11, $14.95; children under 7, free.
CRANBROOK INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, Bloomfield Hills, MI. See General Sci-
ence Centers section.
DANVILLE SCIENCE CENTER, Danville, VA. See General Science Centers section. DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE
The Denver Museum of N ature and Science in Colorado is the largest and most popular source for informal science education in the Rocky Mountains r egion. The m useum was founded as the Den ver Museum of N atural History in 1900. It was star ted after it bec ame apparent that a larger and fireproof building was needed to preserve and display the extensive collections of Colorado birds and mammals assembled by Edwin Carter, a pioneer and naturalist who settled in Br eckenridge in 1868. He was displaying the specimens in his log cabin home, which bec ame kno wn as the Car ter Museum, and there was great concern about their future. As a result, Denver civic leaders raised the necessary funds to obtain the collect ions fo r the newly incorporated museum, and then enhanced the collections with crystalline gold specimens, butterflies, and moths from other individuals. A new museum building was co nstructed
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Denver
and opened to the publ ic in Denver’s City Park in 1908. Since then, it has been expanded to 500,000 square f eet by the addit ion of the Phipps Auditorium in 1940, Gates Planetarium in 1968, “IMAX Theater” in 1983, a majo r 187,000square-foot addit ion in 1987, and the “Leprino Family Atrium” and “Anschutz Family Sky Terrace” in 2002. The m useum no w is planning a n ew “Science Educ ation Center to better ser ve sc hool and other youth groups, pr eschoolers, and teac hers, and an impro ved storage space fo r its mo re than 1 million rare fossils, Native Amer- The newest major exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and ican ar tifacts, gems and min erals, Science is “ Expedition Health,” whic h opened in 2009. It is a bird and mamma l specimens, and highly interactive exhibit on health that includes a theater experience, live demonstrations, and “ buddies” who help visitors other col lections. In r ecent y ears, learn about their health. In this photo , a visitor interacts with the museum has moved to become a computer to show how his face is likely to age over the years— a br oader science center with influenced by such factors such as sunlight, smoking, and obehands-on space, health, and other sity, which lead to cell damage and play a role in aging the body. exhibits and programs, resulting in Courtesy of the Denver Museum of N ature and Science and photographer Scott Dressel-Martin (all rights reserved). the name c hange to Denver Museum of Nature and Science in the 1990s. It now has an annual attendance to over ing up l ike a dinosaur , putt ing o n a puppet 1.2 million. show, making a craf t to take ho me, and co nThe m useum has suc h hands-on exhibits ducting an experiment on magnetism, electricand programs as “Space Odyssey,” where visitors ity, and pr essure; and a var iety of sho ws, can get a c lose-up v iew of Mars, ta lk with an demonstrations, and educ ation progr ams that “astronaut” conducting research on the surface, involve hands-on activities. maneuver a Mars Rover, dock the Space ShutThe museum also has suc h other exhibits tle, explore the cosmos, search for water and life as more than 90 exquisite wild life and habitat on other planets, perform space science experidioramas that illustrate the planet’s amazing diments, participate in street-theater-style science versity; an exhibit o n North Amer ican Indian performances, and exper ience one of the most cultures that inc ludes reconstructed villages of sophisticated digital planetariums in the world; native peoples and their weav ings, basketr y, “Expedition Hea lth,” a n ew highl y interactive beadwork, and pottery; gems and minerals with exhibit wher e v isitors c an look at microscopic a re-created underground min e; and Eg yptian cells from their own bodies, immerse themselves mummies on ho w ancient Eg ypt r egarded its in a theater experience that engages all of their living and preserved its dead. The museum also senses, par ticipate in l ive demonstrations and presents traveling and specia l temporary exhiprograms, and meet “ buddies” who help them bitions and nat ure and science fi lms o n the learn about their hea lth; “Prehistoric Journey,” IMAX Theater’s large screen. a prehistoric exhibit that traces the evolution of The museum’s extensive educational activlife on Ear th and f eatures l ife-size dinosaurs, ities include inquiry-based classroom programs, touch c arts where v isitors c an examine fossils, camp-ins, st udent summer scholars program, and a labo ratory wher e scient ists c an be seen workshops, summer camps, shows and demonstudying and pr eparing fossils to decipher the strations, field trips, travel tours, teacher profespast; “ Discovery Z one,” an educ ational center sional development program, online exhibitions, geared toward children and families with handsand a cer tification progr am to tr ain people to on act ivities and par ticipatory sho ws, such as work in a m useum laboratory or collect fossils creating animal tracks, digging for fossils, dresson a dig.
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Denver Museum of N ature and Science , 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80205. P hones: 303/3707009 and 800/925-2250. Fax: 303/331-6492, E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.dmns.org. Hours: 9–5 daily; closed Christmas. Admission: adults, $11; seniors, st udents, and c hildren 3 –18, $6; c hildren under 3, free.
ECOTARIUM
The EcoTarium is an indoor-outdoor science and nature museum in Worcester, Massachusetts, formerly named the New England Science Center . It o riginated in 1825 as the Worcester Lyceum of Natural History and was incorporated in 1884 as the Worcester Natural History Society. The transit ion from the N ew England Science Center to the EcoT arium in 1998 refocused the museum on its roots in the natural sciences, with an emphasis on hands-on exploration and disco very. The name change
Two children are pul ling a rope attached to a wand the creates bubbles in a hands-on exhibit at EcoTarium in Worcester, Massac husetts. T he indoor-outdoor science and nature m useum originated in 1825 as the W orcester Lyceum of Natural History and evolved into the Connecticut Science Center , which bec ame the EcoTarium in 1998. T he emp hasis no w is on ser ving children in grades K-12. Courtesy of EcoTarium.
(Specialized)—Natural History was accompanied by a majo r c apital de velopment progr am that transfo rmed the building and grounds into an accessible learning and discovery center fo r famil ies. Muc h of the m useum’s act ivities today, ho wever, continue to reflect the ideologies and pract ices adopted more than 100 years ago. The EcoTarium expansion projects in the 1990s opened previously unseen corners of the museum and grounds to v isitors. Today’s focus is on new exhibits that bring science and nature to life inside the museum building, with the emphasis on serving school children in gr ades K12. The science center of fers visitors hands-on museum exhibits, multimedia shows in a digital planetarium, and a c hance to wa lk through the tr ee tops, strol l nat ure tr ails, see wild life, and r ide a narro w-gauge r ailroad. Mo re than 120,000 people co me eac h y ear to lear n from and enjoy the experience. Among the exhibits at EcoT arium ar e “Look, Touch, Explore,” featuring drawers and cabinets with forest artifacts and specimens that offer a v isual and tact ile exploration of a N ew England woodland; “Secrets of the F orest,” an indoor forest exhibit with ar tifacts, v ideo, and hands-on activities that shows the amazing variety of creatures that live in the forest and the roles they play ; “ MicroDiner,” a r eplica of a 1950s-style diner that is a staffed interactive exhibit that uses microscopes to examin e microscopic life in pond water, rotting wood and seas shells, and other objects; and “ Water P lanet,” which shows why humans need water, the role it play s around the wo rld, ho w it shapes the planet, what creatures do to live in it, strategies used to store and conserve water, and the future of the Earth’s most precious resource. Other exhibits include “African Communities,” featuring dioramas that depict African environments and the animals that inhabit them; “Thinking Globa lly, Abiding L ocally,” which focuses on en ergy use and the ef fects o veruse has on the env ironment; “ Minerals,” containing gems, inc luding o res and cr ystals fro m around the world, that demonstrate properties of light, color, luster, shape, structure, magnetism, and hardn ess; “ The Green Carnivores: A Community Exhibit,” devoted to bizarre plants with an appetite for bugs; “Freshwater Ecosystems,” wher e v isitors explo re a wood land stream, bog , marsh, po nd, and swamp to discover the inhabitants and the wo rkings of nature’s water purification system; and “Curator’s
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Workshop,” a staffed nineteenth-century naturalist’s studio where visitors can handle and explore crystals, shells, scientific instruments, and taxidermy from the m useum’s nat ural histo ry collection. The museum also has a “Discovery Room” with hands-on science and nat ure exhibits fo r preschool children and adults; animals that are on display or at animal encounter programs, including such animals as chinchilla, red fox, bald eagle, po rcupine, boa co nstrictor, bo x t urtle, river otter , gr eat ho rned o wl, and polar bear ; traveling exhibitions on such topics as weather, dinosaurs, and art and science; and the “Alden Digital P lanetarium,” with m ultimedia sho ws about the solar system and the galaxy. In addit ion, EcoT arium co ntains a tr ee canopy walkway consisting of series of swinging bridges spanning 150 feet about 40 f eet in the trees; three nature trails, including the “Vibram Walking Trail” that has a Japan ese-style water pavilion at the sec luded lower pond; a narrowgauge railroad ride; and environmental, natural science, and astronomy education programs for school groups, preschoolers, and Scouts, as well as overnight stays, collaborative school projects, and professional development for teachers. EcoTarium, 222 Harr ington Way, Worcester, MA 01604. P hones: 508/929-2700 and 508/929-2722. Fax: 508/929-2702. E-mail: info@ecotar ium.org. Web site: www .ecotarium.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.– Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Mon., New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $10; seniors, college students, and children 3–18, $8; children under 3, free.
FERNBANK SCIENCE CENTER
Fernbank Science Center is a science and nature m useum, thr ee-dimensional teac hing classroom, and wood land complex operated by the DeKalb County School System in Atlanta. It was open ed in 1967 at the edge of the 65acre Fernbank Forest, a legacy of Emily Harrison, a pioneer conservationist and environmental educ ator. The fo rest was pur chased by a group of citizens interested in conservation and preservation who fo rmed F ernbank Inc. and gave the DeKalb County Board of Education a 48-year lease on the forest. The science center was built on an adjacent 4 acr es with local and federal funds. It is designed primarily to supplement science instr uction in the count y sc hool system, but a lso ser ves the gen eral publ ic and has an estimated annual attendance of 850,000.
Field The Fernbank exhibit ha ll co vers 9, 000 square feet on two levels. The upper level is devoted to permanent exhibits, and the lower level to changing exhibitions. Among the permanent exhibits—some of which are interactive—are an exhibit on the de velopment of l ife in Geo rgia from 500 mil lion y ears ago to a mil lion y ears ago; models of dinosaurs that roamed Atlanta in prehistoric times; a diorama of an O kefenokee swamp with sound ef fects; an exhibit of suc h live animals as poison dart frogs, snakes, turtles, and spiders; a v ideo display on such geological phenomena as volc anoes, ear thquakes, and mountain formation; the original Apollo 6 space capsule and moon rocks; and exhibits on gems, rocks, and minerals; songbirds of the Fernbank Forest; live bee hive; weather station; fossilized trees; and computer games. Fernbank a lso has the 500-seat Cherr y Memorial Planetarium, one of the largest planetariums in the nation with a 70-foot-diameter projection dome; Fernbank O bservatory, f eaturing a 36-inch reflecting telescope that is the largest in the world dedicated primarily to public educ ation; a 23.000-volume science r eference l ibrary; 1.5-mile tours of the F ernbank Forest; the “ Robert L. S taton Rose Garden ” with o ver 1,500 roses; gr eenhouse and flo wer gardens; and a home composting demonstration site. In addition to school science classes held in the science center, the museum offers advanced studies, scientific tools and techniques program, and var ious science act ivities to st udents, and provides instructional media kits and travel ing exhibits to DeK alb Count y schools and of fers professional training to teac hers in the count y school system. Fernbank Science Center, 156 Heaton Park Dr., Atlanta, GA 30307 . P hone: 678/874-7 102. Fax: 678/ 874-7110. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.fsc.fernbank.edu. Hours: 12 –5 Mo n.–Wed., 12–10 Thurs.–Fri., 10 –5 Sat.; closed Sun. and major holidays. Admission: free.
FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The F ield Museum of N atural Histo ry, which now simpl y calls itself “ The F ield Museum,” was an outgro wth of a Chic ago world’s fair—the W orld’s Columbian Exposit ion of 1893. It was founded to house many of the biological and anthropological collections assembled fo r the exposit ion and then obtain ed fo r
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the museum. It was incorporated as the Columbian Museum of Chicago in 1893, but the name was c hanged in 1905 to the F ield Museum of Natural Histo ry to ho nor the m useum’s fi rst major ben efactor, depar tment sto re mer chant Marshall Field. The museum, which originally was located in the Palace of Fine Arts from the exposition, mo ved to its pr esent do wntown lakefront site in 1921 and the old fair building later became the home of the Museum of Science and Industry (see Science and Technology Centers section). The Field Museum has become one of the nation’s leading informal education and research natural history museums, with popular exhibit and education programs, an annual attendance of o ver 1.2 mill ion, and a curato rial and scientific staff in anthropolog y, botany, geolog y, and zoology that has made signifi cant research contributions in the fields of evolutionary biology, pa leontology, archaeology, and ethnogr aphy. The museum’s exhibits largely fall into two categories—exhibits about nat ure (anima ls, plants, ecosystems, rocks, and fossils) and culture (Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, and global themes). It has more than 30 permanent exhibits and a c hanging array of traveling and special exhibitions. It is the home of “Sue,” the world’s largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus r ex dinosaur , as well as such other animals as “Bushman,” a huge lowland gorilla who once lived in Lincoln Park Zoo; “Man-eater of Mfuwe,” the largest man-eating lion on record; “Lions of Tsavo,” lions that terrorized East Afr ica a cent ury ago; and other mammals and birds of Africa, Asia, and North America. The nature section also features a realistic “Plants of the World” exhibit, consisting of models cr afted from glass and wax, and exhibits about the Afr ican env ironment, anima l biology, bird habitats, ho w l iving things ar e linked in nature, and the sights of a nature walk through prair ies, wetlands, wood lands, and ocean shores. The n ewest addit ion to the m useum’s nat ure inter pretive of ferings is the “Ernest & Y oung 3D Theater ” sho wing of a computer animated Dinosaurs Alive! film. The cultural exhibits give insight into the cultures and en vironments of Afr ica, ancient Egypt, Eskimos and the N orthwest Coast Indians, ancient A mericas, China, T ibet, and Pacific peoples. The m useum a lso has a fullscale reconstruction of a P awnee Earth L odge
(Specialized)—Natural History that that br ings to l ife the tr aditional way s of the Gr eat P lains tr ibe; the “ Webber Ga llery” that f eatures contemporary N ative Amer ican cultures; and such other exhibits as the art lacquer of Japan; a “Hall of Jades”; a Maori exquisitely c arved meet ing house; “Gr ainger Ha ll” with tr easures from the m useum’s collect ions; and bronze sculptures by Malvina Hoffman depicting people from throughout the world. Most of the m useum’s exhibits ar e built around artifacts and specimens, but the museum has an incr easing number with interact ive opportunities. Hands-on “ interpretive stat ions” are located throughout the museum, where facilitators invite visitors to touch objects and take part in interactive learning experiences. Among such stations are those dealing with China’s natural and cultural history, seeing what a visitor’s name looks l ike in Eg yptian hieroglyphs, putting together a huge floor map of Africa, examining games of the wo rld, and hand ling and identifying shells. Among the other exhibits with interactive exhibit units ar e “ The Ancient Amer icas,” which covers 13,000 years of human ingenuit y and achie vement in the western hemispher e; “Evolving Planet,” a new exhibit that traces the history of 4 bil lion y ears of l ife on Ear th and features an expanded dinosaur hall; “DNA Discovery Center ,” a wa lk-through exhibit and working state-of-the-art DNA research facility where doz ens of scient ists ar e ana lyzing the DNA of thousands of dif ferent species; and “Crown F amily P layLab,” an exhibit wher e young children can do suc h things as dr ess up as an anima l, explore a pu eblo home, examine insects in woven pouches, play an African drum, discover a dinosaur bo ne, and fi nd natural science objects in drawers. Visitors also can watch museum personnel at work in the “McDonald’s Fossil Preparation Laboratory” and “Regenstein Laboratory,” a co nservation and col lections management facil ity, which a lso has a set of public interactive drawers on collections management and conservation. In addition, the museum has a “High Performance Computer Cluster” system which can be used by visitors as well as by staff and students. The museum has an extensive educational program that inc ludes lect ures, guided tours, student c lasses, wo rkshops, seminars, teacher resources, outreach van program, joint programs with local universities, and the “Harris Educational Loan Center” program, which began in
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1912. The Harris outreach center has nearly 900 exhibit case dioramas, experience boxes on over 70 topics, audiovisual materials, and c hildren’s books available to classroom teachers, informal educators, and parents. Field Museum of N atural Histo ry, 1400 S . L ake Shore D r., Chic ago, IL 60605-2496. P hone: 3 12/ 922-9410. Fax: 312/922-0741. Web site: www.fieldmuseum.org. Hours: 9 –5 dail y; c losed Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $14; Chicago adults, $12; seniors and students, $11; Chicago seniors and students, $10; children 4 –11, $9; Chic ago c hildren, $8; c hildren under 4, free.
FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND H ISTORY , Fort Worth. S ee Gen eral
Science Centers section.
HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
The Houston Museum of Natural Science in Texas is more than 100 years old. It was established in 1909 by the Houston Museum and Scientific Society and originally was located in the Cit y A uditorium. It mo ved to a building within the Houston Zoo in 1929, and now occupies a r ecently expanded four-story complex in Hermann Park in Houston and has two other sites—the George Observatory in Brazos Bend State Park and the Woodlands Xploration Station at a shopping center . O ver the y ears, the museum has evolved from a traditional natural history museum into an interactive science center and its annual attendance has climbed to 2.7 million. The museum still has important collectionoriented exhibits, but some of the most popular galleries f eature hands-on exhibits and act ivities. They inc lude such exhibits as the “ Welch Chemistry Ha ll,” which uses interact ive displays, touch scr eens, exper iments, hologr ams, videos, and other techniques to explain chemical processes and the role of chemistry in everyday life; “Evelyn and Herbert Frensley Hall of African W ildlife,” a ga llery of Afr ican anima l dioramas with o ver 127 specimens, interact ive interpretive units, and video films; “Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife,” with realistic displays of animals that can be found in the state, an interactive computer, and a four-scr een v ideo wa ll; “Hall of Ento mology and Coc krell B utterfly Center,” containing exhibits about insects with interactive games and quizz es and a wa lkthrough butterfl y center in a thr ee-story glass
Houston structure containing a sim ulated tropical rainforest filled with exotic plants and hundreds of live butterflies; “Earth Forum,” with 11 interrelated work stations—each with two computers, interactive exhibits, and a globe with themed astronaut photographs of Ear th—to show different dy namic and gradu al c hanges o n the planet; “ Isaac Ar nold Ha ll of S pace Science ” and nearby “Challenger Learning Center,” featuring space program artifacts and an opportunity fo r hands-on invol vement in a sim ulated space mission; and “ The Foucault Pendulum,” a visual demonstration of the Earth’s rotation. The m useum is best kno wn fo r its mo re traditional natural history exhibits, such as the “Hall of Paleontology,” featuring over 450 fossil remains and replicas of dinosaurs and other creatures; “Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals,” which houses an exceptional collection of gems and min erals, with mo re than 750 beaut ifully crystallized mineral specimens; “Lester and Sue Smith Gem V ault,” containing intensel y hued jeweled masterpieces floating in a dark gallery; “Strake Ha ll of Ma lacology,” display ing molluscs—invertebrates with sof t unsegmented bodies (man y housed in shells)—r epresenting more than 100,000 species; “Searching for Eternity: Life and Death in Ancient Egypt,” an exhibit with hundreds of artifacts that spans 4,000 years of Egyptian history and shows how Egyptians tr ied to prolo ng l ife in death through mummification; and “ John P. McGovern Ha ll of the Amer icas,” de voted to the histo ry and culture of indigenous peoples of the Amer icas, with ar tifacts from mo re than 50 diverse cultures from Alaska to Peru. The Houston Museum of Natural Science also presents sky and fi lm shows at the B urke Baker Planetarium and science and nature films on the big screen of the Wortham IMAX Theatre. The George Observatory, located in a state park about an hour ’s dr ive south of Housto n, has three domed telescopes where professional and amateur astronomers conduct research and the public can explore the night sky. The museum also operates the Woodlands Xploration Station, a satellite facility opened in 2007 at the Woodlands Mall, which has a fullsize Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur crouching over the entr ance and 13 other pr ehistoric anima ls inside. Visitors also can become paleontologists for a day by unco vering cast dinosaur bones in the “Dig Pit” and observing museum scientists and technicians working on a fossilized pre-di-
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nosaur skeleton in the adjoining “Paleontology Prep L ab.” The br anch m useum a lso has exhibits on mineralogy, insects, and frogs, and interactive exhibits o n plants and anima l l ife in the “ Woodlands Maze” and ph ysics and other sciences in the “Fondren Discovery Center.” The main and br anch museums also have such educational activities as classes, overnight stays, summer camps, Scout programs, teacher materials, and outreach programs.
(Specialized)—Natural History
Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village. The main component is the Sue and Frank Mayborn Natural Histo ry and Cult ural Histo ry Museum, which opened in 2004 as the n ew home of the Strecker Museum. The Moen Disco very Center has been r eplaced by the Harr y and Anna Jeanes Discovery Center at the May born Museum, while the Daniel Histo ric V illage continues to f eature the 15 ear ly buildings that reflect agricultural life in Texas from about 1880 to 1910. The annual attendance at the complex Houston Museum of N atural Science , 1 Hermann Circle D r., Houston, T X 77030. P hone: 7 13/639now approaches 100,000. 4629. Fax: 713/523-4125. Web site: www.hmns.org. The S trecker Museum was founded in Hours: Memorial Day weekend-mid–Oct.—9 A.M.–9 1893 and later named for John K. Strecker, who P.M. Mon.–Sat., 11–7 Sun.; remainder of y ear—9–5 served as the curator from 1903 to 1933 and was Mon.–Sat., 11–5 S un.; c losed Thanksgiv ing and responsible for much of its early natural history Christmas. A dmission: adults, $ 15; senio rs, col lege collections and expansion. The museum—and a students, and c hildren 3 –11, $ 10; c hildren under 3, museum studies program—were housed in the free. Science Building from 1968 until the museum’s conversion to the Mayborn Museum and openMAYBORN MUSEUM COMPLEX ing in a n ew 143,000-square-foot building in The Mayborn Museum Complex at Baylor 2004. The Harr y and Anna Jean es Disco very University in W aco, Texas, unifi es what fo rCenter began as the Y outh Cultural Center in merly were three separate museum facil ities— 1962 by the Waco City Council PTA as “a place the S trecker Museum, a nat ural and cult ural to loo k, think , and learn.” The name was history m useum; O llie Mae Moen Disco very changed to the O llie Mae Moen Disco very Center, a children’s museum; and the Governor Center in 1994 to honor Mrs. Moen, who helped found and oper ate the center unt il 1982, and then mo ved and renamed fo r do nors Harr y and A nna Jean es when r eopened as par t of the Mayborn Museum in 2004. The Daniel Histo ric V illage buildings were collected and furnished by Go vernor Bill Daniel and his wife , V ara, and displayed at their r anch north of Housto n unt il moved to the c ampus with approximately 6,000 artifacts in 1986. Now, all three complex components are administered through the Mayborn Museum. Most of the exhibits at the May born Museum f eaA visitor interacts with an energy exhibit at the Houston Museum of ture the nat ural and cult ural Natural Science in Texas. She is standing in front of a thermal energy camera that geologists and geophysicists often use to view the Earth. history of central Texas, with The camera sees invisible infrared radiation rather than visible light. many hav ing wa lk-in dioraFounded in 1909 as a traditional natural science museum, the science mas and hands-o n stat ions. center now features both collection-oriented displays and hands-on The exhibits inc lude thr ee science exhibits. Courtesy of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. walk-in, thr ee-dimensional
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exhibits—a limestone cave, a Texas forest, and a mammoth room where visitors walk on a seethrough floor over a re-created pit to see mammoth bones found in the ar ea; “ Waco at the Crossroads of Texas,” which contains historical exhibits, a 28-foot-long model of a Pliosaur dinosaur, and such early structures as a Waco Indian grass hut, a Norwegian rock house, a Comanche tepee , and an ear ly log c abin; “Strecker’s Cabinets of Curiosities,” an exhibit of varied collections patterned after the style of early natural history museums; “Baylor University Exhibit,” f eaturing the history of the university from 1845 to the present, including current r esearch and progr ams; and “ Did Y ou Know?’ where visitors can test their knowledge at four “Exploration Stations.” Visitors also can tour the outdoo r Daniel Histo ric V illage, located a short distance from the May born Museum building. One of the highl ights of the m useum are 17 “Discovery Rooms” in the Jeanes Discovery Center. The y consist of themed hands-o n exhibit rooms that occupy two floors of one wing of the m useum complex and ar e design ed to stimulate young minds and introduce them to such fi elds as inver tebrates, co mmunication, health, en ergy, opt ics, sound, and water and bubbles. Children engage in suc h act ivities as walking through a model of a human hear t, playing a tune on a walk-on piano, “communicating” in hieroglyphics, and ser ving as a television newscaster or weatherman. The complex also has traveling exhibitions, a theater , and suc h educ ational act ivities as school programs, lect ures, “Sensational S aturdays” themed programs, and disco very bo xes that can be checked out by teachers and the general public. Mayborn Museum Complex, Baylor University, 1300 S. University Parks Dr., Waco, TX 76706-1221 (mailing addr ess: 1 Bear P l., #97 154, Waco, T X 767987154). Phone: 254/710-1110. Fax: 254/710-1173. Web site: www.baylor.edu/mayborn. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.– Wed. and F ri.–Sat., 10 –8 Thurs., 1–5 S un.; c losed New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $6; seniors, $5; children 18 mo.–12, $4; Baylor students, free.
MUSEUM
OF
LIFE
AND
SCIENCE ,
Durham, NC. See General Science Centers section.
Museum
MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE, Dallas. See General Science Centers section.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, Boston. See Early Science Centers section.
MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE
The Museum of Natural History and Science in Cincinnati is part of the Cincinnati Museum Center at Unio n Terminal, a 1933 Ar t Deco passenger r ailroad stat ion that has been converted into a ho me for three museums (including the Cincinnat i Histo ry Museum and Duke Energy Children’s Museum), a historical library, an Omnimax theater , and a r ailroad club. The massiv e building , which once had a capacity of 216 trains a day, was closed in 1972, designated a histo ric site in 1973, and bec ame an ill-fated shopping ma ll in 1980 and then a museum complex in 1990. Now one admission includes the three museums, which share some of the facil ities and ser vices. An est imated 1.3 million people v isit the fo rmer tr ain ter minal annually. Exhibits at the natural history museum include “Cincinnat i’s Ice Age: Clu es Frozen in Time,” where visitors walk through a re-created 19,000-year-old glacier and exper iment with water r un-off in a str eam table o r c an lear n about the force of a glacier by tr ying to move a rock over another roc k as a glacier would, and then explore an ice c ave with a tr ail that compresses views of about 30 miles from a glacier in Ohio to the pr ime forest and bogs of no rthern Kentucky; “ The Cav ern: A W orld W ithout Light,” feat uring a sim ulated l imestone c ave modeled af ter c aves found in the tr i-state r egion, whic h has beginn er and advanced le vel trails, a waterfall, underground stream, formation c hamber, and bat c hamber—home to the museum’s bat colo ny; and “ All About Y ou,” which teac hes c hildren about the wo rkings of the human body, with “Mr. Bones,” a skeleton, and “Stuffee,” a giant doll , providing a handson look at how the human body and various organs function. The museum also has a “Nature’s Trading Post,” which teaches children about responsible collecting and preservation of the environment by having them bring items made by nature that can earn points by sharing information about the object with the trading post staff. The m useum pr esents floo r programs in
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exhibits and shar es such facil ities and ser vices as learning labs, “ Programs-on-Wheels” outreach programs, and distance learning services. Museum of Natural History and Science, Cincinnati Museum Center at Unio n Terminal, 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45203. Phones: 513/287-7000 and 800/733-2077. Fax: 513/287-7002. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.cincymuseum.org. Hours: 10 –5 Mo n.–Sat., 11–6 S un.; closed Thanksgiv ing and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $12; seniors, $11; children 3 –12, $8; children under 3, free.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, Jacksonville, FL. S ee General Science Center section.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The National Museum of Natural History, one of the S mithsonian Inst itution’s museums on the N ational Mall in Washington, was o ne of the ear liest m useums to have a “ Discovery Room” where children and other v isitors could touch suc h sample objects as skulls, fossils, plants, and cult ural artifacts. It was open ed in 1974 and st ill is par t of the m useum’s exhibits program. Since then, the museum also has incorporated hands-o n and immersive exhibits and programs in an increasing number of its offerings, and become one of the nation’s best-attended museums with an annual attendance of over 5.5 million visitors. The m useum, whic h was\establ ished in 1910, has over 126 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, and human cult ural objects in its collect ions, and over 150 professional nat ural history scient ists dedicated to the st udy of nat ural and cult ural history—more than any other m useum in the world. Its main building o n the National Mall contains 1.5 mil lion squ are f eet o verall and 325,000 square feet of exhibit and public space, making it one of the nat ion’s largest museums. It also has a state-of-the-art collections storage facility in Suitland, Maryland; a marine science research facility in Fort Pierce, Florida; a handson Naturalist Center in Leesburg, Virginia (see separate l isting); and fi eld stat ions as far away as Belize, Alaska, and Kenya. Among the m useum’s man y exhibits ar e “Dinosaurs/Hall of P aleobiology,” which features dinosaurs, life in the ancient seas, and fossil mammals and plants; “ Kenneth E. Behr ing
(Specialized)—Natural History Family Ha ll of Mamma ls,” co ntaining 274 mammals and doz ens of fossils in a var iety of environments; “Janet Annenberg Hooker Ha ll of Geolog y, Gems, and Min erals,” an exhibit hall that display s par t of o ne of the most significant collections of gems,, minerals, rocks, and meteorites in the wo rld, inc luding the famous “ Hope Diamo nd,” the N ational Gem Collection, and Mine and Rocks, Plate Tectonics, and Moo n, Meteo rites, and S olar sy stem galleries; “Sant Ocean Hall,” which presents the global ocean from a cross-disciplinary perspective and features specimens from the museum’s biological, geological, and anthropological collections; “Osteolog y: Ha ll of Bo nes,” de voted to the v ertebrate skeletons of fishes, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals; grouped by their e volutionary relationships; “ Reptiles and Amphibians,” containing such pr eserved r eptiles and amphibians as Galapagos marine iguanas, sea turtles, snakes, crocodiles, and l izards; “African Elephant,” f eaturing a ma le Afr ican elephant with his tr unk raised in alert; “Western Cultures Hall,” which explores examples of various cultures of the western world that have influenced the institutions, traditions, and ideals of N orth A merican cult ures; and “ African Voices,” an examinat ion of the div ersity, dynamism, and global influence of Africa’s peoples and culture in such areas as family, work, community, and the natural environment. The museum a lso has other lo ng-term exhibits, pr esents tempo rary specia l exhibit ions, and circulates m useum-produced travel ing exhibitions to other institutions.. In addit ion to an updated “ Discovery Room” with hands-on collections and activities for children and families, the National Museum of N atural History offers other hands-o n and immersive exper iences. It has “ Discover S tations,” mobile cars with such objects as anima l coverings, bones, fossils, minerals, rocks, teeth, and cultural artifacts that are used for interpretation and inter action with v isitors in many of the exhibits; the “O. Orkin Insect Zoo,” where visitors can see and touch live insects; “Butterflies + P lants: Partners in Evolut ion” exhibit, which shows how butterflies and other animals have evolved, adapted, and diversified together with their plant par tners and f eatures a wa lkthrough living butterfly house; “Forensic Lab,” where visitors can see m useum paleontologists and volunteers extract fossils from rock and construct fossil c asts and molds; and “ Naturalist
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Center,” a hands-on natural history exhibit facility operated by the museum in Leesburg, Virginia. (see separate listing). The museum also has the Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater, where science and nat ure films are shown on a huge screen, and a wide variety of educational activities, including demonstrations, lesson plans, lect ures, and online information about nat ural histo ry and other science topics. National Museum of N atural History, Smithsonian Institution, 10th S t. and Co nstitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D C 20560 (mail ing addr ess: PO Bo x 37012 , S mithsonian Inst itution, Washington, D C 20013-7012). P hone: 202/633- 1000. Fax: 202/3574779. E-mail:
[email protected]. Wed site: www.mnnh.si. edu. Hours: 10 –5:30 dail y (but open to 7:30 so me days in spr ing and summer); c losed Christmas. Admission: free.
NATURALIST CENTER
The N aturalist Center in L eesburg, V irginia, is a hands-on natural history science center that is an extension of the S mithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington. A lthough open to the publ ic, the center is aimed pr imarily at sc hool groups and features 36,000 natural history objects, scientific equipment, and 6,500 books. V isitors and st udents ar e able to wo rk fi rst hand with animals, rocks, minerals, bones, and other objects in the collections available for viewing and scientific study. The center is fi lled with fossils, ferns, femurs, and fur . Among the highl ights are t wo large polar bears—one standing and another on all fours trampling a seal. In addition to mammals, ther e ar e suc h other v ertebrates as fish, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. The walls also are l ined with glass jars co ntaining in vertebrates. The school programs include such subjects as classification, rocks and minerals, adaptations, biodiversit y, speciation, drawing from nature, no menclature, and a fi eld guide to Jamestown. Amo ng the center ’s available instruments are microscopes, balances, and measuring tools. Naturalist Center , 74 1 Miller D r., S.E., S uite G2, Leesburg, VA 20175. Phones: 703/779-9712 and 800/ 729-7725. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www. mnh.si.edu/virtualtour/ground/natcenter/index.html. Hours: 10:30 –4 Tues.–Sat.; c losed S un.–Mon. and federal holidays. Admission: free.
North
NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES The North Carol ina Museum of N atural Sciences in R aleigh was founded in 1879 as a multipurpose institution displaying agricultural and natural resources. Today, it is a natural sciences museum concentrating on collecting and preserving the state ’s biological diversity, promoting env ironmental awareness, and r elating the natural sciences to everyday life. It became the largest nat ural histo ry m useum in the Southeast in 2000 when it moved into a $70.5million, se ven-story n ew building—with four floors of exhibits—and no w ser ves n early 725,000 visitors annually. Among the museum’s exhibits are “Terror of the South,” containing a prehistoric dinosaur battle where visitors can walk over the tracks of the huge beasts, hear the crac king of lightning and rumble of distant thunder, and see winged pterosaurs fly overhead; “Prehistoric North Carolina,” an exhibit that spans 4.6 billion years, recreates six ancient habitats, contains the remains of a mil lion-year old giant ground sloth, and has a “ Fossil L ab” wher e v isitors c an inter act with r esearchers as the y work on a late P leistocene mammoth skeleto n; “ North Carol ina’s Natural Treasurers,” an exhibit that descr ibes the state’s 2,000-year-old trees, mountains, animals, and other nat ural attr actions; “ Mountains to the Sea,” which features a 20-foot waterfall and points out the nat ural highl ights from the mountains, through the Piedmont, and on to the Coastal Plain; “Nature’s Explorers,” a look back to the nat ural landscape as the m useum’s ear liest cr eators did a 100 y ears ago; “Tropical Connections Gallery,” which explores the r elationships that N orth Carol ina shar es with the topics; and “ Living Conservatory,” a re-created dr y tropic al fo rest with l ive r ubythroated hummingbirds and monarch butterflies and wher e v isitors c an touc h fossils, f eel bird wings, and find animals in dead tree locations. The museum also has special research and technology exhibits featuring cutting-edge work being carried out in the natural sciences; a “Special Exhibits Gallery” for traveling exhibitions; a “Windows on the World” demonstration theater; a “Naturalist Center,” a three-dimensional library of st udy collections; and a dail y schedule of l ive sho ws, demo nstrations, and high definition movies. Among the addit ional hands-on exhibits
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and activities are a “Discovery Room,” with discovery bo xes fo r young childr en and famil ies; “Exploration S tations,” co ntaining disco very carts on a variety of natural history topics using hands-on materials and animals; interactive stations devoted to the explorations of museum researchers, the n earby Resear ch Triangle Park laboratories, and ar ea univ ersities; and thr ee learning laboratories with hands-on educational opportunities. The museum also has a satellite operation—the N orth Carol ina Museum of Forestry in W hitesville—that has inter pretive and interactive exhibits about the nat ural history and cult ural her itage of the state ’s fo rest and forestry. North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St., Raleigh, NC 27601-1029. Phones: 919/7337450 and 877/601-1029. Fax: 919/733-1573. Web site: www.naturalsciences.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mo n.–Sat. (also open to 9 on 1st Fr. of month), 12–5 Sun.: closed for Brimley Ball in Nov., Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day/ Admission: free.
NORTH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE
The N orth Museum of N atural Histo ry and Science in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, resulted from a collection of natural specimens gathered by a group of amateur nat uralists—called the Linnaean Society—during the latter part of the nineteenth cent ury at the height of suc h collecting. The specimens wer e given to Franklin and Marsha ll Col lege, whic h star ted the m useum in 1953 with the assistance of funds from the estate of a loc al banker, Hugh North. The college constructed the present three-story museum building to house the collection, exhibits, and a planetarium on the campus, and it quickly became a popular source of informal natural and science education. The 28,140-square-foot museum became independent in 1992 and no w is planning to build a new facility nearby. It has an annual attendance of 30,000. The m useum has suc h exhibits as a “ Dinosaur Ga llery,” wher e v isitors c an examin e claws, teeth, and bo nes among the fossils and explore models of other pr ehistoric anima ls; “Hall of the Cosmos,” which enables visitors to interact with\a digital video globe as they learn about the universe fro m the solar sy stem to galaxies; “Natives of the S usquehanna,” an interactive exhibit about anthropologic al history along the Susquehanna River; “Light and Sight Gallery,” devoted to exploring the electromag-
(Specialized)—Natural History netic spectrum and how ultraviolet light is used to ident ify roc ks and min erals and af fects o rganic objects; “Live Animal Room,” where visitors ar e encour aged to touc h anima ls as the y learn how zoologists classify animals based on their traits; “Discovery Room,” which contains discovery bo xes with roc ks, shells, and other specimens and artifacts that can be handled and examined; and “Cabin et Museum,” feat uring birds, roc ks, bugs, and other objects that that can be examined from the museum’s natural history collection. The m useum’s large plan etarium, whic h dates from the opening of the museum in 1953, presents star shows and offers educational workshops fo r Bo y and Gir l Scouts and a S tarlab inflatable plan etarium to sc hool and other groups. The m useum also has lect ures, guided tours, ga llery ta lks, and famil y science , home school, and outreach educational programs. North Museum of Natural History and Science, 400 College A ve., L ancaster, PA 17603-3393. P hone: 717/291-3941. F ax: 7 17/358-4504. E-mail: info@ northmuseum.org. Web site: www.northmuseum.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 12 –5 S un.; c losed Mon., New Year’s Day, Easter , Independence Day , L abor Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission: adults, $7; senio rs and st udents 3 –17, $6; childr en under 3, free.
PEGGY NOTEBAERT NATURE MUSEUM
In the 1850s, naturalist Robert Kennicott and a sma ll group of amateur and prof essional scientists bec ame concerned about the disappearance of nat ive plants and anima ls in the Midwestern pr airie and began collect ing and writing about the native species. The collection and scientific papers found a home when the Chicago Academy of Sciences was founded in 1857 and opened it doors to the public in 1865 as the cit y’s fi rst museum. Unfortunately, the gr eat Chicago fi re of 1871 destroyed the ac ademy and a ll of its holdings. Other museums from throughout the world responded to the tragedy by do nating specimens to the academy. The academy then reopened the museum in the Matthe w L aflin B uilding in Lincoln Park in 1893. The Chicago Academy of Sciences occupied the building until 1999 when it moved into a new structure in the park with a new name—the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, named for the wife of a trustee and major donor.
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Today, museum seeks to inspir e people to learn about and care for nature and the environment with its exhibits, education programs, and scientific research. Its collections have grown to approximately 250,000 specimens, inc luding plants, anima ls, fossils, and min erals, and the annual attendance is o ver 200,000. The n ew “eco-friendly” m useum building has 25,000 square feet exhibit space and 6.2 acres of botanical communities, with large windows that connect the outdoo r environment with the indoo r exhibits, roof top-level wa lkways to obser ve birds and other urban wildlife below, and paths that wind through gardens with nat ive wildflowers and gr asses. The m useum also has a 17,000-square-foot rooftop garden that helps insulate the building and makes extensive use of solar power and water conservation systems. The museum has become a natural history science center with hands-on exhibits and programs—some design ed pr imarily fo r childr en. They inc lude such exhibits as the “ Extreme Green House ,” a ful l-sized bunga low in the middle of the m useum with l ive anima ls and hands-on kiosks to show how everything is connected to the en vironment; “ River W orks,” where c hildren c an splash through water and learn about Chicago’s waterways and how they support plants, animals, and humans; “Birds of Chicago,” containing n early 100 specimens of birds and touch screens that provide additional information on the birds; and “Hands-on Habitat,” a t wo-story exhibit that takes young c hildren from 3 to 7 years of age on an exploration of animal homes. Other exhibits inc lude “ Judy Istoc k B utterfly Haven,” a 2,700-square-foot walk-through greenhouse filled with 1,000 butterflies, flowers, tropical trees, and pools of water; “Mysteries of the Marsh,” feat uring wetlands and cr eatures that l ive there; and suc h outdoor exhibit ar eas as “Co mpost Co rral” “ Rain Barr el R anch,” “John D . and Cather ine T. MacAr thur Cl iff Garden,” “Elizabeth Plotnick Prairie,” and the restored nat ive pr airie. The m useum a lso has more than 100 educational program experiences that inc lude wo rkshops, labo ratories, o vernights, summer c amps, tours, outr each pr ograms, and training for teachers and their st udents. Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Dr., Chicago, IL 60614. Phone: 773/755-5100. Fax: 773/755-5199. Web site: www .naturemuseum.org. Hours: 9 –4:30 Mon.–Fri., 10 –5 S at.–Sun.; c losed
Springfield New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: adults, $9; seniors and students, $7; children 3–12, $6; children under 3, free.
SCIENCE MUSEUM
OF
MINNESOTA,
St. Paul. See General Science Center section.
SPRINGFIELD SCIENCE MUSEUM
The S pringfield Science Museum, o ne of four m useums that co nstitute the S pringfield Museums o n the Q uadrangle in S pringfield, Massachusetts, grew out of a “cabinet of curiosities” at an ar t museum in 1899. The col lection of natural history specimens was housed in the Hall of Ethnolog y at the Geo rge Walter V incent S mith Ar t Museum, the fi rst of the four museums (the others being the Co nnecticut Valley Historical Museum and the Museum of Fine Ar ts). The S pringfield Cit y Libr ary and the D r. S euss N ational Memo rial Sculpt ure Garden also are located in the Quadrangle cultural complex. The four museums now are operated collectively as the Springfield Museums Association with the same hours, one admission price, and an attendance of nearly 250,000. The Springfield Science Museum is a natural histo ry science center with hands-o n exhibits and programs. A mong the exhibits ar e the “ Dinosaur Ha ll,” whic h f eatures l ife-size replicas of a Tyrannosaurus rex, Coelophysis, and Stegosaurus and has suc h participatory exhibits as act ual fossils of dinosaur trac ks that c an be touched, a c ast of a huge sauropod dinosaur footprint for children to climb into, and a visitor-activated slide presentation about dinosaurs; “R. E. P helon African Hall,” a multi-level exhibit with a winding ramp that leads v isitors past l ife-like env ironments with mounted African anima ls, r ecorded c alls of bir ds and other anima ls, and exhibits about e volution, African contributions to the world, African cultural ar tifacts, modern Afr ica, pro minent Springfield African Americans, and an audiovisual presentation and hands-on materials such as animals hides and tr acks; “Solutia Live Animal Center,” with realistic habitats and aquariums that depict New England, coral reef, rainforest, mangrove, stream, and lake ecosy stems; and “Exploration Center,” containing hands-on exhibits on natural history for children and parents. Other exhibits include a mineralogy hall, Native American artifacts, and an av iation exhibit featuring a 1937 Gee Bee airplane built in Springfield. The museum also has changing ex-
Turtle hibitions; education programs; and the 100-seat Seymour P lanetarium, the oldest operat ing planetarium in the nation. Springfield Science Museum, 2 1 Edwards S t., Springfield, MA 0 1103. P hones: 4 13/263-6800 and 800/625-7738. Fax: 4 13/263-6884. E-mail: info@ springfieldmuseums.org. Web site: www.springfieldmuseums.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 11–5 S un.; closed Mon., New Year’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. A dmission fo r the 4 museums: adults, $10; seniors and college students, $7; children 3–17, $5; children under 3, free
TRAILSIDE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, Mountainside, NJ. See Nature Science Centers section.
TURTLE BAY EXPLORATION PARK
The 300-acre Turtle Bay Exploration Park along the Sacramento River in Redding, California, is par t museum and par t nature center. Founded in 1990, it co nsists of the T urtle Bay Museum, McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, and a collect ion of anima ls. It a lso contains the S undial Br idge that crosses the Sacramento Riv er to co nnect the no rth and south portions of the park, and the “Monolith,” which co ntains the r emains of an aggr egate plant that o nce processed gr avel used fo r concrete in building the Shasta Dam. The park now serves 160,000 visitors each year.
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(Specialized)—Natural History The museum is the heart of the Turtle Bay experience. It contains indoor and outdoor art, history, and science exhibits, as well as two galleries for changing special exhibitions. Among the m useum exper iences ar e hands-on science exhibits, under water v iewing of fish in the aquarium, engaging in science exper iments, walking through historic building re-creations, and v iewing ar tworks. “ Paul B unyan’s Forest Camp,” modeled af ter old-t ime fo rest c amps once found a ll o ver S hasta Count y, is loc ated outside the m useum. It co ntains hands-on exhibits; artifacts once used in the woods; live animals, av iary, and butterfl y house; and a trail through a miniat ure inter pretive forest, which features samples of northern California’s different tr ees and the 150-year-old “ Elliott Redwood” giant that is 10 feet, 6 inches in diameter. The McCo nnell Ar boretum and Gardens consists of a 220-acre arboretum and 20 acres of gardens (inc luding a Mediterr anean-climate display garden, medicinal garden, and children’s garden), containing a unique water sculpture by ecological artist Betsy Damon where visitors can explore three large stone spires (representing the source, quality, and destination of water) in the center of the gardens. Turtle Bay Exploration Park, 840 Sundial Bridge Dr., Redding, CA 96001 (mailing address: 1335 Arboretum D r., S uite A, Redding , C A 96003). P hones: 530/243-8850 and 800/887-8532. F ax: 530/2438898. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.turtlebay.org. Hours: Apr .– Oct.—9–5 dail y; N ov.–Mar,—9–5 Wed.–Mon.; c losed Tues., Ne w Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. Admission: adults, $ 13; senio rs and children 4 –12, $9; c hildren under 4, free.
VIRGINIA LIVING MUSEUM
Two youngsters are shown interacting with an exhibit at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, California. In addition to indoor and outdoor exhibits on art, history, and science, the natural histor y museum/nature center has an ar boretum, botanic g ardens, and a col lection of animals. Courtesy of the Turtle Bay Exploration Park.
In 1987, the V irginia Liv ing Museum in Newport News became the first living museum east of the Mississippi River to co mbine elements of a science museum, native wildlife park , aquarium, botanic al preserve, and plan etarium. The museum emphasiz es hands-o n learning, has 245 dif ferent anima l species, and contains exhibits ranging from the upland co ves of the Appalachian Mountains to the salty offshore waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Its missio n is “ to connect
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people to nat ure through educ ational exper iences that pro mote conservation.” The annu al attendance is more than 200,000. The Virginia Living Museum began as the Junior N ature Museum and P lanetarium, founded in 1964, opened in 1966, and cr eated through the ef forts of the Junio r L eague of Hampton Roads and the Warwick Rotary Club. As it expanded, the m useum/planetarium was renamed the P eninsula N ature and Science Center in 1976 and became the Virginia Living Museum in 1987. This was follo wed by an expansion that included a Coastal Plain Aviary in 2001; an exhibit of endanger ed r ed wol ves in 2003; a 62,000-square-foot exhibit building, an additional quarter-mile ele vated wa lkway, and new outdoor animal habitats in 2004; the fi rst dinosaur exhibit in 2005; and a vult ure exhibit on an outdoor trail and a rare birth of a red wolf pup in 2006. Among the m useum’s exhibits ar e “ Virginia’s Coasta l P lain Ga llery,” which f eatures the 30,000-ga llon N oland Chesapeake Bay Aquarium with large sea cr eatures and an underwater v iew of l ife fo rms that inhabit a wooden piling beneath the ocean waters; “Virginia’s Piedmont and Mountains Gallery,” with exhibits anchored by a James River display filled with fish, t urtles, and other aqu atic l ife; “ Virginia’s World of Darkness Gallery,” containing tiny sharks, burro wing pine voles, ghost cr abs, flying squirrels, moon jellyfish, bats, tree frogs, and other nocturnal animals, as well as lobsters and r ays that l ive in the inky t wilight of the state’s coastal waters; “ Virginia’s Underground Gallery,” devoted to fossil r emains, gems, and other mater ials found pr eserved underground; “Appalachian Cove and Cypress Swamp,” with two-story wa lk-through habitats f eaturing a
Austin waterfall, mountain str eam, fr ee-flying birds, and wetland plants and swamp creatures; “Discovery Centers,” which has four interactive exhibits containing life science, space science, and geological specimens and attractions like a bee hive and a touch tank; and animal habitats, including suc h thr eatened species as the r ed wolves. The museum also has a plan etarium with star shows, observatory with a 16-inch telescope that pro vides v iews of the sun , plan ets, and other objects in outer space, a 5,500-square-foot outdoor walk-through aviary with more than 16 species of birds found in V irginia, a butterfl y garden with hav e nat ive plant species, and a 3/4-mile ele vated outdoor boardwa lk with interpretive stations and observations of such animals as beav ers, river otters, ba lk eagles, wild turkeys, coyotes, wolves, foxes, and deer, as well as fish, turtles, bullfrogs, and a variety of birds. Visitors a lso c an see anima ls, birds, fish, and horseshoe cr abs being f ed and div ers c leaning the aquarium. The museum also has such education programs as lectures, films, classes, workshops, weekend safar is, camp-ins, after-school programs, fi eld advent ures, winter and spr ing break camps, and outreach program. Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport N ews, VA 2360 1. P hone: 757/595- 1900. Fax: 757/599-4897. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www .thevlm.org. Hours: Memo rial DayLabor Day—9 –5 dail y; r emainder of y ear—9 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12 –5 S un.; c losed N ew Y ear’s Da y, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $15; children 3 –12, $12; children under 3, free.
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATURE CENTER, Asheville. See Nature Science Centers section.
Nature Science Centers AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER The Austin Nature and Science Center, a city-operated nat ure center and m useum founded in 1960, is located on the western edge of Z ilker Park in A ustin, Texas. It is de voted to fur thering kno wledge about the centra l Texas environment and its connection to other world ecosystems. It has a museum of exhibits, and progr ams about the nat ural world and 80
acres of trails, with an annu al attendance of 250,000. The nature science center has such handson exhibits as the “Dino Pit,” an outdoor exhibit where v isitors c an dig up r eplicas of fossils found in Texas; “”Edwards A quifier,” containing interactive exhibits on real phenomena, live specimens, and wo rking models r elated to the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifier and its co nservation; “Birds of Prey,” featuring the calls of owls, hawks, and ravens; “S mall W onders,”
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home of the tiniest creatures; and exhibits featuring more than 90 nat ive Texas anima ls. At the “Naturalist Workshop,” visitors can explore the nat ural wo rld by touching specimens and using microscopes, ba lances, and other instr uments. Hands-on education programs a lso are presented at the Beverly S. Sheffield Education Center. Austin Nature and Science Center, 301 Nature Center D r., A ustin, T X 78746. P hone: 5 12/327-8180. Fax: 5 12/327-8745. Web site: www .ci.austin.tx.us/ ansc. Hours: 10 –5 Mon.–Sat., 12–5 Sun.; closed Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission: $2 suggested donation.
BRIAR BUSH NATURE CENTER
Briar B ush N ature Center in Abingto n, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1962 when ar ea residents convinced Abington Township to preserve and pur chase land o wned by nat ure-loving Ever ett and F lorence Gr iscom since 1908 that became a wild life refuge they shared with school groups, Scouts, and birders. It was followed by the formation of a friends’ group, erection of a windmill to pump underground water into a po nd, a fund-raising dr ive, government and foundat ion grants, and fur ther impr ovements to the 12.5-acre nat ure center that no w serves 73,000 visitors annually. The nat ure science center has a m useum with hands-on exhibits, a bird obser vatory in the Griscom family’s former cottage, a mile of trails, a pond with a var iety of plants and animals, and a nature shop. The museum contains six themed r ooms with interact ive exhibits, touch tables, l ive anima ls, and nat ural history murals and ar tifacts. The roo ms inc lude the “Habitats of Briar Bush Room,” which contains the anima ls that c an be found in a bac kyard; “Pennsylvania Room,” showing how anyone can have a positive influence on their local environment; “ World Room,” containing ex otic animals and topics of global interest; “Observation Porch,” which overlooks the bird feeders, an active beehiv e, and the center ’s wood lands and contains the “Children’s Reading Hollow” and “Discovery Den” where children and their parents can play, learn, and relax; “The Treetops,” a large area with a crawl-through cave, observation beehive, and a meet ing/events space; and “T. R ussell Frank Memo rial Librar y,” which houses a collection of field guides, reference materials, and naturist publications. Briar B ush N ature Center , 1212 Edge Hill Rd.,
(Specialized)—Nature Abington, PA 19001. Phone: 215/887-6603. Fax: 215/ 887-9079. W eb site: www .briarbush.org. Hours: grounds—sunrise-sunset daily; museum, observatory, and pond—9–5 Mon.–Sat., 1–5 S un.; c losed majo r holidays. Admission: free, but $1 suggested donation for children to play in the Discovery Den.
CHARLOTTE NATURE MUSEUM, Charlotte, NC. See Discovery Place in General Science Centers section.
CHIPPEWA NATURE CENTER
The Chippewa Nature Center in Midland, Michigan, began on 198 acres at the confluence of the P ine and Chippe wa r ivers in Mid land, Michigan, in 1966 and has grown to over 1,200 acres with an annual attendance of over 50,000 visitors. The land o riginally was given to the Midland Nature Club by the Dow Foundation for a nature center, and the club first leased and then gav e the o riginal site and eight other parcels to the independent nonprofit nature center in 1975. The Chippe wa N ature Center started with a nature day camp and school programs, added programs for adults and families, and then built an interpretive building (now an expanded visitor center) with a $1 million grant from the Dow Foundation. The “ Ecosystem Ga llery” in the v isitor center has hands-on exhibits about rivers, wetlands, fields, and woodlands with the sights and sounds of nat ure. The center has “ Discovery Stations,” where visitors can touch furs, shells, and other objects; “Sounds Stations,” featuring animal songs and calls; “Kids Conifer Corner,” housed in a huge reproduced pine tree with puppets, puzzles, books, and other learning materials; and histo rical wa ll m urals and ar tifacts. The nat ure center a lso has a wildflo wer wa lkway, log sc hoolhouse, and a r e-created 1870s “Homestead Farm,” with r econstructed buildings, hands-on activities, craft demonstrations, workshops, and a fall festival. Other educational activities include naturalist, school, Scout, preschool, day camp, and outreach programs. Chippewa Nature Center, 400 S. Badour Rd., Midland, MI 48640. P hone: 508/929-2700. W eb site: www.chippewanaturecenter.com. Hours: 8–5 Mon.– Fri., 9–5 Sat., 1–5 Sun. and holidays; closed Christmas. Admission: free.
CHULA VISTA NATURE CENTER
The Chula V ista N ature Center in the southern California coastal city of Chula Vista
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provides a look into a sa lt marsh env ironment subtended by ur ban encroachment and influence. The city-operated nature center is located at G unpowder Point, a fo rmer industr ial and agricultural site no w par t of the S weetwater Marsh N ational W ildlife Refuge. F ounded in 1987, the center seeks to further coastal resource conservation and en vironmental ste wardship through education. It has an annual attendance of 70,000. The nature science center has such attractions as aquaria, aviaries, gardens, art, walking trails, education programs, and the “Wergeland Family Disco very Center ” with hands-o n exhibits. The aquarium has a touc h tank , an opportunity to get c lose to sharks and r ays, and deep water tank with fr ee-swimming larger sharks and ra ys; the av iaries ar e de voted to shorebirds, r aptors, and burro wing o wls; the gardens display nat ive and drought-tolerant plants; nature-oriented public art can be seen in the Galeria and throughout the grounds; guided tours ar e offered of the 1.5 miles of wa lking trails; and the par ticipatory Disco very Center with four sections—“Turtle Lagoon,” featuring underwater v iewing of endanger ed gr een sea turtles;; “Bay Zone,” with four tanks with various species and moo n jell ies; “ Marsh Z one,” containing a 2,500-ga llon marsh co mmunity tank and se veral sma ller tanks with indiv idual species; and “Upland Zone,” displaying the natural habitats of rainbow trout, reptiles, amphibians, and bugs. Chula Vista Nature Center, 1000 Gunpowder Point Dr.. Chula Vista, CA 91910-1201. Phone:: 619/4095900. Fax: 6 19/409-5910. Web site: www .chulavistanaturecenter.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sun.; c losed Mon. and major holidays. Admission: adults, $6; seniors, $5; c hildren 12–17, $4; c hildren 4 –11, $3; children under 4, free.
COYOTE POINT MUSEUM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The Co yote Point Museum fo r Env ironmental Education in San Mateo, California, is a lear ning center with exhibits, wild life, gardens, and programs that relate to the global environment. Founded in 1953, it provides indoor and outdoor educational experiences that seek to inspire everyone to make a lifelong commitment to act responsibly in caring for the Earth. The center has an annu al attendance of n early 75,000. Among the environmental center’s attrac-
Greenburgh tions are a “Discovery Lab,” where school children and other visitors engage in such activities as building a magnetic sculpture, creating a recycled product, examining a snakeskin, and seeing a plant gro w without dir t; a 4,000-squarefoot “Aviary,” with n early 50 no n-releasable native Ca lifornia birds, landsc aped tr ees and plants, and a po nd and water fall; “ Honeybee Exhibition,” a l ive ho neybee exhibit with a walk-through enlarged ho neycomb and interactive display on the anatomy of honeybees; and river otter f eeding that c an be seen abo ve ground and through an underwater observation window. The center a lso has hands-on discovery classes and a summer camp program. Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education, 1651 Coyote Point Dr., San Mateo, CA 94401-1097. Phone: 650/342-7755. F ax: 650/342-7853. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.coyoteptmuseum.org. Hours: 10 –5 Tues.–Sat., 12 –5 S un.; closed Mon., N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Christmas. A dmission: adults, $7; senio rs and st udents 13–17, $5; children 2–12, $3; children under 2, free.
CUMMING NATURE CENTER, N aples, NY. See Rochester Museum and Science Center in General Science Centers section.
DISCOVERY SCIENCE AND OUTDOOR CENTER, Oc ala, FL. S ee Gen eral Science Centers section.
ECOTARIUM, Worcester, MA. See General Science Centers section.
GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER
The Gr eenburgh N ature Center is a 33acre woodland preserve founded in 1975 on the former Nunataks Estate in Scarsdale, New York. It contains a museum with over 120 animals, a hands-on discovery room, and changing nature and ar ts exhibit ions, as wel l as a gr eenhouse with botanic al exhibits, nat ure tr ails, po nd, maple sugar ing site , gardens, and 25 acr es of woodlands and wetlands. The nat ure center , which a lso has such educ ational programs as hands-on classes, summer camps, and outreach services, serves 94,500 visitors each year. The grounds, located at a junct ion of t wo bird migration flyways and have become an oasis for migrating songbirds, contain over 40 species of understo ry and c anopy tr ees, 12 species of ferns, 75 species of fungi, over 90 species of wild
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flowering plants, and a diversity of wildlife nesting or visiting the site, including 17 mammals, over 100 species of birds, and 14 species of reptiles and amp hibians. The main building of wood and sto ne was co nstructed in 1918 by Lewis R utherfurd Mo rris, a descendent of Lewis Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who was a ph ysician, nat uralist, and conservationist. He was a member of an early Alaskan expedition and named the estate for an Eskimo wo rd meaning “ hill of sto ne.” The Gr eenburgh N ature Center is named fo r the neighboring town in which it is located. Greenburgh Nature Center, 99 Dromore Rd., Scarsdale, NY 10583. Phone: 914/723-3470. Fax: 914/7256599. Web site: www .greenburghnaturecenter.org. Hours: grounds—dawn-dusk daily; museum—9:30 – 4:30 Sat.–Thurs.; closed Fri. Admission: adults, $7; seniors and students, $6; children 2–12, $5; children under 2, free.
HAWAI’I NATURE CENTER
The Hawai’i Nature Center, which has environmental educ ation sites o n t wo islands in Hawaii, was established in 198l by the Outdoor Circle because members of the Oahu co mmunity thought their c hildren were not r eceiving adequate outdoor education. The nonprofit center, manned almost entirely by volunteers, now provides hands-on environmental education to thousands of school children, families, and the general publ ic each year . Mo re than 800,000 children and adults have participated in the programs since the center opened. The original field site is located in Makiki Valley near Honolulu on Oahu and the seco nd site in Iao V alley n ear Wailuku on Maui was opened in 1992. The primary focus is on the education of childr en through school programs, but the nat ure center a lso has var ious publ ic programs and activities for families and adults. The Oahu location also uses such remote field sites as the P u’u Ua laka’a S tate Park and the Honouliuli National Wildlife Refuge, while the Maui oper ation f eatures a guided R ainforest Walk, an Interactive Nature Museum with over 30 exhibits on the natural history of the Hawaiian Islands and unloc king the secr ets of the Rainforest, and a to wering glass solarium with touch pools and aqu ariums fi lled with nat ive stream life. Nearly 25,000 sc hool children participate in the environmental education programs at the Oahu site annually, while the Maui site ser ves
(Specialized)—Nature almost 60 per cent of the island ’s elementar y school st udents e very y ear. The nat ure center also has weekend progr ams fo r famil ies and adults. The programs inc lude guided inter pretive hikes, nat ure adv entures, ear th c are projects, and other environmentally oriented activities. The exper iences ar e design ed to fur ther an appreciation of the natural environment and an awareness for ut ilizing and protect ing even its most elemental forms of life. Hawai’i N ature Center , 2 131 Makiki Heights D r., Honolulu, H I 96822, and 875 Iao V alley Rd., Wailuku, HI 96793. P hones: 808/955-0100 (Oahu) and 808/244-6500 (Maui). F ax: 808/955-0 116. Email: hawaiinat
[email protected]. Web site: www.hawaiinaturecenter.org. Hours: 10 –4 dail y; closed N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiv ing, and Chr istmas. Admission: museum—adults, $6; c hildren, $4; programs—varies.
IMAGINARIUM HANDS-ON MUSEUM, Fort Myers, FL. S ee General Science Centers section.
JANET HUCKABEE ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY NATURE CENTER
The Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valle Nature Center at the Fort Smith/Barling line is the third of four plann ed Arkansas Game and Fish Commission nat ure centers funded by a conservation sales tax passed in 1996. The center, built o n 170 acr es fo rmerly par t of F ort Chaffee, a frontier fort that now is an Arkansas National G uard training facil ity. The par ticipatory nature center, which opened in 2006, is named for the wif e of fo rmer Go vernor Mike Huckabee, under whose administration the nature center legislation was passed. The center complex includes a main building with aqu ariums and interact ive exhibits about the flora, fauna, and geography of northwest Arkansas; four miles of tr ails; and a 12acre lake for fishing and padd ling. Among the exhibits ar e hands-on exhibits about ho w the region’s Ozark Plateau and Ouachita Mountains were formed; a 1,700-gallon aquarium with fish common to the Arkansas River; smaller aquariums and terrar iums housing snakes, l izards, frogs, and turtles; mounts of Arkansas wild life and stations where deer antlers and a snake can be touched and where a t urkey can be “called” and be heard gobbl ing in r eturn; mounts of birds and their nests, including a giant bluebird nesting box large enough for children to climb
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Lichterman
into; a two-story oak tree with a bear den, a mounted bear , and hands-on exhibits; display s about var ious r egions of Arkansas, many with touc h screens; a wild life room with an interactive fishing pond and large windows to obser ve outside bir ds and animals; and a “ Discovery Roo m” with anima l mounts, pelts, skins, shells, bones, skul ls, and teeth that young c hildren c an touc h and handle. The center also has a classroom for educational programs and a multipurpose roo m fo r co mmunity events. Jane Huc kabee Arkansas Riv er V alley Nature Center, 8300 Wells Lake Rd., PO Box 23670, Bar ling, AR 72923. P hone: 479/452-3993. Fax: 479/452-1334. Web site: www .rivervalleynaturecenter.com. Hours: 8:30 –4:30 Tues.–Sat., 1–5 S un.; closed Mon., N ew Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: free.
KALAMAZOO NATURE CENTER
A young visitor gets a g iant view of an endangered tal lgrass prairie at the K alamazoo Nature Center in Michigan in this photo. T he per iscope shows the vie w below g round. O ther features of the exhibit inc lude seed and plant identifications and flower scent and animal sound stations. T he 1,100-acre Kalamazoo Nature Center is one of the oldest, largest, and most popular nature centers in the nation. Courtesy of the Kalamazoo Nature Center.
The K alamazoo N ature Center in K alamazoo, Michigan, is one of the earliest, largest, and best-attended nature centers in the nation. In the late 1950s when gravel mining and commercialism threatened Cooper ’s Glen , a lo ngtime popular nature and picnic area, a group of community leaders purchased the land and established an outdoo r env ironmental education center that became the Kalamazoo Nature Center in 1960. Today, the expanded center co vers 1,100 acres and has an annual attendance of over 265,000. The center has inter active exhibits on nature and the env ironment in the “ Nature Up Close” gallery, butterfly house, birds of prey exhibit, an ar t ga llery, 14 tr ails co vering o ver 11 miles, an 11-acre arboretum with specia l habitats, wetlands, gr avel pit, a pio neer log c abin and 1870s farmhouse with farm animals where life on a nineteenth-century farm can be experienced, and a wide r ange of educ ational programs fo r childr en and adults. The latter include guided tours, school group c lasses and outreach progr ams, summer c amps and youth programs, lectures and fi lms, and such tailored offerings as pr eschool, Scout, ho me sc hool, handicapped, and inner-city programs. The na-
ture center also has a conservation research program and wo rks with lando wners to enhance their proper ties fo r wild life and to de velop sound environmental programs. Kalamazoo Nature Center, 7000 N. Westnedge Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49009. P hone: 269/38 1-1574. Fax: 269/381-2557. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.naturecenter.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.– Sat., 1–5 Sun. (a lso extended hours fo r the grounds 5-dusk Wed.–Sun.); closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Chr istmas Eve and Da y. A dmission: adults, $6; senio rs, $5; childr en 4 –13, $4; childr en under 4, free.
LEE AND ROSE WARNER NATURE CENTER, Marine on St. Croix, MN. See Sci-
ence Museum of Minnesota in General Science Centers section.
LICHTERMAN NATURE CENTER
Lichterman Nature Center is an urban environmental center loc ated on 65 acr es in the heart of Memphis, T ennessee. The center , which was establ ished in 1983 by the cit y of Memphis, contains an arboretum, wildlife sanctuary, nat ure tr ails, thr ee-story-high fo rest boardwalk, under water v iewing ar ea, gr een-
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house, lake, and two teaching pavilions. It emphasizes nature-related education that includes hands-on explorations and microscopic discoveries, and serves 40,000 visitors annually. The “ Backyard W ildlife Center ” f eatures the live animals, hands-on activities, and microscopic facilities, as wel l as the high boardwa lk and under water viewing area. The v isitor center contains exhibits focusing o n the theme of metamorphosis and change as r evealed in the center’s three main habitats (lake, meadow, and forest). The nat ure center a lso has demonstration gardens, three miles of trails through representative mid–South habitants, and such education programs as lectures, guided tours, floral demonstrations, family field trips, and other educational programs fo r childr en,, college st udents, and families.
(Specialized)—Nature Sat., 10 –4:30 S un.; c losed most cit y hol idays. A dmission: free.
MERCER SLOUGH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER, Bellevue, WA. See
Pacific Science Center in Ear ly Science Centers section.
MUSEUM
OF L IFE AND S CIENCE , Durham, NC. See General Science Centers section.
NEW CANAAN NATURE CENTER
The Mary K. Oxley Nature Center opened in 1981 in Mohawk Park in Tulsa. It is named for Mrs. O xley, whose famil y lived in the ar ea and provided the land for the center. The nature center has 804 acres with a diversity of habitats along the south bank of Bird Creek and a, floodplain forest, meadows, prairies, wetlands, and a lake. Interactive exhibits devoted to the center’s flora and fauna, a c lassroom, a l ibrary, and a wildlife viewing area are located in the O xleyYetter Interpretive Building. The nature center a lso has suc h other facilities as an obser vation to wer o verlooking Blackbird Marsh and Lake Sherry, a boardwalk over the marsh, a teaching shelter, and the Nora Warren Memo rial Br idge that crosses Coa l Creek to the marsh ar ea. The educ ation programs include school group programs, bird and full moo n wa lks, astr onomy pr ograms, and “Kids’ Saturday” programs. The O xley Nature Center also administers the Redbud Valley Nature Preserve.
The New Canaan N ature Center is a 40acre environmental education center and sanctuary in New Canaan, Connecticut, that is dedicated to helping childr en and adults “ better understand, appreciate, and c are for the wo rld of nature.” It was established in 1960 on the former estate of Susan Dwight Bliss, who gave the land and buildings, many of whic h hav e been renovated, to the to wn of New Canaan for the study of nat ure, ho rticulture, and r elated sciences. The center co ntains a v isitor center , hands-on exhibits, live animals, arboretum, gardens, tropical greenhouse, two observation towers, education center, maple sugaring shed, two miles of trails, wet and dry meadows and woodlands, t wo ponds, dense thic kets, old o rchard, and marsh boardwalk. The annual attendance is approximately 70,000. Exhibits on nature, environment, and ar t, as well as an interactive “Discovery Room,” are located in the visitor center, while the live animal teaching collection and a birds of pr ey exhibit are in the Animal Care Building. The Bliss Education B uilding and Educ ational A nnex Building house classrooms and some of the nature programs. The center has four gardens, including the S ally Waters Herb Garden, James L. Crider Memorial Bird and Butterfly Garden, Swallen W ildflower Garden , and S usan B . Hanson Memorial Naturalists’ Garden (which contains native planets and the two ponds). The educational progr ams—which ut ilize suc h interpretive techniques as hands-on science, storytelling, live animals, and demonstrations—include sc hool, youth and famil y, Scout, c amp, and adult programs.
Mary K. O xley N ature Center , 67 Mohawk Bl vd., Tulsa, OK 74115 (mailing address: 5701 E. 36th St., N., Tulsa, OK 74 115). P hone: 9 18/669-6644. Fax: 918/669-6653. E-mail: o
[email protected]. Web site: www.oxleynaturecenter.org. Hours: 8 –5 Mon.–
New Canaan Nature Center, 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT 06840. Phone: 203/966-9577. Fax: 203/ 966-6536. W eb site: www .newcanaannature.org. Hours: grounds—dawn-dusk dail y; buildings—9 –4 Mon.–Sat.; closed Sun. Admission: free.
Lichterman Nature Center, 5992 Quince Rd., Memphis, T N 38 119-7257. P hone: 90 1/767-7322. Fax: 901/682-3050. Web site: www .memphismuseums. org/lichterman. Hours: 9–4 Tues.–Thurs., 9–5 Fri.– Sat.; closed Sun.–Mon., New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $6; senio rs, $5.50; c hildren 3 –12, $4.50; c hildren under 3, free.
MARY K. OXLEY NATURE CENTER
(Specialized)—Nature
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The Ogden N ature Center is a 152-acre nature pr eserve and educ ation center in the heart of Ogden , Utah. It was founded in 1975 as Utah’s first nature center. It contains handson exhibits and field classes, visitor center, tree houses, bird blinds, spotting tower, 1.5 miles of trails, educ ation programs, and birds of pr ey, snakes, to rtoises, sa lamanders, and other animals. The nature center also operates a satellite 23-acre nat ure preserve, c alled Ogden N ature Center N orth, in the foothil ls of no rthern Ogden. It co ntains tr ails and br idges through oak brush, grassy meadows, and wetland habitats. The visitor center, located among gardens and ponds, houses the “ Discovery Room” with hands-on nature exhibits. The environmentally friendly center, which has a roof that helps absorb heat and minimize impact on the microclimate and habitat, is made of r ecycled t imbers that once were used in a 12-mile trestle called the Lucin Cutoff that c arried trains across the Great S alt L ake from 1904 to the late 1950s. The nat ure center a lso offers such educ ation programs as sc hool group progr ams, fi eld classes, summer c amps, community programs and events, and outreach programs. Ogden Nature Center,, 966 W. 12th St., Ogden, UT 84404. P hone: 80 1/621-7595. F ax: 80 1/621-1867. Web site: www .ogdennaturecenter.org. Hours: 9 –5 Mon.–Fri., 9–4 Sat.; closed Sun. and major holidays. Admission: adult, $4; seniors, $3; children 2 –11, $2; children under 2, free.
ROARING BROOK NATURE CENTER, Canton, MA. S ee the Childr en’s Museum in Children’s Science Centers section.
SCHUYLKILL CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in P hiladelphia was o ne of the fi rst urban environmental education centers located in large metropol itan ar ea in the nat ion. Founded in 1965, it was envisioned as an “island of green” where city residents could learn about the natural world. Two sisters, Eleanor Houston S mith and Margar et Houston Meigs, and their families donated the farmland and woods that make up the 340-acre nature center today. It has wood lands and meado ws, fi ve teac hing ponds and wetlands, four miles of hiking trails,
Springbrook and such facilities as a pav ilion, amphitheater, hands-on exhibits, seasonal butterfly house, environmental ar t trail , solar pan el arra y, nat ive plant nurser y, ecologic al r estoration sites, wildlife rehabilitation clinic, and education center. The Schuylkill Center, which serves 55,000 visitors annually, has its exhibits, art gallery, laboratories, classrooms, auditorium, bookstore and gift shop , staff offices, and K-8 gr ade Gr een Woods Charter School in the Main Education Building. The exhibits include a children’s “Discovery Center ” with 16 hands-o n disco very boxes and exhibits about animals, birds, honeybees, insects, and trees. The educational offerings inc lude guided tours, sc hool group and adult programs, birding club, and outreach programs. Schuylkill Center fo r Env ironmental Educ ation, 8480 Hag y’s Mil l Rd., P hiladelphia, P A 19128. Phone: 2 15/482-7300. Fax: 2 15/482-8158. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.schuylkillcenter.org. Hours: grounds—8:30-4:30 dail y; main building—8:30 –5 Mon.–Sat.; closed Sun. and major holidays. Admission: free.
SCIWORKS, Winston-Salem, NC. See General Science Centers section. SPRINGBROOK NATURE CENTER
The Springbrook Nature Center is a 127acre nature park operated by the city in Fridley, Minnesota. Founded in 1974, it has an interpretive center with hands-o n exhibits, thr ee miles of hiking tr ails through wooded and wet areas, t wo wild life v iewing stat ions, float ing boardwalks over wetlands, and a var iety of education programs. The nature science center has recovered after losing thousands of century old trees and extensive areas of mature forest habitat in a 1986 tornado. It now has an annual attendance of around 50,000. The inter pretive center co ntains l ive and mounted anima ls; hands-o n bo nes, fur , and other exhibits; and an exhibit on the impact of the 1986 tornado. The nature center also has a large number of env ironmental education programs with hands-o n act ivities fo r sc hool groups, day care centers, children and families, and others. Springbrook N ature Center , 100 85th A ve., N.W., Findley, MN 55432 (mail ing address: 6431 University A ve., N.E., F ridley, MN 55432). P hone: 763/ 572-3588. Fax: 763/571-1287. E-mail: info@spring-
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brooknaturecenter.org. Web site: www.springbrooknaturecenter.org. Hours: spr ing and summer—9 A.M.–9 P.M. Mon.–Fri., 9–5 Sat., 12–4 Sun.; remainder of y ear—10 –5 Mon.–Fri., 9 –5 S at., 12–4 S un.; closed major holidays. Admission: free.
SUNRIVER NATURE CENTER AND OBSERVATORY
The S unriver N ature Center and O bservatory, located a long Lake Aspen in S unriver, Oregon, contains inter pretive and inter active exhibits, educational programs, a botanical garden, and an observatory where visitors can view the sun and deep objects in the l ight-free sky. Visitors can experience hands-on exhibits about mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds that live in central Oregon, stroll through forest and marsh habitats o n the S am Osgood N ature Trail, obser ve r esident ba ld eagles, see a do rmant volc ano, and lear n about nat ive wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory, River Rd., PO Box 3533, Sunriver, OR 97707. Phone: 541/5934394. Fax: 54 1/593-5207. E-mail: of fi
[email protected]. Web site: www.sunrivernaturecenter.org. Hours: S ept.–late Ma y—10 –4 Tues.–Sat.; mid–Jan. and mid–F eb.—10 –4 S un.; last week in Mar.—10 –4 daily; closed other t imes except for observatory winter night and solar v iewing on selected dates. Admission: adults, $3; children 2–12, $2; children under 2, free.
TANGLEWOOD NATURE CENTER AND MUSEUM
The Tanglewood Nature Center and Museum in Elmira, N ew York, was founded in 1973. It is loc ated in Chem ung Valley in the Finger Lakes region The nat ure center has 400 acr es, o ver10 miles of trails, and a m useum with interact ive exhibits, 43 species of live animals, and a library for bird watc hing and r eading. It a lso offers school group and adult progr ams—some of which invol ve suc h hands-on act ivities as exploring a po nd’s ecosy stem and col lecting and studying insects—and lect ures, theater programs, and concerts. The annual attendance is an estimated 30,000. Tanglewood N ature Center , 433 Coleman A ve., Elmira, NY 14903. Phone: 607/732-6060. Fax: 607/ 732-6210. E-mail:
[email protected]. Web site: www.tanglewoodnaturecenter.com. Hours: MayOct.—9–5 Tues.–Sat.; remainder of year—9–4 Tues.– Sat.; closed Sun.–Mon., New Year’s Eve and Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: free.
(Specialized)—Nature
TIFFT NATURE PRESERVE, Buffalo, NY.
See Buffalo Museum of Science in Natural History Science Centers section.
TRAILSIDE NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER
Trailside Nature and Science Center , the first nature history museum in New Jersey, was founded in 1941 in the 2,060-acr e Watchung Reservation in Mountainside. The center , which is operated by Union County, interprets the natural and human histo ry of the ar ea and seeks to foster an awareness and appreciation of the environment. It has habitats for wildlife, 13 miles of trails, and a visitor center with handson exhibits and programs. The annu al attendance is an estimated 50,000. The visitor center, which reopened in 2006 after extensive renovation, has over 4,500 square feet of inter active exhibits o n suc h subjects as forest ecolog y, conservation, meado w habitat, Lenape Native Americans, aquatic life, reservation geolog y, and a childr en’s “ Discovery Room.” The nat ure center a lso has a “ Night Theater” with a multimedia presentation about the area’s animals that come out at night. The education programs include programs for school groups, c hildren, famil ies, Scouts, adults, and teachers. Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Rd., Mountainside , NJ 07092. P hone: 908/ 789-3670. Fax: 908/789-3270. Web site: www.unioncountynj.org/trailside. Hours: 12–5 daily; closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and day af ter, and Chr istmas Eve and Day. Admission: free.
TURTLE BAY EXPLORATION PARK, Redding, C A. S ee N atural Histo ry Science Centers section.
VIRGINIA LIVING MUSEUM, N ewport
News. See Natural History Science Centers section.
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATURE CENTER
The Western North Carolina Nature Center, co mmonly kno wn as the WNC N ature Center, is a l iving museum of plants and animals native to the Appalachian region. The nature science center , located in Ashe ville, seeks “to increase publ ic awareness and understand-
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ing of all aspects of the natural environment of Western North Carolina through hands-on and sensory experience.” The center evolved out of an outdated zoo that had been in Asheville since the 1930s. The Junior L eague fi rst star ted the Childr en’s Z oo and Nature Center in 1973 and then it was succeeded in 1977 by the nat ure center co ncept spearheaded by the N ature S ociety (no w the Friends of the WNC N ature Center), whic h wanted to educate the public about the natural history and ecology of the southern Appalachians. In the years that followed, the nature center added n ew space and couger and bobc at habitats, introduced a program to save an endangered species (r ed wol ves), and added a hands-on “ Nature L ab and Educ ation Farm” with a pett ing area, where children are invited
Youth to touch a co rn snake , hold a t urtle, and feel presheared angora. In addition to being a z oological park , the center has an aqu arium, gardens, natural trail, and education programs that include lect ures, fi lms, ga llery ta lks, c lasses, study clubs, hobby workshops, summer camps, and junior nat uralist program. The annu al attendance now is around 130,000. Western North Carol ina Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Rd., Ashe ville, NC 28805. P hone: 828/2985600. Fax: 828/298-2644. E-mail: staf f@wildwnc. org. Web site: www/wildwnc.org. Hours: 10 –5 daily; closed New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Thanksgiving and day after, and Christmas Eve and Day. Admission: adults, $7; city residents, $5; seniors, $6; city seniors, $4; children 3–15, $3; children under 3, free.
YOUTH SCIENCE INSTITUTE, San Jose, CA. See Children’s Science Centers section.
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Selected Bibliography A Curious Alliance: The Role of Art in a Science Museum. San Francisco: The Exploratorium, 1994. Allen, Do rthea. Hands-On Science: 112 Easy-toUse High Interest Activities for Grades 4 –8. West Nyack, NY: Center for Applied Research in Education, 1991. Allen, S ue. Finding Signific ance. San Francisco: The Exploratorium, 2004. Anderson, Peter. Before the Blueprint: Science Center Buildings. Washington: Associat ion of Science-Technology Centers, 1991. Borun, Minda, et al. Planets and Pulleys: Studies of School V isits to Science Museums. Washington: Association of Science- Technology Centers, 1983. _____, Sheila Grinell, Patty McNamara, and Beverly S errell, eds. What Researc h S ays A bout Learning in Science Museums, V olume 2. Washington: Associat ion of Science- Technology Centers, 1993. Bridal, Teresa, and Susan McCormick, eds. Science on Stage Anthology. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 1991. Bruman, Raymond, and Exploratorium staff. Exploratorium Cookbook I. San Francisco: The Exploratorium, 1976 and revised edition in 1991. Butler, Stella. V. F. Science and Technology Museums. Leicester, England: Leicester University Press, 1992. Caulton, T im. Hands-On Exhibitions: Managing Interactive Museums and Science Cent ers. London: Routledge, 1998. Cleaver, Joann e. Doing Childr en’s Museums: A Guide to 225 Hands-on Museums. Charlotte, VT: Williamson Publishing Co., 1988. Coats, Victoria Crawford. Seeking Synergy: Creating a Museum Collabor ative That W orks. Portland: Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, 1994. Communicating Cont roversy: Science Museums and Issues Education. Issues L aboratory Col laborative, 1995. Copes, Jane Snell. Let’s Try It ... and See What Happens! St. Paul: Science Museum of Minn esota, 1997. Crane, Valerie, et a l. Informal Science Lear ning. Dedham, MA: Research Communications Ltd., 1994. Danilov, Victor J. America’s Science Museums. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1990.
207
_____. Science Center Planning Guide: A Handbook for Starting and Operating Science and Technology Museums. Washington: Association of ScienceTechnology Centers, 1985. _____. Science and Technology Centers. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1982. _____. Starting a Science Center: A Planning Guide for Contemporary Science and T echnology Museums. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 1977. _____, ed. Towards the Y ear 2000: Int ernational Perspectives on Museums of Science and Technology. Washington: Associat ion of Science- Technology Centers, 1981. _____. Traveling Exhibitions: An Overview of Notfor-Profit Traveling Exhibition Ser vices. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Cervices, 1978. Dierking, Lynn D., and Wendy Pollock. Questioning A ssumptions: A n Int roduction to F ront-End Studies in Museums. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 1998. Diversity in Science and Technology Centers. Washington: Associat ion of Science- Technology Centers, 1995. Evered, David, and Maeve O’Connor. Communicating Science to the P ublic. New Y ork: John Wiley and Sons, 1987. Exploring Science: A Guide to Contemporary Science and Technology Museums. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 1980. Falk, John H., and L ynn D. Dierking. Learning from Museums: Visitor Experiences and the Making of Meaning . Walnut Creek, CA: A ltaMira Press, 2000. _____, _____, and Susan Foutz, eds. In Principle, in P ractice: Museums as Lear ning Institutions. Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2007. Farmelo, Gr aham, and Jan et L arding, eds. Here and N ow: Cont emporary Science and T echnology in Museums and Science Cent res. London: Science Museum, 1997. Fleming, S usan. Cell Lab Cookbook: A G uide for Building Biolog y Experiment Exhibits. St. Paul: Science Museum of Minnesota, 2004. From Enrichment to Employment: The YouthALIVE! Experience. Washington: Association of ScienceTechnology Centers, 2001. Grinell, Sheila. A Place for Learning Science: Starting a Science Cent er and Keeping It R unning.
Selected Bibliography
208
Washington: Associat ion of Science- Technology Centers, 2003. Hein, George E., and Mary Alexander. Museums: Places of Lear ning. Washington: American Association of Museums, 1998. Hein, Hilde. The Exploratorium: The Museum as Laboratory. Washington: S mithsonian Inst itution, 1990. Hill, Mar y. Let’s Go to a Science Cent er. Danbury, CT: Children’s Press, 2004. Hipschman, Ron, and Explo ratorium staff. Exploratorium Cookbook II and III. San Francisco: The Exploratorium, 1983, 1993. Howarth, Charles, Jr., and Maeryta Medrano. Architecture and Exhibition Design: A Survey of Infrastructure. Washington: Associat ion of Science-Technology Centers, 1997. Hughes, Cather ine. Museum Theat re: Communicating with Visitors Through Drama. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Inc., 1988. Humphrey, Thomas, Joshua P. G utwill, and the Exploratorium APE Team. Fostering Active Prolonged Engagement: The Art of Creating APE Exhibits. San Francisco: The Exploratorium, 2005. The Invisible Infrastructure: Institutions of Informal Science Education. Inverness, CA: Inverness Research Associates, 1994. Jolly, Eric. Eric Jolly on Sustainable Diversity in Science Centers. Washington: Associat ion of Science-Technology Centers, 2002. Kennedy, Jeff. User-Friendly: H ands-On Exhibits That Work. Washington: Association of ScienceTechnology Centers, 1990. Kogan, Herman. A Continuing Mar vel: The Story of the Museum of Science and Indust ry. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1973. Lopez, Donald S. National Air and Space Museum: A Visit in Pictures. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1990. Maher, Mary, ed. Capturing the Vision: A Companion Volume to Collective Vision: Starting and Sustaining a Children’s Museum. Salt Lake City, Association of Youth Museums, 2001. _____, ed. Collective Vision: Starting and Sustaining a Children’s Museum: A Comprehensive Guide to New and Existing Institutions. Salt Lake City: Association of Youth Museums, 1997. McCreedy, Da le, and T obi Z ernsky. Girls at the Center: Gir ls and Adults Lear ning Science T ogether. Philadelphia: F ranklin Inst itute/Girl Scouts of the USA, 2002. McLean, Kathleen. Planning for People in Museum Exhibitions. Washington: Associat ion of Science-Technology Centers, 1992. McLean, Kathleen, and Cather ine McEver, eds. Are We There Yet? Conversations About Best Practices in Science Exhibition Dev elopment. S an Francisco: The Exploratorium, 2004. McLean, Kathleen, and Wendy Pollock, eds. Vis-
itor Voices in Museum Exhibitions. Washington: Association of Science- Technology Centers, 2007. Middlebrook, Sally. Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers: Preservice Partnerships between Science Museums and Colleges. Washington: Associat ion of Science-Technology Centers, 1999. Mokros, Jan , et a l. Math Momentum in Science Centers. Cambridge, MA: TERC, 2006. Official Museum Dir ectory 2010, The. New Providence, NJ: National Register Publishing, 2009. Oppenheimer, Frank, et a l. Working P rototypes. San Francisco: The Exploratorium, 1986. Orselli, Paul. The Cheapbook 1, 2, and 3: A Compendium of Inexpensive Exhibit Ideas. Washington: Associat ion of Science- Technology Centers, 1995, 1999, 2004. Pizzey, Stephen. Interactive Science and Technology Centres. London: Science P rojects P ublishing, 1987. Pollack, Wendy, ed. A Lifetime of Curiosity: Science Centers and Older Adults. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 2009. Preston, Douglas J. Dinosaurs in the Attic: An Excursion into the American Museum of Natural History. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993. Pridmore, Jay. Inventive Genius: The History of the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago. Chicago: Museum of Science and Industr y, 1996. St. John, Mark. First-Hand Learning:Teacher Education in Science Museums. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 1990. _____, and S heila Grinell. The Association of Science-Technology Centers Science Center Survey: An Independent Revie w of Finding s. Washington: Association of Science- Technology Centers, 1989. _____ and _____. Vision to Reality: Critical Dimensions in Science Cent er Dev elopment. Washington: Associat ion of Science- Technology Centers, 1993–96. Sauber, Col leen M., ed. Experiment Benc h: A Workbook for Building Exper imental Physics Exhibits. St. Paul: Science Museum of Minnesota, 1994. Science Center Know-How. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 1996. Science Center Workforce 200 1: A n ASTC Repor t. Washington: Associat ion of Science- Technology Centers, 2002. Serrell, Be verly, ed. What Researc h S ays A bout Learning in Science Museums. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 1990. Take to the Streets: Guide to Planning Outdoor Public Exhibits. Queens, NY: New York Hall of Science, 1995. Taylor, S amuel, ed. Try It! Impr oving Exhibits Through Formative Evaluation. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 1991.
209 Trautmann, Charles H. Business Planning for New Facilities. Washington: Association of ScienceTechnology Centers, 1997. 2008 ASTC Sourcebook of St atistics and A nalysis. Washington: Associat ion of Science- Technology Centers, 2009. 2009 ASTC Directory. Washington: Association of Science-Technology Centers, 2009. Van der Linden, F. Robert. Best of the National Air and Space Museum. New Y ork: S mithsonian Books/Collins. 2006.
Selected Bibliography White, Judith. Snakes, Snails, and H istory Tales: Approaches to Discovery Rooms at the Smithsonian Institution. Washington: S mithsonian Inst itution, 1992. Zucker, Bar bara F leisher. Children’s Museums, Zoos, and Discover y Museums: A n International Reference G uide. Westport, CT : Gr eenwood Press, 1987.
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Index Academy of Natural Sciences 20, 177–78 Adler, Max 122 Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum 22, 122 Adventure Science Center 103–4 Ag Science Center 27, 41 –42 Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education 151 American Association of Museums 4 American Museum of Natural History 5, 20, 22, 27–29, 134 –35, 178–79 American Museum of Science and Energy 24, 148 American Philosophical Society 7 American Society for Promoting and Propagating Useful Knowledge 6 –7 Ames, James S. 135 Ames Research Center Exploration Center 24, 135–36 Angel Ramous Foundation Visitor Center see Arecibo Observatory Ann Arbor Hands-on Museum 42 Anniston Museum of Natural History 179–80 Aquarium of the Pacific 23, 159–60 aquariums see marine science centers aquariums, national 22, 169–70 Arecibo Observatory Angel Ramos Foundation Visitor Center 22, 123–24 Arizona Science Center 15, 28, 42 – 43, 60 Ashmole, Elias 4 Ashmolean Museum 4 Association for the Establishment and Maintenance for the People in the Cit y of New York of Museums of the Peaceful Arts 9 Association of Science-Technology Centers 4 Astronaut Memorial Hall see Brevard Community College Planetarium and Observatory astronomy science centers 3, 20, 22, 122–35 Audubon Aquarium of the Americas 27, 160 –61 Audubon Nature Institute 160 Austin Nature and Science Center 21, 197–98 aviation and space science centers 3, 20, 135–48
Babcock, Bernie 75 Backyard Wildlife Center see Lichterman Nature Center Bacon, Francis 6 Baker, Fred 161 Ballard, Robert 69 Bash, Frank N. 131 Baylor University 190 –91 Bell, James Ford 180 Bell Museum of Natural History 20, 180 –81 Bernard, Dave and Marge 97 Big Sandy Community and Technical College 55 Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village see Mayborn Museum Complex Birch, Mary 161 Birch, Stephen 161 Birch Aquarium at Scripps 22–23, 161 –62 Bliss, Susan Dwight 202 Bluedorn, Carl A. 43 Bluedorn, Peggy J. 43 Bluedorn Science Imaginarium 43 BNL Science Museum see Brookhaven National Laboratory Science Learning Center Bohemian Industrial Museum see National Technical Museum Boonshoft, Oscar 181 Boonshoft Museum of Discovery 181 Booth, Ellen Scripps 47 Booth, George 47 Boston Society of Natural History see Museum of Science Boston University 130 Bradbury Science Museum see Los Alamos National Laboratory Bradbury Science Museum. Brevard Community College Planetarium and Observatory 124 Briar Bush Nature Center 198 Brookhaven National Laboratory Science Learning Center 14, 148–49 Buffalo Museum of Science 5, 20 – 21, 181 –82 Buhl, Henry, Jr. 11, 32 Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science see Carnegie Science Center Byrnes, Susan P. 158 cabinets of curiosities 6 Cabrillo Marine Aquarium 23, 162
211
California Academy of Sciences 5, 20, 27, 182–84 California Institute of Technology 134 California Museum of Science and Industry see California Science Center California Science Center 4, 12, 28, 31 –32 Carey, Patricia Brooks 139 Carnegie Science Center 4, 11, 31 – 32 Carter, Edwin 184 Casper College 96, 151 Castle Challenger Learning Center of the San Joaquin Valley 43, 136 Castle Science and Technology Center 43–44 Catawba Science Center 44 Cedar Crest College 48 Center of Science and Industr y see COSI Columbus Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 25, 152 Chabot Space and Science Center 6, 22, 124 –25 Challenger Learning Centers 23, 43– 44, 51, 59, 85, 112, 125, 136 –37 Charlotte Nature Center see Discovery Place Chicago Academy of Sciences see Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Children’s Discovery Museum see The Discovery Museums The Children’s Museum 18, 21, 104 –5 Children’s Museum of History, Natural History, Science, and Technology 105–6 Children’s Museum of Science and Technology 18, 106 children’s science centers 3, 14, 16, 18–20, 27, 103–21 Children’s Science Explorium 18, 106 –7 Children’s Science Museum 26 Chippewa Nature Center 22, 198 Chula Vista Nature Center 198–99 City of Sciences and Industr y 9 Clark Planetarium 22–23, 27, 125–26 Clearwater Marine Aquarium 162– 63 Cleveland Museum of Natural History see Health Education Program at Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Index Coca-Cola Space Science Center 28, 137 colleges and universities with science centers 4, 12–14, 22 –23, 25, 28, 35, 48, 55, 60, 90, 96, 123–24, 127, 130 –33, 137, 140, 148–49, 151, 161 –62, 164 –65, 176 –77, 180, 190 –91, 194 Colorado Springs Science Center 27, 44 Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science, and Technology 44 –45 Columbus State University 137 Computer Museum 35 Connecticut College 25, 151 Connecticut Science Center 15, 27, 45–46 Cook, C.M. 176 Cornell University 123 COSI Columbus 4, 12–13, 33, 46 COSI Toledo 27, 33, 46 –47 Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education 21, 199 Cranbrook Institute of Science 47 Croley, Neil Rogers 88 Crown, Henry 157 Crown, Robert 157 Crystal Palace Exhibition 7–8 Cumming Nature Center see Rochester Museum and Science Center Curtis, Cyrus H.K. 11 Dakota Science Center 26, 47–48 Danville Science Center 48, 92 Da Vinci Discovery Center 48–49 Dayton Mueum of Natural History see Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Denver Museum of Nature and Science 6, 21, 184 –86 Detroit Science Center 49–50 Deutsches Museum 8–9, 36 The Discovery Center 4, 15, 18, 107 Discovery Center for Science and Technology 27, 50 Discovery Center Museum 18, 107–8 Discovery Center of Idaho 50 –51 Discovery Center of Springfield, Missouri 108 Discovery Center of the Southern Tier 108–9 The Discovery Museum see Sacramento Museum of History, Science, Space, and Technology The Discovery Museum (Bridgeport, CT) 4, 51 Discovery Museum Gold Rush History Center see Sacramento Museum of History, Science, Space, and Technology Discovery Museum Science and
212 Space Center see Sacramento Museum of History, Science, Space, and Technology The Discovery Museums see Science Discovery Museum Discovery Place 15, 21, 51 –52 Discovery Place Kids see Discovery Place discovery rooms 20, 180, 192 Discovery Science and Outdoor Center 21, 52 Discovery Science Center (Fort Collins, CO) 52–53 Discovery Science Center (Santa Ana, CA) 53 Discovery Science Place 109 Discovery Station at Hagerstown 53–54 Discovery World 54 DNA EpiCenter 25, 151 Dolan DNA Learning Center 25, 151 Don Harrington Discovery Center 4, 14, 54 –55
Fletcher, Eleanor 166 Florida Gulf Coast University 156 Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center 163 Forbes, John Ripley 103 Ford, Henry 9 Fort Collins Museum and Discovery Center see Discovery Science Center Fort Discovery see National Science Center’s Fort Discovery Fort Worth Museum of Science and History 18, 60 –61 Franklin, Benjamin 7, 11, 33–34 Franklin and Marshall College 194 The Franklin Institute 4, 6 –7, 11, 33–35 Franklin Institute of the State of Pennsylvania for the Promotion of the Mechanic Arts 7, 33 Franklin Institute Science Museum and Planetarium see The Franklin Institute Friedman, Alan 38
East Kentucky Science Center 28, 55 East Tennessee Discovery Center 18, 109–10 ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center 15, 55–56 EcoTarium 4, 15, 21, 186 –87 Edgerton, Harold E. 56 Edgerton Explorit Center 56 Edison, Thomas 9 Eichinger, Marilynne 65 Embry, Robert C. 170 Emerald Coast Science Center 56 –57 energy science centers 3, 20, 24, 148–51 European technical museums 6 –9 Exhibition of All Nations see Crystal Palace Exhibition Explora 15, 18–19, 110 Exploration Place 15, 28, 57 ExplorationWorks 57–58 Exploratorium 4, 14 –15, 58 –59 Explorit Science Center 59–60
Gateway to Science 61 –62 Georg-August-Universität Göttingen 131 George Mason University 96 Georgia Aquarium 22, 27, 29, 163–64 Georgia State University 133 Glaize, Mary Bruce 119 Glenn, John H. 137 Glenn Research Center Visitor Center 24, 137–38 Global Health Odyssey 25, 152 Goddard, Robert H. 138 Goddard Visitor Center 24, 138– 39 Gordon, William E. 123 Goudreau Museum of Mathematics in Art and Science 62 Great Lakes Science Center 62– 63 Greenburgh Nature Center 22, 199–200 Griffith, Griffith J. 126 Griffith Observatory 22, 126 –27 Griscom, Everett 198 Griscom, Florence 198 Grout, Henry W. 43 Grout Museum District see Bluedoern Science Imaginarium Guild, William 88 Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center 63 Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory Aquarium 164 Gulfcoast Wonder and Imagination Zone 63–64 Gwynne, Charles T. 9
Fels, Samuel S. 11, 34 Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Lederman Science Center 24, 149 Fernbank Science Center 15, 18– 20, 187 Ferry, Dexter 49 Field, Marshall 188 Field Museum of Natural History 5–6, 21, 187–89 Finley Nature Preserve see Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Flandrau, Grace 60 Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium 28, 60 Fleet, Reuben H. 83
Hale, George Ellery 132, 134 Hall of Health 25, 152–53 Hallock, Sanford 33
213 Hands On Children’s Museum 110 –11 Hands-On Science Center 111 hands-on science center movement 3–29 Hanford Science Center see Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science, and Technology Harmon Science Center 26 Harold W. McMillen Center for Health Education 25, 153 Harrington, Don 54 Harrington, Sybil 54 Harrison, Emily 187 Harry and Anna Jeanes Discovery Center see Mayborn Museum Complex Harsco Science Center 15, 64 Hatfield Marine Science Center 23, 164 –65 Hawai’i Nature Center 22, 200 Headwaters Science Center 64 –65 The Health Adventure 25, 153 Health Education Program at Cleveland Museum of Natural History 153–54 HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum 25 Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village 9 Hinsdale Health Museum see Robert Crown Center for Health Education history of hands-on science centers see hands-on science center movement Houston Museum of Natural Sciences 21, 189–90 Howard H. Owens Science Center 18, 20, 111 –12 Huckabee, Janet 2000 Hult, Marvin 154 Hult Health Education Center 154 Hutchinson Community College 140 Imaginarium Hands-On Museum 65 Imagination Station 112 Imagination Station Science Museum 15, 112–13 IMAX and Omnimax theaters 11 – 12, 16, 24, 31, 34 –35, 37, 39, 41 –42, 49, 51, 60 –63, 68, 71 –72, 74, 76, 79 –80, 86 –88, 91 –92, 94 –95, 97, 101, 125, 139–41, 145, 147, 171, 175, 185, 189, 191, 193 ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai’i 127–28 Impression 5 Science Center 15, 65 Industrial Revolution 6 –7 Ingram, Dan 103 Insight El Paso Science Museum 66 Institute and Museum at the History of Science 7
Interactive Nature Museum see Hawai’i Nature Center Invention Factory 27, 66 –67 James S. McDonnell Planetarium 86 Jane Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center 200 –1 Javna, John 97 Javna, Sharon 97 Jeanes, Anna 190 Jeanes, Harry 190 John G. Shedd Aquarium 22, 29, 165–66 John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science 25, 154 –55 Johnson Space Center see Space Center Houston Junior Center of Art and Science 113 Junior League science centers 14, 51, 63, 73, 95, 101, 105, 108–9, 113, 197, 205 Junior Museum of Bay Count y 113–14 Kalamazoo Nature Center 22, 201 Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center 23–24, 139–40 Kansas Learning Center for Health 26, 155–56 Kansas Union Station see Science City Keating, Will H. 7, 33 Kelley, Jim 157 Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex 4, 28, 141 Kennicott, Robert 194 Kettering, Eugene 157 Kettering, Virginia 157 Kirby Science Discovery Center 67 Kirkpatrick, John E. 94 Kimball Natural History Museum see California Academy of Sciences Kitt Peak National Observatory Visitor Center and Museum 22, 128–29 Kleist, Eleanore 156 Kleist, Peter 156 Kleist Health Education Center 27, 156 Kopernik Observatory and Science Education Center 129 Koshland, Daniel 70 Langley Research Center see Virginia Air and Space Museum Lawrence, Ernest O. 13, 35 Lawrence Hall of Science 4, 12– 14, 35 Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Discovery Center 24, 149–50 Lederman, Leon 149
Index Lederman Science Center see Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Lederman Science Center Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center see Science Museum of Minnesota Lehigh University 48 Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm 6 Levin, Debbie 96 Levine, Ilma 96 Liberty Science Center 28, 67–68 Lichterman Nature Center 203–4 LIGO Livingston Center Science Education Center 129–30 Lilly, Ruth 158 Living Arts and Science Center 114 Loggerhead Marinelife Center 166 –67 Long Island Museum of Science and Technology 26 Long Island Science Center 114 –15 Los Alamos National Laboratory Bradbury Science Museum 24, 150 Louisiana Art and Science Museum 49 Louisville Science Center 6, 15, 69–70 Lowell, Percival 130 Lowell Observatory Steele Visitor Center 6, 22, 130 Ludwig-Maximillans-Universität München 131 Marian Koshland Science Museum 70 –71 Marine Science Center 167 marine science centers 3, 20, 159– 77 Mary K. Oxley Nature Center 202 Maryland Academy of Sciences see Maryland Science Center Maryland Science Center 4 –5, 15, 71 –72 Mayborn, Frank 190 Mayborn, Sue 190 Mayborn Museum Complex 190 – 91 McAuliffe, Christa 142 McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center 141 –42 McConnell, John 120 McDonald, William Johnson 130 McDonald Observatory Frank N. Bash Visitor Center 22, 130 –31 McDonnell, James S. 86 McGovern, John P. 154 McKee, Peggy 119 McLean, William L. 11 McMillen, Harold W. 153 McWane family 72 McWane Science Center 72–73 mechanics’ institutes 7 Meigs, Margaret Houston 203
Index Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center see Pacific Science Center Merrick, Samuel Vaughn 7, 33 Miami Science Museum 18, 20, 27, 73–74 Mid-America Science Museum 15, 74 Millis Regional Health Education Center 25, 156 Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology 74 Momentum Science and Health Park see The Health Adventure Monterey Bay Aquarium 22–24, 27, 29, 167–68 Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute 168 Montshire Museum of Science 74 –75 Morehead, John Motley, III 131 Morehead Planetarium and Science Center 22, 131 –32 Morrison Planetarium see California Academy of Sciences Mount Washington Observatory Weather Discovery Center 22, 132 Mount Wilson Observatory Visitor Center 132–33 Museum of Discovery 16, 75–76 Museum of Discovery and Science 76 Museum of Life and Science 21, 76 –78 Museum of Natural History and Science 191 –92 Museum of Nature and Science 78–79 Museum of Science 4 –6, 12, 15, 28, 35–36 Museum of Science and History of Jacksonville 79 Museum of Science and Industr y (Chicago) 4, 9 –12, 28, 33, 36 –38, 157, 188 Museum of Science and Industr y (Tampa) 79–80 Museum of Science and Natural History see St. Louis Science Center Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration 23, 169 National Academy of Sciences 6 National Aeronautics and Space Administration visitor centers 23–24, 28, 135–39, 141, 144, 146 –48 National Air and Space Museum 23–24, 28 –29, 141 –42 National Aquarium in Baltimore 22, 169–71 National Aquarium in Washington 22, 169 National Center for Atmospheric
214 Research Visitor Center 22, 133–34 National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts Technology Museum 7 National Health Museum 28, 156 –57 National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum 80 –81 national laboratories science centers 24, 148–51 National Museum of Natural History 6, 20, 28 –29, 192–93 National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center 24, 150 –51 National Science Center’s Fort Discovery 81 –82 National Technical Museum 8 natural history science centers 3, 6, 11 –12, 15–16, 20 –21, 177– 97 Naturalist Center 20, 192–93 nature science centers 3, 20, 197– 205 New Canaan Nature Center 202 New England Aquarium 22, 171 New England Museum of Natural History see Museum of Science New England Science Center see EcoTarium New York Aquarium 6, 22, 171 – 72 New York Hall of Science 4, 12– 13, 38 –39 New York Museum of Science and Industry 3, 9, 26 North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher 23, 172–73 North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores 23, 172–73 North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island 23, 172–73 North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences 5, 21, 193–94 North Carolina state aquariums 23, 172–73 North Museum of Natural History and Science 194 Northwest Arkansas Museum 27, 82 Notebaert, Peggy 194 observatories see astronomy science centers Ogden Nature Center 203 Omnimax theaters see IMAX and Omnimax theaters Oppenheimer, Frank 14, 58 –59 Oregon Museum of Science and Industry 4, 11 –12, 39 –40 Oregon State University 23, 164 – 65 Orlando Science Center 4, 14, 82–83 Orpheum Children’s Science Museum 115
Oxford University 4 Oxley, Mary K. 202 Pacific Science Center 4, 12–13, 21, 28–29, 40 –41 Packard, David 27, 167–68 Palace of Discovery 9 Palomar Observatory Visitor Center 22, 134 Palouse Discovery Science Center 83 Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility see National Air and Space Museum Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum 3, 194 –95 Peninsula Nature and Science Center see Virginia Living Museum Pennsylvania State University 131 planetariums see astronomy science centers Poe, Alic Aycock 151 Polhen, Christopher 6 Regar, H. Severn 179–80 Reuben H. Fleet Science Center 15–16, 83 –84 Roaring Brook Nature Center see The Children’s Museum Robert Crown Center for Health Education 25–26, 157–58 Rochester Museum and Science Center 6, 21, 84 –85 Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center 18, 27, 115– 16 Roper Mountain Science Center 26, 116 –17 Rose, Phineas 134 Rose, Sandra 134 Rose Center for Earth and Space 22, 27, 134 –35, 179 Rose Warner Nature Center see Science Museum of Minnesota Rosenwald, Julius 9–10, 36 Rosenwall Industrial Museum see Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago) Royal Museum of Physics and Natural History see Institute and Museum of the History of Science Royal Society of Arts 6 Rubenstein, Milton J. 74 Rudloe, Jack 164 Ruth Lilly Health Education Center 158 Sacramento Museum of History, Science, Space, and Technology 85–86 St. Joseph Mercy Health Exploration 158
215 St. Louis Science Center 16, 28, 86 –87 Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History see Ty Warner Sea Center Schaefer, William Donald 170 Schenectady Museum and SuitsBueche Planetarium 87–88 school science centers 14 –15, 18, 111 –12, 116 –17, 187 Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education 22, 203 Schwender, Paul 157 The Science Center 117 Science Center and Environmental Park of Forsyth County see SciWorks Science Center of Iowa 4, 14, 88 Science Center of Pinellas County 4, 14, 88 –89 science centers history 3–29 Science Central 89 Science City 89–90 Science Discovery Center of Oneonta 28, 90 Science Discovery Museum 18– 19, 117–18 Science Factory Children’s Museum and Planetarium 18, 118 Science Museum (London) 7–8 Science Museum of Long Island 118 Science Museum of Minnesota 6, 15–16, 18, 28, 91 –92 Science Museum of Virginia 15, 17, 48, 92 –93, 96 Science Museum of Western Virginia 93–94 Science Museum Oklahoma 94 –95 Science Spectrum 95 Science Station 27, 95–96 The Science Zone 27, 96 Sciencenter 96 –97 SciencePort: Northern Virginia’s Science Center 27, 97 ScienceSouth 96 –97 ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum 97 Sci-Port: Louisiana’s Science Center 27, 96 Sci-Quest, the North Alabama Science Center 98 Sci-Tech Center of Northern New York 15, 98 –99 SciTech Discovery Center 27, 99 SciTech Hands On Museum 99 Sci-Trek 26 SciWorks 15–16, 21, 27, 99–100 Scripps, E.W. 161 Scripps, Ellen Browning 161 Scripps Institution of Oceanography see Birch Aquarium at Scripps Seacoast Science Center 173–74 Seattle Aquarium 23, 174 SEE Science Center 100
Shedd, John G. 165 Shedd Aquarium see John G. Shedd Aquarium Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum 118 Shepard, Alan B. 142 Smith, Eleanor Houston 203 Smith, Kelvin 169 Smithsonian Institution 8, 20, 24, 42–43, 192–93; see also National Museum of Air and Space; National Museum of Natural History; Naturalist Center Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce see Royal Society of Arts South Dakota Discovery Center 28, 100 –1 South Florida Science Museum 101 South Kensington Museum of Industrial Arts see Victoria and Albert Museum Space Center Houston 24, 28, 139 space science centers see aviation and space science centers specialized science centers 3, 20 – 27, 122–205 Springbrook Nature Center 203–4 Springfield Science Museum 6, 195–96 Stanford University 131 State University of New York, Oneonta 90 State University of New York, Stony Brook 149 Steinhart Aquarium see California Academy of Sciences Stennis, John C 144 Stennis Space Center see StenniSphere Visitor Center StenniSphere Visitor Center 24, 144 Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center see National Air and Space Museum Strecker, John K. 190 Strecker Museum see Mayborn Museum Complex Sun Watch Indian Village Archaeological Park see Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory 204 Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center 25, 158–59 Swedish Royal Model Chamber 6 Tanglewood Nature Center 204 Tech Museum of Innovation 15, 17, 101 –2 Tellus: Northwest Georgia Science Museum 27, 102 Terre Haute Children’s Museum 28, 119 Tifft Nature Center see Buffalo Museum of Science
Index Tombaugh, Clyde 130 Towne, Henry R. 9 trade and industrial expositions 7–8; see also world fairs Trailside Nature and Science Center 22, 204 Turtle Bay Exploration Park 196 Ty Warner Sea Center 174 –75 Udvar-Hazy, Steven F. 142–43 U.S. Department of Energy science centers 148–51 U.S. Space and Rocket Center 23, 144 –46 Universities Research Association 149 University Corporation for Atmospheric Research 133 University of Arizona 28, 30 University of Arizona Science Center see Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium University of California, Berkeley 4, 12, 14, 35, 149–50 University of California, Los Angles 133 University of California, San Diego 22, 161 –62, 177 University of Colorado 133 University of Hawaii 127, 176 University of Minnesota 180 University of North Carolina 22, 131 –32 University of Southern California 133 University of Tennessee 148 University of Texas 130 University of Vermont 55 University of Washington 177 Vaucanson, Jacques de 7 Verger, Donald B. 117 Victoria and Albert Museum 7 Virginia Air and Space Center 23, 146 –47 Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center 175–76 Virginia Aviation Museum see Science Museum of Virginia Virginia Living Museum 146 –47 Von Miller, Oskar 8 Waikiki Aquarium 6, 22, 176 – 77 Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center 24, 147–48 Warner, Ty 174 Washburn, Bradford 35 Weinman Mineral Museum see Tellus: Northwest Georgia Science Museum Werner, William H. 179 Western Colorado Math and Science Center 18, 27, 119–20 Western North Carolina Nature Center 22, 204
Index Whitaker, Helen F. 64 Whitaker, Uncas 64 Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts see Harsco Science Center Wolfe, Martha 119 WonderLab Museum of Science, Health, and Technology 15, 120
216 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Ocean Science Exhibit Center 23, 177 Worcester Natural History Society see EcoTarium world fairs 10, 12, 14, 36, 38, 40, 187–88; see also trade and industrial expositions
World of Wonders Science Museum 27, 103 Yao, Cynthia 42 Youth Science Center 120 Youth Science Institute 120 –21 The YouZeum 25, 159
