Rose Center for Earth and Space facts for kids
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| Established | 1935 |
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| Location | 75-208 79th Street Central Park West |
| Type | Natural history |
The Rose Center for Earth and Space is an exciting part of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Its full name is The Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Center for Earth and Space. You can find its main entrance on the north side of the museum. It is on 81st Street near Central Park West in Manhattan. The Center opened in 2000. It includes the new Hayden Planetarium, which first opened in 1935. Neil deGrasse Tyson is the director of the Center.
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Exploring the Universe: History of the Rose Center
The Rose Center is a big update of the old Hayden Planetarium. The first planetarium projector was set up in 1935. Two more projectors were added before the current one.
The first Hayden Planetarium started in 1933. A banker named Charles Hayden gave money for it. In 1935, the Hayden Planetarium officially opened. Its goal was to help people understand the huge size of the universe. It also wanted to show them the amazing things happening in space every day.
In January 1997, the old Hayden Planetarium closed down. A new, special projector was put in place in August 1999. This new system could show 3D pictures of the universe. These pictures were created in real time by a powerful computer.
On February 19, 2000, the new Rose Center for Earth and Space opened. It cost $210 million to build. The Center is named after two people from the Rose family. Famous actor Tom Hanks was the voice for the first show in the new planetarium. Since then, other stars like Whoopi Goldberg and Harrison Ford have also lent their voices.
Amazing Design: The Hayden Sphere
The Rose Center building is a six-story tall glass cube. Inside this cube is the 87-foot (27 m) wide Hayden Sphere. It looks like it's floating, but it's held up by a hidden frame. People have called this building a "cosmic cathedral."
The Rose Center has many spaces for learning and exhibits. It also houses the Department of Astrophysics. This is the newest science department at the museum. There's also a clear glass structure called the Weston Pavilion. It offers a new way to enter the museum. It also has more space for exhibits about space.
Pluto's Place in the Solar System
When the new Rose Center opened in 2000, its model of the solar system only showed eight planets. It did not include Pluto. At that time, scientists were still discussing if Pluto was a planet or not. Many people in America still thought of Pluto as the ninth planet. This decision got a lot of attention in the news and caused some debate.
Inside the Hayden Planetarium
The Hayden Planetarium is often called "The Hayden Sphere." It is one of the two main attractions inside the Rose Center. The top part of the Hayden Sphere is the Star Theater. It uses high-tech video to show "space shows." These shows are based on real science data. A special Zeiss projector also shows an accurate view of the night sky.
The Big Bang Theater is in the bottom half of the Hayden Sphere. It has a large screen that is 36 feet (11 m) across. A four-minute show here tells the story of how the universe began. Liam Neeson narrates this show. The Big Bang Theater leads to the Heilbrun Cosmic Pathway. This pathway spirals around the sphere. It shows a timeline of the universe's history, from the Big Bang to today. The Cosmic Pathway is a very popular exhibit.
The Hayden Planetarium also offers classes and talks. These include lectures about new discoveries in space science.
Arthur Ross Terrace: An Outdoor Space
The Arthur Ross Terrace is next to the Rose Center. It is a rooftop area designed for visitors. This outdoor space celebrates both astronomy and Earth's natural history. It's a great place for museum visitors to gather. The idea for the Terrace came from seeing shadows during a lunar eclipse.
Exciting Shows and Exhibits
As of 2019, five main shows have been shown in the planetarium theater.
- Passport to the Universe was the first show. Tom Hanks guides you on a journey from Earth to the edge of the observable universe.
- The Search for Life: Are We Alone? came out in 2002. Harrison Ford talks about the chance of finding extraterrestrial life.
- Cosmic Collisions opened in 2006. Robert Redford explains how impacts have shaped the universe. It shows how Earth's magnetosphere works and how the Moon formed. It also shows the meteorite impact that helped end the age of dinosaurs.
- Journey to the Stars premiered in 2009. Whoopi Goldberg narrates this show. It features amazing images from telescopes and new computer models.
- Dark Universe premiered in 2013. It is narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
- Worlds Beyond Earth premiered in 2021. Lupita Nyong'o narrates this show. It tells the story of the planets in our solar system. It also explains what makes life on Earth possible.
Other exhibits are found outside the sphere. The Gottesman Hall of the Planet Earth shows Earth's geology and weather. The Cullman Hall of the Universe focuses on planets, stars, and life on other worlds. The Scales of the Universe exhibit compares the size of the Hayden Sphere to other objects in space. There is also a photo exhibit about the Apollo Moon landings. These photos are on the first floor of the Rose Center.
See also
In Spanish: Centro Rose para la Tierra y el Espacio para niños
- List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City
- Astronomy in New York City
