SciTech Museum offers sneak peek of new Digital StarLab April 1
SciTech Hands On Museum, 18 W. Benton St. in Aurora, will offer a sneak peek of its new Digital StarLab during the Downtown Aurora First Fridays event from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 1.
Thanks to a generous grant from the Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund in Kane County and Dr. Gina Santori, SciTech has a new Digital StarLab which will add dimension to its outreach program.
StarLab is the most widely used planetarium in the world. It will provide a universe of opportunity to many people in our area who previously did not have access to view the night sky as it was meant to be seen.
The Digital StarLab is a completely portable planetarium which can enhance a school's curriculum, scouting events, corporate events, museum overnights, etc. SciTech will begin taking bookings this summer. Visit www.scitechmuseum.org/starlabsneakpeek for more information.
This free event will include a grand opening ceremony, live music, appetizers and the opportunity for patrons to meet and mingle with community leaders and enjoy the StarLab.
Because of the size of the StarLab only the lower level of the museum will be open to the public during this event.
The StarLab has been creating memories long before any other portable planetarium. First invented in the late 1970s, it has had a long and colorful history. With it, over a million students have gotten their first, and in many cases only, in depth look at an unspoiled night sky. The world has changed over the past 30 years, and so has the sky. Light pollution is now a problem for virtually every student or amateur astronomer. It is rare to find students, at any grade level, who have regularly seen the Milky Way with their own eyes.
About Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund:
The Grand Victoria Riverboat Fund was established by the Kane County Board in 1997 under an agreement with the Elgin Riverboat Resort (Grand Victoria Riverboat). The agreement provides for an annual contribution to the county equal to 7.5 percent of the riverboat's annual net operating income. The Kane County Board utilizes Grand Victoria Riverboat funds to support a variety of projects and programs aimed at strengthening Kane County communities, promoting collaboration among area organizations, and providing long-term solutions to current problems facing Kane County residents.
About Dr. Santori:
Dr. Gina Santori and her late husband Rich are committed to the growth of technology and learning. Their philanthropic mission stems from a lifelong love of learning and the desire to see children benefit from advances they've sponsored in the Fox Valley area and worldwide. Some of these include the Rich and Gina Santori Public Library of Aurora, scholarship programs, the Rich and Gina Santori Charitable Foundation and www.yesyoucanlearn.org.
About First Fridays:
Free to visitors, Aurora Downtown offers a night of art, fun, music, dance, and community at local businesses and venues in downtown Aurora on the first Friday evening of the month. First Fridays in Downtown Aurora invites the community to enjoy art, music, food, theater, and more on the first Friday of the month. First Friday venues have staggered times ranging from 5 p.m. to midnight. For more information, visit www.auroradowntown.org/first-fridays-in-downtown-aurora/.
About SciTech:
The mission of SciTech Hands On Museum, a Science and Technology Center, is to inspire learning through creative, interactive activities and educational programs. Founded in 1987, SciTech provides the Chicago suburbs with more than 150 hands-on exhilarating and diverse STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) experiences. Open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, the museum encourages visitors of all ages to "Imagine, Explore and Discover."
Visit www.scitechmuseum.org.