School Year

You haven’t seen a movie until you’ve seen an IMAX movie. Central PA’s biggest screen turns any movie into a total immersion experience. The screen itself is 65 feet high and 80 feet wide. That’s a full six stories tall. The powerful 6-channel, 16,000 watt surround sound system makes every film sound as big as it looks. From under the sea to outer space, educational films to Hollywood blockbusters, 2D to state-of-the-art 3D, IMAX makes every movie experience a moment to remember.

To find out more about our current films, click here. To view our film schedule, click the here for the showtimes.

EXPLORE: Educator's Guide  |  Surgery Live!   l  Access Fund

EXPLORE: Educator’s Guide & Online RSVP Form

Click here to download your copy of the 2012-2013 EXPLORE: Educators' Planning Guide today (.pdf format).
Note: pricing and programming listed are valid through June 30, 2013.

Click here to fill our School Field Visit RSVP form online.
 

 
Surgery Live!

Click here for a preview of Surgery Live!.

Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts and Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center are launching an innovative new partnership designed to stimulate the interest of high school students in careers in health care. With the support of Highmark Blue Shield, Surgery Live! at the Science Center in Whitaker center will allow students to enter the operating rooms of Hershey Medical Center through interactive high definition videoconferencing technology.

 
Student groups at Whitaker Center will see and hear the surgical teams in real time and will be permitted to ask questions at appropriate points during surgical procedures. In addition to explaining the operation as it happens, members of the surgical team will also describe their responsibilities and careers in health care, making those careers more interesting and accessible. Whitaker Center's Director of Education will facilitate the students' discussion with operating room staff, demonstrate surgical instruments used in the operation, and explain factors that cause disease and contribute to conditions that place patients on the operating table. Pre- and post-visit educational activities will maximize the impact of each Surgery Live! session.
 
There are only three similar programs at science centers in the U.S. These include Surgical Suite at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, OH; Live from the Heart at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, IL; and Cardiac Classroom at the Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ. The following comment is typical of Cardiac Classroom program participants:

 
“Watching a kidney transplant—live—and having students talk to operating room staff was an incredibly compelling experience. Students talked about it for days afterwards and a significant number now want to explore careers in medicine or biology.” - Bobbi Bremmer, High School Science Teacher

Surgery Live! learning objectives:

• Through pre-visit activities and by interacting with medical professionals as they perform their duties within the operating room, students will explore the variety of health careers that are involved in a surgical procedure.
• Students will learn how medical professionals apply elements of the scientific method to make critical observations of each patient, prepare accurate diagnoses and effectively treat disease.
• By observing the live surgical procedure and engaging in a group discussion afterward, students will gain an increased understanding of unhealthy living habits, how these can lead to disease and the need for surgery, and how healthy lifestyle choices can help people avoid surgery.
• Students will increase their knowledge of human anatomy

Surgery Live! details at-a-glance:

Capacity: 100 people
Program duration: 2.5 hours for Surgery Live! program
Total Whitaker Center visit time varies based on time allotted for visiting the Science Center and additional programmatic options chosen.

*Note: SDPC participants receive a 10% discount on the above rates. Science Center admission is included in Surgery Live! pricing. Addition of IMAX films or Discovery Labs may be available upon request for an additional fee.

Dates
Surgery Live! Scheduled Dates for 2012-2013 School Year

November
Tuesday, 11/13 (Gastric Bypass)

December
Tuesday, 12/11 (Gastric Bypass), Thursday, 12/13 (Urology, Robotic-assisted) and Tuesday, 12/18 (Gastric Bypass)

January
Thursday, 1/10 (Urology, Robotic-assisted), Tuesday, 1/15 (Gastric Bypass) and Thursday, 1/24 (Hysterectomy, Robotic-assisted)

February
Wednesday, 2/13 (Gastric Bypass), Thursday, 2/14 (Urology, Robotic-assisted), Friday, 2/15 (Gall Bladder, NEW) and Thursday, 2/21 (Hysterectomy, Robotic-assisted)

March
Friday, 3/15 (Gall Bladder), Tuesday, 3/19 (Gastric Bypass) and Thursday, 3/21 (Hysterectomy, Robotic-assisted)

April
Friday, 4/5 (Gall Bladder), Thursday, 4/11 (Urology, Robotic-assisted), Thursday, 4/25 (Hysterectomy, Robotic-assisted) and Tuesday, 4/30 (Gastric Bypass)

May
Thursday, 5/9 (Hysterectomy, Robotic-assisted), Friday, 5/17 (Gall Bladder), Tuesday, 5/21 (Gastric Bypass) and Thursday, 5/30 (Urology, Robotic-assisted)

Contact
For more information regarding Surgery Live! programming, please contact our School/ Group Reservations Office at 717-724-3862. Program availability and space is limited.

Surgery Live! Video

Access Fund

Supported by
ArcelorMittal
Brody Science Fund for Youth

What is the Purpose of the Access Fund?
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts takes pride in making its programs accessible to everyone. Thanks to the generosity of individual and corporate donors, Access Funds are made available to provide admission for children who would otherwise be unable to benefit from Whitaker Center programs.

What do Access Funds Cover?
Access Funds cover admission fees for Harsco Science Center, Discovery Labs, and Select Medical IMAX® Theater documentary films.

Where does the money for the Access Fund come from?
2011 Access Fund gifts have been provided by ArcelorMittal and the Brody Science Fund for Youth.

When can Access Funds be used?
Access Funds may be used for admission for visits from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays—no weekends, evenings or special promotion days.

Who is eligible for Access Funds?
Such funds are provided only to schools with a majority of students who qualify for the federal free and reduced-price school lunch program and Central Pennsylvania nonprofit organizations that serve low-income or disadvantaged youth or children with special needs. Funds may be used only for children ages 4-18.

What is not covered by Access Funds?
Access Funds do not cover admission for chaperones and parents (unless specifically exempted) or for transportation, food, parking or other associated costs. IMAX Hollywood films are also not covered.

How many children benefit from the Access Fund?
The Whitaker Center Access Fund has benefited 5,070 children since 2002. Last year, Whitaker Center was able to provide free admission to 556 children on 16 different group visits thanks to Access Funds.

How do I apply for Access Fund approval?

• Requests must come directly from the recipient school or organization in writing on school/organization letterhead and signed by the principal or an authorized member of the senior management team.The letter should indicate:
  • The size of the group and ages of the children
  • Three visit dates in order of preference.Please contact Whitaker Center four or more weeks in advance.
  • The group’s desired activity, such as to visit Harsco Science Center, the Select Medical IMAX Theater, and/or a Discovery Lab
  • Reason for the visit, such as “Our program focuses on children with learning disabilities, so we would like our participants to have a teaching experience outside their normal program opportunities.”
  • The financial circumstances that preclude payment, such as “Children in our program come from low-income households.” A majority of participants must qualify.
  • If the group requires special services or support
• Organizations should have approved 501(c)(3) status and have education, the arts, the sciences, or services to children with unmet needs as an important part of the mission.
• Provide a copy of organization’s IRS tax-exempt determination letter.Note:Requests will not be granted without this letter.
• Requests from volunteers working for a charity or a for-profit company will not be approved.
• Whitaker Center reserves the right to determine if or how requests will be fulfilled.
• In general, requests from the same organization will only be approved once every 24 months.

Please mail your correspondence to:
Mary Beth Fisher
Group Sales Coordinator
Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts
225 Market Street, 2nd Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101

Questions?
Contact Mary Beth Fisher at 717-724-3862 or mfisher@whitakercenter.org.