Sci-Tech Center at the Zoo

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY)

With help from the community, the Sci-Tech Center is recovering from the devastating January flood of its Stone Street building. As part of that recovery, on July 6, Sci-Tech will formally open a display in the Conservation Center at Zoo New York in Thompson Park. Featuring many of Sci-Tech’s favorite interactive exhibits, the display will be open during regular Zoo hours, 10:00am to 5:00pm, at no additional charge to Zoo visitors, and will be referred to as “Sci-Tech at ZooNY.”

Executive Director Steve Karon stated that “this display will give our community the opportunity to continue participating in Sci-Tech’s family friendly and fun science experiences, while repairs continue on the horrendous damage to our own building.”

On January 5, 2023, a burst water main flooded Sci-Tech’s building at 154 Stone Street, with 3 feet of water in the basement. Along with the loss of historic artifacts, records, supplies, and exhibit components, the building itself was heavily damaged. Although heating and communications systems were badly impacted, the most severe damage was to the electrical room located beneath the Stone Street sidewalk. An electrical inspection determined that the electrical room was a total loss, and new service would need to be installed.

With the cooperation of National Grid, and outstanding support from NYTRIC Electrical Contractors, power was finally restored earlier this month, with a new service entry to the building, and new interior power panels. Now that the building has power, technicians for the heating, communication, water and mechanical systems are beginning to perform repairs on their areas of expertise.

Sci-Tech’s exhibit at Zoo New York will continue until repairs to its own building are completed, and it can again open the building to the public. In the meantime, Sci-Tech will also continue to offer a variety of additional programs and activities, such as its popular Telescopic Astronomy nights. Details for scheduled Sci-Tech activities can be found on the Sci-Tech website: www.scitechcenter.org

Although changing from time to time, some of the exhibits that will be displayed at Zoo New York will be the Gravity Wishing Well (which is already open near the Zoo’s admission desk), Hidden Sounds, the Hand Battery, the Giant Magnet, Optical Illusions, Stereo Hearing, the Garden of Smells, the Microscope, the Pipe Organ, Saving Energy, Everyone Is You and Me, Space Spinoffs, and more.

Throughout the summer, Sci-Tech will display a number of interactive tabletop activities at numerous local and regional fests, fairs, and events. Also, currently scheduled are 3 free summertime Telescopic Astronomy nights:

Wednesday, July 26 at 9:30pm, at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield

Thursday, July 27 at 9:30pm, at Thousand Island Park on Wellesley Island

Monday, August 28 at 9:00pm, at Thousand Island Park on Wellesley Island

Sci-Tech also plans a daytime observing session in Thompson Park the afternoon of Saturday, October 14, for a partial Solar Eclipse.