Courtesy of American Museum of Natural History
Bring your mini maker out of her room for new and exciting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) events. From National Chemistry Week celebrations to Thomas & Friends, there’s something for lil’ scientists of all ages to enjoy this month.
Sunday, September 9
Where: Whippany Railway Museum, Whippany
Price: $16/adults, $11/ages 12 and under
Deets: On this day, they won’t hear “don’t touch that!” It’s all about getting up-close-and-personal with fire trucks, construction vehicles and public safety trucks at the Whippany Railway’s very first touch-a-truck event. The kids can climb into cabs, honk horns, flash lights, examine equipment and learn a thing or two about each of vehicle’s parts and what they do.
Thursday-Sunday, September 20-23
Where: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, NYC
Price: Varies
Deets: Plan a trip to experience interactive activities, exhibitions and special guest presentations from a NASA astronaut and video game pioneer. Check out an augmented reality experience, hit Family Astronomy Night or watch a free screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on the ship’s flight deck. This weekend is jam-packed with STEM events, perfect for your little smarties.
Saturday, September 22
Where: The Morris Museum, Morristown
Price: Free/members, $7/non-member kid, $10/non-member adult, $15/non-member pair
Deets: Celebrate National Chemistry Week with experiments in the Kids’ Lab and a hands-on exploration throughout the museum.
Where: Staten Island Children’s Museum, Staten Island, NY
Price: Included with admission
Deets: Learn about Albert Baez, the co-inventor of the X-ray reflection microscope. The kiddos can learn about his studies and channel their inner scientist as they identify samples under the microscope and share their discoveries.
Ongoing
Where: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Price: Included with admission
Deets: Arthur never gets old, and you can introduce your kids to Arthur’s World and a love for reading at LSC. Step into Arthur's kitchen to raid the fridge, Mr. Ratburn's classroom to try your luck in a spelling bee or the Elwood City Library and school auditorium. Ends September 16.
Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails!
Where: Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, PA
Price: Included with admission
Deets: If you’ve been looking for an interactive, multi-sensory STEM experience for your wee builders, take them to the Island of Sodor for a visit with Thomas, Percy and friends. Kids will work their physical and cognitive abilities during sorting, shape identification and engineering tasks like fixing wobbly wheels, building train routes and adjusting train schedules. Ends January 6, 2019.
Where: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Price: Included in admission. 201-200-1000.
Deets: Jump into LSC’s exhibit filled with blue blocks, perfect for creating oversized towers, bridges, cities and more. Your lil’ engineers can build and break using their imagination. Ends September 30.
Where: American Museum of Natural History, NYC
Price: $28/adults, $16.50/kids
Deets: Check out interactive media installations, watch 3D animations of great white sharks, try the magnetic sand table and visit live marine animals while learning about the ocean and the tech used to explore it. Ends January 6.
Where: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Price: $5 in addition to admission
Deets: Parents, have no fear: Your kids can be gross here. Kids love the ooey and icky, and this comedic exhibition will answer all their questions. From what’s up their noses to what happens in the bathroom, they’ll learn about their bodies in an approachable way. They’ll even get to play a supersized version of Operation. Ends September 23.
Symbiotic Spheres: The Interlocking Worlds of Glass, Science and Art
Where: Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville
Price: $10
Deets: Got lil’ STEM lovers at home? Head to this curated exhibit featuring science-inspired work from more than 20 contemporary artists. You’ll want to check out the glass pieces that magnify, distort and illuminate, each creating different perceptions of the world. Ends December 30.