New York Hall of Science’s new exhibit invites
visitors to explore the meaning of happiness
BY GABRIELE HOLTERMANN
Just in time for summer
break, the New York Hall of
Science (NYSCI) in Queens is
officially reopened its doors
to the public on July 8 after
it was closed for nearly 18
months because of the COVID
19 pandemic.
Dr. Margaret Honey, president
and CEO of NYSCI, was
visibly excited about the reopening
and shared that her
entire team used the involuntary
hiatus to invest in
improving the experience for
visitors.
“Our amazing exhibits
team has not only created
this beautiful happiness experience,
but throughout the
entire building, there are new
experiences and refreshed
experiences, and they’ve just
been amazing,” Honey explained
on July 2. “This day
has been a long time in the
making, and we are thrilled.”
One of the new experiences
is “The Happiness Experiment,”
created during the
COVID-19 pandemic. It delves
into the neuroscience and social
science of happiness and
invites visitors to explore
what happiness means, how
it shapes their lives, and how
they can have greater control
over an emotion that became
more meaningful during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Dana Hemes, exhibition
content developer for NYSCI,
explained that they began
developing the idea for the
experiment in 2019, which
initially was intended to be
a “delightful experience” for
the holidays. However, as the
COVID-19 pandemic in 2020
progressed, it encouraged the
team “to rethink the theme of
happiness and the role of it in
our lives.”
“We were noticing that
even through this challenging
time, people were finding
these moments of joy or happiness,
and that was actually
quite beneficial,” Hemes said
before explaining that the
experiment focuses on areas
people have control over.“If
2020 taught us anything,
you don’t have control of the
world around you. We wanted
to empower our visitors to
leave feeling a little bit more
knowledgeable about how
their brains and bodies work.
But also have a set of tools in
The New York Hall of Science opened its doors again on July 8 after closing during the pandemic. Photos by Gabriele Holtermann
their back pocket, so they can
maybe practice some of these
habits and integrate them
into their lives.”
Located on the upper level
of the north wing, “The Happiness
Experiment” is filled
with numerous immersive
areas which invite visitors
to explore the different variables
that affect happiness
levels and discover how environmental,
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.10 COM | JULY 9-JULY 15, 2021
social and behavioral
factors can affect emotions
and well-being.
Some areas teach how the
external world affects the mood,
while some encourage guests to
look at the mind and body connection.
The experiment teaches
visitors how to have greater
control over their happiness,
even in the face of challenges
and other influences.
The photo booth experience
asks visitors to express
six different positive emotions,
which are projected
on different colored backgrounds
and show that happiness
isn’t the only beneficial
feeling.
The “Happiness is Fleeting”
activity addresses hedonic
adaptation, which
means that the influx of happiness
eventually will return
to the normal sense of joy
and well-being. Simply put,
nothing will make one happy
forever, not even winning the
lottery.
Visitors can turn dials
with symbols like an alarm
clock, ice cream, dancing or a
spider indicating whether the
image makes them happy or
unhappy. The dials immediately
kick back to the baseline
at different speeds.
The “Higher Energy” area
shows how exercise plays a vital
role in improving mental
well-being, while the natural
area next to it explains a
practice called “Forest Bathing,”
which originated in Japan
in the ’80s.
“Basically, you’re hanging
out with these plants. It reduces
cortisol, it can reduce
your blood pressure, and it’s
been proven to be quite useful
for you,” Hemes explained.
Another experiment asks
visitors to write down their
stories, which they can either
share with other visitors or
shred.
Visitors can buy timed
tickets online, and for the
safety of all guests, masks
will be required for all
patrons.
NYSCI visitors get a sneak preview and hands-on experience of “The Happiness Experiment.”