2009 Youth & Family Events

In the second installment of this World Science Festival annual event, selected New York City High School students will interview Nobel laureate and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Harold Varmus, and preeminent marine biologist, Sylvia Earle. In these insightful interviews, youthful curiosity compels unusually candid conversations, revealing the essence of pioneering science. read more

SOLD OUT                     Tickets for this event are sold out, but may be available at the door. Click here for more info.

This multi-media event invites curious minds of all ages to meet scientists with some of the coolest jobs out there. Join host Majora Carter to dive into remote caves with microbiologist Hazel Barton, hunt for hidden artistic treasures with Maurizio Seracini, and discover what frogs can tell us about our impact on the environment with biologist Tyrone Hayes. read more

SOLD OUT                     Tickets for this event are sold out, but may be available at the door. Click here for more info.

What is the relationship between speed and temperature? What does that have to do with making a perfect clock? Back by overwhelming popular demand, Nobel prize-winning physicist William Phillips takes audiences on a journey to the lowest temperatures ever recorded. Featuring jaw-dropping experiments, Phillips demonstrates what happens when ordinary objects are taken to the edge of absolute zero. read more

SOLD OUT                     Tickets for this event are sold out, but may be available at the door. Click here for more info.

New York City might be the epicenter of human diversity, but what about our biodiversity? Join us for a Bio Blitz in some of the city’s most beautiful parks and gardens. Professional naturalists and research scientists will guide urban explorers of all ages and backgrounds in a scientific inventory of the flora, fauna, fungi — and all things crawly. In honor of E.O. Wilson, pioneer of the Bio Blitz method, this event will inspire Wilson-like wonder and appreciation for the natural diversity found right in our own neighborhood. read more

We have reached capacity for this event, and can no longer accept sign-ups.

Reader's Digest has called "Mathemagician" Arthur Benjamin "America's Best Math Whiz." Returning in an encore presentation, Arthur Benjamin displays feats of mental mathematical gymnastics and shares the secrets behind his skills. A combination of math and magic, this program will captivate the entire family. read more

SOLD OUT                     Tickets for this event are sold out, but may be available at the door. Click here for more info.

Peak Experience is the ultimate sleepover adventure for forty children, ages 9-12, as they work together to confront the challenges of climbing Mt. Everest. Led by Robert Anderson, sherpas, and some of the world's most experienced climbers, these young participants will explore the many scientific aspects of mountain climbing — from the physiological demands to the physics.
No adults permitted. read more

The Washington Square Park area is transformed into a science wonderland when the World Science Festival Youth and Family Street Fair returns to New York City, Sunday, June 14, 2009. This year’s extravaganza will feature a non-stop program of interactive exhibits, experiments, games, and shows designed to entertain and inspire. Join us for a full day of free family fun. A sampling of the day’s events include:  
The Math Midway
Discover your probability as you spin the Universal Wheel of Chance, ride a Square-Wheeled Tricycle, and make a Mechanical Monkey walk the Number-Line Tightrope at the carnival-themed Math Midway.  
Discovery Labs
Visit our hands on Science Labs for “take home” science experiments throughout the day. Here’s your chance to build your own paper helicopter, plant your own edible seeds, and combine art and science to make your own original creation.  
The CSI Experience™ at the World Science Festival
The CSI Experience will include hands on crime scene activities led by real criminologists from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Visitors to the exhibit will evaluate a crime scene, identify trace evidence, compare ballistic evidence and collect fingerprints.  
Central Park Zoo's Wildlife Theater
Join Robbie the Roach in “Big Bug Boogie” for a fun and scientific journey to discover why insects are important to plants, animals and even humans. Then fly like a butterfly on a 3,000 mile-adventure with “The Tale of Flutterby and Piggle” as you explore the collaborative relationships in nature.   And more... read more

The Starry Messenger is a dramatic fun filled adaptation of Galileo's short treatise Siderius Nuncius. Galileo (dressed in 17th century costume) has arrived at the World Science Festival to present a public lecture on his most recent discoveries made using his newly devised spyglass. As he describes his discoveries, Galileo's new method of observation and measurement of nature become apparent. Throughout the presentation the “esteemed scientists” in the audience are actively involved in experiments and demonstrations. read more

This event is free. Admission will be first-come, first-served.

Discovery Theatre and Author’s Corner will host some of today’s most dynamic science authors for a full day of readings, activities, and presentations in Discovery Theatre. Pick up a copy of the newest titles and meet our distinguished authors in person in Authors Corner. Great books make the most complicated topics accessible and exciting. Enjoy readings, discussions, and other activities throughout the day. read more

This event is free. Admission will be first-come, first-served.

Lucy Hawking’s talk ‘Surfing the Solar System’ is a young person’s guide to the Solar System and the fascinating universe beyond. Lucy will discuss working with her father, Professor Stephen Hawking, on George’s Secret Key to the Universe, the children’s book that they have authored together. Discover the mysteries of physics, science and the universe in an informative and entertaining look at just what is — and isn’t — out there. read more

This event is free. Admission will be first-come, first-served.

The Dr. Schaffer and Mr. Stern Dance Ensemble, under the direction of founders Karl Schaffer and Erik Stern, has entertained audiences throughout North America with their delightful mix of physicality, humor, and a playful sense of the mathematical. Spinning together rhythm, dance, and storytelling, the company entertains with performances that seamlessly blend art and science. From tap dance to the permutations of a single sheet of paper, from flying machines to the ancient Chinese puzzle tangrams, this dance company displays the magic and mystery that is both dance and mathematics. read more

This event is free. Admission will be first-come, first-served.

How do ants communicate? Are we more like them than we imagine? What is the biggest frog ever photographed? And why does it matter? Bringing Bio Blitzing in the Boroughs full circle, America's consummate naturalist E.O. Wilson and world-renowned insect scientist and photographer Mark Moffett share stories from their adventures in exploring the fascinating and surprising biodiversity of life on Earth. A lively and visually compelling conclusion to the WSF Street Fair in Washington Square Park. read more

This event is free. Admission will be first-come, first-served.