Liberty Science Center

Reopened in July 2008, it's a whole new place! Liberty Science Center has been expanded and completely refreshed with six major new exhibition areas on four floors, two major exhibition areas featuring readapted favorites from the old building, and an all-new traveling exhibition gallery. We also offer the new Café Skylines, a spacious new retail store called Connections, a reconfigured parking lot and much more!

Liberty Science Center features hundreds of exciting exhibitions on four floors designed for all ages and stages of learning. Liberty Science Center is also home to the nation’s largest IMAX Dome Theater, with a screen 88 feet in diameter, and 3D films shown in the Joseph D. Williams Science Theater. Guests will also discover special presentations, in-depth lab experiences and remarkable artwork throughout the building.

Please note: Due to the intensity of the experience, films in the IMAX Dome Theater are not suitable for children under six years of age. Infants aged two years and younger are not permitted in the IMAX Dome Theater.

Guests up to 6 years old: The youngest guests will enjoy spending time in I Explore, an age-restricted area for children up to seven years old with their adult caregivers. They’ll also enjoy visiting the creatures in Eat and Be Eaten and Our Hudson Home, will be amazed by construction-related exhibits in Skyscraper, and will find lots to do in Communication, Infection Connection, Wonder Why and Energy Quest. Ask at the Welcome Desk for an age-appropriate guide to enjoying Liberty Science Center with children 6 and under.

Guests ages 7-12: Children ages 7-12 will explore amazing new ideas about themselves and the world around them in experiences found throughout the Science Center. They can try digital “graffiti” in Communications, practice loading cargo containers with a sophisticated training simulator in Our Hudson Home, marvel at The Times Square of Science and Technology hanging in the atrium, conduct a real experiment in the lab at Infection Connection, visit the rock-climbing wall in Wonder Why and think about where we can find new energy sources in Energy Quest. Ask at the Welcome Desk for an age-appropriate guide to enjoying Liberty Science Center with children ages 7-12.

Guests ages 13+: Experiences at the “new” Liberty Science Center have been designed to appeal to people from all backgrounds, education levels and interests.

Exhibits:
Skyscraper! Achievement and Impact
Skyscrapers are one of the towering accomplishments of modern civilization, and what better place to learn about them than in view of the world's most spectacular skyline? Our premier new exhibition gallery is larger than some museums devoted to the subject!

Infection Connection
The idea that germs cause disease is only about 150 years old. Yet today, medical investigators called epidemiologists can track how illnesses spread from person to person and across the globe. Find out how while discovering ways to live a healthier life and help others do the same.

Communication
Language and the ability to communicate abstract ideas may be the single most important trait that separates humans from other animals. Learn about how human communication has evolved from handprints on cave walls to the digital tools that link us today.

Our Hudson Home
When the first European explorers entered the mouth of the Hudson River, they thought it was so vast that it might lead to China. Today, the river remains a vital part of this region's environment, economy and lifestyle. Discover the lifeline that connects us all.

Eat and Be Eaten
Do you think camouflage and chemical warfare are human inventions? Afraid not. See how creatures evolved these tools and many other surprising strategies to catch their prey while avoiding being caught themselves. Then meet the animals up close and personal.

Breakthroughs
Scientists are making new discoveries every day, and technology is a constant force of change in our lives. Watch real-time updates as the world shifts right in front of you, and get a look at the most important issues affecting our lives and our planet today.

I Explore
Discovery delights both children and scientists. With adult caregivers, children ages 2-5 can explore who they are, what they can do and what their world offers by looking at what’s under a city sidewalk, composing their own music on ringing rocks and much more.

Energy Quest
What will power the world of the future? How long will fossil fuels last us, and what are the alternatives? Take an unprecedented journey through the major sources of Earth’s energy and experiment with alternatives sources to see what tomorrow may offer.

Wonder Why
Excited by the changes at Liberty Science Center but missing your old favorites? You’re in luck. Wonder Why combines the best of what came before, offering 40 favorites from our previous building, from the fossil-studded rock climbing wall to our digital darkroom.

Current Changing Exhibit - Race: Are we so different? - February 2 - April 27, 2008

Located in Liberty State Park.