This Friday, March 6, the new McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, 2 Institute Drive, will open its doors and let the public in on all sorts of air and space science fun. Katie and I were able to get a sneak preview of the new center last Tuesday with executive director, Jeanne Gerulskis, and director of education, Dave McDonald, because that’s what being an Insider is all about.
Many of you, readers, are already familiar with the discovery center’s first new feature: the 92-foot Mercury-Redstone rocket at the front entry. Yes, that’s the rocket you can see from the highway. It’s an exact replica of the rocket Alan Shepard shot up to space in in 1961. Come spring, the Mercury-Redstone will be so much more than just highway eye candy – Jeanne and Dave told us that the rocket itself will be an interactive exhibit, where eager learners can hear the voice of Shepard and even President Kennedy, among other things. They’re just waiting for warmer weather before instanning the exhibit, but the rocket is only the 92-foot tip of the iceberg when it comes to what the discovery center has to offer.
Once inside, you’ll see a café to your left if you need a little fuel before beginning your journey into outer space. The café seats 30 people, with the capability of seating more, thanks to a room with lunch tables connected to the café. That room is actually a separate entrance made for larger groups and is the perfect spot for kiddies to get a brief orientation before letting loose in the discovery center. To the right of the entrance is the Discovery Center Science Store, where you can purchase your freeze-dried ice cream and other neato space and science goods.
But the really cool stuff starts when you venture past the food and shopping. I know, food and shopping are already pretty awesome, but trust me, it gets even better.
The 45,113 square foot discovery center (that’s quadruple the size of the planetarium) houses several interactive science exhibits and the observatory. The observatory’s top turns 360 degrees and offers great views not only at night but during the day. With the solar telescope, you can do exactly what your parents and teachers always told you not to do . . . look directly into the sun. You’d want to do this to check out sun spots.
Before or after you glare into the sun, there are a few other things to do at the discovery center. Some of the exhibits you’ll see on March 6 are:
- A tribute to Alan Shepard and Christa McAuliffe.
- A large scale model of a space shuttle.
- “Expedition to Mars,”an exhibit that shows you all the steps you’ll have to go through if you’re venturing to Mars.
- “Imaging Our Universe,” which explains the various technologies that help us answer questions about our solar system and beyond.
- “Studying the Atmosphere from Space.”
- An exhibit that allows you to see what it is like to be a weather person, with a real green screen and teleprompter!
- “Getting the Big Picture of Earth,” where visitors learn about satellite observations that get a global look at processes and cycles and how they change and evolve over time.
- “Comparing Earth to Other Planets and Moons.”
- “Conservation Quest,”an interactive science and engineering exhibition on wise energy usage.
It may not be an exhibit, but it is also important to note that there’s a parking lot in front of the new center. That means when you visit, you no longer have to fight with NHTI students for a space. I know this may not seem important right now, but trust me, it is.
This weekend provides the perfect opportunity to experience the center, because thanks to Northeast Delta Dental, admission is free for the entire opening weekend. Visit the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center on Friday from 4 to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., to take advantage of the offer. Also, just to clear up some confusion – the planetarium is now part of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. So, when you’re bragging to your friends about the fun weekend you had, say you went to the McAuliffee-Shepard Discovery Center, not the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium. Get it? Good.
Keep in mind while visiting that this is only the first phase of development – the folks at the discovery center have even more up their sleeves in years to come. Some future additions will include a Challenger learning center, simulated flight school and many more interactive and traveling exhibits from science centers cross North America.
For more information, call 271-7827 or visit starhop.com.
