Like many businesses, The Discovery Museum and Planetarium in Bridgeport was forced to close their doors to the general public at the onset of the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic. Yet while many museums have reopened at least partially, the Discovery Museum has remained closed as they have taken this opportunity to renovate the building and reimagine the exhibits within. When the Discovery Museum opens to limited public admission this fall, visitors will be able to take part in several new interactive exhibits that spark the imagination and fuel a passion for space exploration, including these which were funded in part from a grant from the NASA CT Space Grant Consortium:
Moon Lander:
The Moon Lander exhibit allows visitors to virtually explore the moon’s surface by piloting a lander, accomplishing scientific objectives along the way. In the process, they experience lunar physics, microgravity, and inertia, while managing thrust, attitude, and fuel consumption to control their trajectory. This arcade-style simulation has different difficulty levels for all ages, is compatible with social distancing restrictions.
Click here to see the Moon Lander in action.
Aura Wall:
The Aurora Wall exhibit is a heat-sensitive, interactive exhibit that changes colors when guests stand in front of it and move around. This exhibit uses projection and motion capture, allowing visitors to manipulate and interact with a scenic vista of the Aurora Borealis. It can track up to 8 people, altering the shape and intensity of the auroral display as they wave their arms, hands and legs. Located in the Science on a Sphere gallery, it will be accompanied by educational content about the sun’s interactions with the earth and NOAA data visualizations related to space weather. The exhibit will be touchless.
Click here to see the Aurora Wall in action.
To learn more about the Discovery Museum and Planetarium, especially about these exhibits or to plan your visit, you can visit their website at http://www.discoverymuseum.org/.