With the increase in number and strength of hurricanes over recent years, it’s important to know how to deal with these natural phenomena. To help the public learn what it takes to predict, prepare for and protect against a hurricane, the Miami Science Museum, in collaboration with State Farm and Florida International University, opened its brand new “Hurricanes” exhibit over Thanksgiving weekend. If you are willing to brave the exhibit, you can test your skills against an impending disaster with a hurricane preparedness game, see real artifacts from Hurricane Andrew, test a model house against hurricane-force winds using a model Wall of Wind, and even climb inside a full-scale P-3 hurricane hunter aircraft. While in the aircraft, you will be headed into the eye of a hurricane, thanks to the large-scale wall mural painted by local artist Jiae Hwang. At the heart of the exhibition is the interactive spherical display known as the “Magic Planet,” which, thanks to a contribution from CSX, has been enhanced with a live climate change presentation led by Museum explainers. The Magic Planet enables visitors to explore connections between hurricanes and global climate change, with a focus on possible impacts on South Florida. During hurricane season, the 4-foot spherical display will even display real storm tracks. “This is a very important time to showcase the hurricane exhibit,” said Miami Science Museum CEO & President Gillian Thomas. “Severe weather is becoming more prevalent and serious across the globe, and South Floridians in particular need to be aware of how to prepare and protect themselves before, during and after hurricanes.” Admission to the “Hurricanes” exhibit is included with regular museum admission.

Artist Jiae Hwang paints a wall-sized hurricane

Piloting the P-3 hurricane hunter

Testing a house against a “wall of wind”

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State Farm has generously donated $14,500 to the Museum in support of a future exhibition and programming that will explore how hurricanes have shaped and will continue to affect the physical and social landscape of South Florida. The exhibition will be very interactive and educational, including a specialized bilingual emergency preparedness kiosk and two hurricane-focused events, so that visitors can find valuable information and resources to better prepare them for natural disasters.

Miami Science Museum VP of Content Development & Programs Jennifer Santer; Frank Manusky and his daughter Madison, a 6th grader at Lyons Creek Middle School; Museum President and CEO Gillian Thomas; Iris Lopez, State Farm Agent; Jose Soto, Public Affairs Specialist; and Sean Duran, VP of Exhibitions at MSM.

“Increased awareness is key in lessening the risk of injury and destruction from natural disasters,” said Jose Soto, State Farm Community Specialist. “This exciting partnership with the Miami Science Museum will help spotlight hurricane awareness for South Florida families, helping them understand the importance of disaster preparedness. Our State Farm mission is to help people prepare for the unexpected, and this collaborative hurricane prep effort will help protect and increase the safety of Florida families.”

The exhibition will feature the technologies and expertise of Florida International University’s International Hurricane Research Center and will give visitors the opportunity to check out the instruments and methods professionals use to predict, track and assess weather patterns. At the heart of the exhibition, will be the Museum’s interactive spherical display known as “Magic Planet,” a system that enables visitors to explore connections between global climate change and hurricanes, with a focus on possible impacts on South Florida, and to track actual hurricanes on the 4-foot spherical display during storm season.

Hands-on activities will include miniature model house building where visitors can test if their creations can withstand hurricane force winds, as well as an air canon that simulates the way debris flies during a major storm.

The funding will also support two major events at the Museum: “Feel the Force: Hurricanes and Other Hazards” to be held June 2, 2012, and a special event marking the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew to be held August 24, 2012. The Museum welcomes the community to attend both events. The exhibition will open in phases coinciding with both Feel the Force and Hurricane Andrew events.

For more information about the Museum’s exhibits, please visit: http://miamisci.org

Astronomy fans flocked to the Museum recently to take part in an exciting line-up of activities to explore our galaxy and beyond for the Museum’s first Astronomy Evening.

Attendees enjoyed a special “Astronomy Music: Live Celestial Concert” by astronomer Dr. James Webb of Florida International University, and his student, David Farias. Dr. Webb and David performed “galactic” songs such as “Cosmos Theme,” “Here Comes the Sun,” and “The Grand Scheme of Things” on classical guitar, while astronomic images and song lyrics were projected onto the Planetarium’s dome.

The evening’s events also included a dramatic science theater presentation by the Museum’s Robert Dawson, who brought alive the words and discoveries of famous astronomer Tycho Brahe. Visitors also got to take a tour of the solar system on the Museum’s Magic Planet installation, enjoying 3-D views of the planets and the sun, and got a special sneak preview of the all-new Star Gazer TV program (produced by the Museum, WPBT2-PBS, the Kika Silva Pla Planetarium at Santa Fe College and the Cincinnati Observatory).

Visitors were able to get spectacular views of the moon and the planet Jupiter from our Weintraub Observatory, and then in the galleries, storytellers from the Miami-Dade Public Library System presented “Tales Under the Stars.” Kids and their parents had fun making their own comets in the “How to Cook a Comet” workshop, and one lucky winner went home with a brand new Celestron telescope.

“It was a sensationally stellar evening of astronomical fun,” said Mark Bennett, Planetarium and Visitor Services Manager. “It was really great to see everybody enjoying the hands on activities, the shows, and viewing the night sky.”

Special thanks to our sponsors for making Astronomy Evening a big success: Celestron Telescopes; Department of Physics, Florida International University; Miami-Dade Public Library System, and Southern Cross Astronomical Society.