Built as part of the 1964 World’s Fair, the New York Hall of Science is a popular destination for local school groups, featuring an estimated 450 hands-on exhibits and a science playground. Visitors can go through a room of mirrors or a room that slants, try to balance on a surfboard, spin wheels, make bubbles, and even take a speed gun to their fastballs.

The hall hosts the world’s biggest Maker Faire every fall. The annual, weekend-long event, which has been described as “the ultimate geek fest,” is a family-friendly celebration of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness. More than 750 makers — including tech enthusiasts, crafters, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubbers, and artists — show off their DIY creations and hands-on activities.

Among the permanent collections are Search for Life Beyond Earth, Realm of the Atom, World of Microbes, and Secret Life of Marvelous Molecules. High school students work as Explainer Interns in the Preschool Place, where there are puppet shows and science story times, and the Activity Area, where they create science-related crafts projects. Meanwhile, College Explainers are on hand to interpret exhibits, perform demonstrations, and assist with workshops and special events.

Inside scoop: Don’t miss the Rocket Park Mini Golf Course, which reveals that the same laws of motion and gravity that guide the path of a spaceship also control the motion of golf balls here on Earth. In this nine-hole miniature course, players explore key science concepts such as propulsion, gravity, escape velocity, and gravitational assist.