Media Contact Stephanie Uitenbroek
Slatkow & Husak Public Relations
561-278-0850 or UitenbroekPR@aol.com
SPACE EXPLORERS WEEKEND AT THE SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE MUSEUM
(West Palm Beach, FL) —Launch yourself into the next generation of space exploration at the South Florida Science Museum’s Space Explorers Weekend, May 7th and 8th. The event will be out of this world for guests who want to learn more about becoming an astronaut or discover space and what’s really out there.
The two-day event will turbo-charge your curiosity through hands-on activities for the whole family. Guests can race a balloon rocket, make glow in the dark galaxy goo to take home, create UV bead bracelets that change colors in the sun, check out liquid nitrogen experiments and be a part of the solar system by drawing a galaxy or constellation. The weekend will also feature guest speakers Dr. Rick Chappell from Vanderbilt University on Saturday, May 7th at 1 p.m. and Dr. Edgar Mitchell on Sunday, May 8th at 1 p.m.
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Chappell trained as an astronaut and coordinated the science experiments on the Spacelab from Mission Control. He was scheduled to fly, but the flight was scrubbed when the Challenger spacecraft exploded. His presentation, “So you want your children to be Astronauts…” will give advice to young people and their parents about what he learned while going through the training process to become an astronaut. Guests will see video footage from when he was training and also learn about the physical conditioning, nutrition required for best performance, the courses to take, and much more information on becoming an astronaut. He’ll also talk about the importance of science to our nation’s future and its competitiveness in today’s world economy.
“The weekend at the South Florida Science Museum is a great opportunity for kids to learn about space exploration,” said Dr. Chappell. “In the immediate future, America will have to depend on other countries to launch our astronauts. But if kids keep up with their math and science, and following their dream of curiosity, by the time they are old enough to be considered as part of a space program, maybe Americans will be ready to launch our own astronauts again.”
Former astronaut and space shuttle pilot, Dr. Mitchell’s discussion will showcase his experiences in space. His presentation will also feature photos and video. As the lunar module pilot of Apollo 14, he spent nine hours working on the lunar surface in the Fra Mauro Highlands region, making him the sixth person to walk on the Moon.
Guests can stay late on Saturday night for the “Dark Sky” party at the Museum. Check out the spectacular rings of Saturn, the crescent moon, the Great Nebula of Orion as well as star clusters through the new and improved Museum’s observatory. The evening will also feature free planetarium shows, hands-on activities, food and fun for guests of all ages. The event is sponsored by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
The South Florida Science Museum delivers entertaining and educational journeys through the many worlds of science and technology for curious minds of all ages. The Museum features more than 50 hands-on exhibits, a digital planetarium, freshwater and saltwater aquariums, as well as natural history exhibitions. Current happenings at Museum include It’s a Nano World exhibit, Bugz! exhibit, an Amateur Radio Center open on weekends and holidays as well as aquarium feedings and shark petting on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. Each year the museum welcomes more than 125,000 visitors and reaches more than 45,000 students through workshops at the museum and outreach programs to local schools. Established in 1961, the museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to exciting curiosity and furthering the understanding and appreciation of science and technology.
Space Explorers Weekend will be during normal Museum hours: Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday noon – 6 p.m. Admission is: Adults $11.95; Seniors 62+ $10.45; and children ages three-12 $8.95, children under three years and Museum members are free. The “Dark Sky” party will be from 6 – 10 p.m. and admission is $5 per person for non-members and $3 for Museum members.
The South Florida Science Museum is located just off I-95 and Southern Blvd. at 4801 Dreher Trail North in West Palm Beach. For more information about the South Florida Science Museum, please call 561-832-1988 or visit www.sfsm.org.
