MOSI Launches First-Ever Space Week, Led by MOSI’s New Astrophysicist

Key leadership for MOSI’s Space Week comes from Dr. Mackenna Wood, Director of MOSI’s new Saunders Planetarium and Digital Dome Theatre. An astrophysicist with expertise in space research and data analysis, Wood comes to MOSI from MIT’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research.

“If you love looking up at the stars, you’ll love Space Week,” Wood said. “I’m excited to help MOSI bring this new experience to life and make space something we can all connect with.”

From rockets and rovers to distant galaxies, MOSI educators will guide you through hands-on experiments and creative challenges that will inspire wonder and leave you amazed.

Special events will also touch down at MOSI on select dates.

What to Expect Each Day:

Each day, guests can enjoy a Scavenger Hunt and traverse through a Cardboard Space Colony.

• Saturday – Astronauts
  • Tackle an Astronaut Obstacle Course, snap a picture with Moonbase Mike, and sprout new ideas in a Grow Your Own Astronaut Garden workshop.
    • Special evening event (separate ticket): A Vision for Tomorrow by Arcadia Earth in The Saunders Planetarium at 6 and 7:15 p.m.
• Sunday – Stars
  • Get creative in the Build A Star Challenge, design a new stellar shape with a Toothpick Constellation, and craft your own Stellar Evolution Bracelets.
    • Special evening event (separate ticket): A Vision for Tomorrow by Arcadia Earth in The Saunders Planetarium at 6 and 7:15 p.m.
• Monday – Mars
  • Build a Mars Rover completely out of LEGO bricks and be wowed by the Creating Craters live science demonstration.
• Tuesday – Black Holes
  • Get sucked into a Black Hole Model demonstration and channel your inner space traveler to design Postcards from a Black Hole that you can take home.
• Wednesday – Asteroids & Comets
  • Using LEGO bricks, construct an Asteroid-Mining Machine, and discover how the universe works in the Make a Comet demonstration.
    • Special evening event (separate free registration): Science @ the Saunders and Space Trivia, featuring a Q&A with Dr. Mackenna Wood on “Living in Space,” from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
• Thursday – Rockets
  • Use the power of pressure to send Stomp Rockets into the air and, at the Rocket Clubs Demonstration, local rocket builders will show off the real rockets they’ve built and launched.
• Friday – Telescopes
  • Take a look (safely!) at the Sun through MOSI’s Solar Telescopes, plus see small telescopes on display and play with light from the stars in the Make a Filter Wheel workshop.
    • Two special evening events (separate tickets): SkyWatch stargazing with MOSI astronomers from 8 to 10 p.m. and James Hood’s Mesmerica in The Saunders Planetarium at 6, 7:15, and 8:30 p.m.

Start the countdown! Space Week offers a captivating experience for explorers of all ages, whether they come for one day or a whole week of adventure.

Tickets

Daytime activities are included with MOSI admission, so you can launch right into the fun. MOSI admission also includes one show in The Saunders Planetarium. For even more excitement, purchase tickets or register for special events where the night sky comes alive.

• MOSI admission: $20 for adults, $15 for kids ages 3-17
• MOSI members: Free
• Special event pricing varies, see mosi.org for details

Tickets are available at mosi.org

Learn More

About Dr. Mackenna Wood

Dr. Mackenna Wood is an astrophysicist and science communicator who directs MOSI’s Saunders Planetarium and Digital Dome Theatre. She previously conducted postdoctoral research at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research and contributed to multiple projects at Clarkson University, ranging from biochemical logic systems to photometry software.

Wood holds a PhD in Physics and Astronomy and an MS in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and she is dedicated to sharing the wonder of science through teaching, research, and public programs.

About MOSI, Tampa’s Museum of Science & Industry

MOSI is Tampa Bay’s center of science and innovation, located in North Tampa at 4801 E. Fowler Ave.

Welcome to the Museum of Science and Industry, where the wonders of science come to life. We are a hands-on science center dedicated to interactive learning and playful exploration. With engaging permanent and rotating exhibits and out of this world programming, MOSI makes science and technology accessible to all. Come join us on a journey of discovery and unlock the mysteries of the world around us.

Media & Press Contact

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