Admission

$5 per person

Members and children under 1 are free
Port Jefferson Library card holders - $1 off each admission ticket

Field Trips

Hands-on Workshops for Young Scientists, Grades Pre-K to 6TH!

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Birthday parties

A birthday they won't soon forget full of exciting, interactive activities.

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2020 Maker Faire Long Island

Our 2019 Faire was a huge success and this year will be even more exciting. Visit our website.

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Exhibits

Signal Center

At this exhibit, visitors communicate with pulleys, buckets and learn different methods of communicating.

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you use Morse Code to write a note for your partner? Place it in the bucket and use the “hand over hand” motion and send it to your partner.
  2. What simple machine are you using to “Help” you send your message?
  3. Design a Pictogram for your partner and send it to your partner.
  4. Can you send a message illustrated using Pictograms or Semaphore Flags?

 

 

 

Bailing Boat

At this exhibit, we offer visitors a beach in a boat. Using grains of rice, young visitors compare volumes and solve rate problems; fundamental mathematical skills that apply to all areas.

Questions to Explore:

Making a Prediction and then test out your “Guess”!  Was it correct? Make a correction.

  1. How many cups will it take to fill one basket with rice?  
  2. Does the size of the cup make a difference?
  3. How many Baskets to fill one bucket? Is there a Pattern?
  4. Which funnel will work best with the Rice?  Why?

Straws and Connectors

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you construct a sphere (ball) with straight straws and connectors?
  2. Can you design a Tall Tower? How will you support the structure to enable it to stand tall?
  3. Construct a Rocket Ship to blast off!  How many shapes will you incorporate?

 

 

 

Building with Gears

Questions to Explore:

  1. Design a pattern of colors that will move in one direction only.
  2. Are there other patterns you can design and construct?
  3. Can you construct a handle to turn your gear design?
  4. How high can you stack your gears and still be able to turn them?  Does the height matter?

Hot Wheel Tracks

Questions to Explore:

  1. What will happen when you Change the Height of your starting point? (raise the height or lower the height)
  2. Can you construct a loop? Can you add curves?  Does your car need more speed to travel through the loop or curve?
  3. Does the size of your car matter? 
  4. What are the properties of the vehicle?

 

 

 

Tubular Maze

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you construct a maze so that the ball takes the same path each time you drop it?
  2. Make a change in your construction so that your ball will travel a different path.
  3. Design a “Dual Challenge” with your partner.  Time your pathway. Which is faster? (use one of our stop watches and measuring tape if you wish)

Blocks

Blocks

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you connect and balance ten cubes?
  2. Can you build with Lincoln Logs, interlocking the forms?
  3. Can you mix any blocks to construct a bridge using different kinds of blocks?
  4. Can you construct a sculpture using the tree forms?

 

 

 

Wooden Interlocking Puzzle Pieces

Interlocking Wood Pieces

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you rotate the pieces to make a stronger structure?
  2. Do you need a stronger base to support and stabilize your structure?
  3. Can you design steps into your structure?

Balanced Equations

Questions to Explore:

  1. Does it matter if you place the red hangars in the back of the yellow arm?
  2. Can you design a subtraction equation?
  3. Can you write number sentences from your balance?

 

 

 

Maker Space

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Tinker in our Maker Space, a designated area to let your creative powers soar.

Questions to Explore:

  1. What can you create with different sized paper tubes?  Can you embellish your creation?
  2. Can you build a machine? What can it do?
  3. Can you design a new tool to be used to measure objects?

Outdoor Deck

Questions to Explore:

  1. Investigate our natural shell collection and try to categorize the shells by properties they share.
  2. Do any shells match what  you found on our Aqua Sub Challenge on our Smart Board?
  3. Design a shoreline in the sand box using rocks and seashells?

 

 

 

Large Magnetic Ball Run

Large Magnetic Ball Run

Questions to Explore:

  1. How high can you begin your pathway? 
  2. Does the mass of the ball affect the run?
  3. How do the funnel pieces affect your ball run?

Marble Runs

Marble Run

Questions to Explore:

  1. Does the angle of the magnetic ramp make a difference in the speed of your marble? How?
  2. How can you slow your marble down?
  3. How do the shapes affect your marble run?

 

 

 

Tessellation Tiles

Tessellation Tiles

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you place the shapes in the templates with no gaps or overlaps?
  2. Lift up the wooden shapes; can you complete the challenge using different wooden shapes?
  3. Can you do a rubbing over the shapes with the side of a crayon and design an art piece as the artist M.C. Escher designed?  Create a NEW art piece?

 

Harbor Wheelhouse

Harbor Wheelhouse Simulation

This is a simulation of a ride in the harbor.  Children can navigate and open drawers, ring bells, and show them how to move in all directions.  

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you open the chart drawer? What is the depth of the water needed for the ferry to sail out of the harbor and into the Long Island Sound?
  2. What color indicates the channel for boats to safely exit the harbor?
  3. Can you find our museum on the aerial view chart?  What else can you identify?

 

 

 

ScanTEX Construction Materials

ScanTEX Construction Materials

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you build a moving vehicle with a handle to steer?
  2. Build a Suspension bridge!  Add ramps for cars to access the bridge.  Will your bridge span water or land?
  3. Can you build a Space Station with an entry point for your astronaut?

Lego Construction

Lego Construction

Questions to Explore:

  1. Design a boat to be anchored in the Port Jefferson Harbor? 
  2. How about constructing a dock to secure your boat?
  3. Can you build an urban community?

 

 

Mixed Reality

Mixed Reality

Questions to Explore:

  1. How do you think they gathered the images to place you in this VR experience? Let's look at the different ways to use panoramic cameras.
  2. What kind of engineer has designed the program you’re using? Let's learn about software development.
  3. How does the computer know where you are looking and where you are standing? Let's learn about gyroscopes
    • Gyroscopes are also found in iphones and other smartphones to track orientation
    • Cameras/proximity sensors are also in iPhones so they know when the user brings the phone to their ear.

 

Ozobots

Ozobots

Ozobots are robots that use a color based, visual programing language.

Questions to Explore:

  1. Can you design a track on which your ozobot can spin and and turbocharge?
  2. Can the ozobot become a figure skater and design a routine?
  3. Can you turn your ozobot into a soccer player that can make a goal?