Long Island Science Center Opens With Ribbon Cutting

RIVERHEAD, NY — The Long Island Science Center celebrated a joyful grand opening at a new location in town with a ribbon cutting last week.

The ceremony took place on Thursday, and guests in attendance were able to experience the all-new exhibits, including an augmented reality sandbox, virtual reality experiences, a handheld 3D pen station, an augmented reality coloring station, an 8'-wide lit pegboard — sort of like a giant "Lite Brite" — a magnetic ramp wall and a building room, according to the Long Island Science Center.

A grant from BNB Bank provided the funding needed to take over the new space, located at 40 Peconic Ave. The opening comes after a two-year hiatus, following a temporary relocation to Rocky Point; the facility was formerly located on W. Main St. at the site of what is now Peconic Crossing, a mixed use apartment development.

The grand opening celebrated the museum once again being open to the public. Winter hours are Wednesday to Friday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.km. Admission is $10, or visitors can join as a member for $125 annually and enjoy free admission and programs year-round. Special classes, camps and break programs can be found on the Long Island Science Center's website.

Guests at the ribbon cutting included New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele, Riverhead Town Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith, Riverhead Town Council members Jodi Giglio, Tim Hubbard, and Catherine Kent, Suffolk County East End Projects Coordinator August Ruckdeschel, Long Island Science Center Board members Ted Goldstein, Larry Oxman, Peter Wanderer, and Jeff Zahn and BNB Bank representatives David Barczak, Mimi Bristel, Kim Cioch, and Claudia Pilato, among many others.

The new Riverhead location is designed as a demo/exhibition space with technology and engagement in mind, said Oxman, president of the center's board, who was a driving force in the move back to Riverhead and the new technology driven offerings.

"The Long Island Science Center, with all new interactive exhibits, is challenging and engaging children and adults in science, technology, art, and innovation," Oxman said. "It is so rewarding to see the smiles and expressions of visitors as they experience the new hands-on exhibits, including virtual reality and augmented reality."

The Peconic Avenue location was previously occupied by BNB Bank, and the Long Island Science Center, in a release, noted that a "generous grant" from BNB Bank provided the funding needed to take over the space.

One of the highlights of the new space is an interactive, augmented reality exhibit of elaborately detailed Leonardo da Vinci models. The models, originally commissioned by IBM, were created by Roberto Guatelli and Joe Mirabella, the release said. Mirabella donated the collection to the Science Center.

The board said they hope the exhibition will allow visitors to draw parallels between da Vinci's revolutionary ideas and Long Island's own history of technological innovation in fields such as aerospace and engineering.

Additionally, the space features the augmented reality sandbox, where children and adults alike can dig and create real time topographical terrain while exploring subjects such as watershed and relief. There is also an interactive virtual reality experience where users choose options such as a trip under the sea to swim with dolphins, or an expedition to learn about dinosaurs.

Patch photos by Jim Lennon courtesy Long Island Science Center.