New York Hall of Science explained

New York Hall of Science
Location:47-01 111th Street
Corona, New York
Type:Science-technology museum
Accreditation:ASTC
Publictransit:Subway

to 111th Street
Bus: at 108th Street, at Roosevelt Avenue

Car Park:On-site ($15 fee)

The New York Hall of Science, also known as NYSCI, is a science museum at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in the Corona neighborhood of Queens in New York City. It occupies one of the few remaining structures from the 1964 New York World's Fair, and is New York City's only hands-on science and technology center. The more than 400 hands-on exhibits focus on biology, chemistry, and physics.

History

Early years

The museum was established in 1964 as part of the 1964 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park,[1] and at the time was one of only a few science museums in existence. Unlike many other institutions, which were closed immediately or soon after the Fair,[2] the Hall remained open after the fair, and served as a resource for students.[3] Its exhibits at the time were somewhat limited but included plans for the world's first atomarium open to the public.[4]

The Hall remained open for 15 years, but in 1979 it was closed for major renovations, not to reopen until 1983 at the earliest. By May 1982, according to a New York Daily News article at the time, the condition of the museum had deteriorated to such a state that "paint peels from the Saturn V and Apollo hulls, and graffiti adorn the walls around the space park; chipped cement and scattered stones fill the moat beneath the hall". At the time, even though renovations were completed in 1983, city funding for the museum was severed because only $40,000 out of $8 million of promised funding had been raised.[5]

Reopening and expansion

In 1984, New York City hired physicist Alan J. Friedman to help with the museum's transition[6] from a focus on science fiction-type exhibits that predicted the future, to relevance to everyday lives of ordinary citizens.[7] At the time Friedman was appointed, the museum was basically an empty shell, having "an inch of water on the floor. All the exhibits had been given away. Even the light fixtures had been yanked out of the wall”, but renovations continued.[5] After it reopened in 1986, giving New York City a science museum for the first time since it had closed seven years earlier,[8] plans for the display of an atom were realized with a $40,000 exhibit for a quantum atom that was a part of a $400,000 expansion and renovation at the museum.[9] The museum's growth and ability to draw crowds was unexpected and led to the city's pursuit of further funds and expansion.[10]

At the time of its re-opening, the museum was unique in that it also provided a training program for science majors who could then go on to study under a tuition waiver program at nearby Queens College[11] in exchange for committing to spend at least two years in city schools who needed science educators.

The museum's role in the life of city school children continued, and in 1991 it announced plans for a ten-year, $80 million renovation and expansion to be able to meet the needs of a growing visitorship.[12] Further expansion, which included a new entrance rotunda, driveway, cafe, gift shop and theater, as well as a 30000square feet science playground, began in 1996[6] and reflected the need for constant updates in science museums to keep their displays up to date and relevant. In recognition of its continued upgrading, the Hall was granted the status of a New York City cultural institution, given to a limited number of organizations.[13]

The New York Hall of Science temporarily closed in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.[14] The museum reopened in July 2021[15] but closed again in September after flooding damage from Hurricane Ida.[16] The museum then reopened in February 2022.[17] [18]

Funding

In 2005, the Hall was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which had been made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.[19] [20] The Hall has continued to receive funding from a number of sources essential to its operation and expansion.[21] [22] This represented a welcome change for the museum from the 1990s during which severe cuts in funding threatened its ability to operate successfully.[23]

Exhibits

The Hall mainly focuses on education for children ages 1–17 and its audience consists primarily of city children for whom the exposure to science is something new.[24] The museum includes a large permanent collection[25] as well as a range of travelling exhibitions. Although somewhat more common now, the museum was among the first to have its young visitors assess its exhibits and it welcomed their feedback in preparation for the re-opening in 1986.[26] The Hall's permanent exhibitions include:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hopeful Future Museum; But City's Hall of Science Still Retains Aura Reminiscent of the World's Fair. April 6, 2008. September 22, 1966. Walter Sullivan. The New York Times.
  2. News: The Future was Then; NYC Dusts Off Relics of Its Word's Fairs. https://web.archive.org/web/20110517132936/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-589789.html. dead. May 17, 2011. April 6, 2008. June 13, 1999. Jon Marcus. The Washington Post.
  3. Web site: Students Bone Up in Museum at Old Fair Site. April 6, 2008. November 11, 1968. New York Times.
  4. Web site: First Atomarium Planned Here: A Hot Reactor Open to Public. April 6, 2008. January 7, 1969. Sandra Blakeslee. Sandra Blakeslee. New York Times.
  5. Web site: NYSCI The Physicist Who Saved the Hall of Science . August 3, 2014 . January 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220116134359/http://nysci.org/the-physicist-who-saved-the-hall-of-science/ . dead .
  6. Web site: A Bigger Window on Science. April 6, 2008. May 25, 1996. The New York Times.
  7. Web site: New Yorkers & Co.; Making a Science Center Grow, Without Imax. April 6, 2008. July 11, 1999. Marcia Biederman. The New York Times.
  8. Web site: City Again Boasts a Science Museum. https://archive.today/20121208155812/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50710F63D580C768CDDA00894DE484D81. dead. December 8, 2012. April 6, 2008. September 5, 1986. Malcolm W. Browne. New York Times.
  9. Web site: Museum to Display Working Model of Atom. April 6, 2008. April 12, 1988. Malcolm W. Browne. New York Times.
  10. Web site: New York City's Hall of Science Discovers a Success Formula. April 6, 2008. August 27, 1988. Joseph P. Fried. The New York Times.
  11. Web site: Culture Commissioner Looks Back in Humor at a Bumpy First Year. April 6, 2008. October 26, 1988. William H. Honan. William H. Honan. New York Times.
  12. Web site: Science Centers Help Bring Schoolwork to Life. April 6, 2008. October 30, 1991. Michel Marriott. New York Times.
  13. Web site: A New Star in Constellation of Art's Giants; Queens Landmark Wins a Coveted Cultural Title. April 6, 2008. May 21, 1996. Pam Belluck. The New York Times.
  14. Web site: Mohamed . Carlotta . March 13, 2020 . New York Hall of Science to temporarily close it doors beginning March 14 – QNS . May 16, 2024 . QNS.
  15. Web site: Michael Dorgan . July 8, 2021 . New York Hall of Science in Corona Reopens With New "Happiness" Exhibit . Sunnyside Post.
  16. Web site: Tyler . Dana . February 22, 2022 . New York Hall of Science reopens after sustaining extensive damage from Hurricane Ida remnants . May 16, 2024 . CBS New York.
  17. Web site: Smith . Steve . February 23, 2022 . New York Hall of Science is happy to be open again . May 16, 2024 . Gothamist.
  18. News: Peter C. Mastrosimone . February 18, 2022 . NYSCI reopening Saturday, Feb. 19; New York Hall of Science flooded and shut down amid Ida's wrath . November 21, 2022 . Queens Chronicle.
  19. News: City Groups Get Bloomberg Gift of $20 Million. March 12, 2008. July 6, 2005. Sam Roberts. The New York Times.
  20. Web site: Carnegie Corporation of New York Announces Twenty Million Dollars in New York City Grants . March 12, 2008 . Carnegie Corporation of New York . July 5, 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080310235744/http://carnegie.org/sub/news/anon2005.html . March 10, 2008 . dead . mdy .
  21. Web site: 'Pig Book' Tallies $17.2 Billion in Pork. April 6, 2008. April 3, 2008. S.A. Miller. The Washington Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20080412042634/http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20080403%2FNATION%2F53069335%2F0%2FFRONTPAGE. April 12, 2008. dead. mdy-all.
  22. Web site: Lobbyists Find Finance Roles in Congressional Campaigns . April 6, 2008 . CQ Politics . March 20, 2008 . Bart Jansen, Alex Knott . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080326022110/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002691125 . March 26, 2008 .
  23. Web site: Fiscal Woe Takes Toll on the Arts. April 6, 2008. July 12, 1991. Glenn Collins. The New York Times.
  24. Web site: Museum Innovator Delights in Bringing Science to the Public. April 6, 2008. March 18, 1997. Malcolm W. Browne. New York Times.
  25. Web site: Exploring Manhattan -- and Beyond. https://archive.today/20121209043233/http://federaltimes.com/index.php?S=3464110. dead. December 9, 2012. April 6, 2008. April 6, 2008. Adam Stone. Federal Times. mdy-all.
  26. Web site: Hall of Science in Queens Asks Youths to Grade It. https://archive.today/20121209000618/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0616FA3D5D0C768DDDA00894DD484D81. dead. December 9, 2012. April 6, 2008. September 15, 1985. Joseph P. Fried. New York Times.
  27. Web site: A Child's-Eye View of Microscopic Realms. April 6, 2008. April 30, 1991. Malcolm E. Browne. The New York Times.
  28. Web site: Playing in the Neighborhood. April 6, 2008. June 21, 1998. Victoria Young. New York Times.

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