Arkansas Museum of Discovery | Traveling Exhibits for Rent

Space Adventures

The exhibit includes 440 items in 16 display cases and 16 participatory exhibit units
(1,000 sq. ft. size)

SUMMARY

Few topics capture people’s imagination as well as today’s space exploration and its companion space adventures from science fiction, books, television and the cinema. You can even make the case that today's space explorations are the outcome of stretching our imaginations with Flash Gordon, Tom Corbett, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia to name a few intrepid space explorers of the past and present fiction. Relive these adventures of the past and encourage intergenerational sharing as children and adults explore their favorite Space Adventures of today and yesterday. While having fun, visitors will also be learning about space exploration from moon bases to space ships.

A pre and post visit activity guide will be provided each exhibitor for duplication and distribution. An Exhibit Discovery Lab sheet will be provided to copy to assist in focusing the attention of youth groups.

INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT UNITS

In addition to the objects, 16 participatory exhibit stations are included in the exhibit. They will provide challenges, which will lead to many repeat visits. These include:

Build a Moon Base – A moonscape painted table 4 ft. x 3 ft. provides the backdrop and surface for specially designed wooden blocks and a moon railroad to be used to construct a moon base. How will you arrange the structures of a moon base including crew quarters, food production, mining, observatories, etc ??

Build a Space Station – Painted on a 4 ft. x 3 ft. table is a view of Earth from space. Orbiting Earth is a space station made from specially designed blocks to be used to construct a vision of a space station. Where will you put the docking bays, crew quarters, solar panels, etc??

Build a Space Ship – the designs for space ships in fact and fantasy have taken many shapes over the decades. Participants will use specially designed blocks to build their vision of a space ship. Where will you place propulsion, the command center, etc??

*4/5.

K-Nex Construction Tables (2) * - Each table will accommodate up to two construction projects and six people. They can use the K-Nex system to build a model of their favorite space ship, alien or other space adventures.

Plastic Blocks Construction Table (1) - Table will accommodate up to three projects and six people. It will allow young children to build models of robots and space ships.

Galaxy Quest Exhibit Hunts – Visitors can pick up a clipboard at Quest Station and seek out the answers to a variety of challenges. Quest sheets will include:

a
b.
c.
d.

Find the Space creature in every case (similar to finding Waldo)
Can you find the answers for 10 questions by exploring the exhibit?
Match the part to the whole object.
Of what kind of materials is the toy made?

Design a Robot - A light box design table is used to trace the parts of a robot onto a blank robot. Thus introducing concepts of machine sensors, manipulators and movement..

10.

Match the Toy to the Film - Using an electronic matching game, visitors will be challenged to match 10 toys depicting action scenes in the Star Wars movies with the movie in which they appeared.

11.

Time Line - Using an electronic matching game, visitors will be challenged to place on a time line some milestones of science fiction and space fact.

12.

Design a Costume - Using a magnetic board, visitors will be able to select parts of costumes from different space adventures to assemble their own designs.

13.

Space Events True and False - Using an electronic game, visitors will try to answer 10 questions about the history of space exploration

14.

Design an Alien - Using a magnetized board, visitors will design an alien as it might appear on planets of different sizes and environments.

Match the Science Fiction to the Science Fact - Using an electronic game, visitors will seek to make these matches and learn how close reality has come to fiction.

16.

Space Adventure Quiz - Visitors face off taking turns answering questions about the exhibit. When they are correct they advance their rocket toward their winning planet.

Units 4 – 7 include small parts so there is a choking hazard for young children. For that reason those units should be staffed when open to the public. The parts box can be locked when not staffed.

Toys and Collectibles Display Case Themes

The four large exhibit units each contain four display cases for a total of 16 cases. The cases do not have lights, so the borrowing museum will use its track lights to project light into the cases through their clear top and sides. Each theme will be presented through a combination of comic books, collector cards, action figures and other toys, posters, books and magazine covers and board games. These items total about 440 in number. Also included is a concept label for each case and identification label for the objects. Themes are:

Disney in Space

Robots and Androids

Star Wars

Leaving Earth

Going to the Moon

Star Trek

Space Station

1950's Decade

Heroes, Heroines and Villains

1960's Decade

Aliens and E. T.

Science Fiction or Fact

Going to Deep Space

Toys with Food

Posters

Three graphics panels about 30" x 40" in size are to be wall hung. They include enlargements of vintage publications.

Crates

Most of the exhibit will be shipped in 8 crates which will be 8 feet 2 inches long, 30 1/4 inches wide and 83 inches tall. These crates have wheels built in for easy movement. Other items will be shipped blanket wrapped. .

Educational Content

National Science Standards Goals for K – 9. Of interest to the education community, the exhibit and its pre and post visit content will assist in the development of abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, including asking questions, conducting investigations, employing equipment and tools to gather information , and communicating their explanation to others.

Specific content standards for grades K – 4.

Physical Science: Properties of objects and materials, and motion of objects

Life Science: Characteristics of organisms, and their environment

Science & Technology: Abilities of technological design including identifying a simple problem, proposing a solution, evaluating a product or design, and communicating solutions to others.

History and Natural Science: Much remains to be understood about objects, events and phenomena.

Specific content standards for grades 5 – 9

Life Sciences: Structure and function in living systems, regulation and behavior, diversity and adaptations of organisms

Science & Technology: Identify a problem, design a solution or product, implement a design, evaluate completed designs. Technology provides science with instruments, which enable new observations of objects and phenomena.

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives: Science and technology influence society and are also influenced by society.

History of Science

Dates	Venue	Status
June, July & August, 2004	Museum of the Southwest (TX)	Booked
October, November & December, 2004	Rocky Mount Children's Museum (Rocky Mount, NC)	Booked
February, March & April, 2005	Customs House Museum (Clarkville, TN)	Booked
June, July & August, 2005	Challenger Space Center (AZ)	Booked
October, November & December, 2005	San Diego Aerospace Museum (CA)	Booked
March -July 2006	Arts and Science Center (Pine Bluff, AR)	Booked
January-May 2007	Las Cruces Museum (Las Cruces, NM)	Booked
June 28-Sept. 16	Wings Over the Rockies (Denver, CO)	Booked
September - December 2007	Little Rock, AR	Booked
January - August 2008	Aerospace Education Center (Little Rock, AR)	Booked
September - December 2009	Boonshoft Museum Discovery (Dayton, OH)	Booked

For further information contact:

Nan Selz --(501) 396-7050 ext. 207
nselz@amod.org

Museum of Discovery
500 President Clinton Ave, Suite 150
Little Rock, AR 72201

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