miSci | Museum of Innovation & Science
miSci | Museum of Innovation & Science things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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Update 9/14/24: Today was a very special day. There were not many people in the planetarium today. Therefore, my son and I were able to have a very special planetarium show that show the movie called phantom of the universe. It was a spectacular show and then after that, the young lady who does the presentation for the planetarium show gave us a today was a very special day. There were not many people in the planetarium today. Therefore, my son and I were able to have a very special planetarium show that show the movie called phantom of the universe. It was a spectacular show and then after that, the young lady who does the presentation for the planetarium show gave us an additional abbreviated planetarium presentation. All I can say. Is that this museum goes above and beyond when it comes to being kind to the people who go there. This is an amazing museum. The staff is very friendly and helpful. It is great place to bring your children. The planetarium is well worth the visit.
Jim M
00
Schenectady was once a side of innovation and progress. The history of this city is an extricably intertwined with the history of Thomas Edison and General Electric. Though the city has fallen to some degree from those bygone days of the center of industry and innovation, museums like this help to keep that spark of creativity and imagination alive. The building is relatively unassuming but for a city of this size, it is still quite impressive. Inside the brick exterior, there are playful, welcoming little exhibits about science, perfect for both little kids and the general public. Light floods into the structure through the windows, and the interior is quite airy, minimalist, and spacious. If you're wondering through Schenectady, I recommend going here and revering the amount of history and culture present here, truly astounding for a city that few nowadays would consider a major tourist attraction.
Joshua Fagan
00
It should have "kids" in it's title because pretty much if you're not a kid or don't have one with you then you won't have much to do or see here. I'd say about 70% of this "museum" was just kids toys/playgrounds for children to mess around with while their parents watched. Upon entering we were met with a cacophony of kids running around screaming and having fun. I don't know if this is just a summer thing to entertain kids out of school or if this is really how it is year-round. I didn't see as many didactic exhibits as I wanted as this city is very historical, but the ones I did see were pretty interesting. We had a session at the planetarium which was nice and comfy, and the lady running it seemed pretty knowledgeable about stars, planets, and the sky but the presentation was a bit dumbed-down on account of children being present. My boyfriend said when he went a couple years ago it used to be much better with more actual and cool exhibits there, but it looks like since then they have made some dramatic changes and took out a lot of good stuff. The place is actually pretty small, I was surprised. It took us about a half hour to go through the whole thing on account of most of it just being kids items, and another hour went to the planetarium. It looks like they hold other little programs here for kids too and they have a "meh" store upfront. The tickets in my opinion were a bit pricey for the quality of the museum overall...but they have a membership price which probably in the long run would be more worth it if you plan to visit more than once. But like I said if you don't have children it's not really worth it if you're just going as an adult. One section which was confusing for me was a little grocery store section that seemed like it was sponsored by Price Chopper with a bunch of kids running around with toy carts and fake plastic food. I didn't really understand the relevance to the museum or anything educational it offered to the building as a whole, and to me it just seemed like it was there to take up space.
Victoria Franklin
00
I went expecting similar displays and two specific interactive exhibits the first being this tunnel you'd walk through that would detect how quietly you can walk, the other this room where you'd pose and a reflection of you would appear on the wall after a flash... To my disappointment everything had changed...the front is basically like a scientific children's arcade that features a variety of things but for adults it was not too exciting. The back of the museum does feature more of an adult exhibit but it's basically a bunch of technology from decades ago to somewhat current. They still hold strong in the interactive exhibits but I was truly disappointed that the attractions I was hoping to see were no more. I get exhibits change over time but those two had been my favorite. Needless to say my visit was rather short, I had spent way longer at this museum the first time I had gone. The planetarium still exists, but I opted to not do it because I had done it before the additional cost for that is $5. They still had the hurricane machine which is fun to do and costs $3 for about a minute. This museum is quite small so the $12 cost makes sense. It's great for kids but this visit I felt was not as adult oriented as I would have preferred. They also host birthday parties. I have posted some photos of some of the exhibits.
Tara (Tara)
00
Went to see James Hood's Mesmerica, the program was good, however the Hemispherical projection system has not been calibrated in some time. It wasn't centered properly and there was severe teardrop distortion on the side the projection originated from. Most annoyingly, someone kept shaking the platform the projector was situated on, shaking the whole image. The Museum itself is very interesting, but needs some more funding. This is something as a society we fall short on. Places like museums are needed, and our children should be able to experience the best possible. I would like to thank Jane Golub, (Price Chopper, Market 32) one of the museum's biggest supporters for all their support. However, I don't expect one donor to be able to fully fund the whole museum. If you'd like to make a difference, reach out to the museum, and ask how to help. I will be.
Shaugne Templeton
00
Buy the family membership if you live here! Small but mighty, this science museum / planetarium occupied my children for five hours on a rainy Tuesday - and I had to drag them out of there :) Prices for one visit are expensive, but for $80 a family membership you get unlimited visits and four complimentary passes to the planetarium show. There are LOTS of toys to build with, interact with, explore with, etc. If your child likes to build or create, they will want to stay all day. The planetarium screen is frankly outdated, but they have new shows every season that are nonetheless informative and engaging. There is a cool gift shop with STEM items for sale, and a large indoor/outdoor area to eat a packed lunch (they do not sell food). The bathrooms are clean, and the parking is free and easily accessible. We will be coming here several times a year!
Petra Holden
00
Nearby Attractions Of miSci | Museum of Innovation & Science
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Basic Info
Address
15 Museum Drive, Schenectady, NY 12308
Map
Phone
(518) 382-7890
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Website
misci.org
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Reviews
Overview
4.4
(126 reviews)
Ratings & Description
cultural
entertainment
family friendly
accessibility
attractions: Proctors, Scene One Cinemas Movieland 6, Schenectady Greenmarket, Bittersweet Candy, Ripe Cannabis, Orion Boutique, Canvas, Corks & Forks, Bear and Bird Boutique + Gallery NY, Coffey Electric & Generator, ACT II MATTRESS & FURNITURE STORE, restaurants: Katie O'Byrnes Restaurant, Villa Italia Bakery, MORE Perreca's, 20 North Broadway Tavern, Tara Kitchen, Centre Street Pub, Ambition Coffee & Eatery, Inc, 151 Bar and Restaurant, The Whistling Kettle, Newest Lunch

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