By Karen Wolitzer
As a reporter I've been on a lot of fun assignments, but this was one of the best because I got to take my ten-year-old daughter, Kaylee, with me. Led by Rhoda Andors, Director of Education and Programs at LICM, we were given a royal tour.
Kaylee was thrilled to be one of the first children to seethe museum--and the look of excitement and awe in her eyes said so much more than any review ever could.
We began with a quick visit to the gift shop, which will sell items related to the museum exhibits, then we were off to the first exhibit: Bubbles.
In this area, kids will blow, play with, and learn all about bubbles. They can even stand inside one! This exhibit came from their previous location, on Stewart Avenue, and kids adore it.
When we'd had enough bubble fun, Rhoda took us to the beautiful 150-seat theater. Like everything else in the museum, the theater is interactive--teaching children the fundamentals of drama then inviting them to participate in little skits. There will also be performances by dancers, musicians, and storytellers who will interact with the audience.
With live shows and so many exciting things to see in each exhibit, it's virtually impossible to see it all in one day. In order to seethe whole thing, Rhoda says, "we advise you to spend quite a few days here--and you'll want to."
She's right, each and every exhibit is impressive--especially Climb It, which she took us to next. Its not immediately apparent what Climb It is when looking up at it. After making us guess for a while, Rhoda finally announced, "Its a climbing sculpture. Kids can crawl through while their parents walk up the ramp and watch." Of course, the three of us then proceeded to slither, wiggle and crawl inside it.
We emerged thoroughly exhausted and moved on to the TotSpot, a fabulous exhibit where little ones can explore different modes of transportation, as well as a kitchen, mail station, and more.
Their imaginations will run wild as they pretend to drive a bus, work on the railroad and catch lobsters. They can climb inside a lighthouse, and put on miniature postal and LIRR uniforms. (So, don't forget a camera!)
While they discover new and exciting things, moms and dads can visit the resource center, just steps away, which is filled with reference books on all sorts of parenting topics.
After checking out the books, we were off to the next exhibit: Tool Box, where kids will learn about the history of tools, and get a chance to use them to make exciting souvenirs.
The last exhibit, on the first floor, was Sandy Island, where sand is explored in great detail. There's a wave tank that teaches all about erosion, and a machine that crushes boulders into sand.
As you walk up the staircase from the first to second floor, you can explore different means of communication, from Morse Code and an old-fashioned switchboard to fiber optic phones and computers.
The first exhibit we saw, on the second floor, was simply called music--and it was amazing. There are exotic instruments from all over the world, a laser show, and bowls that vibrate--all of which teach the children about the science of sound. Of course, they'll be having so much fun they wont even realize how much they're learning!
The Communication Station is another incredibly fun exhibit. Kids get to sit behind a news desk and read the news, weather and sports. In front of them is a real TV camera, and above are monitors in which they can see themselves.
The museum is completely wheelchair accessible, there's even an exhibit called Changes & Challenges, which explains the challenges faced by handicapped people on a daily basis. "How can you use an alarm clock if you're deaf?" Rhoda asked. Kaylee didn't have a clue, and neither did I. The answer, "You cant." But you can buy a bed that vibrates.
For future architects, there's the Bricks and Sticks exhibit, which teaches youngsters how to build masterpieces out of blocks, toothpicks, marshmallows and other unusual items.
Its Alive takes us on an amazing journey through caves and inside rocks to see how other living things grow, eat and move.
And finally the Pattern Studio teaches about patterns and how they are found in nature, music, mathematics and history. The children are encouraged to make projects using their own patterns.
As if that weren't enough, in addition to all the hands-on exhibits, there are three studios where kids can make arts and crafts projects. So, the next time your children want to do something fun, instead of taking them to a movie, bring them to the LICM for an exciting and educational day. Kaylee and I cant wait to return.
The LICM grand opening is February 27th
Hours: 10 a.m. 5 p.m., Wed. - Sun.
Price: Adults, $8, seniors, $7, children under 1, free
