Things to Do in Queens, NYC: New York Hall of Science (NYSCI)

By VI Staff on November 26, 2019

The New York Hall of Science, also known as NYSCI, is a science museum located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in the borough of Queens. Housed in one of the few remaining structures from 1964 New York World’s Fair, the NYSCI is New York City's only science and technology center and features more than 450 interactive exhibits that focus on chemistry, biology, and physics. The Center also presents a variety of demonstrations, workshops and hands-on activities that explain engineering, math, science and technology for all ages.

1.History

Established in 1964 as part of the World’s Fair the NYSCI remained open after the event and served as a center of science and technology resource for students. Exhibits at the time included plans for the world’s first atomarium. The Hall stayed open for 15 years until it was closed for renovations and reopened in 1986 as a science museum and grew exponentially after plans for the display of a quantum atom were realized. The museum also provided a training program for major science students and continued to develop to meet the needs of a growing visitorship. Expansion and renovation saw the addition of a new driveway and entrance rotunda, a theater, gift shops and café, as well as a 30,000-square-foot science playground.

2.Exhibits and Collections

Boasting over 100,000 square feet of indoor exhibition space, as well as a 60,000 square-foot outdoor Science Playground and Rocket Park, the New York Hall of Science presents 450 exhibits, activities, and demonstrations that focus on engineering, math, science, and technology. The NYSCI offers hands-on, energetic educational experiences that indulge curiosity and nurtures creativity and features an extensive permanent collection, as well as a range of rotating and traveling exhibitions.

The Hall's permanent exhibitions include Faces From the Southern Ocean, Geometric Figurative Works, Picturing Female Robots and Androids, Nolan Preece: Chemigram Landscapes, Science Fiction, and Science Future. Other permanent exhibitions include Vanitas (in a Petri dish), Connected Worlds, Scattered Light, Wild Minds – What Animals Really Think, Design Lab, NYSCI’s New Mars Rover, Sports Challenge, Seeing the Light, Science Playground, Mathematica, Rocket Park Mini Golf, Charlie & Kiwi’s Evolutionary Adventure, Rocket Park, Search for Life Beyond Earth, and Preschool Place.

Faces From the Southern Ocean’ features an incredible photographic display by J.J. L’Heureux of some of the world’s most amazing creatures, and ‘Geometric Figurative Works’ presents an array of black and white geometric patterns and visual puzzles by Karl Szilagi. ‘Picturing Female Robots and Androids’ showcases a display of female robots, dolls and mannequins from films, television, video games, and ‘Nolan Preece: Chemigram Landscapes’ exhibits the experimental photographic processes used by artist Nolan Preece.

Science Fiction, Science Future’ features interactive exhibits that incorporate holograms, augmented reality, and robots, while ‘Vanitas (in a Petri dish)’ is a series of digital prints by contemporary bio-artist Suzanne Anker. ‘Scattered Light’ is an art installation created by Dick Esterle with 528 25-foot lengths of flagging tape.

Connected Worlds’ is NYSCI's groundbreaking new exhibition on environmental sustainability and ‘Wild Minds – What Animals Really Think’ explores the similarities between human and animal cognition through videos, games, and displays.

Design Lab’ is the Museum’s newest experience that explores people’s natural tendency to be inventive and resourceful and Camille is NYSCI's new Mars Rover. ‘Sports Challenge’ provides the opportunity to test skills in a variety of sports and discovering the important role that science plays in sport, while ‘Seeing the Light’ delves into the sense of sight and how humans see and perceive color and light.

Science Playground’ explores the scientific principles of balance, motion, sight and sound, and ‘Mathematica’ looks at how math has impacted the world through hands-on activities and dynamic models. ‘Rocket Park Mini Golf’ explores the science of spaceflight and ‘Charlie & Kiwi’s Evolutionary Adventure’ examines the ancestors of the kiwi bird and evolution. ‘Rocket Park’ scrutinizes the spacecraft that helped initiate the space race and ‘Search for Life Beyond Earth’ highlights what scientists have learned about life in extreme environments on Earth. ‘Preschool Place’ is a protected area for young visitors to explore multi-sensory activities.

The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) is located at 47-01 111^th Street in Corona and is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday and Sundays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

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47-01 111^th Street, Corona, NY, Phone: 718-699-0005