Bright Light

In this illuminating exploration of light and color, students make exciting discoveries as they experiment with lasers, diffraction glasses, and giant water prisms. Through real-life applications, the scientific concepts of refraction, diffraction, and reflection are illustrated with engaging educational activities related to spectrum analysis and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Layered Experience: Pairs well with Harmonies in Color (Art Exhibition Guided Tour or Exploration), Seeing!, and Cosmic Colors: An Adventure Along the Spectrum (Planetarium Shows).

Circuit Circus

Students become energized as they form a human circuit, experiment with conductors and insulators, and construct various types of circuits. Scientific investigation, problem solving, and cooperative learning engage students in this electrifying educational experience!

Engineering Encounters

Through bridge-building activities, students gain a new appreciation for the relevance of civil engineering and design in their daily lives. Creative problem-solving strategies motivate aspiring engineers to explore concepts such as force, balance, and stability.

Layered Experience: Pairs well with Dream Big: Engineering Our World (Planetarium Show), and Robot Design Challenge (Class).

Engineering: Simple Machines

As they cooperatively problem-solve in groups, young engineers will investigate the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of objects while building various machines. Exciting hands-on challenges will focus on Newton’s Laws of Motion and the Law of Conservation of Energy. Activities will illustrate the relevance of engineering in daily life as students design and build together.

Layered Experience: Pairs well with Dream Big: Engineering Our World and Secrets of Gravity: In the Footsteps of Albert Einstein (Planetarium Shows).

Forces of Nature

Follow scientists on ground–breaking quests to understand what triggers earthquakes, volcanoes, and tornadoes.

Robot Design Challenge

Students sharpen their critical thinking and problem- solving skills to build modular robots. Working in teams, they will use the Science and Engineering Practices to develop inventions that sense, compute, and act upon the world around them. As students design their robots, they actually build a program through hands-on coding. This class culminates in a race that challenges each group to create the smartest and fastest robot.

Layered Experience: Pairs well with Dream Big: Engineering Our World (Planetarium Show) and Engineering Encounters (Class).

Shake, Rattle, & Roll

Dr. Decibel, the Museum’s Super Sound Scientist, leads students in an interactive exploration of the world of sound. “Junior Sound Scientists” will become familiar with key vocabulary terms and concepts relating to sound, learn about the anatomy of the ear, and experiment with unique musical instruments from across the globe. This engaging program can easily be adapted for various grade levels.

Layered Experience: Pairs well with America’s Musical Journey (Planetarium Show).

The Art of Astronomy

Science inspires art and art empowers science as students investigate the characteristics and composition of planets, stars, and deep-sky objects. Inquisitive learners will use the elements of art to connect Astronomy and Earth Science concepts.

Layered Experience: Pairs well with Earth, Moon, & Sun, Magic Tree House Space Mission, and Ventures through Our Solar System (Planetarium Shows).

NEW for 2019-2020!

The Magic of Science

Is science magical or is magic scientific? Students will explore the wonders of chemistry and physics in this interactive, presenter-led program that creatively engages them in the learning process. As they investigate the scientific principles behind exciting experiments and demonstrations, learners will discover that science is interesting, relevant, and fun!

Volcanoes of the Deep Sea

Follow a team of scientists on a dive to research mysterious hydrothermal vents on the mid-ocean ridge and discover the fantastic diversity of the deep.