Museum of Innovation and Science facts for kids
| Location | 15 Nott Terrace Heights Schenectady, New York, United States 12308 |
|---|---|
| Type | Science and technology; Regional |
The Museum of Innovation and Science (also known as miSci) is a cool place in Schenectady, New York. It's a museum and a planetarium all in one! miSci first opened its doors in 1934. It teaches visitors about Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) through fun exhibits and programs.
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Discover miSci: A World of STEAM
miSci is a special museum that focuses on STEAM. This stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. The museum has many exhibits and learning activities. These programs help people of all ages understand how the world works.
The Amazing Planetarium
Inside miSci, you'll find the Suits-Bueche Planetarium. It has a special machine called a GOTO Chronos Star Machine. This machine can show you 8,500 stars! It can also display 24 constellation outlines.
The projector is very powerful. It can show you the sky from any place on Earth. You can even see how the sky looked 100,000 years ago. Or, you can see how it will look 100,000 years in the future! It's one of only 16 such machines in the United States.
Challenger Learning Center
miSci is also home to a Challenger Learning Center (CLC). This exciting center opened in 2014. It offers hands-on space missions and science activities. These programs help students learn about space exploration. They also teach teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Exploring the Archives
The museum has a huge collection of historical items. Its archives hold over 1.5 million photographs. This makes it one of the largest photo collections in the U.S. (not counting government collections).
The archives also contain many other interesting things. There are 110 radios and 60 televisions. You can find 15,000 patents and 5,000 books. There are also 1,000 films. Many of these items tell the story of Schenectady. They also show the history of General Electric. You can visit the archives by making an appointment.
Leadership at miSci
Gina C. Gould, PhD, has been the president of miSci since 2017. She used to be the director of the Ashokan Center. Before her, William "Mac" Sudduth, PhD, was president from 2012 to 2017.
