Tourist Guide

The New York Hall of Science

The New York Hall of Science is a small museum on the outskirts of Corona and Flushing, and is well known for its interactive exhibits that keeps the visitor’s hands and mind on alert.  It is New York’s one and only hands-on science and technology museum, and has been so for quite some time..  Established in 1964, the New York Hall of Science is one of the few remaining buildings of the 1964 New York’s World Fair.

I had gone to the New York Hall of Science several times already, and the one exhibit that I often keep coming back to, in part because of my love of baseball, is a ball-throwing exhibit.  The visitor is given a softball, a baseball, and a tennis ball, and is asked to throw each ball as hard as he or she can, and see which ball goes the farthest.  I know the answer through experience, but I think it’s best if you find out yourself.  It may be simple, but it’s fun to do.  On the same floor, there is an exhibit about basketball players and their ability to jump, models of molecules, and a rock-climbing wall.  The exhibits in the New York Hall of Science range through all three of the major sciences: biology, chemistry, and physics, and despite the relatively small size of the museum, a lot of material is covered.  On the first floor of the museum, there are displays on meteorites and solid CO2, and an interactive exercise with a space rover.  On the highest floor there several microscopes that allow you to spot several different types of simple organisms like bacteria and protozoa.  All of the microscopic exhibits freaked me out–I really don’t enjoy looking at bacteria.

There’s enough content in the quaint New York Hall of Science to keep you busy for a good couple hours, and with all the many types of interactive games and displays, this museum is definitely one to remember.  The only issue with the museum is that it’s geared more towards people thirteen years or younger, so a young adult might find the exhibits a little bit underwhelming.  I found the miniature golf course outside of the museum to be a bit silly, but it’s sure to entertain any children you bring.  Be sure to visit this jewel of a museum in Queens when you have the time!

Museum Hours (they’re pretty complicated):

September to March:

• Closed on Mondays
• Tuesday to Thursday- 9:30 am to 2:00 pm
• Friday- 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
• Saturday & Sunday- 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

April to June:

• Monday to Thursday- 9:30 am to 2:00 pm
• Friday- 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
• Saturday & Sunday- 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

July to August:

• Monday to Friday- 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
• Saturday & Sunday- 10:00 am to 6:00 pm