Renaissance Center reduces field trip prices to help systems struggling with budgets, fuel costs
Release Date: 9/10/2008. Expired: 11/10/2008
With fuel costs forcing school systems across the area to tighten budgets, The Renaissance Center in Dickson announces it will be reducing costs on some field trip activities in order to make sure students can continue to enjoy the many educationally enriching opportunities of the center.
Executive Director Doug Jackson announced that prices for programs in The Renaissance Center’s science theatre and world-class planetarium will be reduced this fall to $3 per student for groups of at least 75 students.
“The Faraday Science Theatre and CyberSphere Digital Theater are two of our most popular resources for educational field trip opportunities at The Renaissance Center,” Jackson said. “We realize that tight budgets are forcing systems to closely scrutinize money that is spent on activities outside of the schools. Because we believe strongly that we have unique, curriculum-specific field trip opportunities for students of all ages, we want to do everything possible to make sure they still get the chance to enjoy them.”
Named for famed British scientist Michael Faraday, the Faraday Science Theatre presents interactive, age-appropriate programs that explain many basic scientific principles and applications through hands-on experiments. Shows are presented in a theatre built by The Renaissance Center’s award-winning Toy Shop to represent an 1800s-era science laboratory.
A variety of programs are available beginning with a basic show for kindergarteners through second grade that explains what a scientist is and does, to shows for older students that explain the components of fire, demonstrate scientific experiments using common household objects and explore the science of sound.
The CyberSphere Digital Theater is one of the most unique teaching venues in the country. One of the largest planetariums in North America, it contains a one-of-a-kind combination of technology that incorporates digital video, starfield projectors, state-of-the-art sound system and one of the world’s first 360-degree laser projectors.
The four-story domed theater is 60 feet across and seats up to 138 students. It is the first planetarium in the state of Tennessee to present full-dome video programs using the Digistar 3 projection system, the very latest development in planetarium technology. Digistar 3 programs immerse the students into stunning video programs that incorporate images from outer space to state-of-the-art animation. Programs range from visiting all the planets of the solar system to experiencing the seven wonders of the ancient world, traveling inside the ancient Pharaohs’ tombs in Egypt and inside the human body, from what life on other planets might look like to what wildlife on Earth could evolve into millions of years in the future.
The CyberSphere also offers traditional planetarium programs utilizing a starfield generator that can project up to 9,000 stars and constellations onto the surface of the dome and move through them in three dimensions, or take you to a computer-generated amusement park to experience thrilling rides like never before.
The Omniscan laser projector is one of the first 360-degree laser systems in the world and can cover the surface of the dome in amazing light effects featuring up to one trillion colors and shades at stunning speeds. The CyberSphere offers a variety of musical laser shows that feature many styles of music; from heavy metal to current pop hits, from oldies rock and roll to country, from Americana to contemporary Christian, from New Age to big band and swing.
All the planetarium and laser shows incorporate the CyberSphere’s 14,000-watt 5.1 Dolby Digital SurroundSound system for a full sensory experience.
“By reducing the cost of programming in the CyberSphere and Faraday Science Theatre, we want to continue to make the opportunities of The Renaissance Center to be one of the first choices teachers can make in presenting students with educational and entertaining field trip activities,” Jackson said.
In addition to the planetarium and science theatre, The Renaissance Center offers a varied selection of affordable field trip programs, including live theatrical performances, several art galleries, dance, theatre, art and music workshops and more. For the fall 2008 semester, the Mind Enriching Theatre series is offering a live, professional production of Seussical, a musical based on the characters and books of Dr. Seuss.
For more information on field trip activities at The Renaissance Center or the new discounted prices for groups of 75 or more, contact Laura Jackson, field trip coordinator, at (615) 740-5533 or laura.jackson@rcenter.org.
The Renaissance Center is a fine arts education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 miles west of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.
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