Science
NOW SHOWING
Sun, Earth, Universe
Opening Saturday, Jan. 20Through hands-on exhibit experiences, visitors to Sun, Earth, Universe will learn about how NASA missions are designed to help answer the big questions about our planet, our solar system and the wider universe. Visitors have the chance to engineer their own model spacecraft and test its durability for surviving the forces of a rocket launch. They’ll get experience using tools that help researchers see the non-visible aspects of space. And visitors will see how data collected can be presented in different forms to help broaden our understandings of what’s happening in space.
Brain: The World Inside Your Head
Opening Saturday, Jan. 20
This fascinating limited-engagement exhibit for all ages provides a hands-on and up-close look at the human body’s most essential and fascinating organ by exploring its development, geography, and function. Was Einstein’s brain bigger? What brain disorder afflicted Abraham Lincoln? Is there a fine line between genius and mental illness? Using innovative special effects, hands-on learning activities, video games, optical illusions, and interactive displays, BRAIN: The World Inside Your Head shows how the brain functions and how, like other parts of the body, it can sometimes malfunction.
PNC Live Animal Gallery
Encounter the variety of animal life inhabiting our planet, including: reptiles, mammals, amphibians, birds, fish, and insects. Massive wall displays illustrate the diversity of fauna and flora right here in the Carolinas, from the mountains, down through the piedmont, and out to the coastal plain. Interact gently with a changing variety of Atlantic Ocean sea creatures including fish, spider crabs, hermit crabs, sea urchins and more. Museum assistants are here to answer questions and conduct Live Animal Encounters for visiting groups.
Permanent Exhibits
Marvel at the magic of Amazing Airways as colorful balls and scarves whoosh through a tangle of tubes and turns in a massive pneumatic air system. Explore the universe in our astronomy and space science gallery. Play in our second floor KidZeum of traditional children’s museum exhibits: doctor’s office, puppet theater, farmers market and kitchen, kid-sized crawl-in bee hive, BEAM interactive floor game system, Imagination Playground giant foam blocks, and more!
Museum Birthday Parties
Museum Birthday Parties are available for kids of all ages. Parties include rental of a Museum classroom for 2 hours, access to the Museum’s exhibits and displays, and admission tickets for up to 30 people total. Parties can be held on Saturdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. or 2-4 p.m.. Birthday parties are scheduled by reservation only. Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. Call 252-972-1266 for information including program fees, or to make a reservation.
Public Star Parties
Free public stargazing events, held at locations around Rocky Mount, introduce residents and visitors to the wonders of the night sky. Weather permitting, each month’s viewing session features different observing targets including: double stars, bright planets, nebulae, and distant galaxies. Dress appropriately for changing seasonal temperatures and bring along a flashlight, binoculars, or a telescope if you have one. Guided constellation tours and beginner sky charts are provided. Otherwise, plenty of telescopes and assistance are available from your hosts, the staff of the Children’s Museum and Science Center and members of the Tar River Astronomy Club.
Solar Viewing
Free solar telescope viewing events provide residents and visitors with the unique opportunity to participate in daytime astronomy. Weather permitting, safely-filtered views of the Sun are provided by trained observers from the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences. Take an up close and personal look at sunspots, prominences and solar flares through both visible light and Hydrogen-Alpha filtered telescopes.
Class Registration
Registration is required for all fee based classes, unless otherwise noted. Payment is required at time of registration. Students are not considered enrolled in a class until payment has been made. Parks & Recreation Refund Policy: Participants receive an 85% refund when they cancel a class that has not yet begun; a refund of 50% is made when a participant cancels within the first week of class; no refund is available when participant cancels after two class meetings.
