If it’s too calm in the Chill Zone, then hop over to the Island of Fun.
The New York Hall of Science’s special Summer Activities program begins on Saturday, July 22. And as usual, this year’s lineup features family-friendly programs geared toward exploration and imagination.
The big news is the reopening of Great Hall Terrace, which now features outdoor café style seating and benches, snacks, entertainment, and the Island of Fun, where oversized Jenga, Connect 4, Tic Tac Toss!, and Dominoes encourage collaborative play. Explainers — red apron wearing experts who are hired by NYSCI to engage audiences in STEM conversations and perform science demonstrations — will be on site with food vendors and periodic entertainment beginning on July 28.
If it gets too hot out there, The Anthony Viscusi Gallery now has a Chill Zone with blacklight games, crafts, science challenges, physical activities like hopscotch, a tape obstacle course, interactive projection activities, and Silent Disco.
As part of the new programming, NYSCI staffers will engage visitors with an opening ceremony each day with small giveaways.
The Summer Activities schedule runs on weekends (Friday-to-Sunday) during regular museum hours as weather permits until Aug. 27. Click here for information on admission prices and hours of operation.
With a large parking lot just to the north, NYSCI is located at 47-01 111th St. on the Corona side of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
The Great Hall was originally designed by the Harrison & Abramovitz architecture firm as an exhibit space for the 1964 World’s Fair. Renovated a few times since then, the structure features several thousand blue dalle de verre glass panels, an architectural technique that arranges small segments of glass within a concrete structure. The Terrace has more than 10,000 square feet of space.
Spread out over 4,000 square feet and surrounded by white walls, the oval-shaped Viscusi Gallery has room for up to 300 people at a time.
Images: NYSCI