School Group Field Trip Museum Classes & Planetarium Shows
Welcome | Programs | Planning Guide | Reservation Form
Museum Classes & Programs
Code-a-Drone grades 5–12 (30 minutes)
Drones are becoming more and more a part of everyday life and in this hands-on program, students will learn how they function. Students will learn how drones are programmed to fly safely and then have the opportunity to code a drone of their own to fly over, under, and around obstacles.
Mars by Remote grades 2–4 (30 minutes)
Do you have what it takes to be a coder? Join us for this exciting program where your young learners are introduced to the basics of robotics, aeronautics, and programming. Students will plot a course on a map of the red planet and then code a simple rover to autonomously get from point A to point B.
Physics at Play grades 2–9 (30 minutes)
What do your favorite sports and toys have in common? They all follow the laws of physics! In this interactive lesson, students will learn how physics is at the foundation of sports and games and how they can better understand their favorite activities by understanding the science behind them.
Find-a-Flight grades 3–8 (30 minutes)
Ever see an airplane up in the sky and wonder where it is going? In this lesson, students will learn about flight tracking software and use it to plot the routes of airplanes flying into, out of, and over New York. They’ll learn about different places in our own country and around the world.
Physics of Light grades 9–12 (50 minutes)
Get ready for a deep dive into the nature of light. From Faraday to Einstein, students will learn about scientists and their experiments as they endeavored to understand the properties of the electromagnetic spectrum. They will recreate some of the more famous experiments and ultimately learn how time dilation occurs through a series of interactive experiences.
Bot Sense grades 6–8 (50 minutes)
What can a robot do? Only what it is programmed to! In this program, students will learn about block coding and will use it to program a Lego Mindstorms robot to sense the world and react to it.
Mission mARs grades 5–8 (30 minutes)
Students will blast off on a mission to the red planet by using augmented reality software in this fast paced and fun program. They’ll land a rover on the Martian surface, drive around and even have a chance to interact with virtual 3D objects, all while learning about the machines we sent to our celestial neighbor.
How Does it Fly grades 1–8 (30 minutes)
What are lift, drag, thrust and gravity? They are just a few of the concepts explored in this hands-on program that covers the scientific principles of flight and how people used them to conquer the sky.
Living in Space All Grades (30 minutes)
There are many things one needs to know before venturing up into space…like how does one go to the bathroom? The most common and practical questions will be answered on what life is like in space. Students will discover where to sleep, what kind of food is available, what astronauts wear and what some hazards are.
3,2,1 Blastoff grades 4–12 (30 minutes)
Can you imagine taking off in a rocket with powerful boosters? Rockets are the cornerstone of space exploration and help us to better understand our universe! Learn more about how rockets propel people and machines beyond Earth’s atmosphere while experimenting with basic types of rockets.
Kites grades K–3 (30 minutes)
3000 years ago people in China invented the first kites and today most of us have attempted to fly one. Learn how kites were precursors to other flying machines and build your own.
Guided Tour - all grades (50 minutes)
From ballooning to the Moon…an evolution of aviation, all in under an hour. This museum educator-led program will take your group through the museum’s collections focusing on major events and aircraft in aviation history. Inquiry-based learning will help students interpret the history of aviation on Long Island according to the age level and needs of each group. ENL option is available upon request.
All classes comply with National and State common core standards.
Aerospace Quests
To enhance your visit to the Cradle of Aviation be sure to print out an aerospace quest and make copies for your students to bring to the museum. This educational tool was developed by the museum staff and docents in order to help groups focus and have fun learning.
Planetarium Shows
Our full-dome theater is a large-scale immersive environment, featuring a real-time digital planetarium! And as of October 1st 2022, we will have an all-new state-of-the-art laser projection system!
NEW! Touch the Stars - Grades 3+
Touch the Stars centers on mankind’s probes used in the exploration of our solar system and the galaxy beyond. The film traces the path to space through the history of NASA’s probes, orbiters, and landers, from the heart of our solar system to the surface of the other planets and moons, to the grand tour of the Voyager spacecraft through the outer planets and beyond. Visit the show page here for more info and to watch the trailer.
NEW! Unseen Universe - Grades 3+
For millions of years, our view of the heavens has been limited by our eyes, allowing us to only see a narrow band of electromagnetic radiation we call visible light. For the first time ever, in the greatest breakthrough since the invention of the telescope, we now have the technology to capture the Universe over an amazing width of the spectrum and beyond. Visit the show page here for more info and to watch the trailer.
NEW! Educator-Led Live Show - Space Stories - Grades Pre-k–2nd
Being an astronaut on the International Space Station is a lot of exciting hard work and no two astronauts have the same story. Students will learn about astronaut life on the International Space Station. Using story sequencing students will put together their own exciting tale of space adventure!
Mars 1001 - All grade levels
Space reporter Miles O’Brien guides you through the first human mission to Mars — a daring 1000-day mission to fly an international crew to the red planet and return them safely to Earth. Many challenges will have to be met in order for the crew to succeed and unlock the secrets of the new World! Visit the show page here for more info and to watch the trailer.
Moons of our Solar System! - Grades 1–4
There are over 200 moons in the Solar System. Some are larger than planets, some are covered in volcanoes, and some might have alien life! Students will learn what a moon is, what causes its phases, and how we are exploring these natural satellites.
Junior Jetsetters & One World, One Sky - Grades Pre-k–1st
Spark your students’ curiosity with an introduction to astronomy. Students will look at constellations, hear stories, and take space steps all while learning astronomy vocabulary. Then, explore the night sky with your favorite friends from Sesame Street in One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure.
Solar System Tour - All grade levels
All grade levels - Our Solar System has everything you could want! Planets! Moons! Asteroids! and Comets! All swirling around our one and only star, the Sun. Students will learn about all the different objects that populate the Solar System and get a glimpse at the force that keeps worlds spinning.
Current Night Sky - All grade levels (also available virtually)
Long before television, GPS, and street lights, there were the stars of the night sky. Students will travel through the seasonal night sky to learn about constellations, hear mythical stories, and observe the magnificent Long Island sky.
Welcome | Programs | Planning Guide | Reservation Form
