Win Tickets to The Liberty Science Center #LSCStarShow

January 10, 2018 by 1 Comment

 

The Liberty Science Center in nearby Jersey City, NJ has a ton to do for kids and families. They recently opened the Largest Planetarium in the Western Hemisphere- not too shabby, ay?

 

“Its diameter is almost twice as long as a bowling alley lane. Its screen is taller than four giraffes. It offers a true 8K projection. Its lights produce trillions of colors. And it will provide breaking space and astronomy news and discoveries in real time.

It is Liberty Science Center’s greatest experience yet–the largest and most technologically advanced planetarium in the entire Western Hemisphere. The only three that are bigger are in Beijing, China, and Nagoya and Niihama, Japan.”

Liberty Science Center, the largest interactive science center in the NY-NJ metropolitan area, officially opened the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium on December 9, 2017.

The kids had an amazing time watching the live show in the domed theater. The seats we were in were pretty high up, but you can choose seats closer to the ground should you want to. The speaker used a laser pointer to show different stars and constellations in the sky, and made the sun rise and set as you watched in just a few seconds. He was also able to zoom in and out of very specific locations- one of which being the science center itself. You and your kids can see the stars at different times of the year as the speaker zooms around and gives explanations of each constellation.

“You can fit any other planetarium in the Western Hemisphere inside the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium,” said Hoffman. “Add in the state-of-the-art technology and you have a spectacular unique theater like none other in the world. Visitors will be able to fly through the universe, experience the grandness and vastness of space, roam planetary surfaces, navigate asteroid fields, and watch the latest full-dome movies.”

 

Other unique features of the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium include:

• A dome that has a diameter of 27 meters, or about 89 feet. That means if you made a straight line from one end of the dome to the other, it would be 1.5 times the length of a bowling alley lane.
• From the bottom of the theater to the top of the dome screen is 60 feet, the same height as 4 giraffes.
• 588 perforated aluminum panels are seamlessly joined together to form the domed screen with a surface area of 1,145 square meters, or 12,345 square feet. That’s a nice size four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in terms of area.
• The 10-projector system features an 8K resolution of 88 million pixels.
• The sophisticated software allows for downloads of the latest animations and images from NASA to keep up with breaking science news.
• The lighting system can produce over 281 trillion individual colors, which can allow the planetarium dome to look like the blue Earth daytime sky, the red sky of Mars, or a rapidly changing pattern to enhance laser shows. A human can see about 10 million colors, while a computer screen displays about 16.8 million colors for a “full-color” image.
• In addition to out-of-this-world planetarium experiences, guests will also enjoy immersive 8K films on the wraparound dome screen courtesy of a brand new digital projection system.

Find out more info here.

 

Also available is the new rotating exhibition, Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience.

“In this interactive, immersive exhibition based on one of the world’s most popular sci-fi series, you’ll step into the shoes of a newly minted cadet in the 26th century. As you travel through nine different zones, you’ll receive the necessary science, engineering, medical, and command training to navigate your way from orientation through graduation.

Both Trekkies and non-Trekkies will be engaged by the science behind the science fiction. Learn how Star Trek paved the way for many of today’s cutting-edge technologies—such as a functional tricorder, NASA’s warp drive theory, and experiments involving phasers and teleporters—and even get a glimpse into the future of Star Trek science.”

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Star Trek: The Starfleet Academy Experience will be at LSC through May 28, 2018.

If you would like to win a 4 pack of tickets, please just leave your name and email in the comments below. Ends Feb. 20, 2018. Thanks!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Discovery of King Tut Exhibit in NYC #TutNYC

April 5, 2016 by 2 Comments

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King Tut is one of the most famous Egyptian pharaohs, not because of what he accomplished, but because of the (fairly recent) discovery of his tomb, which was never found by raiders.  Because of this, all the treasures as well as his entombment were undisturbed all these many years. We were able to learn much from this discovery, and King Tut has become a household name.

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The discovery of his tomb and the wonders enclosed in it are the subject of the newest exhibit at the Premiere Exhibition at 5th Avenue in NYC.  The exhibit is a very cool experience unlike any museum you have ever visited.  Because all the originals are in Egypt and not allowed out of the country, this is as close as many of us will ever come to seeing the treasures of Tut’s tomb.

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Instead of placards and dry information, you are led through an exhibit hall which acts as your time machine, bringing visitors through the discovery of opening King Tut’s tomb and all the of hard work and hazards associated with doing so.  From rooms set up to look exactly like those in the tombs (right down to the direction statues are facing) to true life sized replicas of gold leafed sarcophagi, it is a very interesting exhibit.  The amount of craftsmanship and detail brought to the public is intense, with tons of information and interesting facts about King Tut and his role as pharaoh as well as the man who discovered the tomb, Howard Carter.

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This exhibit is fun for both kids and adults bringing together facts and actual physical items to make a learning experience many can enjoy.  Open every day, but with a special family day of activities April 10th if you are interested.

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Sunday, April 10th
 
11am, 12pm, 1pm:
Returning to our exhibition by popular demand:
Museum Hack tours of our galleries
2-4pm:
The Mummy Makers of Egypt
Egyptologist Tamara Bower will read from her new book, “The Mummy-Makers of Egypt”, and will lead craft activities featuring the mummies, hieroglyphics, and more.
3pm, 4pm, 5pm:
Family Tours
In these drop-in tours of our galleries, Egyptologist Dr. Phyllis Saretta guides visitors around the exhibition, telling wonderful stories about the Golden King and his treasures.
 
The Discovery of King Tut is located at Premier Exhibitions 5th Avenue, 417 5th Avenue (at 37th St.) in New York City. For tickets and more information on the exhibition and the upcoming Family Sundays, go to www.TUTNYC.com.
 
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ABOUT THE DISCOVERY OF KING TUT, NEW YORK:
Seen by millions of visitors worldwide, The Discovery of King Tut takes visitors back more than 3,000 years to trace the story of the boy king who reigned for a decade and died suddenly at age 19. This thrillingly unique experience explores the legendary tomb and its treasures as they were at the exact moment of their discovery. Visitors can feel the rush of excitement as they step into a moment only ever witnessed by Howard Carter’s excavation team, view more than 1000 precisely crafted replicas and reconstructions and discover the story behind one of the most iconic moments in history.
The tomb’s magnificent burial goods have been reproduced exactly down to the finest detail by expert Egyptian craftsmen and renowned Egyptologists. These exquisitely crafted replicas and reconstructions, allow visitors to step into the wonder of the discovery as if the original excavation in the Valley of the Kings has been reopened. Crucially, the exhibition also brings together a collection that can only be seen separately elsewhere, even in Egypt: because the king’s treasures are kept in the Cairo Museum. In addition, Tutankhamun’s beautifully painted tomb in the Valley of the Kings has been stripped of everything but his mummy, the outer coffin and the stone sarcophagus. By contrast, the exhibition experience culminates in exact reconstructions of three chambers from Tutankhamun’s tomb, revealing themselves just as the discoverers saw them. A radioplay-like audio tour based on Howard Carter’s diaries, video documentaries, extensive texts and object descriptions and unhindered access to the objects together provide an exciting, as well as informative, experience for all the senses. The Discovery of King Tut is now scheduled to run through May 15, 2016. Tickets are on sale now at www.TUTNYC.com.
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Day of Drones at Liberty Science Center

March 17, 2016 by 7 Comments

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The drones are here!

And if you showed up at Liberty Science Center on March 6th, you too could have seen how a drone perceives our world.  From big dips to zipping flips, drones are making a big splash in modern culture.  What better place to learn and play with them then Liberty Science Center?

On March 6, Liberty Science Center (LSC) and the New York City Drone Film Festival (NYCDFF) hosted the “Day of Drones,” a high-flying celebration of drones, their pilots, and the award-winning films made from the drones’ unique perspective. Participants will enjoy all things drone including screenings of the films and interactive activities at LSC.

As the day started there were lots of exhibits to check out and many drone activities to partake in.

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Some of the most exciting activities were:

Drone Theater which showcased some of the nominated films for the 2016 NYCDFF these films included Cirque du Soleil’s Sparked, National Geographic’s Lava Chaser, Corridor Digital’s The Smallest Empire, Jordan Rubin’s The Drone, and the NBC News coverage of the Nepal Earthquake.

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Drone Flights highlights some the mots talented builders and operators combating each other all day long.

The Drone Runway features expert pilots showing off their custom built drones and taking questions and answers from the crowd.

Drone Vision takes guests through he loops and zips in the sky giving them a first person view of what a drone sees.  At the time we saw it it wasn’t functioning as we had hoped it would but at least the line moved quickly.

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“Day of Drones” activities are free with membership or paid admission. NYCDFF film screenings are available with the purchase of a combination ticket. For more information, please visit www.lsc.org/day-of-drones or call 201.253.1310.

Day of Drones is only one of the most recent events at Liberty Science Center as they run events all year long so be sure to keep an eye out for some of your favorite featured events.  One tip we do have for anyone going- go early.  Crowds start to file in as the day progresses, and parking can be an “exciting” event as well.  Get there early so you don’t have to wait for the fun to start.

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Get Your Loved Ones a Membership to the Newark Museum

December 6, 2015 by 5 Comments

NJ Museum

Founded in 1909 as an institution of art, science and industry by famed museologist John Cotton Dana, the Newark Museum is New Jersey’s largest museum, and one of the most influential museums in the United States. Bringing together art and science, the Museum allows for an educational and inspirational journey through 80 galleries of world-class collections including American, Asian, African and Classical. The Museum boasts the largest collection of Tibetan art in the Western hemisphere, the 1885 National Register Ballantine House, and one of the leading collections of American Modernism in the country.

The Museum complex also includes the Victoria Hall of Science, the Alice and Leonard Dreyfuss Planetarium, the Junior Museum, the Billy Johnson Auditorium, the Alice Ransom Dreyfuss Memorial Garden, an authentic Schoolhouse from 1784, and the Newark Fire Museum.

The Newark Museum’s distinguished art collections are international in scope and importance, and include 18th- to 20th-century American Painting and Sculpture; an important collection of Decorative Arts including the nation’s most acclaimed collection of pots; the Arts of Global Africa; a world-renowned Asian Art collection; Classical Antiquities, representing Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan and Roman societies and an unparalleled collection of ancient glass. The Museum’s holdings in the Natural Sciences include a far ranging 75,000-specimen collection.

The Newark Museum is a nationally recognized leader in arts education, with one of the most impressive museum education programs in the country. Offerings include lectures, gallery talks, group and public tours, classes and arts workshops for adults and children. Most drop-in art and science programs are free.

PURCHASE A GIFT MEMBERSHIP TODAY!

Visit our website at www.newarkmuseum.org or contact Membership Department at 973.596.6686 or lbyrd@newarkmuseum.org

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide, Holiday Gift Guide 2015, holidays, lifestyle Tagged With: ,

What Are You Doing Over Holiday Break? Head to the Liberty Science Center!

December 16, 2014 by 7 Comments

Not only is the Liberty Science Center a whole lot of enjoyment, but it will also keep the kid’s brains engaged while they are off from school.  Don’t worry- they will be having so much fun they won’t notice that they are learning things.  With the kids soon to be out of school for holiday break (in general driving you stark raving mad, especially since you can’t let them outside as long as you might in warmer months), you will be glad to have a day out at the Liberty Science Center.

Liberty Science CenterThe kiddos had such a good time- we easily could have spent even longer at the LSC, but by 4:30 mom and dad were ready to call it a day.   (We got there at 11 am, so it was a fairly long day.)  There are tons of activities and exhibits, in a bunch of different genres- animal science, biology, earth science, working out puzzles and mind twisters, ecology, weather, music- if you can think of it, they have it.  They even have live animals, reptiles, and aquariums.  There is also plenty of physical activity for the kids to engage in.

IMAG0593One of the newest fun activities is the Infinity Climber. The only one like it in the world, it is suspended several floors up and relies on just one point of contact for stability and suspension. Kids and adults can climb into it and go crazy- find their way up and down and through- in any way they desire.

About the “Infinity Climber”

The “Infinity Climber” is a free-form, three dimensional, multi-story climbing structure created for children. Designed by Spencer Luckey, the sculpture is made out of bent plywood platforms that are suspended by steel pipes and cables. Located in the large atrium of the Liberty Science Center, visitors have the opportunity to climb, crawl, and balance through this extraordinary experience in a safe, but physically challenging environment designed to promote sensorimotor learning.
[Read more…]

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Legion of Honor – Museum of Fine Arts in California

December 15, 2012 by 3 Comments

High above the Golden Gates of San Francisco, where the Pacific meets the San Fransisco Bay, stands a stunning piece of architecture- The Legion of Honor. This building serves as the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. The Legion was originally constructed as a replica of the Palais de la Legion d’Honneur in Paris. The replica was designed by George Applegarth and was officially sanctioned by the French government in 1915. However, because of World War I, the ground breaking didn’t occur until 1921.

The museum is home to thousands of works of fine art including 100,000 works of art from Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East spanning over 4,000 years of art. In addition [Read more…]

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