5 new, interactive exhibits for families at Long Island museums

New family-friendly museum exhibits are popping up all over Long Island. They’re where we can find cutting-edge flying electric vehicles, join a scavenger hunt, build a tower that can resist hurricanes, make our own crafts and much more.

“People need to go to museums to see others like them in paintings, in exhibitions and as part of history. It helps them think about their own possibilities,” says Joshua Ruff, deputy director of the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook.

With that in mind, here are five museums with inspiring summer exhibits.

CRADLE OF AVIATION MUSEUM

“There’s a revolution in aviation going on,” says Josh Stoff, museum curator. There are four personal air vehicles (known as PAVs) in the museum’s “The Future Is Now: Personal Flight” exhibit. You can stand a foot away from a small, electric airplane with wings that can hover like a helicopter, an electric flying motorcycle, a flying car, and an electric backpack.

Though it wouldn’t be safe for visitors to fly these vehicles around the museum, there is a simulator beside each one with the same aircraft controls so visitors can get a feel for the way they drive.

“It’s the first generation of these vehicles,” Stoff says. “They’re going to get better and better. They’re designed for recreation and simple transportation. Companies are developing air taxis that can fly two to four passengers … That will lead to flying cars.”

While you’re in the museum, have a seat in a new cockpit similar to the one in the Spirit of St. Louis, flown by Charles Lindbergh. Maneuver controls in the dashboard just the way he did.

DETAILS Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Garden City; 516-572-4111; cradleofaviation.org, exhibit is permanent; Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun. Closed on Mondays. Admission: Adults $16, $14 ages 2-12

LONG ISLAND CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

Visitors are invited to look at, talk about and create various types of art with artists who are members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, from June 27 through Labor Day weekend. Each week, a different artist from the group will introduce his/her art form. One week it might be beading, the next could be photography, followed by painting, and regalia for Shinnecock Nation celebrations.

Maureen Mangan, director of communications and marketing, explains the reason behind the unique scheduling: “Kids have a defined idea about what an artist might be. They might only think about painting. With rotating art forms, kids will understand art is made by a variety of people in a variety of ways.” Artists will present projects they’re working on, while kids will be offered materials to make their own versions. 

The exhibit includes interactive art activities, and a storytelling area where artists talk about the way environment, colors and feelings inspire them. It’s truly a multilevel art experience.

For an outdoor activity, families can visit the backyard gallery. There’s a sensory garden, interactive water-play area, weather boat and more. Kids will have hands-on experiences with wind, water and weather.

DETAILS: 11 Davis Ave, Garden City; 516-224-5800; licm.org. Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tues.-Fri, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.; closed Monday. June 27-Labor Day: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission: $15 ages 1-64

THE LONG ISLAND EXPLORIUM

In this interactive museum, the new “Seeking the Wisdom of the Stars” exhibit focuses on space and beyond. Visitors will explore the ways space, science and research help us understand the Earth and our role in the world. Guests will be able to control planets' orbit around the sun, map out a path of a moon rover and examine craters from meteor impacts, and search for water and ice on distant planets.

Math is on the mind this month at the Explorium, where new, interactive math activities will be held throughout the summer. This month, visitors can look into a huge kaleidoscope and explore how light and mirrors reflect objects and create patterns. 

Ethan Rodriguez, 8, of Huntington, says about the math exhibits, “I’m good at math, but it didn’t seem like a math game, it was just fun.” His mother, Lisa Rodriguez, the museum’s director of digital media, says, “This is what Explorium is all about. Fostering love of learning early on, so it will be a lifelong friend.”

DETAILS: 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson; 631-331-3277; longislandexplorium.org. Hours: 1-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun. Admission: $5

NASSAU COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART

A scavenger hunt accompanies a new museum exhibit: “The Supernatural in Art” (July 23-Nov. 6). Laura Lynch, director of education, describes the way the museum staff presents exhibits for all ages. “We feel kids can look at real art, not just children’s art. We don’t distinguish between the two. The 'Supernatural' exhibit will include surrealistic art, but it's not scary. It’s the real world in an imaginary way.”

To help kids take a closer look at the paintings, scavenger hunts are connected with the artwork. Kids might be asked to search the gallery for a windmill, stormy sea and a horse, or be asked, “What sounds would you hear if you were in this painting?”

DETAILS: One Museum Dr., Roslyn; 516-484-9338; nassaumuseum.org. Hours: Sculpture garden open daily 9 a.m. to dusk. Museum open 11 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Tues.-Sun. Admission: $15 adults, $5 ages 4-12. 

THE LONG ISLAND MUSEUM

Families are invited to explore two new exhibits. The first, “Two Centuries of Long Island Women Artists,” fills the gallery with paintings (abstracts, portraits, landscapes), as well as quilts, sculptures, collages, photographs and silk embroidery on linen — all created by women between 1800 and 2000. The museum's deputy director, Joshua Ruff, explains, “We have works from artists who have been painting from various stages of their careers.” That includes an 8-year-old girl’s silk embroidered linen from 1817, to an artist who continued painting until she was 82.

The gallery, open through Sept. 4, is designed to appeal to tweens, teens and adults. Beneath many of the pieces of art, there are labels with questions that will also inspire 8- to 10-year-olds. Ruff describes the heart behind the exhibit: “Women artists have been essential to art history in this region, and have had a tremendous impact everywhere. We wanted to present something that people can see, and help them dream big.” 

The second exhibit, “Atoms to Cosmos: The Story of Brookhaven National Laboratory,” is a celebration of the lab’s 75th birthday and an exploration of the place where scientists have made life-changing discoveries. It runs through Oct. 16.

One section of the exhibit includes equipment scientists in the lab used to create the first PET machine (position emission tomography). Brookhaven scientists also created equipment that led to the high-speed maglev trains around the world. The exhibit includes more than 100 artifacts, historic photographs, film and interactive components.

DETAILS: 1200 NY-25A, Stony Brook; 631-751-0066; longislandmuseum.org. Hours: noon-5 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. Admission: $10 adults, $5 ages 6-17.