Liberty Science Center, New Jersey
Posted: 2/8/08

When the Liberty Science Center first opened in 1993 their tag line was: “Where Science equals Fun.” The whole place was very heavy on interactive experience although many of those displays allowed only one person at a time to interact. The newly re-opened Center has changed in many ways. Although the idea is still to make science and technology interesting, the emphasis is more “grown-up” and exhibits are geared to the middle, high school and adult viewers as well as grade school kids.

The outside shape of the museum still sports its distinctive hump which can be seen from the Jersey Turnpike, but a whole new wing has been added on. The square footage has expanded and there is scads more space inside, much of it devoted to lecture rooms. You now enter from the side which makes for easier access from the parking lot. The large central atrium has shrunk in size. The Hoberman Sphere still hangs from the ceiling of the atrium, but in no longer expands and contracts in a constant movement. The escalators have disappeared, but elevators and stairs are plentiful. The administrators are obviously expecting lots and lots of classes, because there are staging areas for troops of kids to gather around a speaker.

The first floor consists of a deployment area for the expected crowds of school kids to assemble, the ticket counter and a large gift shop filled with stuffed animals, books and science-related projects. On the left, a major permanent exhibit dedicated to skyscrapers dominates this section of the floor. Here you can look at girders (you are even allowed to walk on one under supervision of course, and using a harness) and learn everything you might ever want to know about the evolution of sky-high construction. There are even mock-ups of well-known buildings and a working elevator.
One the second floor, there is now a room dedicated to small kids. What a great idea! Anyone from one to five can play here while their older siblings view the technical intricacies of moving lights or communications. Along with their adult caregivers, little tykes can explore what is under a city sidewalk, compose their own music on ringing rocks or construct simple structures.

My favorite exhibit is called Eat or Be Eaten. Since I do not plan any expeditions to the Amazon River in the near future it’s nice to be able to examine some of the denizens of that rain forest (plus other far-flung outposts) to see how creatures evolved tools and strategies to catch their prey while avoiding being caught themselves. There’s the poison dart frog, the coral snake, and a bevy of insects that either camouflage themselves to look like the forest floor or create cunning traps for the unwary. It’s like watching the Discovery Channel in an up close and personal manner.

Another exhibit geared to the whole family is called 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. This exhibit is actually a small aquarium with several large tanks of fish native to the region swimming lazily around. It has been much expanded from the small tanks that once dominated the top floor of the center and the accompanying information plaques are superb. Unlike the colorful tropical fish, Hudson area types are big and ugly but make a fascinating viewing nevertheless.

How long will fossil fuels last us, and what are the alternatives? That’s the basis of an important exhibit concerned with the major sources of Earth’s energy. Visitors are urged to experiment with alternatives sources to see what tomorrow may offer. And the Communications exhibit covers everything from the handprints on cave walls to the digital tools that link us today with plenty of flashing digital lights to perk up the senses.

Gone but Not Forgotten

What’s gone from the new layout? The popular blue screen sports “arena” where 12-years liked to match their basketball prowess against the giants of the game is kaput. Another favorite that has disappeared is the black touch tunnel where young kids could crawl through the darkness in a caterpillar-like structure. The touch tanks filled with starfish and other aquatic creatures has also hit the dust.

Some of the old favorites that are still around include the rock climbing wall which you actually climb sideways rather than up and down. It is studded with fossils (or at least facsimiles of fossils) so that it’s a learning exercise as well as a physical one. And food is still available at the redesigned “Café Skylines” which features the usual array of sandwiches and salads.

Two main attractions are still on hand. One is the IMAX Theater, the largest in the country. Here you can sit in a tiered semi-circle and immerse yourself in the giant images that surround you from the 88-foot domed screen. The center now shows three different films per day and you can choose the one you prefer beforehand. In fact it’s best to go to the Internet (www.lsc.org) and read the write-ups of each film before you visit. You can reserve your tickets beforehand if you plan to go during a popular week (such as a holiday or school closing time). Otherwise pre-ticketing is not necessary but it’s a good idea to choose which film you think might interest the members of the family. Children under two are not allowed in the IMAX Theater and since the film experience is so overwhelming, it is suggested that children should be at least six in order to attend.

The other attraction is the 3D theater which has been enhanced and improved this time around. You can see close-ups of bugs or whatever else the film is featuring in all their three-dimensional glory. Of course it requires the special 3D glasses that are handed out when the film starts. Here again, very young children may not like the experience, but school kids love the 3D plastic spectacles and the in-your-face feel of it all. There is an extra charge for the 3D theater as well, but you can buy a combination ticket for the exhibits and the theater or the IMAX or all three at once.

Another improvement is the space allotted to traveling exhibits. In the old building many of these exhibits were squeezed into spaces on the ground floor or the mezzanine. Now a special area that approximates a small museum allows full exhibits to be shown.


The Liberty Science Center is located at 222 Jersey City Blvd. Take Exit 14B on the Jersey Turnpike to Liberty State Park and turn left at the sign. Parking at the adjacent lot is $5.00. Admission prices vary from $14.00 adult to $22.50 for a combination ticket, with reduced prices for children and seniors.
Telephone: 201-200-1000. Website: www.lsc.org.
Copyright Barbara Hudgins, 2008