AMERICAN MUSEUM HAYDEN PLANETARIUM, 81 St & Central Park West, NY, NY 10024 (212-769-5901). The New Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space opened February 19, 2000. The Rose Center houses the new Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth.
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, CPW & 79th St. NY, NY 10024 (212-769-5300). Sun.-Thurs. 10AM-5:45PM; Fri.-Sat. 10AM-8:45PM. World class museum of natural sciences, including anthropology (home of Margaret Mead), dioramas, fossils ( the largest, most diverse collection of dinosaur fossils in world; mammals and more), minerals, new hall of biodiversity, interactive computer displays. Student programs, guided & self-guided tours; NATUREMAX THEATER-IMAX, SPECIAL PROGRAMS. Call for complete schedule. TEACHER WORKSHOPS. This museum is worth visiting again and again. Consider using it as an extension of your classroom. You cannot do justice to more than one exhibit in a visit.
BRONX ZOO/WILDLIFE CONSERVATION PARK, Bronx River Pkwy. & Fordham Rd., Bronx NY 10460 (718-220-5131). Feb.-Oct.: Mon.-Fri. 10AM-5PM; Sat.-Sun. 10AM-5:30PM; Nov.Jan., daily, 10AM-4:30PM. 265 wooded acres, 4,000 animals; so big you may want to go more than once! Includes many endangered species in naturalistic habitats. Special indoor displays of birds, bats, "Mouse House", rainforest animals. Zoo classroom for hands-on study, max. 35. Planning ahead for a visit here is essential. The Bronx Zoo is enormous. Be sure to pick one exhibit to focus on. Just getting around takes a lot of time. The special indoor exhibits provide much more opportunity for everyone in the class to observe at once. Many make excellent culminating activites for units on topics such as animal habitats, animal adaptations.
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN, 1000 Washington Ave., Bklyn. NY 11255 (718-622-4433, ext. 216). Tues.-Fri. 8AM-6PM; Sat.-Sun. 10AM-6PM. Right in our backyard. Cherry blossom festival, Japanese hill and pond garden, native flora garden, local and migrating birds. Compare and contrast temperate and desert habits in the conservatory greenhouse. Take your class here! SPECIAL PROGRAMS: THE SEED PROGRAM, packets of flower & veg. seeds, with instructions, soil & everything teachers need to grow plants, sent to schools at minimal fee (718-941-4044, ext. 259, to order); special student trs. & wkshps. Steinhardt conservatory houses temperate, tropical and desert environments. TEACHER WORKSHOPS. Not "just" a plants trip. See turtles, fish and many aquatic birds in the ponds. Paid student Internships!
BROOKLYN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, 145 Bklyn. Ave., Bklyn. NY 11213 (718-735-4400). Wed.-Fri. 2-5PM; Sat.-Sun. 125PM; Wed.-Fri., 10AM-2PM (schl. groups only). Another neighbor. Great for lower elementary age children. Interactive exhibits & programs, 27,000 cultural artifacts & natural history specimens, live plants & animals. Programs adapted for age group. Teachers may borrow artifacts from the collection for a small fee.
CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY, The Arsenal, Central Park (near 5th Ave. & 65th St.) NY NY 10021 (212-860-1311). Mon.-Fri. 9AM-5PM; Sat.-Sun. 10:30AM-5:30PM. Meterology and bird watching especially well supported by this resource. Programs on bldgs. & natural environment of Park, grades K-8; guided & self-guided trs. TEACHER WORKSHOPS Great resource for units on weather.
CENTRAL PARK WILDLIFE CENTER, 830 5th Ave. NY NY 10021 (212-439-6538). Apr.-Oct.: Mon.-Fri. 10AM-5PM & Sat. Sun. 10:30AM-5:30PM; Nov.-Mar.: daily, 10AM-4:30PM. 450 animals in 3 climate zones. Small enough to really see in one trip. Large enough to be worth it. Wonderful underwater penguin display. Great for studying arctic animals. ZOO SCHOOL: guided tours through zoo. Class fees, $100, Mar.-Oct.; $50, Nov.-Feb. All grades.
CON EDISON CONSERVATION CENTER, Chrysler Bldg., 405 Lexington Ave. NY NY 101 74 (212-599-3435). Mid.-May-Oct.: Mon.-Fri. 9AM-5PM. Rest of yr.: Tues.-Sat. 9AM-5PM. Exhibits & videos on saving energy & money; conservation specialists answer questions; special presentations on request. Guided & self-guided trs. Max. 40. Grades 4 & up. Free. TEACHER WORKSHOPS ON REQUEST
EDISON NATIONAL HISTORICAL SITE, Main St. & Lakeside Ave., West Orange NJ 07052. (201-736-1515). Daily, 9AM-5PM. School groups, 9:30AM-1 2PM only Original home & lab of Thomas A. Edison. SPECIAL PROGRAMS: 60-min. guided tours. of research & development lab, discussion & film about Edison & his inventions. Pre- & post-visit material available. Grades 4-12. Max. 45 students. 1 adult/10 students. Free, but donations welcomed. Make reservations in Sept. for school year.
GATEWAY NAT'L RECREATION AREA, Nat'l. Park Service, Floyd Bennett Field, Bklyn. NY 11234. Watch nature at work in Brooklyn! 28,000 acres of beaches, bays, marshes, ponds in NY & NJ, at entrance to NY Harbor. Programs on bird-watching, honey bees, wildflowers, nature walks, nature photog., shell art, beach cleanup & more. Special school programs, all grades. Contacts: Ecology Village (718-338-4360); Breezy Pt. (718-318-4300); Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (718-3184340); Jamaica Bay (718-338-3799); Jacob Riis Pk./Fort Tilden (718-318-4300); Floyd Bennet Field (718-338-3799); Sandy Hook, NJ (908-872-0015); Staten Island/Great Kills Park/Miller Field (718-351-6970). Call for schedules. TEACHER WORKSHOPS: Contact each center.
GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER, 99 Dromore Rd., Scarsdale NY (914-723-3470). Manor House: Mon.-Thurs. 9:30AM-1 2PM & 1-4:30PM; Sat.-Sun. 1 OAM-4PM. Grounds: daily, dawn-dusk. 33 acres of forest land & trails & 21 -rm. Manor House with live animal exhibits, greenhouse.
HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM, 511 Warburton Ave., Yonkers NY (914-963-4550). Wed.-Thurs. & Sat., 1 OAM-5PM; Fri. 1 OAM-9PM; Sun. 12-5PM. Restored 19th Cent. mansion, exhibits on Hudson River & Amer. hist., science & art; daily sky shows at Andrus Planetarium. TEACHER WORKSHOPS.
HUDSON RIVER SLOOP "CLEARWATER", 112 Market St. Poughkeepsie NY 12601 (914-454-7673). Apr.-Nov., 3-hr. sails from NY Harbor & other Hudson River harbors, from NYC to Albany Floating classroom., included. talks on ecology, river life. Max. 50. $800. Will work with teacher. Res. req'd. Expensive, but exhilarating.
SCIENCE AT THE INTREPID MUSEUM, W. 46th St. & 12th Ave., NY, NY (212-245-2533). Hands-on science workshops for grades 2-8. You don't have to go to Kitty Hawk for a good field experience to complement units on flight; also good for buouancy, technological design. Staff Dev. also avail. Call Education Department for fees, reservations & other programs.
LIBERTY SCIENCE CENTER, Liberty State Park. 251 Phillip St., Jersey City NJ 07305 (201-200-1000). Daily, 9:30AM-5:30PM. Contains 70,000 sq. ft. of exhibit. space on 4 flrs., with 250 innovative hands-on exhibits, for all grades; includes entire floors dedicated to Environment, Health & Invention; plus 400-seat OMNI THEATER, with screen 88 ft. in diameter. Plan ahead, lower fees in fall. If you haven't been there you must see this place!
THE MARITIME CENTER, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk CT 06854 (203-852-0700). Daily, 10 AM-5 PM. Aquarium & study center in 19th Cent. foundry overlooking historic harbor. Includes Maritime Hall, traditional boatbldg., shop, authentic oyster house, video & interactive exhibits relating to sailing, navigation, weather & boat design; ecology cruises on research vessels; seal watch & winter waterfowl cruises; field programs. Call for fees & complete schedule.
THE MORRIS MUSEUM, 6 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown NJ 07960 (201-538-0454). Mon.-Fri. 10AM-5PM; School programs hourly, beginning at 9:30AM. Collections & classes in natural science, geology, anthropology, fine arts & astronomy; Children's Rm. for interactive display, Pre-K K; gallery talks, programs & exhibits, all grades; outreach ed. programs in school.
NEW YORK AQUARIUM FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, Boardwalk at W. 8th St. Bklyn. NY 11224 (718-265-3454). Daily, 10AM-5PM. Aquatic animals in naturalistic habitat; tanks replicating Barrier Reef, Amazon River, oceans & other marine environments, interactive hands-on Discovery Cove exhibits. Belugas, dolphins, seal lions and seals, walruses and penguins. Study animal adaptations, environments, invertebrates and vertebrates. SPECIAL PROGRAMS. Call for fees & complete schedule. TEACHERS WORKSHOPS (718-265-3455).
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN, 200th St. & Southern Blvd. Bronx NY (718-817-8748). Tues.-Sun. 1OAM-6PM. 250 acres of native & exotic plants; programs meet requirements of NYS Elementary Syllabus for science education. New Children's Exploration Garden. Call for complete schedule & fees. Even bigger than our local Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE, 47-01 lllth St., Flushing Meadows Corona Pk. NY 11368 (718-699-0005). Mon.-Tues. 9:30AM-2PM (schools only); Wed.-Sun, 1 OAM-5PM (public). Hands-on science & tech. center/interactive exhibits, all grades. Great exhibit on microorganisms with real microscopes available for children to use. Good exhibits on sound and light. $3.50 adults, $2.50, ages 3-18. Call.
THE NEWARK MUSEUM, 49 Washington St. Newark NY 07101 (201-596-6615). Schl. groups, Tues.-Fri. 9:30-11AM. Science, industry, art, Amer. folk art, planetarium, mini-zoo. Free to Newark students, small fee for others. Call for complete schedule. TEACHER WORKSHOPS
PROSPECT PARK WILDLIFE CENTER, 450 Flatbush Ave., Bklyn. NY 11 225 (718-965-8999). Children's Zoo with animals from throughout the world. Multi-media presentations, live animal encounters, ed. exhibits. All grades, but best for early childhood. Small enough to really see in one visit. Call for schedule & fees.
QUEENS WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTER, 53-51 1 1 1 th St. Flushing Meadows Park, Flushing NY 1 1 368 (718-271 7045). Daily 10AM-4:40PM. 11 acre zoo & park with North American wildlife. $2.50 adults, 50 cents, ages 3-12. SPECIAL EVENTS.
SONY WONDER TECHNOLOGY LAB, 550 Avenue., N.Y., N.Y. 10022, (212-833-8100). Sony Wonder Technology Lab is a free interactive educational attraction for children and adults, with hands-on technology exhibits and New York's first High Definition Interactive Theater. Please call for hours.
STATEN ISLAND CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, 100 (Richmond Terrace, Bldg. M, S.I. NY 10301 (718-273-2060, ext. 137). Tues.-Sun. 12-5PM. Schools: Mon.-Fri. 10AM-5PM. Hands-on interactive exhibits on sciences, art & humanities.
STATEN ISLAND ZOO, Barrett Park, 614 Bdwy. S.I. NY 10301 (718-442-3174). Daily 10AM-4:45PM. Free, Wed. 2-4:45PM. 8.5 acre park/So. American rain forest habitat, aquarium, serpent house & Children's Center, with domestic animals in farm setting. Ed. programs available in zoo & classroom. A nice small zoo for the younger student with an excellent reptile collection.
TEATOWN LAKE RESERVATION, Spring Valley Rd., Ossining NY 10562 (914-762-2912). Tues.-Sat. 9AM-5PM, Sun. 1-5PM. 636-acre nature preserve, with 1 0 mil of hiking trails;, ed. center/rabbits, reptiles, hawks, owls; overnight campouts. SPECIAL PROGRAMS. Call for fees.
TENAFLY NATURE CENTER, 313 Hudson Ave. Tenafly NJ 07670 (201-568-6093). Many programs at center & in classroom. SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Leaf shapes, Soil, Sun cycles & food chains, populations & habitats, Weather, Cloud Types, Mammals. Many subjects can be adapted to grade levels. Call for fees & complete schedule.
TRAILSIDE NATURE MUSEUM, Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River NY 10581 (914-763-3993). Wed.-Fri. 9AM-5PM. 4700 acres of woods, fields & wetlands; museum/exhibits. Programs adjusted for age group. SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Nature wlks, Stream study, Native American Indian Lore, Rocks & Minerals
URBAN PARK RANGERS, City of NY Parks & Recreation, 1234 5th Ave. NY NY 10029 (212-360-2781). Programs, on request, in city's 26,000 acres of parkland; tours, nature centers. Rangers will lead hand-on field activities for your class. For info. on activities in each borough: Manhattan, (212-427-4040); Queens, (718-699-4204); Bronx, (718-430-1832); Staten Island, (718-667-6042); & Brooklyn, (718-287-3400). Join Project Pigeon Watch.
USS LING SUBMARINE NAVAL MUSEUM, Court & River Sts. Hackensack NJ 07601 (201-342-3268). Wed.-Sun., 10AM4PM. WWII US sub. & museum, 312-ft. long & 37 ft. wide at widest pt.; displaces 2400 tons of water. Group discounts for 15 or more.
WAVE HILL, 675 W. 252nd St., Riverdale Bronx NY 10471 (718549-3200, ext. 230). 28-acre expanse of lawns, gardens, woodlands at public estate on Hudson; outdr. & in-school programs on nature & ecology. SPECIAL PROGRAMS, Call for complete schedule & fees. TEACHER WORKSHOPS
WESTMORELAND SANCTUARY, 260 Chestnut Ridge Rd. Bedford Corners NY 10549 (914-666-8448). Mon.-Sat. 9AM-5PM; Sun. 10:30AM-5PM. Nature preserve & museum. Most programs adaptable to all grades. SPECIAL PROGRAMS
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