Space Fest 2020
February 1 & 2
Join us for our annual celebration of the cosmos, 10 am–5 pm Saturday and Sunday! We’ll be exploring the many women in space science and their contributions to the field. There will be special guest speakers, science demonstrations, and hands-on astronomy activities all weekend long. Free with museum admission.
Pop into our classrooms for fun science and engineering activities. You’ll have a chance to build your own lander, experiment with paper rockets, train like an astronaut, create a pocket-sized solar system, and explore motion and expansion in our universe.
Learn more about current space research and interact with scientists throughout the museum. Students from the College of Engineering will share their work with tiny satellites and NASA educators will engage you in the world of solar system exploration. Throughout the day there will be engaging talks with experts and artists spanning everything from the work of NASA’s Goodard Space Flight Center to creating images of the night sky from your own backyard.
Free overflow parking and shuttle service is available in the back lot of the SPIRE Credit Union (2025 Larpenteur Ave W), a two-minute drive from the Bell.
Our January 31 Star Party kicks off Space Fest! Join us for free telescope observing and other activities.
Activities
Check out Katherine Johnson and Beyond: Celebrating Women in Space Science, an art installation that highlights trailblazing women in science, technology, engineering, and math through bold, colorful graphic art. A number of these pieces feature an interactive augmented reality component.
Hidden Figures, the best-selling book and movie, gave name and voice to the African American women who worked as “human computers” in the space program, particularly Katherine Johnson. This story inspired new efforts to shine light on the extraordinary, but often overlooked, work of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
We celebrate the contributions of women who have made incredible advances in the fields of astronomy, space science, and physics. We hope their contributions are hidden no more.
Katherine Johnson and Beyond is an excerpt of portraits from Beyond Curie, an exhibition celebrating 45 inspiring women in STEM created by neuroscientist-turned-designer Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya.
Near the installation, check out looping footage of the first all-female space walk! Children can join in the fun by creating their own art pieces.
Partners
Staci Tiedeken, outreach coordinator, Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Ever wonder what a piece of the Moon looks like or how a near-Earth asteroid feels? UMN alum Staci Tiedeken will discuss her career path and the exciting research that’s going on in the Solar System Exploration Division.
NASA Solar System Ambassadors
Learn more about recent discoveries in space science and upcoming milestones for NASA missions.
University of Minnesota Small Satellite Lab, Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics and the UMN Rocket Team
Explore space activities and interact with students from the College of Science and Engineering.
Mike Shaw, Bell resident artist and award-winning astrophotographer, author and speaker
Join us for Shaw’s talk, “Virtually” Experience the Minnesota Night Skies.
Theatre Pro Rata members
Visit with characters representing their Silent Sky production.
Annette Lee, astrophysicist, artist and director of the Native Skywatchers research and programming initiative
Planetarium Shows
Show times:
10:30 am—Minnesota Night Sky
11:15 am—Einstein’s Gravity Playlist
12 pm—Minnesota Night Sky
12:45 pm—Einstein’s Gravity Playlist
1:30 pm—Minnesota Night Sky
2:15 pm—Einstein’s Gravity Playlist
3 pm—Minnesota Night Sky
3:45 pm—Einstein’s Gravity Playlist
Click here to buy your tickets!
Einstein’s Gravity Playlist is an original planetarium show from Montana State University that explores the ripples in space-time known as gravitational waves. Join Lucia, a Ph.D. student in physics, on an exploration of how gravitational waves are formed, how they move through the universe, and how scientists like her work to hear them.
Minnesota Night Sky is a live tour of the night sky, showcasing the planets, stars, and seasonal constellations currently visible from Minnesota. Recommended for all ages.