Science, Sabers and Star Wars at Liberty Science Center

Kicking our hyperdrive into gear we made it in no time to the Liberty Science Center for the Science, Sabers and Star Wars exhibit. Even though we were right across the Hudson from Manhattan, it was hard to tell whether we landed near Jersey City or Coruscant because we were immediately surrounded by masses of Jedi, Sith, Wookies, Mandalorians, Storm Troopers and Rebels. Needless to say everyone there was really into it.

 

We started the day in the Cantina where we had delicious treats before some surprise guests arrived. As soon as we finished eating, a life sized working R2D2; complete with battle scars, sounds and lights rolled in.

There is no other way to describe what happened next except that the kids flipped out (in a good way). They were so excited to see R2 that we had to pry them off him after we took their pictures.

Then, just as the kids settled down, around twenty Mandalorians (look like Boba Fett), Storm Troopers, Rebels and Jedi march into the Cantina and stood in an array. All the kids stood still in shock. It took a few minutes before they could react and go up to the and take pictures with them.

It was amazing. Their costumes were incredible and the Storm Troopers even had voice modulators to sound like the real thing.

But that was just the beginning. We went to the Tesla coil show. The coils produced real indoor lightning bolts streaking across the stage while playing music from Star Wars.

If that wasn’t exciting enough we learned about Faraday boxes and two participants stood inside a cage as it was struck by lightning. It was absolutely riveting. Even little kids sat listening attentively. It was one of the coolest exhibits I have ever seen. We learned about plasma and how a lightsaber could work and then we went to a booth where we made our own lightsabers.

Having watched every movie and cartoon about Star Wars the kids were total experts. Each one made a different style, with our daughter proudly using the Ahsoka Tano backwards curved handled type.

Of course we had to get some space battles in, so we went by the drone exhibit where the Millennium Falcon and other spacecraft hurtled through the air. Then we took part in the Battle of Yavin, with the kids building their own ships and launching them at the Death Star. We didn’t quite have the force with us that day as one over shot the Death Star and the other had some serious technical difficulties while launching but it was a lot of fun.

The museum is so massive that we could not possibly see everything in one day. At one point we split up with my oldest going to the Titanic exhibit while the two younger ones played and learned in the Sid the Science Kid area.

Then we all regrouped for the suspended wire mesh maze and the reptiles, amphibians and insects exhibit. We were there for hours but I don’t think we saw half of the exhibits. However, I think it is safe to say that like the Jedi, we will return.

Thank you to the Liberty Science Center for hosting us.  Science, Sabers and Star Wars at Liberty Science Center