Does the Universe abound with countless other planets teeming with life? Are we on the edge of a new era, soon to discover life elsewhere in the universe? Will at least one of those countless planets provide some hint that we share the vastness of space with other life?
These are the big questions which have preoccupied scientists and philosophers and backyard sky watchers when we peer up at the twinkling stars overhead. During the trip my wife and I took to Evansville we were able to view the newest sky show available in the planetarium at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History, and Science. Using the star projector, special effects and computer animation, the show, "In Search of New Worlds," helps answer those questions. When viewing the show, we saw a comprehensive presentation that looked at the search for extrasolar planets. This 30-minute planetarium program examines events that have changed our understanding of the size and content of our solar system. The cost of the program was $3.
Also, while we were in the museum we were able to view the Evansville Museum Transportation Center. This portion of the museum had a cost of $2 (children under 12 were free). Through the use of historic vehicles, vignettes and dioramas, this part of the museum offered a view of transportation in Southern Indiana in the latter part of the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. We joined other visitors who entered River/Rail Hall, which is divided into four distinct areas. In one of these areas, early river travel and the arrival of the iron horse to the Tri-State area has been interpreted. Highlights of this exhibit include an interactive pilot house of a riverboat, where we were able to turn the wheel and sound the whistle as we viewed a photomural of Evansville’s late 19th century waterfront; a CD-ROM program that put us in charge of a train; and a turn-of-the-century waiting room that invited visitors to step outside and board the Museum’s historic railroad.
We ran out of time for further exploration of this fantastic new addition to the Evansville area, so we were unable to see the many other exhibits. We hope to return in the near future so that we can look further at the art and history of the area.
From journal Low Down on "River City"