Rochester Museum & Science Center

It’s time to digitize Our archivist librarian is getting ready to digitize some newspapers from our Howard W. Coles Collection-- here’s a #BehindTheScenes look at what this process looks like! While we do have the capability to digitize some of our collection objects in house, we’ll be shipping these papers to a company which specializes in digitization Before we ship them off, we have to pack and organize the papers by date so the company can see which papers should be scanned together and what order they should be in once they create the digital files. You might wonder-- why digitize? We digitize so these important collection objects can be safely preserved while also being available to more researchers across the country (and even the world) through our online database #BTS #MuseumBTS #Digitization

Our Woodland Window project is growing! Stop along the trail to record your own observations during your next visit to Cumming Nature Center! Staff will be happy to point out where you can find these stations

We recently explored the Haudenosaunee Trail at Cumming Nature Center! Check out our story to see all of the cool finds we spotted #ExploreRMSC #NatureTrail #NYSTrails #FunHikes

#DidYouKnow about Rattlesnake Pete? Peter Rattlesnake Pete Gruber was a literal snake oil (and venom) salesman. In addition to his snakeskin jacket, hat, and dog collar, we also have a number of photos showing Pete milking venom from various rattlesnakes in the #RMSCcollections #snakes #snakeskin #rochesterhistory #AlbertStoneCollection

We will be daily open over the holiday break, so you can explore, discover, and engage with your curiosity! From Friday, December 18, through January 3, the Planetarium will have additional shows and the Museum will be open: - Weekdays: 9:30am-5pm - Saturdays: 9:30am-5pm... - Sundays: 11am-5pm See more

A Curiosity Club action shot. We'll help any student achieve their remote learning needs whether it's math class or music class. Learn more about Curiosity Club and see if it's right for your kids (space available Jan-May). rmsc.org/curiosityclub

Join us for February Break Curiosity Camp to build your repertoire of winter weather activities as we explore the STEM side of hobbies and pastimes. We’ll carve, whittle, and weave, turn up the heat and take over the kitchen, make our own board games, and more! Check out your options now: RMSC.org/februarybreak

We’ve missed our Curiosity Club kids and are so happy to have them back at the Museum to learn with us If you need assistance with your child’s remote learning schedule, Curiosity Club might be the solution for you! Registration is still available for the 2021 school year, learn more: RMSC.org/curiosityclub

This Bull Dog’s smiling face says #NewYearNewMe Here’s hoping 2021 brings smiles like this to all of our faces #AlbertStoneCollection

Yesterday was our first day of Curiosity Club and it was a BLAST! We got lots of school work done made new friends and played fun, educational games Is your family still looking for help with the transition to remote learning? See if Curiosity Club is the right fit for your child! Registration is still open: RMSC.org/curiosityclub

Starting today, January 4, the RMSC Museum and Strasenburgh Planetarium will be open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. We’re excited to welcome you during the weekends to explore our exhibits and catch a show at the Planetarium! We hope to see you next weekend

Are you dressing up for #Halloween this year? Check out these spooky witches we found in our #AlbertStoneColletion-- though some of them look a little too happy to scare us! If you and your family have costumes planned for your socially-distant festivities, we would love to see them! Share them with us in the comments-- or stop by the Museum on Saturday for our Tricks-and-Treats Family Fun Day to show them off in person

This week, we’re celebrating Halloween by sharing 7 days of #SpookyScience activities you can do at home! We’re kicking things off today by showing you how to create your own Halloween Owls! While you explore nature and gather your materials, ask your young learners: Do you know why leaves change color in the Fall? Why do you think there are so many acorns on the ground now, but we don’t see them as often in the Spring? These questions can spark some independent science exp...loration! To make these not-so-scary Halloween Owl decorations, you’ll need: - 2 pine cones - 4 acorn cups - 4 leaves - Glue (Preferably hot glue) - Googly eyes - Orange craft foam - Small circle or square of heavy card stock You can find detailed instructions for this activity on our website: RMSC.org/scienceathome

We never get tired of watching our Electricity Theater shows Stop by the Museum today to see our singing Tesla coils in action! Plan your visit: RMSC.org/visit

Winter is creeping around the corner, so join us for another session of Yoga in the Pines NEXT SUNDAY while you can still enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves! You can practice yoga and meditation at Cumming Nature Center and then explore the beautiful autumnal landscape by taking a brisk walk on our trails. Register today: RMSC.org/yoga

WOW has 2020 flown by! It’s hard to believe the holidays are right around the corner. If you’re still working on gift ideas for the STEM-lovers in your lives, consider giving them the gift of Membership at the RMSC! RMSC Members receive a number of benefits, including: Free admission to the Museum, Planetarium, and Nature Center, members-only discounts and early access to programs, and free admission to more than 300 other Science Museums worldwide! Learn more and give the gift of membership: RMSC.org/members

Our Technical Advisory Group and exhibits team have a blast creating interactive experiences that help tell historical narratives! These #BehindTheScenes photos show a few of our staff members and volunteers are working on a construction interactive, which will help tell the story of Kate Gleason and her innovations in business and engineering. When it’s installed in the exhibit, you’ll be able to pour your beads into forms to help build a concrete house! We can’t wait to unveil the finished exhibit when it opens on November 20! To learn more while you wait for the grand reveal of The Changemakers: Rochester Women Who Changed the World, head to our website: RMSC.org/changemakers #BeChangemakers #ChangemakersBTS #MuseumBTS

Our Curiosity Club kids know how to work AND play hard! During a school break, these young learners got to see one of our daily Live Science Shows and learned all about static electricity We love to see the excited and inspired looks on their faces during science demos Is remote learning taking its toll? Curiosity Club can provide a safe, structured learning environment for young learners navigating virtual learning. Learn more & register today: RMSC.org/curiosityclub

Check out this awesome blog post from the Rochester Public Library about some unique women from Rochester-- including a few women featured in our upcoming exhibit opening in November, The Changemakers: Rochester Women Who Changed the World!

From educators to collections managers, docents to welcome desk staff and beyond, there are so many people who help make the RMSC such a wonderful place for our visitors. There are tons of people working behind-the-scenes to support the RMSC that you may not always see during your regular visit, including the members of our dedicated Board of Trustees! As the governing body of the organization, the board consists of more than 20 members of our community who are leaders in the...Continue reading

This morning, we heard the Bee Morning Coffee Club on 92.5 WBEE talking about a hair wreath at Genesee Country Village & Museum and it inspired us to share some interesting objects in our collection made from human hair! (Just in time for #spookyseason ) Hair wreaths and jewelry were popular crafts made by women in the Victorian era. These intricate designs were traditionally made with locks of hair from a deceased relative or loved one as a token of remembrance. They could be hung in the home or even worn! Interestingly, human hair doesn't decay like other organic materials and can be preserved for hundreds of years. #RMSCCollections

The women featured in our new exhibit, The Changemakers: Rochester Women Who Changed the World, all left a unique mark on history-- whether it be through advocacy, activism, innovation, or enterprise. Dr. Mridula Nair, a senior research scientist and project leader at Kodak, is one of the many Changemakers who left their mark by working toward advancements in science and technology! Mridula has over 20 years of experience in research and development at Kodak. She’s held a num...ber of influential positions at the company and has secured over 100 patents throughout her career. Our new exhibit is opening in just under a month, and we are so excited to share more about Mridula and many other diverse #Changemakers! Can’t wait until November 20 to learn more? Head to our new website to learn more about the exhibit and some of our featured Changemakers: RMSC.org/changemakers #BeChangemakers

We noticed something interesting about Pierre, our Mali Uromastyx lizard, when we stopped by the Inquiry Room earlier this week! He’s working on shedding his skin Didn’t he do a great job showing off the shedding skin on his tail and posing for a photo? To help you learn a little more about what Pierre and his skin are up to, here are three cool facts about reptile shedding: (1) Unlike humans, a reptile's skin doesn’t grow as their bodies grow. Instead, they shed their sk...in regularly once they’ve outgrown their old skin. (2)When a lizard is getting ready to shed, you’ll see a change in their skin color, which usually results in a dulling effect. (3) Because shedding occurs whenever our lizard friends grow, some reptiles shed as often as every 2 weeks!

Does making Pumpkin Slime, playing with Squishy Circuits, and exploring a Ghost Balloon Blow Up sound like the ideal way to spend your Halloween day? Then you should definitely join us for our Family Fun Halloween event on Saturday, October 31, from 11-3pm We’ll enjoy some fun science tricks, and delicious candy treats! Learn more: RMSC.org/familyfun (Photo taken in 2019)