Rochester Museum and Science Center facts for kids
The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) is a fun museum in Rochester, New York. It helps people learn about science, technology, and the history of the area. The RMSC also runs the Strasenburgh Planetarium, which is right next to the museum. Plus, they have the Cumming Nature Center, a huge 900-acre nature park near Naples, New York. The museum is located at 657 East Ave. It holds more than 1.2 million interesting items!
The museum hosted a four-day festival for the solar eclipse of April 8, 2024. Even though the day was cloudy, it was still a special event.
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Museum Exhibits: What to See!
The RMSC has many exhibits where you can learn by doing. They are all about interactive experiences.
- The Science on a Sphere exhibit is a giant globe. It shows real-time data from Earth and other planets. You can see how things like weather patterns change.
- Simulator Rides let you experience different things. One popular ride is a hurricane simulator.
- The Inventor Center is a place to solve problems. Visitors get new challenges every few months. You can use your creativity to find solutions.
- The Electricity Theater is a cool science show. It features amazing indoor lightning bolts. These are made by special Tesla coils that play music!
- Illumination: The World of Light and Optics is an exhibit all about light. You can learn about how light reflects and bends. It also teaches about radio waves and colors.
Outside the museum, you can find the Regional Green Infrastructure Showcase. This area teaches about how to manage rainwater. It shows the benefits of green infrastructure.
The museum also brings in new exhibits often. In the past, they have shown Frogs: A Chorus of Colors and DINOSAURS. Other popular exhibits included Da Vinci—The Genius and Alien Worlds and Androids.
A Look Back: The RMSC Story
The museum first opened in 1912. It was called the Rochester Municipal Museum back then. Edward D. Putnam was its first leader from 1913 to 1924. Then, Arthur C. Parker, an archaeologist, took over. He helped the museum grow its collections. They added items about people, rocks, animals, and local history. He also helped build Bausch Hall.
In 1930, the museum's name changed. It became the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences.
W. Stephen Thomas became the director in 1945. He was a trained museum expert. Under his leadership, the museum created amazing displays. They also added more items to their collections. These included history, technology, and natural science. One popular exhibit in 1955 was a "pipe organ panorama." Over 10,000 people came to see it.
Ian C. McLennan became the director in 1968. He had previously led a planetarium in Canada. In 1968, the museum changed its name again. It became the Rochester Museum & Science Center, which is its name today.
Richard C. Shultz was the director from 1973 to 1996. He oversaw the building of the Eisenhart Auditorium. He also helped create the Gannett School classroom building. He started the Cumming Nature Center too. During his time, the museum raised money for new parts of the museum. This included the Elaine Wilson Hall. They also improved storage for their collections.
Kate Bennett became the RMSC President in 1996. During her time, the museum worked with other groups. This led to the Challenger Learning Center at the Planetarium. They also added the Bathysphere Underwater Biological Laboratory. The Genesee Community Charter School opened on the RMSC campus in 2001. Kate Bennett retired in 2018.
In late 2018, Hillary Olson became the new President and CEO. She grew up in the Rochester area. Hillary Olson has a lot of experience with museums and planetariums. She worked at the Franklin Institute Science Museum and the Griffith Observatory.
Explore the Stars: Strasenburgh Planetarium
The Strasenburgh Planetarium is part of the RMSC. It opened in 1968. This planetarium is next to the museum. It has a huge four-story dome. You can watch amazing star shows there. They also show giant-screen films and laser light shows.
Nature's Classroom: Cumming Nature Center
The Cumming Nature Center is also owned by the RMSC. It is a large 900-acre nature park. You can find it near Naples, New York. This center is all about teaching people about nature. It has over six miles of trails for exploring. They also offer many educational programs.
