Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is throwing a holiday bash! This year NASA’s notable space center is taking a trip back to the 1960s for an all-out groovy good time.
The Space Center recently announced its 2019 retro holiday bash theme. Guests to the out-of-this-world attraction can check out 10,000 sparkling lights, tunes from the ’60s and more from Dec. 13 through Dec. 31.
Therrin Protze, chief operating officer, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, said in a press release, “The 1960s set the stage for space exploration in the United States with the important Apollo 11 and 12 missions.” Protze continued, “This year’s Holidays in Space begins during that era and takes us through NASA’s history and into the future, capturing the excitement of the time. And now, as we embark on a new era of space exploration as a nation, we’re thrilled to celebrate this important time period during our annual holiday event.”
Along with the light displays and mod ’60s music, the Visitor Center will also treat party-goers to a multimedia short film experience, Holidays in Space!, and plenty of photo opps. Get more info on this retro holiday event here!
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and to celebrate, The LEGO Group has built a life-sized astronaut model! The special statue is modeled after the same spacesuit worn on the moon in 1969 and will be available for viewing in D.C.
The giant astronaut model was constructed by a team of 10 designers and LEGO Master Builders, taking almost 300 hours to design and build. It features 10 different colors and over 30,000 LEGO bricks!
The public will get a chance to view the amazing piece during the Apollo 50 Festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Jul. 18–20. Also during the event, Master Builders will receive help from visitors to help build a 20-foot tall replica of a Mars exploration component, in addition to participating in activities and photo opps.
If you’re not local to Washington, D.C., your local LEGO store will also be hosting space-themed events during the month of July. Visit the LEGO website to check out the new weekly Build & Display activities all centered on Mars exploration.
Do your master builders dream about jetting off to the red planet? NASA wants them to create the perfect LEGO spaceship to Mars.
LEGO is currently accepting submissions through LEGO Ideas for space vehicles that are worthy of carrying LEGO people to Mars. Designers 13-years-old and up can submit their self-created designs either by submitting photos of their brick creation or designing one online with the LEGO Digital Designer.
Many LEGO Ideas submissions have been turned into actual LEGO sets, so your unique entry could very well end up in homes across the globe. One Grand Prize winner will definitely be awarded a stellar package of space-themed LEGO sets including LEGO City Lunar Space Station, LEGO Creator Expert Lunar Lander, LEGO Ideas NASA Apollo Saturn V and several more. Two runner up prize packs will also be awarded.
If you need some inspiration for your entry, check out some of the creative entries that have already been submitted, including a pizza delivery ship and a space pirate ship.
Entries will be accepted until Aug. 1, 2019, at 6:00 a.m. EST and then the judging phase will begin. Winners will be announced no later than Aug. 22. Check out the complete rules of entry here.
Oreo is no slouch when it comes to the yum-factor. With flavors that range from the sort of savory Pumpkin Spice to the downright decadent Birthday Cake, the iconic cream-filled cookie just gets better and better.
Dessert enthusiasts rejoice—because Oreo recently announced the roll-out of five new flavors. Starting this week, with the new S’mores flavor, you can expect all kinds of sandwich-cookie snacking goodness to come your way.
Following the May release of the campfire fave-turned Oreo flavor, the brand will debut a coffee-themed pick. The Oreo Thins Latte will make its way to grocery store shelves this June.
Along with the java joyfulness of the latte-inspired pick, Oreo will also release its Marshmallow Moon cookie in June. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo lunar landing, the limited-edition treats will come with moon-themed designs stamped onto the cookies and an out of this world glow-in-the-dark package.
As mid-summer strikes, and the July mercury rises, Oreo will partner with ice cream icon Baskin Robbins on an ice cream-esque cookie—the Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo. You’ll have to wait until late August for the last of the five new flavors. With fall on the horizon, Oreo’s autumn-ish Maple Creme cookie will hit retailers!
If you ask your kids who the first person was to walk on the moon, and they say Gru, well, we’ve got just the historical exhibit to set them straight. Shove aside, Gru and Vector, Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission exhibit is making its only orbit to the West Coast this summer at The Museum of Flight. Scroll down for the moon-tastic deets!
What You’ll Encounter
This stellar, kid-friendly, Smithsonian exhibit, commemorating the 50th anniversary (on July 20th) of the first ever moon walk, gives your space-savvy littles a glimpse into what it took to hit this massive milestone. It may sound like something for the history buffs out there, but Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission is chock-full of fascinating things for your little dwarf planets to peruse. Get an up close and personal look at 20 one-of-a-kind artifacts from the Apollo moon landing program that are sure to wow your inquisitive shooting stars. From the actual Apollo 11 command module that traveled to the moon, to jet engines and even Buzz Aldrin’s gloves and space helmet, you and your little dippers will get a first-hand look at what it was like to land on the moon in 1969.
Start Your Engines
As you navigate your way through the exhibit, be sure to check out the Lunar Roving Vehicle, the collection of space suits, and the authentic jet engines, one of which was recovered from the ocean after the Apollo 12 and 16 moon missions! Have your celestial cuties get to know their heroes, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin as you walk through the intricacies of the astronauts’ journey into space and their extraordinary plop down on the moon.
One (More) Small Step
Then, finish it off with a bang by seeing the piece de resistance, the real-life Apollo 11 command Module, Columbia, that brought the astronauts into lunar orbit and enabled the first humans to walk on the moon. It is really something for your diminutive deep-space devotees to behold! And, don’t forget to let your little lunar lovers take the virtual tour of the inside of this famous spacecraft. Use the nearby computers to navigate the interior and the exterior of the module to see what it must have felt like to be a part of this giant leap for mankind!
Space to Play
After you have oohed and aahed your way through your walk in Destination Moon, if the kiddos have become little red planets and are on the verge of imploding, don’t miss out on the newly revamped kid’s zone, Tranquility Base. It still has a few of the tried and true favorites from the previous kiddo play area, but has also been completely revamped to mirror the new exhibit. Play around in the space module replica, construct a moon map, create your own mission patch, and make calls from mission control (Houston, there are no problems here!). The perfect place for your pint-sized cosmic cadets to get the ants out of their space pants!
But Don’t Stop There…
Explore the whole Museum of Flight while you are at it. There’s so much to see and do, you can spend hours there surrounded by all things aviation. Keep reading for your guide on how best to spend the day touring the rest of the Museum with your minuscule co-pilots!
Where to Takeoff
A great starting point to the rest of this behemoth museum would be the Great Gallery, right outside of the Destination Moon exhibit. It’s filled to the brim with full size aircraft, everything from the first archaic stabs at air flight to jets, prop jobs, and ‘copters. Pretty much a dream for itty bitty Earharts and Lindberghs. There is plenty of room for the kiddos to wander (and strollers to stroll) and a few airplanes (including a fighter jet) are open to climb inside! So, if you have an aspiring Maverick or Goose on your hands, you’ll want to hit it up. For an additional fee, there is a 360 degree air combat flight simulator ride and a 4D-X simulator ride. Both of these attractions are geared toward older kids and more seasoned pilots in training who want to give flight sensation a whirl!
Cleared for Takeoff
After a go-around in the Gallery or the new Tranquility Base kids’ zone, head up to the observation level Tower for a history on flight and wing anatomy. And, of more interest to the young guns, check out the hands-on stations where you can pretend to be an air traffic controller (Standby, over!). The Tower also gives you an exciting view of the Boeing runway where you and your enthusiastic wee gliders can watch planes takeoff and land. (Psst…Mom and Dad, on a clear day, you get a huge view of Mt. Rainier from here, too!)
I Need My Space
What would a trip to The Museum of Flight be without some space ships, right?! It might be safe to assume there is at least one Star Wars fan in the fam, so high tail your little stormtroopers over the Skybridge (you might even catch some Star Wars music as you cross!) to the West Campus’ Space Gallery where you’ll find a full-scale mockup of a NASA space shuttle that has even been used for actual astronaut training! In this area you will also find all sorts of educational sections to answer all the questions your small-scale rocketeers throw at you. How long does it take to get to Mars? Well, you can find out here (spoiler alert, it’s 6.6 months). How do astronauts go to the bathroom? This, too, you will discover in (quite astonishingly) great detail. What do they eat in space? Yep, this exhibit has you covered. Your little ones will come home with answers to some of the most pertinent questions universe-minded minions have come up with to date.
You May Now Move About the Cabin
Connected to the Space Gallery, you won’t want to miss the Aviation Pavilion, a fave among the small set. This massive area houses 19 commercial and military planes for the shorties to marvel at, with a handful that they can go inside! This includes the first jet Air Force One (used by Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon), as well as a couple of huge commercial planes and the super fast Concorde. Check out the cockpits to show your bedazzled bambinos the impressive amount of buttons and controls the pilots have to know!
Good to know: Under the big commercial planes there is another children’s play area. Set up like an airport gate and airplane, the minis can pretend to check you in, load your luggage, and take you to your seat, in First Class, of course! Bon voyage!
Fill Your Tray Tables
Planning a visit around lunchtime? Hit up the Wings Café, in the main building, where you can refuel the troops if they seem to be approaching meltdown speed. There is a kid’s menu as well as lots of goodies for adults to nosh on as well. And loads better than airplane food! Also, there are a few other galleries to explore (World War II Gallery and the Boeing Red Barn) around the Café if you want to wander a bit more. These galleries have a few hands-on activities for your speed demons, but are more adult-focused. However, if you are looking for a saunter to wind down your co-pilots after lunch, this might be the ticket.
Insider Tip
The Skybridge and the Aviation Pavilion are both covered, but open air. Bring along your jackets on a cold day if you want to spend a bit of time in there. It can get chilly!
What’s on the Horizon
The Museum Of Flight has enough activities every month to fill a cargo plane! They host Weekend Family Workshops on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., as well as numerous other programs and events. Click here for their full activities calendar.
Psst..If you want to save a buck or two…on the first Thursday of each month, the Museum stays open late and admission is free from 5 p.m.-9 p.m.
The Museum of Flight
9404 E. Marginal Way
Seattle, WA 98108
206-764-5700
Online: museumofflight.org
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 exhibit runs now through Sept. 2, 2019
Admission: $25/Adults; $21/Seniors; $16/Youth (5-17); 4 & under Free. $10 extra per person to visit the Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 exhibit. Click here to reserve your time.
—Alaina Weimer (all photos courtesy of the author)
Pint-sized astronaut enthusiasts rejoice! NASA’s rocket launch travel packages are the perfect main event for any space-loving family’s vacation.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex’s launch viewing packages provide the public with a sneak peek into NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The program, which will eventually carry crewed flights into space for the first time since 2011, will launch the un-crewed Commercial Crew SpaceX Demonstration Mission 1 (Demo-1) on Mar. 2. Your family can score tickets to watch the big launch from less than four miles away!
Launching from Kennedy Space Center’s famed launchpad 39A—where Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong blasted off from during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission—the SpaceX Demo-1 launch is another potential history-maker. Visitors can watch the early-March launch from either the Apollo/Saturn V Center or Space Shuttle Atlantis North Lawn viewing area, depending on which package you choose.
The “Feel the Heat” package ($195 per person) includes a two-day admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, up-close encounters with the Mars Rover Vehicle Navigator, a premium catered meal, lanyard and commemorative Demo-1 badge, commemorative Demo-1 lithograph, SpaceX luggage tag, reusable water bottle, digital photo of the day and full access to the Apollo/Saturn V Center’s exhibits.
Visitors choosing the “Feel the Fun” package ($115 per person) will also get two-day admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex along with launch viewing, a catered meal, SpaceX luggage tag, commemorative Demo-1 lithograph, digital photo, access to the launch party and a junior astronaut activity.
To purchase tickets, visit the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex website here. Even though the launch viewing packages list a launch date, tickets are sold by mission—in other words, dates are subject to change.
Living in the DMV is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. We live in a cosmopolitan city speckled with political flare and we have so many museums to choose from. Many of them are even free! The best thing you can do is introduce your kid, from a very young age to the best museums our country has to offer. From an homage to Egyption queens at Nat Geo to a celebration of the Apollo 11 moon landing at the National Gallery of Art, here are D.C.’s hottest upcoming exhibits that kids of all ages will love.
“Everything in Existence” at ARTECHOUSE Concepts of eternity and infinity are put on display at this cool museum’s newest digital light exhibition. The exhibit is presented by celebrated Italian artist studio fuse*. Kids will love this show which presents new outlooks from which to observe and consider our reality. It’s super fun!
When: Through Mar. 10 1238 Maryland Ave., SW (L’enfant Plaza) Online: dc.artechouse.com
“Hollywood Leathernecks: Movie Posters Inspired by Marines” at The National Museum of the Marine Corps Hollywood and the Marines?…heck yeah! The National Museum of the Marine Corps new exhibit, “Hollywood Leathernecks: Movie Posters Inspired by Marines,” provides a glimpse into how Marines have been portrayed in American movies from the 1920s to today. From 1918’s “The Unbeliever” to “Guadalcanal Diary” to “Heartbreak Ridge” and “A Few Good Men,” visitors can trace Hollywood’s version of Marine Corps history through this colorful and fun show featuring more than 30 posters. A fun exhibit for all!
When: Ongoing
18900 Jefferson Davis Highway Triangle (VA) Online: usmcmuseum.com
“HOOPS” at the National Building Museum Got a basketball lover? The NBM does is again withthis exhibition that features hoops, backboards, and sometimes blacktops, showcasing the importance of basketball across the globe. Bill Bamberger’s photography exhibit, HOOPS presents a selection of large-format photographs taken across the country and in more than half-a-dozen countries, from the deserts of Arizona and Mexico to the hills of Appalachia, and from the streets of the Northeast to the playgrounds of South Africa. HOOPS opens just in time for “March Madness” and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball East Regional games that will take place at nearby Capital One Arena.
When: Mar. 9, 2019-Jan. 15, 2020 401 F Street NW (Mt. Vernon) Online: nbm.org
“Queens of Egypt” at the National Geographic Museum Starting March 1, you can walk like an Egyptian…for reals! This multisensory exhibition will bring you back in time some 3,500 years, to the 18th and 19th dynasties of ancient Egypt. Get to know such legendary queens as Nefertari, Nefertiti, Hatshepsut, and Cleopatra VII; see more than 300 prestigious objects, including monumental statues, sparkling jewelry, and impressive sarcophagi; and take a 3-D tour of one of the most well-preserved tombs in the Valley of the Queens.
“The Plane of Tomorrow, Today!” atCollege Park Aviation Museum If you haven’t been to the College Park Aviation Museum, you’re missing out!Learn about the history of flight at the museum located on the grounds of the world’s oldest continuously operating airport. And check out their current exhibit, “The Plane of Tomorrow, Today!” Within months of the end of WWII, the Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) began marketing it’s spin-proof, stall-resistant, anyone-can-fly Ercoupe. The airplane was the work of the brilliant designer, Fred Weick, and was marketed as the epitome of a new era of modern living. This exhibit draws on the museum’s vast ERCO collection to illuminate the design, marketing and worldwide success of the Ercoupe. It features an Ercoupe suspended in flight and a cutaway section, so visitors can see what makes the plane so unique.
“By the Light of the Silvery Moon: A Century of Lunar Photographs from the 1850s to Apollo 11” at the National Gallery of Art The exhibit marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969. Photography played a significant role both in preparing for the mission and in shaping the cultural consciousness of the event. This exhibition will present 50 works including a selection of photographs from the unmanned Ranger, Surveyor, and Lunar Orbiter missions that led up to Apollo 11. The ground-breaking event will be represented by glass stereographs, taken on the moon by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, showing close-up views of three-centimeter-square areas of the lunar surface, as well as iconic NASA and press photographs of the astronauts that were disseminated widely in the wake of the mission’s success. A must see!
When: April 28-Oct. 14 6th and Constitution Ave., NW (National Mall) Online: nga.gov
February is Black History Month, and New York City is celebrating with tons of events all month long. Take a hip-hop tour, visit the home of Louis Armstrong, launch the 2016 season of the Apollo Theater’s Amateur Night, attend a story slam, learn about the abolitionist movement in Brooklyn and much, much more. Really, you’ll need a full month to do it all!
Hit up the Brooklyn Museum’s Target First Saturdays for a free evening dedicated to the theme of Radical Black History.
A program of music, monologues, collage-making, gallery talks and more will take place from 5 – 9 p.m. Be sure to try out the museum’s ASK app, which lets visitors get live answers on demand about pieces in collection.
Visit the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens.
Armstrong and his wife Lucille bought the Corona house in 1943 and lived there for the rest of their lives. The current exhibit celebrates Armstrong’s legendary band the Hot Five, and in honor of Black History Month, visitors will be given a collectible reproduction of pages from the musician’s scrapbook charting the quintet’s rise to stardom. The museum isn’t just about music: it also documents Armstrong’s work as a civil rights pioneer and activist.
Learn About George Washington Carver
Called the “Wizard of Tuskegee,” Dr. George Washington Carver made significant contributions in the field of botany. Learn how plants played a very important role in his early life and later achievements. Students will follow in Dr. Carver’s steps, using plants to paint and to create a healing lotion to take home. All children must be accompanied by an adult and advanced registration is required. Click here to register.
Tuesday, February 16-2:30
Tickets: $6/kids
43-50 Main St.
Flushing
718-886-3800
Online: queensbotanical.org
See Rising Stars (or Some Who Need More Practice) at Amateur Night at the Apollo
February 17 kicks off the 2016 season of this legendary showcase of aspiring performers, which has helped launch the careers of artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Jimi Hendrix. R&B artist Chrisette Michelle performs as special guest.
Hop the Green-wood Cemetery Trolley for a Special Black History Month Tour
Visit the final resting place of prominent black Americans with historian Jeff Richman. Among the notable New Yorkers discussed: the city’s first black female doctor, Susan Smith Mckinney Steward, NYC’s first black millionaire Jeremiah Hamilton, artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, as well as civil war heroes, abolitionsist and more.
Learn About Brooklyn’s Fight Against Slavery
Head to the Brooklyn Historical Society to see Brooklyn Abolitionists: In Pursuit of Freedom, which documents the borough’s anti-slavery movement through photographs, census records, maps and more. Afterwards, check out a replica of the Society’s rare copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln.
128 Pierrepont St.
Brooklyn Heights
718-222-4111
Online: brooklynhistory.org
Take the Birthplace of Hip-hop Tour
From Harlem to the Bronx and beyond this tour visits all the spots where hip-hop history was born. Celebrity guides lead this trip to murals celebrating hip-hop legends, the Graffiti Wall of Fame, landmark clubs, movie and music video filming locations, as well as major spots like the Apollo and Yankee Stadium. Note: Everyone should love hip-hop — it’s a four-hour tour.
Ongoing
Tickets: $75
Starts in midtown near Bloomingdale’s
212-714-3544
Online: hushtours.com
Celebrate Legendary Tap Dancer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson
Kids six and up and can make their own tap shoes and try their hand at making beats with their feet. Advance registration is required; sign up in lobby one hour before event.
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
212 West 83rd St.
Upper West Side
212-721-1234
Online: cmom.org
Attend the Inaugural Story Slam at Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling
A diverse range of storytellers sharing their own writings and celebrate the richness that is Harlem. Laura Bowman, Alison Cox, and many others share their original work.
Feb. 28, 2 – 3 p.m.
898 St. Nicholas Ave (at 155th St.)
Sugar Hill
212-335-0004
Online: sugarhillmuseum.org
How is your family celebrating Black History Month? Share with our readers in the comments below!
Easter is a celebration of rebirth and new life. And no one is more deserving of that opportunity than our best furry friends in animal shelters throughout the LA area. So instead of buying a bunny or chick for your kiddos this Easter, why not open your home and most importantly, your heart, to some incredible animals in need? If you and your tots are ready for the responsibility and oodles of unconditional love, consider these fabulous organizations (and super kissable faces).
Columbia (above) is available through Dogs Without Borders.
NKLA (No-Kill Los Angeles) – A Best Friends Animal Society Initaitive NKLA, an initiative of Best Friends Animal Society, has one very important mission – to make Los Angeles the nation’s biggest “no kill city” by 2017. By partnering with 75 rescue and spay-neuter organizations in the area, their admirable dream may soon become a reality. The state-of-the art NKLA Pet Adoption Center offers prospective owners the chance to meet over 100 precious pups and cats looking for a home. Families meet with super friendly adoption specialists who help narrow down the type of buddy they’re looking for then fill out a survey to make sure the animal’s a good fit for both parties involved. If a love connection is made (swoon!), owners pay the adoption fee and take their new BFF home. NKLA advises owners to really consider their type of lifestyle (active, more chill, kids, big house, apartment) before adopting, so it’s not only a great match, but also a permanent one.
Becca(above) is available for adoption at the NKLA Pet Adoption Center.
Much Love Animal Rescue Much Love Animal Rescue is a local, foster-based rescue for loving dogs and cats who are about to be euthanized at LA shelters due to overcrowding, illness and disease. The organization spays or neuters every animal that’s brought in and provides required inoculations and microchipping, so they’re ready to go home with your family right away. Prospective owners usually attend adoption events to meet their bundles of love, then submit an application in person or online. If a match is made, the staff follows up with a home check to make sure everything is a go. For every animal that’s adopted, Much Love is able to save another little soul from a shelter.
Sochi (above) is available for adoption through Much Love Animal Rescue.
Dogs Without Borders Dogs Without Borders is foster-based dog rescue whose pups get tons of love and individual attention from their foster parents until they find permanent families to call their own. This helps the rescue staff get to know the dogs well – which especially comes in handy when potential owners have kiddos and are trying to find the best match for their brood. Families can fill out an application online or at an adoption event after they spot an amigo they might be interested in. The staff then interviews the family to see if it’s a good fit. Dogs Without Borders says prospective owners should never judge a book by its cover when it comes to choosing a new pet. For instance, you may melt over seeing a small pooch who just begs to be cuddled in your lap for hours, right? That same dog may actually need a long hike twice a day just to chill out – so make sure to get to know the dog’s personality beyond their initial appearance. And be patient, the perfect fit is out there.
Apollo (above) is available for adoption through Dogs Without Borders.
The Gentle Barn The Gentle Barn’s animal rescue sanctuary aims to teach children empathy, kindness and compassion for all living beings through interaction with the neglected and abused animals they’ve been privileged to save. Although this amazing organization helps find forever homes for pets from time to time, they also offer sponsorship opportunities for all their animals in need. This could be a fantastic option for families who aren’t quite ready to bring a pet home permanently, but would like to give back in some way. From goats and pigs to cows and chickens, folks can sponsor a brand new friend by making a monthly donation online which helps cover everything from daily needs to costly veterinary expenses. Sponsors will receive updates on their chosen friend throughout the year, as well a special photo. Or even better, you can visit your buddy (and all the other sweet animals) in person every Sunday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Courage (above) is available for sponsorship at The Gentle Barn.
Tip: As of this writing, all animals featured are currently available for adoption and/or sponsorship. Please contact the respective organizations for more updated information.
Are there animal rescue organizations your family has had success with around the area? We love to give mad props to groups doing this wonderful work.
–Jennifer O’Brien
Photo Credit: Best Friends Animal Society, Much Love Animal Rescue, Dogs Without Borders, Brian Fitzgerald via flickr and The Gentle Barn via Facebook.
Calling all future pilots, astronauts, math wizards and daredevils: The San Diego Air and Space Museum has awesome exhibits that will make your heart race and your spirit soar. And, parents, you’re going to like the new 2TheExtreme Math Alive exhibit that answers the age old homework question, “Why do I need to know this math anyway?” Here’s your insider’s guide to the museum and all it has to offer.
Photo credit: Math Alive
Just Opened: Math Alive 2theExtreme Get ready to get excited about math. This high energy, hands on math-driven exhibit takes math far from sitting in a desk memorizing equations. Kids are encouraged by their bilingual robot computer animated guides to play with all the computer simulated exhibits.
As kids enter, adventure sports take them on a ride. They can hop on a real snowboard and enter into a virtual snowboard race. By playing with angles, kids try to successfully increase their accuracy and speed as they race down a video game mountain. Kids will also thrill at Ramp It Up, playing with variables that help them build the ultimate skateboard for ramp skating. No patience to wait in line for the next exhibit? Why not climb the rock wall, test your strength, and see how your arm span affects your climbing success?
Gamers will enjoy playing video games and hearing testimonials from their peers who designed the two games in Game Plan and who serve as successful models of using math in a cool way. The Curiosity Rover exhibit is an impressive display where kids test their programming and graphing skills to “drive” a model rover through a flat tabletop screen depicting Mars while they collect rock samples, searching for water on the red planet.
2theExtreme includes more than 20 engaging and interactive computerized modules that also explore math’s intriguing uses in the areas of style and design, the environment, and the entertainment industry and let kids feel the thrill of using math in its real life applications. The math concepts in the exhibit vary, but Math Alive is best suited to kiddos in grades 3-8.
Insider’s Tip: Math Alive 2theExtreme is an additional $5 to your admission ticket. But our estimation is its well-worth it for school-aged kids.
Permanent Exhibits There is much to see and explore in the museum’s regular collection. Upon entering the museum, you’ll discover a terrific space find: the Apollo 9 Command Module from the third manned Apollo flight in 1969. Future astronauts will want their picture taken with the module as well as a space rock, and astronaut’s space suits from this area.
Aviation fans will love seeing the huge Navy planes and helicopter that fill the sunny, central Pavilion of Flight. The museum also boasts a nice replica Spirit of St. Louis, a terrific collection of WWI and WWII planes with models in period gear “working” on the planes, and a more modern find: a Blue Angels jet.
As you walk through the exhibits, some favorite spots for kids are the planes and helicopters with steps up where kiddos can take a peak into the cockpit, and also miniature model planes just like the real thing they sit next to that serve as a cute photo op.
The Kids’ Aviation Action Hangar is a small space designed with toddlers and preschoolers in mind and has a few features that your littlest ones will enjoy. Sit in the cockpit of a mini plane, grab the controller, and feel the wind in your face. Pose for a picture on the “moon,” play with gears, space and aviation toys, or just sit and color a picture of a favorite plane.This is a good place to wind down if little ones are getting antsy.
Insider’s Tip: There are plenty of benches to take a seat and take it all in as your little one stretches his arms and runs free, pretending to be a plane in this open area.
More Adventures to Have
Admission to the museum also includes entrance to the 3D/4D theatre which features interactive seats and special effects as part of their animated films, the only one of its kind in Balboa Park. For an extra fee of $8, older kids will feel the thrill as they climb into a simulator that surrounds them on all sides with realistic graphics as they roll,dive and loop through the sky. The newest simulator with six seats allows the whole family to ride the adventure together. Keep in mind, however, that riders must be at least 44-inches tall.
Don’t Miss The annual Paper Airplane Festival takes place Sun., March 17 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Come make easy or challenging paper airplanes with volunteer Air Force personnel who get down on the kids’ level and make you proud of your military and their leadership. Launch your favorite plane with hundreds of others outside the museum at 2 p.m. Kids admitted free with adult admission this day.
Insider’s Tips You can score a super spot in the parking lot directly in front of the museum on most days, if you arrive before 11 a.m.
The Flight Path Grill offers family favorites on weekends and Resident Free Tuesdays and the sunny patio offers great views of planes flying into Lindberg Field.
Membership for a family of four is $96 per year and includes unlimited entrance to the museum, and discounts to the simulators, gift shop, parties,and camps.
Admission: $18/adult; $9/Kids ages 3 – 11; Free/Kids 2 and under
San Diego Air and Space Museum
2001 Pan American Plaza
San Diego, Ca 92101
619-234-8291
Online: sandiegoairandspace.org
Have you been to the San Diego Air and Space Museum? What’s your favorite adventure?
