For Immediate Release
January 25, 2012
Contact: Susan Whitaker
518.382.7890 x 297     

Schenectady Museum Receives $7,658 Grant from New York State Council on the Arts for Artifact Storage Improvement Project

The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) has awarded a grant for $7,658 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium for its Artifact Storage Improvement Project, an initiative to improve the storage conditions of more than 10,000 artifacts in the Museum’s collection.

Specifically the grant will allow the Museum to add additional shelves to open storage units which will permit better usage of existing space, and to take optimal advantage of shelf height, doubling shelf capacity in some cases. The grant will also allow for new and existing shelves to be lined with polyethylene foam to help reduce vibration and movement of artifacts, and cover open storage units with muslin sheets to reduce exposure to dirt, dust, and light.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT.

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For Immediate Release
December 21, 2011
Contact: Susan Whitaker
518.382.7890 x 297  

Schenectady Museum Receives $3,000 Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network Grant

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium has received a $3,000 Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net) grant. The funds will be used to help cover the cost of integrating real-world examples of nanotechnology into the Museum’s existing exhibits through a “Nanotrail” of nanotechnology-related items and information.

“This project will excite visitors with information about careers in nanotechnology, and create linkages with existing nanotechnology programming at the Museum, such as school break activities, school field trips, educational curriculum, and teacher training workshops,” Grants & Annual Fund Coordinator Susanne Dorr said. “While a permanent exhibit is devoted to nanotechnology within the Museum’s 3,500 square-foot primary long-term exhibit Power House, the goal of this project is to expand the presence of nanotechnology information and create a “Nanotrail” through Power House that highlights the impact of nanotechnology on the other technologies featured within Power House.”

The Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net) is a national community of researchers and informal science educators dedicated to fostering public awareness, engagement, and understanding of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. The NISE Network community in the United States is led by 14 organizations, and includes hundreds of museums and universities nationwide. NISE Net was launched in 2005 with funding from the National Science Foundation, and received a five-year renewal in 2010.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release

December 12, 2011

Contact: Susan Whitaker

518-382-7890x297   

Schenectady Museum Announces December School Break Activities: Hands-on Science, Planetarium Shows, Model Trains

Visit the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium during December School Break for Hands-on Science Activities, Planetarium Shows, and Model Trains. The Museum will be open 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 27 through Friday, December 30 to accommodate area families whose children are enjoying school break.

Visit the Museum during school break for educator-led drop-in science activities, 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for challenges in the Museum’s FETCH! Lab, a place where kids can try activities like the ones they see on the PBS television show, FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman. Explore science, technology, engineering and math with Museum educators in these fun bonus hands-on activities.

The Suits-Bueche Planetarium will offer four shows each day during Break Week:

·        12:00 p.m.: ‘Tis the Season

·        1:00 p.m.:  The Sky Above Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

·        2:00 p.m.: ‘Tis the Season

·        3:00 p.m.: Seasonal Sky Tour

Shows at the Suits-Bueche Planetarium are powered by the only GOTO Chronos Star Projector in the northeast. Visitors see 8,500 stars on the Planetarium dome, close to the actual number of visible stars in the night sky. All shows are educator-led and include a look at the current night sky and the latest astronomy news.

The Model Trains will be running 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. See a 19 x 27-foot display of running O Gauge (Lionel) Model trains. Special thanks to the Upstate Train Associates for donating their model trains and their time.  Don’t miss this holiday favorite!

Hands-on Science Activities and Model Trains are FREE with Museum admission; add $4 for a Planetarium Show. The Museum is open 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 27 through Friday, December 30. The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  For more information, please call 518.382.7890 or visit SchenectadyMuseum.org. 

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For Immediate Release
December 8, 2011
Contact: Susan Whitaker
518.382.7890 x 297

Schenectady Museum Receives $1,000 IBM Community Grant for Little Wonders of Science Preschool Program

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium has received a $1,000 IBM Community Grant for its Little Wonders of Science preschool program. The funds will be used to help cover the cost of books that are distributed to program participants, materials for hands-on activities, and to help publicize the program.

Little Wonders of Science is a monthly preschool science and literacy program where a Museum Educator reads a story then introduces basic science concepts from the story through a fun craft. Participants receive a copy of the book and materials to continue the study of science at home. Little Wonders of Science is offered the third Thursday and Saturday of each month at 11:00 a.m. Some of this year’s topics are: astronomy and the night sky with Fancy Nancy Sees Stars; weather with Caps, Hats, Socks and Mittens; and floating and sinking with Curious George and the Boat Show.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-7890 • www.schenectadymuseum.org  • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release

December 8, 2011

Contact: Chris Hunter

518-382-7890x241  

See the Model Trains Run at the Schenectady Museum Beginning December 10

The popular model trains will be running for the first time this holiday season at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, December 10 & 11.  The trains will also run from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. December 17 & 18 and during School Break Week Tuesday – Friday, December 27 – 30; 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. December 31; and 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. January 7 & 8, 14 & 15, and 21 & 22. 

Each year, visitors from across the region and from neighboring states visit the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium to see the model trains run. This event has become a holiday favorite for visitors of all ages. Volunteers from the Upstate Train Associates construct an elaborate 19 by 27 foot display of running O Gauge model trains in front of the main entrance to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium. These are the trains most people know and love as the Lionel trains.

In addition to several model trains that run continuously, visitors can see a host of other items that have been added to the display over the years. These include an amusement park with Santa riding a roller coaster and a pair of children ice skating on a pond, a farm scene with horses and cows, and much more. The trains that load and unload their cargo of barrels, lumber, and other objects always delight visitors. And, there’s even a small working Thomas the Trains display, for those children who know and love the Thomas the Train character.  

“This display is one of the most popular events we host at the Museum each year,” explains Schenectady Museum Curator of Collections & Exhibitions Chris Hunter. “It’s wonderful to see families enjoy the model trains together. We see grandparents bring their grandchildren, and then tour them around the Museum pointing out objects, such as some of the first televisions and radios, and be able to share memories of what it was like when these technologies were brand new.”

Admission to see the Model Trains is free with Museum admission. The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  For more information, please call 518.382.7890 or visit www.SchenectadyMuseum.org. 

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For Immediate Release
December 7, 2011
Contact: Susan Whitaker
518.382.7890 x 297

Schenectady Museum Receives $1,000 Grant from Pitney Bowes Business Insight

Pitney Bowes Business Insight has awarded a grant for $1,000 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

This funding is granted for the 2011-2012 school year and will help to provide in-school classroom presentations, discounted or free admissions and program fees, and/or transportation assistance. This funding will allow the Museum to provide grants to schools in Tech Valley that serve high populations of low-income families and local community organizations that serve low-income families.

Pitney Bowes Business Insight is a software and services company that provides solutions to help organizations acquire, serve and grow relationships with customers and citizens. These solutions enable lifetime customer relationships by integrating data management, location intelligence, sophisticated predictive analytics, rules-based decision making and cross-channel customer interaction management to increase the value of every customer communication while also delivering operational efficiencies.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
November 29, 2011
Contact: Chris Hunter
  518.382.7890 241

Schenectady Museum Receives $3,470 and New Demonstrates Searchable Database at Second Event in 3-Year Campaign to Preserve GE Schenectady Works News

The Schenectady Museum received $3,470 at Preserving and Digitizing Schenectady Works News, its second event held November 15 in a three-year campaign to preserve a collection of General Electric employee newsletters, the Schenectady Works News, printed from 1917 to 1985. The evening also included a demonstration of the first microfilmed and digitized editions of the Works News, from 1934 to 1952.

The funds raised include $1,745 from individuals and $1,725 in matching funds from General Electric. The three-year campaign aims to secure a total of $36,000 to preserve the entire collection of newsletters. In 2010, a total of $18,145 was raised: an $8,245 New York State Library grant, a $5,000 gift from General Electric, and $2,450 from individuals with another $2,450 in matching funds from General Electric.

One of the most valuable and popular collections in the Museum’s Archives, the Schenectady Works News newsletters are a rich source of information about the life of everyday employees and the relationships of one of the United States’ largest and most enduring corporations with its employees and its community. The GE employee newsletters attract researchers from around the world, who are often frustrated by the physical condition of the newsletters and the absence of indexing. The preservation campaign will include microfilming and digitizing the entire collection and ensuring that the newsletter text will be searchable on the computer.

To date, funds raised have allowed the Museum to microfilm and digitize issues of the Schenectady GE Works News from 1934 to 1952, which covers much of the Great Depression, World War II, and the post-war boom. There are currently about 12,000 pages searchable in the database. The database is currently available by appointment in the Museum Archives. By early next year, the database will be available online.

Museum Trustees Dr. Howard R. Hart, Jr. and Dr. James M. Lommel served as guest chairmen of the initial fundraising event. Museum Executive Director Kerry M. Orlyk welcomed an enthusiastic gathering of current and retired GE employees, Museum members, and Museum Trustees with a keen interest in the history of GE. Museum Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Chris Hunter delivered a special presentation, Digitizing Films, Photos, Records, and the GE Works News at the Schenectady Museum.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
November 8, 2011
Contact: Susan Whitaker
518.382.7890 x 297

WMHT, SI Group, U Albany, Union College, and Schenectady HS Junior ROTC Volunteers Wowed a Crowd of 700 during ZOOM Into Science FETCH!stival presented by GE November 5 at the Schenectady
Museum

WMHT, SI Group, U Albany, Union College, and Schenectady High School Junior ROTC volunteers wowed a crowd of 700 children and families during ZOOM Into Science FETCH!stival presented by GE. The volunteers, along with Museum educators and staff, presented an afternoon of science stations and activity zones inspired by popular PBS kids’ television programs November 5 at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium.

ZOOM Into Science volunteers made science come to life in a series of experiments and activities, such as designing and building domes out of gum drops and toothpicks; exploring chemistry by making sticky, gooey slime; discovering engineering by constructing a structure of cups as tall as possible; robotics, energy, and nanotechnology demonstrations; and special Planetarium shows throughout the day. 

ZOOM Into Science FETCH!stival was sponsored by: GE, Lead Dog Sponsor; WMHT, Media Dog Sponsor; CDPHP, Pitney Bowes, SI Group and William Gundry Broughton Charitable Private Foundation, Inc., Sci-Dog Sponsors.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
November 7, 2011
Contact: Susanne Dorr
518.382.7890 x 245

Schenectady Museum Receives $400 Grant from Rotary Club of Schenectady Foundation for Little Wonders of Science Preschool Program

Rotary Club of Schenectady Foundation Inc. has awarded a grant for $400 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium for its Little Wonders of Science preschool program. The funds will be used to purchase books that are distributed to program participants.

Little Wonders of Science is a monthly preschool science and literacy program where a Museum Educator reads a story then introduces basic science concepts from the story through a fun craft. Participants receive a copy of the book and materials to continue the study of science at home. Little Wonders of Science is offered the third Thursday and Saturday of each month at 11:00 a.m. Some of this year’s topics are: astronomy and the night sky with Fancy Nancy Sees Stars; weather with Caps, Hats, Socks and Mittens; and floating and sinking with Curious George and the Boat Show.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
September 28, 2011
Contact: Megan Dominguez
518.382.7890 x 227

Over 100 Schenectady 8^th Graders Visited Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium for KAPL Science Day

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium hosted KAPL Science Day September 28. 

KAPL Science Day was attended by over 100 visitors, including students from the Schenectady City School District’s Oneida, Central Park, Mont Pleasant and King Schools.

Volunteers from Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL) and staff from the Schenectady Museum & Planetarium served as presenters for the day. Visitors explored celestial navigation, electricity, magnetism, motors, generators, and nuclear energy. There was also a special presentation by Capt. Brian Fort on the Energy in the Navy.  A celebration of math, science, and technology, KAPL Science Day inspires young people to be interested in these topics for study and work.

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For Immediate Release
September 6, 2011
Contact: Susanne Dorr 
 518.382.7890 x 245 

Schenectady Museum Receives $1,500 Grant from Transfinder for Field Trip Transportation Assistance

Transfinder has awarded a grant for $1,500 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, to provide field trip transportation assistance during the 2011-2012 school year for underserved youth in Schenectady County whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent a visit to the Museum. 

“We are delighted to partner with Transfinder; this grant helps the Schenectady Museum offer financial assistance to schools that might not otherwise be able to afford to send children to the Museum for a field trip,” noted Schenectady Museum Executive Director Kerry Orlyk. “Transfinder's support is critical to the Museum as research increasingly supports the importance of informal learning environments, like the Schenectady Museum, helping children stay engaged in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).”

About Transfinder
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Schenectady, New York, Transfinder is a national leader in student transportation management and communication systems and services, offering routing and scheduling solutions for optimal transportation logistics. A business partner of MapInfo Corporation, Transfinder applies MapInfo's industry-leading mapping technology and database management to deliver superior transportation and logistics management solutions. Transfinder products allow school districts to manage bus routes, provide safe and efficient student transportation, and to access a wealth of critical district information. For more information, visit www.transfinder.com.

About Schenectady Museum
Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
August 24, 2011
Contact: Susanne Dorr
518.382.7890 x 245 

Schenectady Museum Receives $750 Grant from Schenectady Insuring Agency for Powering the Future: The STEM Fund

Schenectady Insuring Agency has awarded a grant for $750 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund. This funding will assist underserved youth from elementary schools in the Schenectady City School District participating in the Museum’s educational programming through discounted admissions and/or transportation assistance during the 2011-2012 school year.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
August 23, 2011
Contact: Susanne Dorr
518.382.7890 x 245   

Museum Receives $2,500 Grant from Stewart’s Shops for Powering the Future: The STEM Fund

Stewart’s Shops has awarded a grant for $2,500 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, to provide field trip transportation assistance during the 2011-2012 school year for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent participation.  

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 25,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
July 13, 2011
Contact: Susanne Dorr
518.382.7890 x 245

Schenectady Museum Receives $250 Grant from WGY Christmas Wish for Powering the Future: The STEM Fund

WGY Christmas Wish has awarded a grant for $250 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides free or reduced admission and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent participation.

WGY has accepted donations for its Christmas Wish program for the past 30 years. The program benefits children 19 years and under in the Great Northeast. Special emphasis is given to critical care services and recreational programs for ill, underprivileged and homeless children.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
July 7, 2011
Contact: Susanne Dorr
518.382.7890 x 245

Schenectady Museum Receives $10,000 Grant from the William Gundry Broughton Charitable Private Foundation, Inc. for FETCH! Lab

The William Gundry Broughton Charitable Private Foundation, Inc. has awarded a grant for $10,000 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium to help fund the Museum’s FETCH! Lab, a place where kids can try science and engineering challenges like the ones they see on the PBS television show, FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman. This award will be used to assist the Museum with FETCH! Lab program staff, new activity development, supplies and materials, program promotion, and other activities.

The Museum offers six hours of hands-on activities in the FETCH! Lab each week, Thursday through Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Activities change weekly and include: Rescue Mission, where young scientists design hooks to retrieve capsules submerged in water; Motion Picture, where young scientists create thaumatropes – optical illusion toys that make two pictures look like one; and Blow It Away, where young scientists design and build a vehicle that is part sailboat and part car. The FETCH! Lab approach to problem solving encourages brainstorming solutions, making predictions, testing and revising ideas and sharing success.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
July 7, 2011
Contact: Chris Hunter
518.382.7890 x 241

Schenectady Museum Receives $6,840 Grant from the National Institute for Conservation’s Heritage Preservation Program

The National Institute for Conservation’s Heritage Preservation Program has awarded a grant for $6,840 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium to help fund collections preservation initiatives.

This funding will assist the Museum in improving collections care, developing a long-range preservation/conservation plan for collections, improving environmental conditions, and increasing staff awareness of collections preservation concerns. The Museum will also participate in the 2011 Conservation Assessment Program.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release

June 6, 2011

Contact: Megan Dominguez

518.382.7890 x 227

Invention Convention 2011 Awards Ceremony Honored Student Inventors at Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium May 26

A reception and awards ceremony for Invention Convention 2011 was held May 26 at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium during which 100 student inventors were recognized as regional semi-finalists, and 28 students were announced as state finalists from over 1,300 student submissions.

Invention Convention is an annual invention competition open to Capital District students in kindergarten through eighth grade.  Students are invited to submit an original idea for an invention that solves a problem they have encountered in their lives.  The top 100 entries are then invited to create a model of their invention.  A panel of patent attorneys and engineers chose the 100 semi-finalists based on creativity, originality, complexity, innovation, practicality, and impact. 

The following are Invention Convention 2011 sponsors: Innovator – GE Volunteers; Inventors – MVP Healthcare, Time Warner Cable; Problem Solvers – M & T Bank, Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation; Tinkerers – 1^st Playable Productions, LLC, Berkshire Bank, Eastern New York Intellectual Property Law Association, Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C., Hoffman Warnick LLC, New York State United Teachers, Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts LLP.

The 26 state finalists represent 14 schools in the Capital Region:

Albany Academies: Will Fitzgerald, Icicles-B-Gone; Ballard Elementary School: Courtney Bain, Clothing Organizer App;  Adam Basile, HearRing; Abigail Corentto, The Booster Seat Foot Rest; Zachary LaFave, The Every Skate; Berne-Knox-Westerlo Middle School: Patrick Farnan, R.each N.o M.ore Cabinet; Stephanie Mason, No Excuse to Miss the Bus; Doane Stuart School: Connor Danz, The Lego Sorter; Draper Middle School: Austen Blanchard, Shoe Hooks; East Hill Elementary School: Madeline Elliott, Catcher Cone; Elmer Avenue Elementary School: Alyssa Harrynanan, All Around the World Dolls; Harrison Avenue Elementary School: Madison Ruby, Doggie Doorbell; Lake Avenue Elementary School: Kathryn Grabowski and Tess Turner, The Aroma Spraying Alarm Clock; Leora Cohen-Togor and Brynna Hill, Lightning Power Generator; Lake George Elementary School: Maxim Paszko, Robotic Wheel Chair; Oliver Winch Middle School: Thomas King, The Scan-Locked Gun; Andrew Williams, Flick Lock Crutches; Scotia-Glenville Middle School: Carson Rowe, Electric Steering Wheel Hand Warmer; St. Mary’s Catholic School – Waterford:  Anthony Atalla, Paint Pro; Krystin Messier, Shop With Ezzz!; Emily Spoor, Bend-A-Hanger; West Sand Lake Elementary School: Michael Beskid, Permanent Hidden Holiday Lights; Nicholas John DonVito, Armor Pants; James Finelli, Pet Safety Collar; Megan Hale, The Beeping Fish Pole; Nicholas Zalucky, H20 H20 H20 Hose.

About Invention Convention

Invention Convention was originally developed as part of the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration through the New York State Alliance for Arts. Over time, the Alliance moved out of direct programming for children toward arts advocacy and professional development for teachers.

In 1997, two GE patent attorneys approached the Alliance about reinstating Invention Convention in the Capital Region. The Alliance opted not to be involved, but directed them to the Schenectady Museum. The Museum took on the program, given the strong connection with its mission and collections. A planning committee with members from GE and the Museum was formed, along with representatives from Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts LLP, Eastern New York Intellectual Property Law Association, and later Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. The team has been dedicated to engaging students in the innovation process for more than 10 years. Participation has increased steadily from 167 in 1998 to 1,336 this year.

In 2003, three separate divisions were established for separate judging by grade level: Edison (K-2), Steinmetz (3-5) and Coolidge (6-8). The number of semifinalists in each division is proportionate to the total number of entries per division.

About the Schenectady Museum
Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308

Phone: 518.382.7890 • Fax: 518.382.7893

For Immediate Release
May 10, 2011
Contact: MeMary Ellen Hern 
518.382.7890 x 232

Invention Convention 2011 at Schenectady Museum Showcases Top 100 Student Inventions from Over 1300 Submissions

Invention Convention 2011 at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is now open and features the top 100 student inventions chosen from over 1,300 submissions. Invention Convention is an annual student invention competition open to Capital District students from grades K through eight from both public and private schools. Students are invited to submit an original idea for an invention that solves a problem. The top 100 entries are then invited to create a model of their concept. These inventions are on display at the Museum through May 26, 2011.

Students were invited to submit a proposal of an original idea for a device or a method for solving a problem that can occur in the environment, in technology or industry, in the classroom, home or even during leisure time activities. This year 1,336 entries were received, a dramatic increase from the 167 received in 1998, according to Education Manager Megan Dominguez. A volunteer team of scientists, patent lawyers and other professionals from the community evaluated the submissions and chose the top 100 entries. 

“At the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, our goal is to be the best informal Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) learning organization in Tech Valley. Toward that end, we are the only science center in the Capital Region to offer Invention Convention, which stimulates creativity and imagination and promotes the study of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Teaching students how to invent and apply problem-solving skills helps nurture the next generation of inventors and scientists,” notes Museum Education Manager Megan Dominguez.

The Regional Awards Ceremony will be Thursday, May 26 at 6:00 p.m. at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium to celebrate the 100 student inventor semi-finalists and to

announce 25 finalists. General Electric (GE) Global Research Photovoltaic Engineer Todd Tolliver will deliver a special presentation entitled Solar and the Need for Innovation at the ceremony.

Since starting work at GE Global Research more than nine years ago, Mr. Tolliver has worked on projects involving fiber optic (FO) network design, analog FO links, polymer waveguides, and polymer-based interferometers. Most recently, he has spent the last six years working in the field of photovoltaics investigating technologies in both devices and modules. He has lead a multidisciplinary team developing high efficiency silicon solar cells and was the principal investigator for GE’s Solar America Initiative program. After recently leading an effort in flexible packaging of thin film solar cells, Mr. Tolliver is currently leading development of back contact processes for thin film modules. He currently holds 11 patents and has published 22 journal articles and conference papers.

The following are Invention Convention 2011 sponsors: Innovator – GE Volunteers; Inventors – MVP Healthcare, Time Warner Cable; Problem Solvers – M & T Bank, Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation; Tinkerers – 1^st Playable Productions, LLC, Berkshire Bank, Eastern New York Intellectual Property Law Association, Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C., Hoffman Warnick LLC, New York State United Teachers, Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts LLP.

About Invention Convention
Invention Convention was originally developed as part of the Kennedy Center Imagination Celebration through the New York State Alliance for Arts. Over time, the Alliance moved out of direct programming for children toward arts advocacy and professional development for teachers.

In 1997, two GE patent attorneys approached the Alliance about reinstating Invention Convention in the Capital Region. The Alliance opted not to be involved, but directed them to the Schenectady Museum. The Museum took on the program, given the strong connection with its mission and collections. A planning committee with members from GE and the Museum was formed, along with representatives from Schmeiser, Olsen & Watts LLP, Eastern New York Intellectual Property Law Association, and later Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. The team has been dedicated to engaging students in the innovation process for more than 10 years. Participation has increased steadily from 167 in 1998 to 1,336 this year.

In 2003, three separate divisions were established for separate judging by grade level: Edison (K-2), Steinmetz (3-5) and Coolidge (6-8). The number of semifinalists in each division is proportionate to the total number of entries per division.

About the Schenectady Museum
Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
April 13, 2011
Contact: Megan Dominguez
518.382.7890 x 227

STEM Education Teacher Training Workshop at Schenectady Museum April 21

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is hosting a free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Education Teacher Training Workshop Thursday, April 21 at 9:00 a.m. at the Museum. The STEM Teacher Training Workshop is sponsored by the Time Warner Cable Connect a Million Minds initiative.

Participants will enjoy a networking breakfast and explore ways to teach STEM with presentations by Museum educators. After lunch, teachers and their families can observe demonstrations and activities throughout the Museum, and collect ideas and handouts to take back to their classrooms. Call 518.382.7890 x 227 to register.

As part of our collaborative efforts to inspire children in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is proud to provide informal science education training workshops for educators across Tech Valley and beyond. The ideas that we share with teachers are designed to demonstrate new ways to introduce these, often daunting, concepts to their students in the classroom.

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady. Admission to the workshop is free.

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For Immediate Release
April 13, 2011
Contact: Megan Dominguez
518.382.7890 x 227

April Break Activities at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Where Science is Fun for Everyone!

If you’re looking for something fun to do during April School Break, come to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, where science is fun for everyone!  Explore science through hands-on activities, Planetarium Shows with the GOTO Star Projector, FETCH! Lab activities, and Science Discovery Demos. And, A Tribute to ALCO Locomotives and Fuel Cell Technology, a Fueling the Future exhibit update are opening April 21.

The Museum will be open 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, April 16 & 17 and Saturday, April 23, and 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday & Friday, April 21 & 22 with special programming for children and their families during April School Break.

The Museum will offer special hands-on science activities 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. Thursday, April 21 – Saturday, April 23. Have fun exploring science with Museum educators.   

The Suits-Bueche Planetarium will offer three shows each day:

·       1:00 p.m.:  The Sky Above Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: Fred Rogers and his Neighborhood of Make-Believe friends explore the wonders of the sky in this first-visit Planetarium show geared to pre-school audiences.

·       2:00 p.m.: Light Years from Andromeda: Take a journey between two galaxies that spans human history and explains cosmic distances and light speed. Narrated by Michael Dorn, Worf of Star Trek.

·       3:00 p.m.: Seasonal Sky Tour: A live narration of the stars, constellations and planets visible in the current night sky. This 45 minute program also takes a look at current events happening in astronomy.

Shows at the Suits-Bueche Planetarium are powered by the GOTO Chronos Star Projector, one of only 12 such star machines in the United States and the only one in the northeast. Visitors see 8,500 stars on the Planetarium dome, close to the actual number of visible stars in the night sky. And, all Shows at the Schenectady Museum's Suits-Bueche Planetarium include a look at the current night sky and the latest astronomy news.

After a Planetarium Show, stop by the FETCH! Lab. Recreating the colorful, energetic feel of the PBS TV show, FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman, the Museum’s FETCH! Lab is a place where kids can try hands-on science and engineering challenges like the ones they see on the show. Instead of just watching FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman on television, come to the Museum’s FETCH! Lab and try the science and engineering challenges yourself.

The FETCH! Lab will be open 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. with the following activities:

• Canine House of Cards (Saturday & Sunday, April 16 & 17): Build a structure out of paper that is strong enough to support the weight of a jumbo dog biscuit in this engineering challenge.

• Blow It Away (Thursday – Saturday, April 21 - 23): Make a traveling breeze with a vehicle that is part car and part sailboat this engineering challenge.

And, visitors can enjoy Science Discovery Demos 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, April 16 & 17 and Saturday, April 23, where they can learn about producing energy from renewable and non-renewable sources. Enjoy an educator-led bonus educational opportunity at the Museum.

While you’re at the Museum, check out A Tribute to ALCO Locomotives, which opens 21. Explore the contributions of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Schenectady in this new display. Discover the history of steam and diesel locomotives as well as Schenectady’s continuing contributions to the transportation industry.

And, explore Fuel Cell Technology, a Fueling the Future exhibit update, opening April 21. Learn how fuel cells work and why they are important for our future energy consumption! See a GenSys Fuel Cell with the exterior panel removed so you can see inside, schematic drawings, and an interactive element illustrating how the fuel cell operates. This upgrade to the Museum’s Fueling the Future exhibit is sponsored by National Grid.

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  April Break hands-on science activities, FETCH! Lab activities, and Science Discovery Demos are free with Museum admission; add $4 for Planetarium Show. For more information, call 518.382.7890 or visit SchenectadyMuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release
March 29, 2011
Contact: Chris Hunter
    518.382.7890 x 241 

Schenectady Museum Awarded $25K Save America’s Treasures Grant
to Preserve 1878 Edison Tinfoil Recording

The Schenectady Museum has been awarded a Save America’s Treasures grant of $25,735 to preserve a tinfoil recording created by Thomas Edison on June 22, 1878 in St. Louis, Missouri.

This recording is likely the second oldest surviving recorded voice of an American made using an Edison phonograph; however, its contents are unknown because the recording cannot be safely played. The Schenectady Museum will use the grant to fund the recovery of the sound using a non-contact optical scanning process that will allow the sound to be copied from the tinfoil.

“It is exciting to have a part of the Schenectady Museum Archives preserved and recognized for what it is: one of America’s great treasures.  This is the most prestigious preservation grant in the United States,” said Chris Hunter, Schenectady Museum Curator of Collections & Exhibitions.

The Museum is among 61 Save America’s Treasures grant awardees who will receive a total of $14.3 million in funding. The Save America’s Treasures program addresses the urgent preservation needs of the nation’s most significant historic sites and collections. The program is administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

“The grants awarded today include funds to conserve, and recover the sound from, an 1878 tinfoil phonograph recording made by Thomas Edison, as well as resources to provide for the long-term preservation of digital materials documenting the events of September 11,” said NEH Chairman Jim Leach. “Save America’s Treasures ensures that future generations will have access to objects, recordings, and artifacts that define American history.”

Since 1999, the program has awarded 1,287 grants totaling almost $300 million to preserve nationally significant and endangered historic structures, places, collections, artifacts, and artistic works in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. These grants have leveraged another almost $400 million in matching funds through efforts of the individuals, communities and the leadership of the program’s private partner, Save America’s Treasures at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Schenectady Museum Archives is one of the premier collections on the history of technology and its impact on society. With over 1.6 million images that date from the 1850s to the present, the collection’s strengths are many and include photography and film, radio and television film and images, and materials relating to marketing of consumer products as well as medical, power generation and the turbine. Collections from General Electric and the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) give a vivid picture of those companies’ international impact. Audio recordings in the collection include rare radio recordings, Edison wax cylinders, and the Edison tinfoil recording from 1878.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
March 23, 2011
Contact: Susan Whitaker
518.382.7890 x 297

NanoDays at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is part of a nationwide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science and engineering. Visitors can explore nanotechnology, the science of building things at the atomic level, at the Museum 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31 through Sunday, April 3. Museum educators will lead nano demonstrations and hands-on activities.

“The Schenectady Museum is thrilled to be participating in NanoDays again this year,” notes Schenectady Museum Education Manager Megan Dominguez. “We are continually looking for ways to augment our informal science education offerings and our four days of special nanotechnology programming will be a fun way for children and families to learn about an area of science so small you can’t even see it!”

NanoDays is organized by the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net), and takes place nationally from March 26 through April 3, 2011. This community-based event is the largest public outreach effort in nanoscale informal science education and involves science museums, research centers, and universities from Puerto Rico to Alaska.

NanoDays celebrations bring university researchers together with science educators to create unique new learning experiences for both children and adults to explore the miniscule world of atoms, molecules, and nanoscale forces. NanoDays events combine fun hands-on activities with current research. A range of exciting NanoDays programs demonstrates the special and unexpected
properties found at the nanoscale level, examine tools used by nanoscientists, showcase nano materials with spectacular promise, and invite discussion of technology and society.

About the Schenectady Museum
Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

More about Nano and NISE Network
Many scientists and engineers believe that advances in nanotechnology have the potential to bolster the U.S. economy through innovations providing clean, secure, affordable energy, techniques to clean up hazardous chemicals in the environment, and medical devices and drugs to detect and treat diseases more effectively and with fewer side effects. Despite this promise, the public knows little about research and development being carried out today by 25 departments and agencies of the federal government and by universities and corporations in their own communities.

Originally launched by the Museum of Science in Boston, the Science Museum of Minnesota, and San Francisco's Exploratorium, the NISE Network is now led by 14 museums and universities across the nation. In 2005, an initial grant funded formation of NISE Network to collaboratively develop and distribute innovative approaches to engaging Americans in nanoscale science and engineering. The NISE Network has won its second five-year $21 million grant from the National Science Foundation allowing partners to continue the work of the NISE Net into the next decade.

Through activities like NanoDays, the NISE Network is actively building partnerships between science museums and research centers to increase their capacity to engage the public in learning about nanoscale science and engineering. In addition to the individual museums and research centers, two major professional organizations–the Materials Research Society and the Association of Science-Technology Centers—support the NISE Network and annual NanoDays activities.

For more information about NISE Net, please visit http://www.nisenet.org/nanodays.
For more information about Nano please visit http://www.whatisnano.org.

This project is based on work supported by the NSF under Award Numbers ESI-05322536 and 0940143. NanoDays™ is trademarked by North Carolina State University and used by NISE Net with permission.

For Immediate Release
March 3, 2011
Contact: Megan Dominguez
518.382.7890 x 227

Schenectady Museum Announces March Scout Workshops

If you’re working on a Scout badge by yourself or together with your troop, come to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Beuche Planetarium this March for workshops led by Museum educators and utilizing the Museum’s vast Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) resources, such as the Planetarium’s GOTO Star Machine!

The Museum will offer three Scout Workshops during March:

• Boy Scout Space Exploration Workshop
  Thursday, March 17, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
  Learn about the history and future of space exploration. See discoveries made from manned and unmanned spacecraft and learn about the space shuttle. To complete Boy Scout badge requirements, attend the workshop and complete the downloaded Space Exploration work packet. When finished, schedule a time to review it with a Merit Badge Counselor to have Blue Cards signed. $8 per scout / $4 per adult
• Girl Scout Math Whiz Workshop
  Friday, March 18, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
  Math is everywhere! Create and decipher codes, hunt for geometric shapes, and strategize on how to solve math puzzles. Discover numbers in yourselves! $9 per scout (includes badge) / $4 per adult
• Cub Scout Science Belt Loop Workshop
  Friday, March 25, 6:00 – 8:15 p.m. or Saturday, March 26, 9:30 – 11:45 a.m.
  Learn about different kinds of science and scientists with a Planetarium show, and exciting hands-on activities. $8 per scout (Belt Loop not included) / $4 per adult

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  Registration is required. For more information or to register, call 518.382.7890 x224 or visit SchenectadyMuseum.org.

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-7890 • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release
February 15, 2011
Schenectady Museum Contact: Chris Hunter
518.382.7890 x241
National Grid Contact: Patrick Stella
518.433.3838

Schenectady Museum Receives $8,000 National Grid Grant for Fueling the Future Exhibit

Schenectady, N.Y. -- National Grid has awarded an $8,000 grant to the Schenectady Museum to design and install an update to the existing Fueling the Future exhibit. The updated exhibit will focus on fuel cell technology and is targeted for completion in April 2011.

The centerpiece of the new 50-square-foot permanent updated exhibit will be a GenSys Fuel Cell, with the external cover removed so visitors can view the interior, as well as schematic drawings and an interactive element illustrating how the fuel cell operates.

“The Schenectady Museum is excited about the National Grid grant to update our Fueling the Future exhibit,” Schenectady Museum Executive Director Kerry Orlyk said. “This grant will allow us to explain fuel cell technology in an interactive, engaging manner and help us fulfill our mission: to inspire a sense of wonder about extraordinary scientific and technological developments past, present, and future.”

The grant reflects National Grid’s Engineering Our Future initiative, designed to inspire youth and attract and develop engineers for tomorrow’s workforce. Through the program, National Grid has chosen various community initiatives that support that goal.

"At National Grid we believe in giving back to the communities in which we serve, in particular, in the areas of education and the environment," said Loretta Smith, director of Corporate Citizenship at National Grid. "Working with the Schenectady Museum gives us the opportunity to help train the environmental leaders of tomorrow and further advance our Engineering Our Future initiative to inspire youth to pursue science, technology, engineering and math skills," she added.

The updated Schenectady Museum exhibit will also include information on:
§          Union College fuel cell installation and partnership among Plug Power, National Grid, Union College, Ballston Spa School District and the Museum;
§           Why fuel cells are important for our future energy consumption; 
§            Fuel cell manufacturing, power companies and collaborations to deliver smarter energy to home consumers; and
§          Early fuel cells used in the NASA Gemini program, featuring artifacts and photos from the Museum’s archives.

A new 32-inch flat screen monitor will also show video on fuel cell technology and local housing educational and promotional materials.

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About the Schenectady Museum
Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

For Immediate Release
February 10, 2011
Contact: Megan Dominguez
518.382.7890 x 227

February Break Activities at the Schenectady Museum &
Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Where Science is Fun for Everyone!

If you’re looking for something fun to do during February School Break, come to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, where science is fun for everyone!  Explore science through hands-on activities, Planetarium Shows with the GOTO Star Projector, FETCH! Lab activities, and Science Discovery Demos.

The Museum will be open 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, February 19 & 20, Saturday & Sunday, February 26 & 27, and 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday & Friday, February 24 & 25 with special programming for children and their families during February School Break.

The Museum will offer special hands-on science activities 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. Thursday, February 24 – Sunday, February 27. Have fun exploring science with Museum educators.   

The Suits-Bueche Planetarium will offer three shows each day:

·       1:00 p.m.:  The Sky Above Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: Fred Rogers and his Neighborhood of Make-Believe friends explore the wonders of the sky in this first-visit Planetarium show geared to pre-school audiences.

·       2:00 p.m.: Light Years from Andromeda: Take a journey between two galaxies that spans human history and explains cosmic distances and light speed. Narrated by Michael Dorn, Worf of Star Trek.

·       3:00 p.m.: Seasonal Sky Tour: A live narration of the stars, constellations and planets visible in the current night sky. This 45 minute program also takes a look at current events happening in astronomy.

Shows at the Suits-Bueche Planetarium are powered by the GOTO Chronos Star Projector, one of only 12 such star machines in the United States and the only one in the northeast. Visitors see 8,500 stars on the Planetarium dome, close to the actual number of visible stars in the night sky. And, all Shows at the Schenectady Museum's Suits-Bueche Planetarium include a look at the current night sky and the latest astronomy news.

After a Planetarium Show, stop by the FETCH! Lab. Recreating the colorful, energetic feel of the PBS TV show, FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman, the Museum’s FETCH! Lab is a place where kids can try hands-on science and engineering challenges like the ones they see on the show. Instead of just watching FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman on television, come to the Museum’s FETCH! Lab and try the science and engineering challenges yourself.

The FETCH! Lab will be open 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. with the following activities:

• Potion Commotion (Saturday & Sunday, February 19 & 20): Water and oil don't mix, but watch what happens when you add the fizz factor in this chemistry challenge.
• Rescue Mission (Thursday – Sunday, February 24 – 27): Design a hook and retrieve a capsule submerged in water in this engineering challenge.

And, visitors can enjoy Science Discovery Demos weekends 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. where they can learn all about light waves. Enjoy an educator-led bonus educational opportunity at the Museum.

While you’re at the Museum, check out Our Favorite Things on exhibit through April 23. For this exhibit, Museum staff, trustees, and volunteers chose artifacts from the Museum’s permanent collection that hold special meaning to them and tell a story. These stories combine to tell the story of how science and technology helped shape the development of Schenectady and Tech Valley over the last 125 years. See the Centurion Robot, an array of old toasters, a man-made diamond, and more!

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  February Break hands-on science activities, FETCH! Lab activities, and Science Discovery Demos are free with Museum admission; add $4 for Planetarium Show. For more information, call 518.382.7890 or visit SchenectadyMuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release
January 25, 2011
Contact: Mary Ellen Hern
518.382.7890 x 232

Schenectady Museum Announces New Hours of Operation: Open Sundays Starting February 1

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium announces the following new hours of operation beginning February 1, 2011: Thursday & Friday, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Opening on Sunday allows the Museum to expand its existing offerings:

• Planetarium Shows will be offered Thursday & Friday at 2:00 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. All shows at the Schenectady Museum's Suits-Bueche Planetarium include a look at the current night sky and the latest astronomy news.
• FETCH! Lab Activities will be offered Thursday – Sunday at 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Recreating the colorful, energetic feel of the PBS TV show, FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman, the Museum’s FETCH! Lab is a place where kids can try hands-on science and engineering challenges like the ones they see on the show.
• Science Discovery Demos will be offered every Saturday & Sunday from 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. February’s theme is Light Waves and March’s theme is It’s Electric!
• Birthday Parties at the Museum will be booked on both Saturdays and Sundays.

The Museum will continue to accommodate programs occurring outside the normal hours of operation, such as morning Little Wonders of Science preschool programs and evening Girl Scout and Boy Scout Workshops. And the Museum will now offer Power Hour, free general Museum admission between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. the first Sunday of each month.

Admission prices remain unchanged. Admission is $5.00 for children, $6.25 for seniors, and $7.50 for adults; add $4 for a Planetarium Show. Members are always free. For more information, please call 518.382.7890 or visit www.schenectadymuseum.org.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-7890 • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release
January 25, 2011
Contact: Steve Russo
    518.382.7890 x 253

Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium Receives NASA Space Place Certificate of Appreciation

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium has been presented with a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Place Certificate of Appreciation for its valuable contributions to its community in the areas of science, technology education, and inspiration.

The Schenectady Museum’s Suits-Bueche Planetarium was named an official NASA Space Place in 2005.  At the time the Suits-Bueche Planetarium was one of only two planetariums in New York State that has been given this designation by NASA.

In addition to maintaining an engaging website for young people, the Space Place program is a NASA-sponsored nation-wide space and space science education initiative. The program engages young people to actively participate in cross-curriculum space science activities that provide hands-on experiential learning opportunities.

NASA supports the planetarium as a Space Place by providing space, science, and technology related activities and materials educational materials and information about the latest happenings in space. Space Places are special destinations for children to understand more about astronomy, space flight, and other related fields.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the area’s only FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2010, the Museum welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-7890 • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release
January 11, 2011
Mary Ellen Hern
518.382.7890 x 232

New Trustees at Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium announces the following new members of its Board of Trustees:

Karen Cavanagh, Esq., Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, Sabre Companies

Joseph Dragone, Ph.D., Superintendent, Ballston Spa Central School District

Tony Farah, VP Technology Services/Chief Technology Officer, Price Chopper Supermarkets/Golub Corporation

Brian Hannafin, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Marketing, Center for Economic Growth

Trudy Lehner, Senior Director of Marketing and Government Affairs, SuperPower, Inc.

Matt Mazzone, Chief Financial Officer, Mazzone Management Group

Science educator and researcher Joan S. Wagner has been elected to serve a second term.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the area, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WMHT.

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For Immediate Release
January 5, 2011
Contact: Megan Dominguez
518.382.7890 x 227

Schenectady Museum Announces Special Kids’ Activities for Martin Luther King Day: Model Trains, Kite Making, Planetarium Shows

See the Model Trains run, make your own kite, and catch a Planetarium show Monday, January 17, Martin Luther King Day, at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium. The Museum will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to welcome area school children who have the day off for the holiday.

All Aboard! The Model Trains will run for the last time this season from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visitors can see a 19 x 27-foot display of running O Gauge (Lionel) Model Trains powered by the dedicated members of the Upstate Train Associates.

Go Fly a Kite! Visitors can test their engineering skills as they design and construct their own kites from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.

The following shows are offered in the Museum’s Suits-Bueche Planetarium: 1:00 p.m. – The Sky Above Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (recommended pre-K through second grade); 2:00 p.m. – Light Years From Andromeda; and 3:00 p.m. – Seasonal Sky Tour. Shows at the Suits-Bueche Planetarium are powered by the only GOTO Chronos Star Projector in the northeast. Visitors see 8,500 stars on the Planetarium dome, close to the actual number of visible stars in the night sky. All shows are educator-led and include a look at the current night sky and the latest astronomy news.

Visitors can also see Our Favorite Things. For this exhibit, Museum staff, trustees, and volunteers chose artifacts from the Museum’s permanent collection that hold special meaning to them and tell a story. These stories combine to tell the story of how science and technology helped shape the development of Schenectady and Tech Valley over the last 125 years.

The Museum is located on Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  Admission is $5.00 for children, $6.25 for seniors, and $7.50 for adults; add $4 for a Planetarium Show.  For more information, please call 518.382.7890 or visit www.schenectadymuseum.org.

Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-7890 • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release

December 13, 2010

Contact: Ilene Frank

518-382-7890x236   

Schenectady Museum Announces December School Break Activities: Hands-on Science, Planetarium Shows, Model Trains

Visit the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium during December School Break (December 27 – 31) for Hands-on Science Activities, Planetarium Shows, and Model Trains.

Visit the Museum during school break for hands-on science activities, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.:  Monday (12/27) – CD Planispheres; Tuesday (12/28) – Blow It Away; Wednesday (12/29) – Lunar Lander; Thursday (12/30) – Clothes Hanger Catapult; and Friday (12/31, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.) – Ketchup Bottle Rockets.

The Suits-Bueche Planetarium will offer four shows each day during Break Week:
12:00 p.m.: ‘Tis the Season
1:00 p.m.:  The Sky Above Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
 2:00 p.m.: ‘Tis the Season
3:00 p.m.: Seasonal Sky Tour

Shows at the Suits-Bueche Planetarium are powered by the only GOTO Chronos Star Projector in the northeast. Visitors see 8,500 stars on the Planetarium dome, close to the actual number of visible stars in the night sky. All shows are educator-led and include a look at the current night sky and the latest astronomy news.

The Model Trains will be running Monday through Thursday 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. and Friday 12:00 –

2:00 p.m.

Hands-on Science Activities and Model Trains are FREE with Museum admission; add $4 for a Planetarium Show. The Museum is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday, December 27 through Thursday, December 30 and 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 31. The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  For more information, please call 518.382.7890 or visit SchenectadyMuseum.org. 

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308

Phone: 518-382-7890 • www.schenectadymuseum.org  • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release

December 6, 2010

Contact: Ilene Frank

518-382-7890x236    

See the Model Trains Run at the Schenectady Museum Beginning December 11

The popular model trains will be running for the first time this holiday season at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, December 11 & 12. 

Volunteers from Upstate Train Associates will exhibit and run a 19 x 27-foot display of running O Gauge (Lionel) Model Trains from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. December 11 & 12, 18 & 19, 26 – 30, and 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. December 31. The trains will also run 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. January 2, 8 & 9, and 15 – 17.  Seeing the trains run has become a holiday tradition at the Museum. Visitors can also see the model trains run for FREE during Schenectady Art Night, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, December 17.

The model trains are running in conjunction with the Museum’s other holiday events:

·       ‘Tis the Season, a holiday planetarium show at 2:00 p.m. Tuesdays – Sundays through January 2, 2011and special 12:00 p.m. shows Dec. 27 – 30.

·       December School Break: Kids’ Activities, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m., December 27 - 30.

·       Super Science Sundays, bonus educational opportunities on Nanotechnology, Spaceflight, Physics and Energy Science, 12 – 12:30 p.m. Sundays through January 16.

·       Our Favorite Things, a new exhibit of artifacts chosen by Museum staff, trustees, and volunteers.

All holiday events are free with Museum admission; add $4 for Planetarium Shows, $2 for Super Science Sundays.  The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located at 15 Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  For more information, please call 518.382.7890 or visit SchenectadyMuseum.org. 

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308

Phone: 518-382-7890 • www.schenectadymuseum.org  • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release
November 30, 2010
Contact: Ilene Frank
518.382.7890 x 236

WMHT, GE, CDTA, SI Group, High School & College Volunteers Wow a Crowd of 450 at ZOOM Into Science at the Schenectady Museum November 13

WMHT, GE, CDTA, SI Group, High School (Bishop Gibbons, Emma Willard, Schalmont and Schenectady High Schools) and College (UAlbany and Union) volunteers wowed a crowd of 450 children and families during ZOOM Into Science, an afternoon of science stations and activity zones inspired by popular PBS kids’ television programs, November 13 at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium.

ZOOM Into Science volunteers made science come to life in a series of experiments and activities, such as designing and building domes out of gum drops and toothpicks; exploring gravity with a parachute drop activity; discovering engineering by constructing a structure of cups as tall as possible; social robotics, energy, nanotechnology workshops; and special Planetarium shows throughout the day. 

ZOOM Into Science was sponsored by WMHT, GE, the National Science Foundation, Time Warner Cable, Albany Broadcasting, SI Group, Pitney Bowes Business Insight, CDTA, CG Power Solutions, Sylvan Learning Center, Capital Communications Federal Credit Union, and Vicarious Visions.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley to offer a multi-media experience that’s fun for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses a photograph collection with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH! in collaboration with WHMT. During 2008, the Museum welcomed more than 44,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
November 29, 2010
Contact: Susan Whitaker
518.382.7890 297

Schenectady Museum Receives $2,500 Grant from Bank of America Charitable Foundation for Admission and Transportation

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation has awarded a grant for $2,500 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides funds in the form of scholarships and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent a visit to the Museum. The grant will assist students from the Capital Region, from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, with Museum visits during the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Through the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, qualified school, youth, and community groups are awarded scholarships which subsidize admission fees, program fees, and transportation costs. During the 2009-10 school year, 1,781 students received admission or transportation subsidies through Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
November 29, 2010
Contact: Susan Whitaker
 518.382.7890 297

Schenectady Museum Receives $1,000 Grant from TransFinder Corporation for Admission and Transportation

Transfinder Corporation has awarded a grant for $1,000 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides funds in the form of scholarships and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent a visit to the Museum. The grant will assist students from the Capital Region, from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, with Museum visits during the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Through the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, qualified school, youth, and community groups are awarded scholarships which subsidize admission fees, program fees, and transportation costs. During the 2009-10 school year, 1,781 students received admission or transportation subsidies through Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
November 2, 2010
Contact: Ilene Frank
518-382-7890x236

ZOOM Into Science at the Schenectady Museum November 13: Activity Zones, Planetarium Shows, and NEW Workshops

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium presents ZOOM Into Science from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, November 13.  Visitors will enjoy a fun-filled day of science programs and ideas at activity zones inspired by Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman and other popular PBS children’s television shows seen locally on WMHT. There will also be Special Science Workshops and Planetarium Shows throughout the afternoon.

Challenging themselves at science stations and activity zones throughout the Museum, visitors will: design and build domes out of gum drops and toothpicks; explore gravity with a parachute drop activity; discover engineering by constructing a structure of cups as tall as possible; and much, much more!

“This electrifying day of hands-on science encourages young people to want to learn more about science and technology and inspires them to become the professionals who use science and technology to solve problems and improve quality of life,” notes Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium Associate Director Ilene Frank.

All science stations and activity zones will be staffed with educators, Museum staff, and volunteers to provide instruction, to answer questions, and to have fun with science. During ZOOM Into Science, visitors can also explore the Museum’s exhibits: Fueling the Future, Power House, Inside Out: MRI & You and the new Our Favorite Things.

ZOOM Into Science will also include Special Science Workshops for the first time this year: 12:30 p.m.: Social Robotics (ages 8 – 12); 2:30 p.m.: Making It Go – The Energy Show (ages 10 -14); 3:30 p.m.: NanoWorld (ages 10 – 14). There will also be Planetarium Shows at 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.

In addition to enjoying the Special Science Workshops and Planetarium Shows, visitors can meet Ruff Ruffman, the star of the PBS children’s television show, FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman and ride on a CDTA hybrid bus. And, scientists from SI Group will be conducting demonstrations and experiments, and faculty from the University at Albany will be conducting a Robot Show and Tell forum.

ZOOM Into Science is sponsored by WMHT, GE, the National Science Foundation, Time Warner Cable, Albany Broadcasting, SI Group, Pitney Bowes Business Insight, CDTA, CG Power Solutions, Sylvan Learning Center, Capital Communications Federal Credit Union, and Vicarious Visions. It is free with Museum admission; Special Science Workshops are an additional $2; Planetarium Shows are included with Museum admission. The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located on Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady.  For more information, call 518-382-7890 or visit www.SchenectadyMuseum.org.

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For Immediate Release
October 28, 2010
Ilene Frank
518.382.7890 x 236

Schenectady Museum Holds Annual Meeting: Elects New Trustees & Celebrates the Spirit of Invention with a Pallophotophone Demonstration

The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium held its Annual Meeting: Celebrating the Spirit of Invention October 21. Members mingled with the Museum's staff, volunteers and Board members; celebrated the Museum's achievements, which was highlighted by a demonstration of the Pallophotophone, an early sound recording machine; and learned about the Museum's programs and events.

At the meeting, Karen Cavanagh, Joseph Dragone, Tony Farah, Brian Hannafin, Trudy Lehner, and Matt Mazzone were elected to the Museum’s Board of Trustees, and Joan Wagner was elected to serve a second term on the Board. Inventor Russ DeMuth and Museum Trustee John Schneiter gave a demonstration of a working Pallophotophone machine they recently built that is able to play old sound recordings.

Our Favorite Things is now open and runs through April 23, 2011 at the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium. 

Did you know that the Schenectady Museum has a storage area below its exhibit floor? The Museum’s collections storage includes more than 25,000 artifacts, including appliances, radios, televisions, industrial products, inventions, and laboratory equipment.

For this new exhibit, Our Favorite Things, Schenectady Museum staff, trustees, and volunteers selected artifacts from the Museum’s permanent collection that hold special meaning or significance to them. Each artifact in the Museum’s collection has a story to tell. These stories can be combined to tell the story of how science and technology inventions have helped shape the development of Schenectady and Tech Valley over the last 125 years.

Schenectady Museum Curator of Collections & Exhibitions Chris Hunter notes: “We’re excited to offer an exhibit featuring favorite items from our vast collection. It’s fascinating to see how every object tells a story – a personal story, a community story, and a story about history.”

The exhibit includes one of the oldest surviving radar systems on display, from World War II; models and samples from the General Electric Artificial Diamond team (which was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame this year); a trick photograph from Charles Steinmetz where he is in the picture three times; materials from Clarence Hewlett, a GE researcher who experimented with solar power in the 1930s; and images from Ronald Reagan visiting Schenectady in 1954 and 1959 (next February is the centennial of his birth).

Visitors can also see Charles Steinmetz’ camera (1897); the Centurion Robot (1978), which was produced in honor of General Electric’s 100^th anniversary and built as a promotional tool for GE’s Gas Turbine Division; and much more.

Admission to the exhibit is free with Museum admission.  The Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is located on Nott Terrace Heights in Schenectady and is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (November 28, 2010 through January 16, 2011).  For more information, call 518-382-7890 or visit www.SchenectadyMuseum.org.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

For Immediate Release
October 4, 2010
Contact: Ilene Frank
518.382.7890 236

Schenectady Museum Receives $335 Grant from Cumberland Farms for Little Wonders of Science Program

Cumberland Farms has awarded a grant for $335 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium for its Little Wonders of Science program, a monthly literacy and science education program that introduces preschoolers to basic science concepts through familiar stories and fun crafts. Participants receive a copy of the book and related educational materials to take home. This funding is granted to sustain staffing and purchase books and materials for the December program.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-7890 • www.schenectadymuseum.org  • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release
September 27, 2010
Contact: Ilene Frank
518.382.7890 x 236

TD Charitable Foundation Supports Schenectady Museum with Donation

TD Bank, through the TD Charitable Foundation, recently donated a total of $2,500 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium as part of the bank’s commitment to giving back to the community. Specifically, the donation will benefit the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides funds in the form of scholarships and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent a visit to the Museum.

Through the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, qualified school, youth, and community groups are awarded scholarships which subsidize admission fees, program fees, and transportation costs. During the 2009-10 school year, 1,781 students received admission or transportation subsidies through Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

A staunch commitment to active involvement in the local community is a vital element of the TD Bank philosophy. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank® and the TD Charitable Foundation provide financial and other support to affordable housing initiatives, financial literacy and education and the environment, many of which focus on improving the welfare of children and families.

About the Schenectady Museum
Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

About the TD Charitable Foundation
The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which operates as TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank^®, and is one of the 15 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The Foundation's mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made over $63 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The efforts of the Foundation are coordinated locally through TD Bank's community relations departments and are focused on the areas of affordable housing, education and financial literacy, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant application, is available at www.TDBank.com.

About TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank^®
TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 15 largest commercial banks in the United States with $142 billion in assets, and provides customers with a full range of financial products and services at more than 1,000 convenient locations from Maine to Florida. TD Bank, N.A., is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. TD Bank is a trade name of TD Bank, N.A. For more information, visit www.tdbank.com.  

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Financial Group of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated Aaa by Moody's.

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For Immediate Release
September 24, 2010
Contact: Chris Hunter 
    518.382.7890 x241

Schenectady Museum Receives $18,145 at Kick-off Event for 3-Year Campaign to Preserve Schenectady Works News

The Schenectady Museum received $18,145 at Preserving Schenectady Works News, its initial event held September 23 in a three-year campaign to preserve a collection of General Electric employee newsletters, the Schenectady Works News, printed from 1917 to 1985.

The three-year campaign aims to secure $36,000 to preserve the entire collection of newsletters. The funds raised include an $8,245 New York State Library grant, a $5,000 gift from General Electric, and $2,450 from individuals with another $2,450 in matching funds from General Electric.

One of the most valuable and popular collections in the Museum’s Archives, the Schenectady Works News newsletters are a rich source of information about the life of everyday employees and the relationships of one of the United States’ largest and most enduring corporations with its employees and its community. The GE employee newsletters attract researchers from around the world, who are often frustrated by the physical condition of the newsletters and the absence of indexing. The preservation campaign will include microfilming and digitizing the entire collection and ensuring that the newsletter text will be searchable on the computer.

Museum Trustees Dr. Howard R. Hart, Jr. and Dr. James M. Lommel served as guest chairmen of the initial fundraising event. Museum Executive Director Kerry M. Orlyk welcomed an enthusiastic gathering of current and retired GE employees, Museum members, and Museum Trustees with a keen interest in the history of GE. Museum Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Chris Hunter delivered a special presentation, The Historical and Social Impact of GE’s Schenectady Works News.

After Hunter’s presentation, Museum Trustee Brad Lewis noted the importance of preserving the rich history captured in the Schenectady Works News.

“This phenomenal archive deserves to survive, which was amply demonstrated this evening,”said Lewis.  “It is a fantastic project the museum wants to take on.”

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2010

Contact:     Alison Goldstein, 646.695.7040 or alison@rosengrouppr.com
                   Lynda Holt, 518.382.7890 x 223 or LHolt@schenectadymuseum.org

Schenectady Museum Offers Free Admission on
Smithsonian Magazine’s 6^th Annual Museum Day

--Museum Day 2010 Poised to be Largest to Date--

See Fueling the Future, MRI: Examining the Human Body & More

On Saturday, September 25, 2010, the Schenectady Museum will participate in the sixth annual Museum Day, presented by Toyota on behalf of the redesigned 2011 Avalon.  The Schenectady Museum will join participating museums and cultural institutions nationwide to open their doors free of charge to all visitors who download the Museum Day ticket from Smithsonian.com. Participating Museum Day venues emulate the free admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities.

Museum Day 2010 is poised to be the largest to date, outdoing last year’s record-breaking event. Over 300,000 museum-goers and 1,300 venues in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico participated in Museum Day 2009. Last year, 2 million visitors logged on to www.Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay to learn more about the program.

Visitors to the Schenectady Museum can see Fueling the Future to explore how different fuels affect the economy and environment; discover MRI: Examining the Human Body, which explores the science behind magnetic resonance imaging, a landmark medical imaging system developed right here in the Capital Region; and more.

The Museum Day Ticket is available to download at www.Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay. Visitors who present the official pass will gain free admission for two people to participating museums and cultural venues. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address. Listings and links to participating museums’ and sponsors’ sites can be found at www.Smithsonial.com/MuseumDay.

About the Schenectady Museum

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

About Smithsonian Media

Smithsonian Media comprises Smithsonian magazine, Air & space, goSmithsonial, Smithsonian Media Digital Network and the Smithsonian Channel. Smithsonian Media’s flagship publication, Smithsonian magazine, is one of the nation’s largest magazines with a circulation of more than 2 million and nearly 7 million readers. Smithsonian Media is a division of Smithsonian Enterprises, the revenue-generating business unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. Approximately 30 million people from around the world visited the Smithsonian in 2009.

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers. Toyota directly employs more than 34,000 people in the U.S. and sold more than 1.77 million vehicles in 2009.

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For Immediate Release
August 31, 2010
Contact: Ilene Frank
518.382.7890 236

Schenectady Museum Receives $1,000 Grant from 1^st National Bank of Scotia for Powering the Future: The Stem Fund

1^st National Bank of Scotia has awarded a grant for $1,000 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides funds in the form of scholarships and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent participation.

Through the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, qualified school, youth, and community groups are awarded scholarships which subsidize admission fees, program fees, and transportation costs. During the 2009-10 school year, 1,781 students received admission or transportation subsidies through Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

1st National Bank of Scotia is an independently owned and operated bank dedicated to making peoples' lives better by providing creative financial solutions and superior personalized service to generations of families and businesses in our communities.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
August 30, 2010
Contact: Ilene Frank
 518.382.7890 236 

Schenectady Museum Receives $1,000 Grant from Pitney Bowes Business Insight for Powering the Future: The Stem Fund

Pitney Bowes Business Insight has awarded a grant for $1,000 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides funds in the form of scholarships and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent participation.

Through the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, qualified school, youth, and community groups are awarded scholarships which subsidize admission fees, program fees, and transportation costs. During the 2009-10 school year, 1,781 students received admission or transportation subsidies through Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

Troy-based Pitney Bowes Business Insight, a division of Pitney Bowes Software Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pitney Bowes Inc., helps organizations to acquire, serve and grow customer relationships with leading-edge solutions in the areas of Customer Intelligence, Customer Communications and Customer Care.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

For Immediate Release
August 11, 2010
Contact: Chris Hunter
518.382.7890 241     

Schenectady Museum Receives $64,000 Institute of Museum and Library Services Grant for 2-Year Film Digitization Project

The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded a Museums for America (MFA) grant for $64,437 to the Schenectady Museum for use in preserving and digitizing a significant collection of 1,000 16mm films from General Electric. The grant will support the purchase of high-definition film transfer equipment and new archival film canisters, and supports the hiring of a temporary part-time film technician.

The films, dating from 1915-1985, tell the story of the electrification of the United States and include early advertising films, educational science films, and films documenting engineering and manufacturing processes. More than 30 of the films are silent films and date prior to 1927, from an era where more than 90% of films no longer exist.

The Schenectady Museum Archives is one of the premier collections on the history of technology and its impact on society. With over 1.6 million images that date from the 1850s to the present, the collection’s strengths are many and include photography and film, radio and television film and images, and materials relating to marketing of consumer products as well as medical, power generation and the turbine. Collections from General Electric and the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) give a vivid picture of those companies’ international impact. Audio recordings in the collection include rare radio recordings, Edison wax cylinders, and an Edison tinfoil recording from 1878.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

“This year’s MFA grant recipients are truly an exciting and diverse group of museums, representing the remarkable ways that large and small institutions are serving communities. Funded projects support digitization and collections management plans, enhanced accessibility, environmental literacy, and much more. The work of these institutions will educate and inspire citizens of all ages. IMLS is pleased to support museums as they engage their communities through programming tailored to their specific needs, and this round of MFA grants furthers this work,” IMLS Acting Director Marsha L. Semmel said.

Museums for America is the Institute’s largest grant program for museums, providing more than $19 million in grants to support the role of museums in American society to sustain cultural heritage, to support lifelong learning; and to be centers of community engagement. Museums for America grants strengthen a museum’s ability to serve the public more effectively by supporting high-priority activities that advance the institution’s mission and strategic goals.

Museums for America funding will support projects and activities, designed by the institution, that strengthen museums as active resources for lifelong learning and key players in the establishment of livable communities. Museums for America grants are designed to be flexible. They can be used for ongoing museum activities, research and other behind-the-scenes activities, planning activities, new programs or activities, purchase of equipment or services, or other activities that will support the efforts of museums to upgrade and integrate new technologies into their overall institutional effectiveness.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
August 5, 2010
Contact: Carmel Patrick
518.382.7890 232

Schenectady Museum Receives $1,000 Grant from Walmart for Powering the Future: The Stem Fund

Walmart has awarded a grant for $1,000 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides funds in the form of scholarships and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent participation. This funding is granted for the 2010 – 2011 school year and will be utilized by schools and students in Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie counties.

Through the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, qualified school, youth, and community groups are awarded scholarships which subsidize admission fees, program fees, and transportation costs. During the 2009-10 school year, 1,781 students received admission or transportation subsidies through Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
August 4, 2010
Contact: Carmel Patrick
   518.382.7890 232

Schenectady Museum Receives $2,000 Grant from Target for Little Wonders of Science Preschool Program

Target has awarded a grant for $2,000 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium to help fund its monthly Little Wonders of Science preschool program from October 2010 through September 2011.

Little Wonders of Science is a program specifically designed to introduce children between the ages of three and five to basic science concepts through familiar stories. A Museum educator introduces science concepts while reading a story, then reinforces these concepts with a related hands-on project. Participants are given a FREE book and materials to continue the fun study of science at home. This program is offered the third Thursday and Saturday of each month and is free with Museum admission. The program is also available for preschool groups who visit the Museum or as a Museum outreach program at preschool facilities.

This grant is part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. Since opening its doors, Target has given 5 percent of its income to organizations that support education, the arts, social services and volunteerism. Today that equals more than $3 million every week.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the FETCH! Lab, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
July 21, 2010
Contact: Carmel Patrick
518.382.7890 232

Schenectady Museum Receives $500 Grant from Schenectady Insuring Agency for Admission and Transportation

Schenectady Insuring Agency has awarded a grant for $500 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides funds in the form of scholarships and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent participation. This grant will assist students from an elementary school in the Schenectady City School District during the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Through the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, qualified school, youth, and community groups are awarded scholarships which subsidize admission fees, program fees, and transportation costs. During the 2009-10 school year, 1,781 students received admission or transportation subsidies through Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
July 20, 2010
Contact: Carmel Patrick
518.382.7890 232

Schenectady Museum Receives $2,500 Grant from Stewart’s for Admission and Transportation

Stewart’s has awarded a grant for $2,500 to the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, which provides funds in the form of scholarships and transportation assistance for underserved youth whose lack of resources would otherwise prevent participation. The Stewart’s grant will assist students from the Capital Region, from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, with Museum visits during the 2010 – 2011 school year.

Through the Museum’s Powering the Future: The STEM Fund, qualified school, youth, and community groups are awarded scholarships which subsidize admission fees, program fees, and transportation costs. During the 2009-10 school year, 1,781 students received admission or transportation subsidies through Powering the Future: The STEM Fund.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

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For Immediate Release
March 5, 2010
Contact: Chris Hunter
518.382.7890 241

Schenectady Museum Receives $10,000 Center for History of Physics Grant for Archives Preservation

The Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics has awarded a grant for $9,920.76 to the Schenectady Museum for use in preserving archival photographs. The grant will support the standardization, conversion to Encoded Archival Description (EAD format), and creation of 23 finding aids related to the Museum’s General Electric collections. Only three grants were awarded in 2009: Schenectady Museum, Cornell University, and the University of Chicago.

The Schenectady Museum Archives is one of the premier collections on the history of technology and its impact on society. With over 1.6 million images that date from the 1850s to the present, the collection’s strengths are many and include photography and film, radio and television film and images, and materials relating to marketing of consumer products as well as medical, power generation and the turbine. Collections from General Electric and the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) give a vivid picture of those companies’ international impact. Audio recordings in the collection include rare radio recordings, Edison wax cylinders, and an Edison tinfoil recording from 1878.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others. 

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Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-7890 • www.schenectadymuseum.org  • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release
July 13, 2010
Contact: Chris Hunter
518.382.7890 241

New Technology Puts Old Films at Your Fingertips: Schenectady Museum Historic Films Now on Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable viewers can now use the new on demand feature to watch old films from the Schenectady Museum Archives celebrating the contributions of General Electric and other Capital Region companies. Fourteen historic films dating from 1915 to 1961 are now available for viewing locally on Time Warner Cable 1009 Local on Demand. 

The films are a selection of some of the most historically significant movies from the Schenectady Museum’s collection of over 1,000 motion picture films. The films, which date back as far as 1915, document the history of GE and the electrical industry. The films were designed as either educational movies, teaching the basics of electricity or atomic power, or were designed as promotional advertising films. The Museum’s collection includes 33 silent movies, from 1915-1927. Nationally, over 90% of the films made during the silent era, so these films offer a rare glimpse into the early days of filmmaking.

Highlights of the films on Channel 1009 include early film footage of Thomas Edison’s 1922 visit to Schenectady, which includes the only known film footage of Charles Steinmetz; early appliance advertising from 1915; the dedication of the GE Flight Test Research Center in Glenville; a film tour of the GE Schenectady Works in 1939; a demonstration by Nobel Prize winning scientist Irving Langmuir and his associate Katharine Blodgett; and a 1961 promotional film for Schenectady County.

The Schenectady Museum Archives is one of the premier collections on the history of technology and its impact on society. With over 1.6 million images that date from the 1850s to the present, the collection’s strengths are many and include photography and film, radio and television film and images, and materials relating to marketing of consumer products as well as medical, power generation and the turbine. Collections from General Electric and the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) give a vivid picture of those companies’ international impact. Audio recordings in the collection include rare radio recordings, Edison wax cylinders, and an Edison tinfoil recording from 1878.

Descriptions of the 14 films from the Schenectady Museum Archives on Time Warner Cable 1009:

• Back to the Farm (1915, B&W, silent) In this early GE advertisement for home appliances and farming equipment, Mr. Power shows the benefits of electricity to Mr. Work, a farmer, in order to end the drudgery of non-electric farm work.
• Home Electrical (1915, B&W, silent) An exploration of new uses of electricity in the home in this early General Electric advertising film promoting home appliances. Scenes were filmed in downtown Schenectady and in the historic GE Realty Plot neighborhood.
• Thomas Edison (1922, B&W, silent) Thomas Edison visiting his original lamp factory in New Jersey and the GE Research Laboratory in Schenectady where he examines the work of inventors Charles Steinmetz, Irving Langmuir, and William Coolidge.
• Irving Langmuir Nobel Science Series (1939, B&W, sound) GE inventors Irving Langmuir and Katharine Blodgett recreate their surface chemistry experiments for the 1939 World’s Fair. Langmuir was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1932 for his work on surface chemistry.
• World’s Largest Electrical Workshop (1939, B&W, sound) Take a tour of General Electric’s Schenectady plant and meet famous inventors and watch employees manufacture radios, refrigerators, televisions, and turbines.
• Railroadin’ (1941, color, sound) Promotional film created by GE and the American Locomotive Company which explores the development of railroads, the impact of World War II on the rail industry, and compare how different types of locomotives work.
• Thunderbolt Hunters (1942, B&W, sound) Shows how the study of lightning improved protective devices for power lines and the home. See what happens to a house without a lightning rod. Get rare glimpses of GE’s High Voltage Laboratory in Pittsfield and lightning studies on the Empire State Building.
• Principles of Electricity (1945, color, sound) Learn about the basics of electricity and its uses with animated segments highlighting how electricity in generated.
• GE Air Show (1946, B&W, sound) One of the first post-World War II air shows, which gave the public its first glimpse of jet aircraft. Filed at the dedication of the GE Flight Test Center at the Schenectady County Airport in June 1946.
• Shippping Rails (1950, color, sound) GE promotional film for electric and diesel-electric locomotives and an exploration of new technologies for railroads and rail yards.
• More Power to America Train (1951, color, sound) Climb aboard GE’s More Power to America train, a traveling exhibit that highlighted the latest GE inventions. The locomotive brought the interactive exhibits to more than 300 cities across the United States in 1950 and 1951.
• Freedom and Power (1952, color, sound) Animated film describing the history of electric power, from Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison to atomic power and solar energy; created by GE for its 75^th anniversary.
• A is for Atom (1953, color, sound) In this award-winning animated movie, Professor Atom takes an exciting educational journey through atomic energy. Learn the fundamentals of atomic energy and explore its many uses.
• People with a Purpose (1961, color, sound) A Schenectady promotional film including scenes of downtown Schenectady, GE, and American Locomotive. Highlights Schenectady as a place to live and work and show the need for a diversified workforce.

Founded in 1934, the Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium is the only science center in Tech Valley offering a multimedia experience for visitors of all ages. In addition to the Suits-Bueche Planetarium, which has the only GOTO Star Projector in the entire Northeast, the Museum houses the GE Photograph collection, with more than 1.6 million prints and negatives; an archival collection with more than 3,500 cubic feet of historic materials; and more than 40,000 objects relating to the history of science and technology. The Museum also offers the only FETCH! Lab in the Northeast, with hands-on activities patterned after the popular PBS show FETCH!, in collaboration with WHMT. During 2009, the Museum welcomed over 40,000 visitors, including students, researchers, business leaders, tourists, and many others.

Schenectady Museum & Suits-Bueche Planetarium, Nott Terrace Heights, Schenectady NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-7890 • www.schenectadymuseum.org  • Fax: 382-7893

For Immediate Release
July 8, 2010
Contact: Ilene Frank
    518.382.7890 x 236

Schenectady Museum Receives $550 Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region’s Marjorie Rockwell Fund for the Disabled Grant

The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region’s Marjorie Rockwell Fund for the Disabled has awarded a grant for $550 to the Schenectady Museum to increase accessibility to the Museum’s FETCH! Lab by wheelchair bound and temporarily disabled students.

The Schenectady Museum’s FETCH! Lab recreates the colorful, energetic feel of the PBS TV show, FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman seen locally on WMHT. FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman targets six- to ten-year-olds and features real kids, real challenges, and real science. The Museum’s FETCH! Lab is a place where kids can try science and engineering challenges like the ones they see on the show. The Museum offers a different FETCH! Lab activity each week from Thursday through Saturday, 2:30 to 4:00p.m.