museum of nature & science goes high tech
TRANSCRIPT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Jennifer Whitus, Communications Manager
Museum of Nature & Science Goes High-TechTwo Technology and Engineering Festivals Set for Feb. 19-25
DALLAS, Texas (February 9, 2011) – Robots, vehicles and rockets are taking over the Museum of Nature & Science. Two special festivals, Discover Technology and E-Week (or “Engineers Week”) will highlight science education, careers in engineering and the very latest science “toys” for kids of all ages.
What was once the Museum’s popular Tech Fest is now Discover Technology, which will be held Feb. 19-20 at the Museum’s campus in Fair Park. The weekend-long festival will feature advanced technological gadgets, and demonstrate the science behind them.
“Discover Technology gives children and adults the opportunity to see the science and technology that goes in to some of the products they use every day, and some they only dream of,” says Stacey Bucklin, family and adult programs manager for the Museum. “Visitors will get the chance to explore robots, experiment with models of alternative-energy powered cars and so much more!”
A life-sized replica of R2-D2, the lovable robot from the Star Wars film series, a digital television broadcast truck and solar-powered toy vehicles are among the scheduled highlights for Discover Technology. Visitors will be able to operate remote-controlled robotics, build simple motors, check out 3-D television technology and make rocket pinwheels! MNS will also present special showings of its popular Electric Theater stage show, which demonstrates shocking Tesla coils, hair-raising Van de Graaff generators, electro-magnets and transformers.
Discover Technology is sponsored by Lockheed Martin and IBM and is the winter installment of MNS’ Discovery Days, a series of specially-themed, weekend-long family festivals that occur throughout the year at MNS. Time Warner Cable, back for its second year, is the presenting sponsor of the Discovery Days series. Lockheed Martin, IBM and Time Warner Cable, along with other technological leaders such as the Dallas Personal Robotics Group, the American Society of Civil Engineers and Dallas Makerspace, will be on hand to show off their latest achievements and answer questions about the science behind the gadgets.
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Discover Technology/E-Week, Page 2
The high-tech fun and learning will continue beyond the weekend with E-Week, which the Museum will host from Feb. 21-25. E-Week at MNS is the local celebration of National Engineers Week. E-Week builds on all the fun and learning of Discover Technology by adding the elements of mentoring and career guidance for school-age children.
“E-Week at MNS is geared specifically at school kids and offers interaction with real engineers,” says Bucklin. “There will be special activities and demonstrations available to show kids that math, science and engineering are fun! It’s a great way to get hands-on and explore the building blocks of technology and get a glimpse of the new gadgets being developed by professional engineers.”
E-Week at the Museum of Nature & Science is presented by IBM and Time Warner Cable, and sponsored by Lockheed Martin. During the five-day event, children can meet with the science wizards of IBM, Time Warner Cable and Lockheed Martin to find out how they can “play” for a living.
Discover Technology and E-Week are free for MNS members and included in the price of general exhibit admission for non-members. Regular general exhibit admission is $10 for adults 18-61; $9 for seniors 62+ and students 12-17; $7 for children 2-11; Children under 2 are free. Save time and avoid lines by purchasing advance tickets online. The MNS campus is located in Fair Park. The Science Building is at 1318 S. 2nd Ave., and the Nature Building is at 3535 Grand Ave. Weekend hours are Saturday 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Sunday noon until 5:00 p.m.
For more information about Discovery Days, Discover Technology, E-Week, MNS membership and general MNS information, visit natureandscience.org.
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About the Museum of Nature & ScienceThe Museum of Nature & Science – the result of a unique merger in 2006 between the Dallas Museum of Natural History, The Science Place and the Dallas Children's Museum – is an AAM- accredited non-profit educational organization located in Dallas's Fair Park. In support of its mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The facility also includes the TI Founders IMAX® Theater and a cutting-edge digital planetarium. The Museum of Nature & Science issupported in part by funds from the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs, the Texas Commission on the Arts and HP. The Museum of Nature & Science also is building a new $185-million museum on a 4.7-acre site in Victory Park to complement the Fair Park facilities. To learn more about the Museum of Nature & Science, please visit www.natureandscience.org.