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Ask Slashdot: Science Sights To See?

Posted by samzenpus on from the world's-biggest-chemistry-set dept.

First time accepted submitter steevven1 writes "My girlfriend and I are planning a long trip across the United States for this summer, and we'd like to see the usual sights, but we both have a bit of a geeky side, and we were trying to think of science-related marvels to see along the way. So far, we have thought of places like the Very Large Array in New Mexico and Fermilab in Illinois. Any suggestions?"

14 of 363 comments (clear)

  1. on the east coast. by Picardo85 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Hayden Planetarium på American Museum of Natural History in New York

    1. Re:on the east coast. by Max+Romantschuk · · Score: 5, Funny

      Det är inte så farligt.

      --
      .: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/
    2. Re:on the east coast. by jhoegl · · Score: 4, Informative

      Since you are going to Chicago.

      Museum of Science and Industry

      I loved going there as a kid, they had (maybe they still do), this HUGE model train display.
      Of course they have a lot more, but I dont know how much has changed.

    3. Re:on the east coast. by Plammox · · Score: 5, Funny

      Øh, sørry. The låst thing we want tø dø is to let øur accents give us åwåy.

    4. Re:on the east coast. by jdege · · Score: 5, Informative

      One thing at the Museum of Science and Industry, that any self-respecting geek would not miss: the U-505.

      She's a German Type IX-C submarine, captured off of Cape Verde, in 1944. Two M4 Enigma machines and over 900 pounds of codebooks and crypto publications were recovered from her.

      http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/u-505/activities/capture/

      --
      When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl.
    5. Re:on the east coast. by Yvan256 · · Score: 5, Funny

      We apologise for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible have been sacked.

    6. Re:on the east coast. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      > [My english is better than most other people's german, so please point out mistakes politely. Thank you.]

      english -> English
      german -> German

  2. San Jose area by TheCycoONE · · Score: 4, Informative

    When I was in California with my wife, we went to The Tech (http://www.thetech.org/) and the Intel museum (http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/company-overview/intel-museum.html)

    We found the Tech interesting and wish we had more time to see it (we got there a couple hours before closing), the Intel museum wasn't anything special and could probably be skipped unless you really like looking at old silicon wafers or can't miss the opportunity to wear one of those bunny suits for a photo op.

  3. Kitt Peak by oneiros27 · · Score: 4, Informative

    If you don't mind driving up long, windy roads and turning off your cell phone, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory has a visitor center at Kitt Peak -- they have a bunch of telescopes there, including a solar telescope, so it's possible that they might be observing if it's not too windy. (it was too windy when I went there).

    http://www.noao.edu/outreach/kpoutreach.html

    --
    Build it, and they will come^Hplain.
  4. Experimental Breeder Reactor 1 by slim · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Near Arco, Idaho, is the site of Experimental Breeder Reactor 1.

    "At 1:50 pm on December 20, 1951 it became the world's first electricity-generating nuclear power plant when it produced sufficient electricity to illuminate four 200-watt light bulbs."

    It's decommissioned now, but the building and much of the original equipment is still there, along with good museum exhibits.

    You haven't said what route you're taking across the States, but Arco is along the "Oregon Trail" as documented in the guidebook "Road Trip USA" (which I thoroughly recommend, having driven four of its cross-country routes)

  5. Nerdy Day Trips by Cholten · · Score: 5, Informative

    Vast number of options here : http://www.nerdydaytrips.com/

  6. Arizona by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm from Belgium but in Arizona I can recommend:

            - Pima Air and Space museum near Tucson
            - Titan Missile Museam near Tucson as well
            - Biosphere II in Oracle, Arizona
            - Meteor Crater near Winslow

  7. Trinity Site by airnewt · · Score: 4, Informative

    Depending on when you go, you can also go to the Trinity site on White Sands where the first atomic bomb was tested. They open it up only twice a year on the first Saturday in April and October. If you are already down in New Mexico for the VLA there is the National Solar Observatory near Alamogordo.

  8. Re:HAARP by Gravitron+5000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    When I am petrol, I will have a host of other problems.