The giant glass cubed room which houses the 87-foot-tall Hayden Sphere makes it an easy sell to convince anyone to walk into the wonderland of the Rose Center for Earth and Space, part of the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). The promise that you can actually enter the Hayden Sphere and witness the birth of the universe is just gravy.
The major player at the Rose Center for Earth and Space is the Hayden Planetarium. The Hayden Sphere has a one-of-a-kind Zeiss Star Projector. The theater is massive, with 420
seats and gives the distinct impression that you are actually moving through space. If you suffer at all from motion sickness, this exhibit is just cool enough to make you wonder if you’ll make it through. There are various programs, including ones with narratives by Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Redford, and Maya Angelou. More thrilling than any amusement park, the Hayden Planetarium is easily one of the most technically savvy and astounding planetariums in the world.The major player at the Rose Center for Earth and Space is the Hayden Planetarium. The Hayden Sphere has a one-of-a-kind Zeiss Star Projector. The theater is massive, with 420
When you’re done with the approximately 30 minute long show in the planetarium, you can exit onto The Cosmic Pathway. Walking on this pathway is likely to remind you of Star Trek. It is beautifully lit and has a definite sci-fi feel to it. To represent the thirteen billion years of the universe, the pathway has thirteen markers, each representing major developments of the universe. The Cosmic Pathway’s last two feet mark the age of the dinosaurs, as well as our brief human existence, which on the universal timeline is depicted with the width of a single human hair.
Once the excitement of learning thirteen billion years worth of history has died down, visitors can mosey around the Hall of the Universe. Located in the lower level of the Rose Center, the Hall of the Universe is a completely interactive space-age zone. There are digital scales to discover your weight on Jupiter, a neutron star, the Moon, and the Sun. Visitors can also find interactive videos, and an actual meteorite that can be touched. With ways to explore the possibilities of life on other planets and an actual glass enclosed Ecosphere, the Hall of the Universe will urge you to say, “I want to believe”.
Finally, before you head back into the real world, a birds-eye view is offered along the perimeter of the second floor of the Rose Center for Earth. This mezzanine space is designed to get visitors thinking about the relative size and scales of objects in the universe. For the concrete thinkers that can’t grab that abstract, there are gigantic planet models to help in figuring out our own place in the scheme of things.
The Rose Center for Earth and Space is located at 81st Street and Central Park West, in the American Museum of Natural History. It is open daily from 10 am – 5:45 pm. Suggested donation is $16/adults, $9/children (2 years – 12 years), and $12/seniors and students. There is an additional cost to attend space shows at the planetarium. Call 212-769-5100 for more information.
