Mid Hudson Children's Museum play

STARLAB Planetarium

Enter our inflatable dome planetarium and gaze up at a clear starry night. Explore the universe with a fully trained museum educator as your guide. Be inspired by the magnificent expanse of the universe. Learn how to find real stars in the night sky. Students learn astronomy topics such as day and night cycles; star patterns and constellations; and moon phases. Choose from Constellations or Moon Phases

Museum Program: $9 per student

Moon Phases

Enter our inflatable dome planetarium and experience the phases of the moon with hands-on activities. The program will be followed by a brief night time sky presentation.

Constellations

Enter our inflatable dome planetarium and gaze up at a clear starry night. Explore the universe with a fully trained museum educator as your guide. Be inspired by the magnificent expanse of the universe. Learn how to find real stars in the night sky. Be enchanted by ancient Greek myths. Or, choose the African or Native American constellations and stories.

PLANET WALK

If the earth were the size of a pepper corn, the Sun would be about the size of a small beach ball and Pluto would be a half mile away. Students experience in a dramatic way, the real scale of our solar system as they spread out the planets along the Hudson River.

Museum Program: $9 per student

The Immigration Project

The Immigration Project, New Friends & Neighbors on Main Street, focuses on recent immigration in the Mid-Hudson Valley.

This program was formed through interviews and conversations with five families from five different cultures, each contributing their own unique story of immigration. The program is object-based, containing artifacts from Mexico, China, Pakistan, Russia and Jamaica.

Museum Program: $9 per student

Algonquian Lifeways

The program emphasizes the lifeways of the Native Americans in the Mid-Upper Hudson Valley during the Late Woodland era (ca. 1,000 - 400 years ago), as demonstrated through their use of the 'seasonal rounds.' Students dramatize companion planting using the three sisters; corns, beans and squash. This program offers the opportunity for students to make a clay pot while learning about traditional Algonquian pottery and its uses.

Museum Program: $9 per student

1777 -The Battle of Saratoga

Step back in time for a reenactment of the Battle of Saratoga. Sit around a room-size map (14' x 4') of the Hudson Valley in 1777. March with the British army to capture the Hudson River. Experience the Patriots efforts that lead to the victorious turning point in the war. This program meets the 4th Grade NYS History Standards.

Museum Program: $9 per student

Funding provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in conjunction with the Dutchess County Historical Society.

Pollution & the Food Chain

Wearing imaginative costumes that represent the food chain and colorful props, students can act out an interactive play about the bio-magnification of pollution in the Hudson River. Also learn about tides, hear Native American legends about the river and explore local geography.

Museum Program: $9 per student

River Life & the Watershed

Using a model of a watershed, make it rain to see where pollution ends up. Choose ONE of the following electives to accompany this program.

Fish Identification - using a dichotomous key, students will identify Hudson River fish and explore fish adaptations.

Life Cycle/Aquatic Invertebrates - using scientific tools, students will explore and identify live creatures and distinguish between complete and incomplete metamorphosis.

Museum Program: $9 per student

The Water Cycle

Students pretend to be a drop of water and use their imaginations to go on a fantastic journey through the water cycle. Students learn how changes in states of matter lead to scientific processes such as precipitation, collection, evaporation and condensation.

Museum Program: $9 per student

See, Touch & Hear the Hudson

Using their five senses, students experience items related to the Hudson River. Students see a sturgeon puppet, touch a dried sea star, hear a train whistle, smell fish and taste salt as they learn about the Hudson River through their five senses.

Museum Program: $9 per student

Flight

Ever wonder how a 5 ton jet flies? See dynamic demonstrations of the Bernoulli Effect and air pressure. Learn how shape affects flight. Even help launch a hot air balloon!

Museum Program: $9 per student

Static Electricity

Using the Van de Graff Generator, learn about electrons and static electricity. It makes for a hair-raising experience! (October to March only)

Museum Program: $9 per student

It's Not Magic - IT'S SCIENCE

Scientific Method Comes Alive! Investigate! Experiment! Observe! Scientific Method process comes alive with hands-on demonstrations using air and water.

Museum Program: $9 per student