Science Museums

A place to talk about any and all things not related to Space Camp.

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pilotgirl21
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Post by pilotgirl21 »

I am hoping to revisit the Kalamazoo Air Zoo while I'm in Michigan this week. The just opened up a new section on space, so I want to check it out. I have convinced my fiance to take me there (well, I will be driving and I will be paying, so really I'd be taking him there). If I make it there, I will let everyone know how the new section is. :)
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Post by des »

I really enjoyed The Tech in San Jose, it is nothing like the bigger (and better museums) more like a kid's museum, I think. But I really do like it. And if you were to go there, you should see it.

It's all technology stuff, with a "floor activity" (at the time I went one where you made a little critter based on "genetic" information-- it was the coolest genetics demo I have ever seen.)

Their website has a nice area for those of who are into "informal education":
http://www.thetech.org/education/programs/classroom/
It says "classroom" though I think the stuff is more applicable to camps, scout troops, etc.


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Post by ACluvR »

Hm...
My top choices:

1. USSRC (of course)
2. Kennedy Space Center (I live 2 hrs from it)
3. Museum of Science and Industry (Tampa and Chicago)
4. Museum of Naval Aviation (Pensacola, I love sitting in the Blue Angel)
5. Smithsonian Air and Space (going in July)
6. White Sands Missile Range (it was cool)
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pilotgirl21
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Post by pilotgirl21 »

OK, I visited the Kalamazoo Air Zoo yesterday. It was definitely nowhere close to the USSRC. They opened a new space center. There really wasn't too much to it though. There was their own version of the 1/6th gravity chair. You were pretty much hanging from a harness from the ceiling and it took a lot more energy to move. There was a "capture the satellite" sim and a "dock with the space station" sim. There were a few replicas of Mercury and Gemini capsules. There were plenty of old WWII aircraft to see and even an SR71 on loan from NASA. There was a Mars rover that you could sit down at a computer and control the movements.

One of the best things was the flight sims that they had. You sat inside of the simulator and there were only 2 buttons to use...one fired the machine gun and one fired missiles. The simulator moved according to your movements...if you spun upside down, so did the sim. It was a lot of fun and you could actually tell what kinds of movements you were making easily.

It is worth a visit to the Kalamazoo Air Zoo if you are in the area and enjoy seeing the aircraft. I had a pretty nice day!
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Post by ApolloXI »

Today I went to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and guess what there sims runs on. Stuck yet?

They run on Binary Star which is the same software Space Camp. Over the years I had at least one counselor tell me that Space Camp is the only one using the software is a bold face lie.
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pilotgirl21
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Post by pilotgirl21 »

ApolloXI wrote:Today I went to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and guess what there sims runs on. Stuck yet?

They run on Binary Star which is the same software Space Camp. Over the years I had at least one counselor tell me that Space Camp is the only one using the software is a bold face lie.
He's not lying...I saw it too at the museum yesterday too. :D
Lisa from Chicago aka White Sox
ASA 7/27-8/1 1997 International Week Gagarin-Pilot
ASA 7/1-7/6 1998 Gagarin-PS
Alumni Adult Weekend 6/14-6/17 2007 Challenger-Commander, Challumbia-Flight Director
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