Today, Josh and I made a father-son trip to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ. This was our first trip to Liberty Science Center, but I’m a big fan of science museums for kids. I once went to the Franklin Institute Science Museum on a field trip back in 5th grade (I think), which was such a great trip for me. In June 2007, we took Josh to the Garden State Discovery Museum, and he liked it a lot. Kids love all those hands-on exhibits, as they get to learn as they play.
We picked up bagels-as-breakfast-to-go, and ate all the way up the NJ Turnpike. We arrived on a quiet day at the museum, just 8 busloads of school kids arrived a second ahead of us. Grr, as we waited in line to get in. Eventually, we purchased entrance tickets, and strolled in. We couldn’t hit everything, and it would be a detriment to exhaust him, as he wouldn’t enjoy it anymore. Remember, I’m trying to grow me a scientist. What we saw:
- We ooohed and aaahed over the large expanding/contracting Hoberman Sphere (I didn’t know this was the largest on existing Hoberman sphere.)
- Visited the Skyscraper exhibit.
- Spent time in the I Explore area for 2-5 year-olds.
- Checked out the fascinating featured animals in the Eat or Be Eaten exhibit.
- Chilled out and ate lunch in the cafeteria.
- Saw a demonstration on liquid nitrogen.
- Watched Fly Me to the Moon, supposedly the first ever animated movie created for 3D.
- Walked through the Space exhibit (not quite ready for it.)
- Participated in a demonstration of animal phobias (and saw up close toads, spiders, snakes, cockroaches, etc.)
- Chilled out in the late afternoon by sitting and reading the Dr. Seuss classic The Lorax in the reading area.
- Visited the I Explore area again.
- Wrapped in the museum store, and bought some toy dinosaurs.
It was a great day to hang out. Josh’s favorite area was certainly the I Explore area, where he could run around, play, measure rice, and use these large machines that moved colored balls up through the machinery, down spirals, moving levers, etc. See the January photos for all the carnage.
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