Rochester Museum and Science Center facts for kids
The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) is a fun place in Rochester, New York. It helps people learn about science, technology, and local history. The museum also runs the Strasenburgh Planetarium, which is right next door. Plus, it has the Cumming Nature Center, a huge 900-acre (3.6 km2) nature area near Naples, New York. The museum is at 657 East Ave. It holds over 1.2 million cool items!
The museum is even planning a four-day festival for the big Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024.
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What Can You Explore at the Museum?
The RMSC has many exhibits where you can learn by doing.
Interactive Science Fun
- The Science on a Sphere exhibit is like a giant globe. It shows real-time information from Earth and other planets. You can see weather patterns or how planets move!
- Simulator Rides let you experience things like a hurricane. It feels like you are really there!
- The Inventor Center is a place to solve problems. New challenges are presented every few months. You can use your creativity to build and design.
- The Electricity Theater is a cool science show. It features amazing indoor lightning bolts. These musical sparks come from special Tesla coils.
- Illumination: The World of Light and Optics is all about light. You can play with light to learn about reflections. See how light bends or how colors mix.
Discover Local History
The museum also shares stories about the area's past.
- The American Civil War: The Impact of the Industrial Revolution shows how new machines changed the war.
- Flight to Freedom: Rochester’s Underground Railroad tells about brave people. They helped others find freedom.
- At the Western Door explores the history of Native American people.
Outside and Traveling Exhibits
Outside the museum, you can see the Regional Green Infrastructure Showcase. This area teaches how to manage rainwater. It shows how green spaces help our environment.
The museum also brings in new exhibits often. In the past, they have shown Frogs: A Chorus of Colors. Other popular ones include Da Vinci—The Genius and DINOSAURS.
How the Museum Started
The museum first opened in 1912. It was called the Rochester Municipal Museum back then. Edward D. Putnam was its first leader. Later, in 1924, Arthur C. Parker took over. He helped the museum grow its collections. They added items about people, nature, and local history. He also helped build Bausch Hall.
In 1930, the museum changed its name. 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 lead, the museum created amazing displays. These included detailed dioramas. The collections of history, technology, and science grew a lot.
In 1965, Ian C. McLennan joined to help create a planetarium. He then became the museum's leader in 1968. That same year, the museum got its current name. It became the Rochester Museum & Science Center.
Richard C. Shultz led the museum from 1973 to 1996. He helped build the Eisenhart Auditorium. He also started the Cumming Nature Center. During his time, new funds helped improve the museum. They added the Elaine Wilson Hall. They also upgraded the planetarium's film system.
Kate Bennett became the president in 1996. She helped create new learning centers. These included the Challenger Learning Center. It is at the Strasenburgh Planetarium. The Genesee Community Charter School also opened on the museum campus in 2001. The museum keeps adding new exhibits for visitors. Kate Bennett retired in 2018.
Later in 2018, Hillary Olson became the new president. She grew up in the Rochester area. Hillary has worked at many other museums and planetariums.
Strasenburgh Planetarium
The Strasenburgh Planetarium is right next to the museum. It opened in 1968. Inside its huge four-story dome, you can see amazing shows. They have star shows that teach about space. You can also watch giant-screen films. And don't miss the exciting laser light shows!
Cumming Nature Center
The Cumming Nature Center is a large nature area. It is about 900 acres big. You can find it near Naples, New York. This center helps people learn about nature. It has over six miles of trails for walking. You can also join educational programs there.
