learning through exploration, construction and education
admission $13 for students
Overall impression :
The field trip to the NYC Hall of Science ended up being more educational in terms of experience and exhibition design than I expected it to be. It is a very fun museum with its primary audience being children and elementary school students. The NYC Hall of Science features exhibits where children are encouraged to learn through interactive exploration. Technology and Physical prompts are combined to educate visitors on topics like energy, engineering , mathematics and science. The north side is dedicated to creative problem solving . Simulations and games introduce children to various applications of technology in today’s life and creates small challenges that they need to solve them using their constructions. I actually learnt a lot on how to make an educational experience fun, playful , participatory with the use of technology. The labs and makers space that this museum offers to kids is beyond any imagination. There are so many resources, STEM activities and well designed spaces.
more photos coming up soon
Accessibility Things I liked :
The museum is relatively accessible to people with disabilities.
The audio quality is GREAT!! a lot of the interactive exhibits featured audio speak along with a touch screen to guide chldren through. Audio was crispy and really helped with visitors engagement.
Accessibility Things I did not like : :
Architecture design was not very well thought. There was no clear identification of where the main exhibition was. Visitors have no clear view of if they should head upstairs, enter the room with the ramp or any clear perception of the exhibition space.
Signs were placed in the worst possible spot, even the ones for the exhibits. Fonts and the color chosen was most of the times too difficult to notice and read .
or a preview so that visitors get the idea of what they should expect to see.
Bad lighting. Made it very hard to read signs…
there was seating available with the exhibits
Other things I liked :
Museum is immersive and welcomes visitors to stay and explore for many hours.
Offers courses, workshops, playtesting areas, and encourages creative problem solving through DIY and STEM.
Not that explanatory to a visi
Exhibits seemed few - exhibition brief
After I left I felt that I didn’t learn anything historical - only cultural.
No cafeteria -
Didn’t include tactile elements
Mostly of the interaction in the main exhibit involded a touch screen… It would have been nice if they included more hands on interaction with propmpts and physica objects. ( e.g. the peanut problem )
Other things I didn't liked :
There is no smart app.
Many of the elements were broken. Buttons were missing, installations were not working. Gave the museum a neglected- dated look.
Placement of the exhibits on the 1st floor was not
Not so much interacting with the exhibits
Gestalt- Description :
Very technological and innovative. The overall atmosphere was playful and STEM oriented but not to a point that felt fake. The ground floor featured parametric CNC cut pavilions and eco- friendly materials that added a more
Overall I would imagine it to be more emotional.
Its personality felt modern, artsy and colorful.
Accessibility : medium
With your entry to the main exhibton a big open oppening got your attention to the ground floor. There is a part of a space ship hanging from the ceiling, wooden tree houses, wooden corridors that trasnfer children above the ground and many many maker spaces. You can see children working on their inventiosn
Where all the innovation - hands on interaction and problem solving happens.
With this section children were introduced to the technological applications of technology in our daily lives. Consisted of smaller stations, that looked like small installations- pop ups children explored each theme with a small game or a small DIY project.
Some examples that I really liked are:
pvc pipes to create a walking stick for a blind person. Then there was the actual testing of that stick at a walking path that featured tactile paving.