Museum of Science Offers Up An Out-of-Gravity Experience
Experience the life of an astronaut through hands-on exhibit
In the Museum of Science’s newest exhibit visitors will explore the conditions that make space travel so dangerous and try out some of the engineering technology that makes life and research in space possible. Photo courtesy of the Museum of Science
This summer, the Museum of Science is giving visitors a rare chance to experience the wonder and (potential) dangers of space travel, all from the safety of the museum’s riverside campus. The exhibit, Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience, offers would-be astronauts of all ages a chance to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of life aboard the International Space Station. The show runs through January 1.
The multimedia exhibit is a hands-on chance to explore questions you’ve always had about space travel: how do astronauts eat, sleep, or yes, even go to the bathroom, while living in space.
Visitors can listen to video interviews with current and retired astronauts about their life in space, check out artifacts from space missions (including Neil Armstrong’s gloves from Apollo 11), and take part in science experiments to see what space really feels like—you’ll be surprised how much harder it is to operate a robotic arm while wearing space gloves.
In addition to video and exploration stations, the exhibit also features a life-size replica of a lab aboard the International Space Station, Destiny Lab. Visitors can line up for a four-minute tour and step into an astronaut’s space boots as the lab rotates around them to get a sense of the disoriented feeling astronauts might experience during their first days aboard the station.
If you’re looking to continue your cosmic journey after the exhibit, head over to the museum’s Charles Hayden Planetarium to catch one of its many shows about space exploration and innovation. You can also catch a showing of The Martian 4-D Experience, a special 15-minute version of the 2015 Oscar-nominated film The Martian, featuring Boston’s own Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott, in the museum’s 4-D Theater. The 3-D projection and action-heightening special effects are dazzling.
Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience is on view at the Museum of Science, One Science Park, Boston, through January 1. Entrance to the exhibit is included in Exhibit Halls admission. Tickets are $28 for adults, $24 for seniors (60+), $23 for children 3–11, and free for members and can be purchased online. Tickets for the Charles Hayden Planetarium and the 4-D Theater can be purchased separately here and here.
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