Trip Planner 2017-18 Trip Planner For Student Travel | Page 50

Curriculum | Science The Corning Museum of Glass The Corning Museum of Glass, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York, boasts the world’s premier collection of historical, scientific and art glass. Sally Berry, the museum’s tourism sales and marketing manager, recommends setting aside at least two hours for a visit, noting that more time can yield enhanced experiences. “We are quite unique in that kids visiting here not only have the opportunity to see 35 centuries of glass, but they also can see demonstrations of glass-making that explore both the artistry and scientific properties of glass,” Berry says. “Students can make their own glass, too, guided by experts in our world-renowned studio.” The museum attracts a range of school groups, from kindergarten through high school, along with college students in undergraduate programs that include art, art history, material science, education and design. Berry says that Scout groups and summer camp participants visit the museum, too, in part because of its location. “Summer groups take part in on-site camp activities and also experience many of the natural wonders of the area at sites such as Watkins Glen and Letchworth state parks,” she says. “And we’re situated between major destinations that include D.C., New York City, New England and the Niagara Falls/Toronto region.” Berry says groups visiting the Corning Museum of Glass might combine their visit with outdoor adventure in Niagara Falls, college tours in Ithaca, New York, or visits to other museums. “We offer a combination ticket with the Rockwell Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate also located in Corning.” For more details, contact Berry at [email protected] or visit the museum’s website, cmog.org/groups. SEE A ‘SAUR’ IN HOUSTON MUSEUM THE GLORY OF GLASS The Houston Museum of Natural Science The Houston Museum of Natural Science provides students with a full-force science education. The attraction, which opened in 1909, has large dinosaur and fossil exhibits, a planetarium, a butterfly garden, a 394-seat IMAX theater and traveling exhibit spaces. The museum is a popular spot for school groups because students not only learn something new, but they’ll also have fun, according to Chris Arreaga, corporate/group sales manager. “Here, students can find out about the life cycles of butterflies, how diamonds are formed and where they are found,” he says. “They’ll also learn why the Egyptians mummified their dead and how dinosaurs stalked and caught their prey.” There are a variety of hands-on exhibits throughout the attraction’s Cabinet of Curiosities and the new Welch Hall of Chemistry. The 30,000-square-foot Wiess Energy Hall, which will 48 NTA Trip Planner for Student Travel open by fall, will add another permanent exhibition that offers interactive educational components. “Student groups can have fun comparing the viscosity of various oil samples from around the world,” says Arreaga. “Or they can test their skills in electronically ‘changing’ the arrangements of atoms in molecules, which results in completely different chemical properties.” Group leaders can book a tour with one of the museum’s well-trained Discovery Guides, staff members who take visitors through the exhibits and offer in-depth commentary. “Our Discovery Guides bring the artifacts and fossils to life,” Arreaga says. “They re-create for our groups the history, life and environment to show how these objects came to be.” Contact Arreaga at [email protected] or visit hmns.org.