Free Family Membership Card Available for Check Out from San Diego Public Libraries
Enjoy the benefits of membership to the Fleet Science Center, including free admission, IMAX discounts and food and merchandise discounts, all for FREE!
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is proud to launch a new program, called Check It Out – The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. Presented in partnership with San Diego Public Library and sponsored by ScholarShare College Savings Plan, this innovative program provides area families unlimited access to the Fleet, with circulating membership cards available for check out at each of the 36 San Diego City libraries.
When library patrons check out a Fleet membership card at a branch library, they receive full membership benefits for two full weeks. This includes free admission to the hands-on science galleries for two adults and up to six children under the age of 18, discounts on IMAX films and digital shows, as well as discounts at Galileo’s Café and the North Star Science Store.
“As a San Diegan whose granddaughter makes good use of the community resources the San Diego Public Library has to offer, I am delighted with the unprecedented opportunity Check It Out – The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center offers,” said Dr. Jeffrey Kirsch, Executive Director of the Fleet. “By eliminating price as a barrier, our partnership with ScholarShare and the Library provides the widest possible audience of children and families easy access to the science education and hands-on fun that the Fleet offers year-round. We’re thrilled to partner on this unique effort, which makes a Fleet membership as simple for a family to check out as a book or DVD, and furthers our mutual commitment to education.”
The Central Library and each of the 35 branch libraries in the City of San Diego will have two circulating Fleet memberships available for checkout, beginning Thursday, May 24, 2012. This program will be offered for 24 months. The launch of the program allows San Diegans to check out the new traveling exhibition Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body opening May 26, 2012, along with popular permanent exhibitions like the Tinkering Studio for inventive minds, Cellular Journey where human cell biology comes to life, and Kid City where those age five and under learn about the everyday working world in a safe environment.
“Creative partnerships like this are such a great opportunity for families, who turn to their libraries for free resources, cultural connections and recreational opportunities,” said Deborah Barrow, San Diego Public Library Director. “We expect that this easy to check out membership will be extremely popular. The chance to Check It Out – The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center will open a whole new world of creative exploration for the young and those who are young at heart.”
The free family membership cards will be available for check out starting Thursday, May 24, 2012 through your local San Diego library. Library members may check out the membership in person or using the libraries’ online catalog to search for availability.
About the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
With over 100 hands-on science exhibits, IMAX films to experience and planetarium shows to watch, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center offers an interactive, educational, entertaining experience for visitors of all ages. Located at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Boulevard, the Fleet Science Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the public understanding and enjoyment of science and technology.
Sunday, May 13, 2012 – Mom Gets in for Free When You Buy a Ticket for Yourself
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center makes it easier for you to show Mom how just how special she is on Mother’s Day this year (Sunday, May 13, 2012), with a special BOGO offer to their newest IMAX movie, To The Arctic. Take advantage of this Mother’s Day freebie while it lasts!
Mother’s Day Freebie – IMAX Movie at the Science Center
Moms receive free admission to the new IMAX film of love, family and hope on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13 2012! Purchase one ticket for To The Arctic for any member of the family at full price and receive one ticket free for Mom to see the same show. Science Center Members may redeem an IMAX voucher in lieu of purchasing a ticket and will receive one ticket free for Mom to see the same show. As always, a ticket to an IMAX film includes general gallery admission to the Science Center, so plan to make a day of it!
About To The Arctic: Narrated by Oscar winner Meryl Streep, To The Arctic takes audiences on a never-before-experienced journey into the lives of a mother polar bear and her twin seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home. Over the course of several days the mother polar bear allowed the film crew an unprecedented window into her life at close range – hunting, playing, nursing, and teaching her youngsters how to escape from danger, or stand their ground. To The Arctic is an extraordinary journey to the top of the world; the ultimate tale of survival. This movie delivers captivating, adventurous and intimate footage of one family’s struggle to survive in a frigid environment of melting ice, immense glaciers, spectacular waterfalls, and majestic snow-bound peaks.
The Fine Print: This Mother’s Day Freebie offer is available on Sunday, May 13, 2012 only; and only applies to the IMAX film To The Arctic. Tickets must be purchased in person at the ticket counter. Other restrictions apply.
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is located at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Boulevard.
Grab Your Parkas – ‘To The Arctic’ Opens April 20, 2012
Get ready to be transported to one of the most remote and spectacularly beautiful places in the world and experience an emotional story of love, family and hope, when To The Arctic opens at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center on Friday, April 20, 2012.
Presented in IMAX, To The Arctic is an extraordinary journey to the top of the world as few people have ever seen it, telling a compelling tale of survival, with global implications. Captivating and intimate footage brings moviegoers up close and personal with one family’s struggle to survive in a frigid environment of melting ice, immense glaciers, spectacular waterfalls, and majestic snow-bound peaks.
“Warner Bros. and IMAX share our commitment to bring audiences the highest quality documentary films that entertain and inspire,” said two-time Academy Award nominated Director Greg MacGillivray. “The film’s universal themes of love, hope and the power of family, as set against the back drop of the breathtaking Arctic, is sure to capture the imagination of audiences everywhere.”
Narrated by Oscar winner Meryl Streep and featuring songs by Paul McCartney, the film takes audiences on a never-before-experienced journey into the lives of a mother polar bear and her twin seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home. Over the course of several days the mother polar bear, who was uncharacteristically nonchalant about and comfortably indifferent to strangers on her turf, allowed the film crew an unprecedented window into her life at close range – hunting, playing, nursing, and teaching her youngsters how to escape from danger, or stand their ground.
Bears are notoriously camera-shy. Those spotted on earlier scouts had warily kept their distance. Perhaps this female was savvy enough to understand that the human presence might afford her some protection against more dangerous company – roaming male polar bears hungry enough to see her babies as an easy meal. Even so, she was forced to repel four separate raids by much larger males in the five days that MacGillivray and his team helplessly kept watch – rooting for her but knowing that, in any event, they could not interfere. The most dramatic of these clashes, caught on film, began when the ever-vigilant mother picked up the scent of an approaching threat. Greg MacGillivray recounts, “With a warning bark, she sent her cubs scurrying into the water ahead and dove in behind them to block the male during what became a grueling four-mile pursuit. Snarling and snapping whenever he got close, she finally stopped and held her ground, growling as if to say, ‘If you want to kill my cubs, you‘ll have to kill me first.’ Finally, the male turned away, ending the longest and most thrilling chase I have ever captured.”
To The Arctic opens at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s Heikoff Dome Theater on Friday, April 20, 2012 with two shows daily. The film has been rated G and has a run time of 40 minutes.
March 4, 2012 – Yale Whiffenpoofs to Appear at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion
The Yale University Whiffenpoofs, the world’s oldest and best-known collegiate a cappella group, will be performing in a free concert at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 2:00 pm along with former San Diego Civic Organist Jared Jacobsen and the La Jolla Brass.
Founded in 1909, the “Whiffs” began as a senior quartet that met for weekly concerts at Mory’s Temple Bar, the famous Yale tavern. Today, the group – consisting of 14 senior Yale men – has become one of Yale’s most celebrated traditions.
Join the Yale University Whiffenpoofs for a special free concert on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. This family friendly event is free and open to the public.
New Interactive Digital Rock Concert on the Science Center’s 76-Foot Dome Screen
Classic Rock reigns supreme as ROCK THE DOME makes its debut at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.
ROCK THE DOME is an interactive digital concert featuring some of the greatest bands of all time. Imagine Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Metallica in 16,000-watt digital surround sound and 32 million pixels, accompanied by mesmerizing retro graphics inside a 76-foot dome – it’s an experience you won’t soon forget! Pulsating graphics fill the screen while the Dome’s state-of-the-art sound system play your favorites like you’ve never heard them before. Sit back and relax as you become completely immersed in a 360-degree swirl of imagery and music.
What song comes next? The audience decides! At every show, audiences get to vote for which rock classic plays next. Will it be the Beatles or Rolling Stones? Led Zeppelin or Metallica? U2 or Pink Floyd? Each show features a unique playlist determined by audience votes! Other artists on the roster include Aerosmith, Van Halen, Emerson, Lake and Powell, AC/DC, Rush, Jimi Hendrix, Midnight Oil, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Doors.
ROCK THE DOME plays at the Heikoff Dome Theater at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, starting Saturday, March 3, 2012. The opening day shows (at 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm) will feature KGB’s Coe Lewis as Guest DJ. On the radio longer than any other female in San Diego, ‘Rocker Girl’ Coe Lewis has interviewed everyone from the Stones to Van Halen, the perfect host for a flashback to another era!
March 17, 2012 – Free Gallery Admission All Day, For All Ages
In partnership with the 2012 San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park will host Science Family Day on Saturday, March 17, 2012, with free gallery admission all day, for all ages.
Special hands-on activities are planned from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm; tiny ones can make take-home litter bugs in Kid City; and bigger kids can make ShrinkyDink key chains in the Tinkering Studio. IMAX Trivia, Nokia video games and a New Technology Expo will also be held from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
In addition to free gallery admission, all IMAX and digital planetarium shows will be offered on Science Family Day at the discounted price of $9.50 each.
Science Family Day – including free gallery admission – takes place on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center located at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Boulevard.
Editor’s Note: Black Holes have arrived at the Science Center! Check out this article and video (featuring interviews with Dr. Jeffrey Kirsch, Executive Director of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and Mary Dussault, Black Holes Specialist and Project Director of the current Black Holes exhibit) to learn about the new Exhibit and Planetarium Show: Black Holes: Planetarium Show and Exhibit at Science Center
Black Holes Have Arrived at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center – Catch Them While You Can!
They’re one of the most intriguing and mysterious phenomena in the universe, places where time and space are warped to the extreme, and nothing – not even light – can escape the pull of their ferocious gravity. Cross the cosmic threshold into the bizarre realm of black holes at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park!
This month, the Science Center debuts its state-of-the-art, giant dome screen digital GSX system from Global Immersion with a new daily public planetarium show, BLACK HOLES: The Other Side of Infinity, running in conjunction with the Science Center’s new exhibition, Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists. The GSX system will augment the existing IMAX projector in the Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Dome Theater with one of the most comprehensive and powerful full-dome experiences available today.
Planetarium Show – BLACK HOLES: The Other Side Of Infinity
Black holes once defied the imagination. But now, the more scientists look for evidence of them, the more they find, and the more they learn about the role of black holes in the universe.
BLACK HOLES: The Other Side of Infinity provides a groundbreaking, scientifically accurate perspective on black holes and presents the latest compelling evidence that black holes are real. Using supercomputing technology, the show whisks audiences to a place humans can never venture – to the center of a black hole!
Narrated by Academy Award-nominated actor, Liam Neeson, BLACK HOLES: The Other Side of Infinity guides viewers through other-worldly wormholes to experience the creation of the Milky Way Galaxy and the violent death of a star and subsequent birth of a black hole. High-resolution visualizations of cosmic phenomena are based on data generated by telescope observations and ultra-high end computer simulations with striking, immersive animations of the Big Bang, the formation of the universe, endless seas of dust and gas drawn together by gravity to form the first stars, the collision of two galaxies that cross paths in the vastness of space, and a simulated flight to a super-massive black hole lurking at the center of our own Milky Way.
This Planetarium Show marks the debut of the Science Center’s new Digital GSX Giant Screen System, providing one of the most comprehensive and powerful full-dome experiences available today. At the heart of GSX is a combination of technologies called ImageFusion which combine the power and resolution of four of the latest Sony 4K resolution cinema grade projectors. Each projector offers 4096 x 2160 pixel resolution that, when combined as the GSX system, converts a total of 84,000 lumens and over 32 million pixels into a full screen image to offer audiences a stunning immersive visual experience.
This system provides the Science Center’s Heikoff Dome Theater (which is 76-feet in diameter, with a 168° (vertical) by 360° (horizontal) field-of-view) with an engrossing experience which envelops the audience and offers an entirely digital, truly immersive and pixel-perfect giant screen experience.
BLACK HOLES: The Other Side ofInfinity will run at the Science Center through the end of March, 2012.
New Exhibit – Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists
Get ready for an out of this world exhibition exploring what we know, don’t know, and think we know about one of the world’s greatest space mysteries – black holes. These regions in space, sometimes only a few kilometers across, have gravity so powerful that light cannot escape and matter drawn into them is lost forever. Einstein imagined black holes but doubted they could exist in nature. Today evidence suggests they are quite common.
The Science Center’s newest exhibit, Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists, is designed like a space mission; visitors are sent out to search for evidence of real black holes in our universe. Through a number of stations, a visitor will observe the peculiar properties of black holes, their amazing journey from theory to fact, and some common – and entertaining – misconceptions. A variety of interactive components will give visitors an in-depth experience of how black holes behave, shape our universe and influence our lives.
At the start of their journey, visitors will pick up a Black Holes Explorer’s ID Card, which they can use throughout the exhibit to collect discoveries and generate a personalized website that only they can access. The website serves as part personal diary, part observer’s log and will include data recorded by the visitor, including their observations, conclusions, questions, notes and photos they’ve captured of their group and their activities.
The final portion of the exhibit is truly an adventure for space travelers of all ages. Step into your immersive excursion pod and set your course for an extreme fantasy vacation to the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. The challenge: pilot your pod to an alien spacecraft wreck at the edge of the black hole and dive down to discover its hidden treasure – then live to tell about it.
Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists will be at the Science Center for a limited engagement, through April 29, 2012 only. This Exhibit is a production of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
About the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
With over 100 hands-on science exhibits, IMAX films to experience and planetarium shows to watch, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center offers an interactive, educational, entertaining experience for visitors of all ages. Located at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Boulevard, the Fleet Science Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the public understanding and enjoyment of science and technology.
Interview with Dr. Jeffrey Kirsch and Mary Dussault – The Raj Report
The Raj Report takes viewers to exciting events, places, and happenings in and around San Diego. With his unique perspective and signature style, this budding broadcaster brings a whimsical insight to the pulse of San Diego.
In this segment, The Raj Report discusses black holes and other things with: Dr. Jeffrey Kirsh, Executive Director of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center; and Mary Dussault, Black Holes Specialist and Project Director of the current Black Holes exhibit, Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists.
It’s that time of the year again, San Diego! That’s right,FebruaryisMuseum Month!
Now in its 23rd year, San Diego, Museum Month is the time of year when San Diego individuals, families, visitors, explorers, adventurers, history buffs, art enthusiasts, animal and plant lovers, culture-seekers – everyone – can visit participating San Diego County museums and institutions for half price all month long with afree Museum Month Pass.
A long standing San Diego tradition drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year, Museum Month was created in 1989 to promote awareness of San Diego’s museums, historical sites, educational institutions and cultural offerings. Since that time the promotion has grown to become a cultural tradition on a level witnessed by very few cities in the country.
Visit participating San Diego County museums and institutions for half price during the month of February with your free Museum Month Pass. You can pick up your Museum Month Pass from any Macy’s Department Store in San Diego County, Temecula or Imperial Valley starting February 1, 2012. Museum Month Passes will be available (while supplies last) and valid from February 1, 2012 to February 29, 2012. The Pass is free of charge, no purchase is necessary.
Then, take your Museum Month Pass to any of the 40 participating museums and institutions and enjoy 50% off the regular price of admission all month long! Guests with a Pass may bring up to three people with them to any participating museum to receive half-off, too.
Enjoy Free Admission to Select San Diego Museums the First Weekend of the Month : Museums on Us Bank of America Promotion
Each Bank of America or Merrill Lynch cardholder member can enjoy free general admission to over 150 museums, zoos, science centers, botanical gardens and more across the USA on the first full weekend of every month with your Bank of America Card.
Here’s how it works: Show your Bank of America/Merrill Lych check, ATM or credit card and photo ID at participating museums on the first full weekend (Saturday or Sunday) of the month and enjoy free general admission to that Museum.
The following San Diego area museums are participating in the expanded 2011 Bank of America “Museums on Us” free admission event:
Free Museum Admission dates for 2012 are as follows:
January 2012 – Saturday, January 7 and Sunday, January 8, 2012
February 2012 – Saturday, February 4 and Sunday, February 5, 2012
March 2012 – Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4, 2012
April 2012 – Saturday, April 7 and Sunday, April 8, 2012
May 2012 – Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6, 2012
June 2012 – Saturday, June 2 and Sunday, June 3, 2012
July 2012 – Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8, 2012
August 2012 – Saturday, August 4 and Sunday, August 5, 2012
September 2012 – Saturday, September 1 and Sunday, September 2, 2012
October 2012 – Saturday, October 6 and Sunday, October 7, 2012
November 2012 – Saturday, November 3 and Sunday, November 4, 2012
December 2012 – Saturday, December 1 and Sunday, December 2, 2012
Free admission through the Bank of America “Museums on Us” eventapplies only to the individual whose name appears on the Bank of America/Merrilll Lynch card; children and additional family members who do not have Bank of America/Merrill Lynch cards must pay the regular admission price. Hours and dates of operation vary from museum to museum; be sure to check with the individual museum for individual hours and dates of operation.
Editor’s Note: Young children are often admitted free or at a discounted price to most museums. Assuming you and your spouse each have a Bank of America/Merrill Lynch card (it doesn’t matter whether it’s the same account, so long as you can show separate cards with individual names, you will get in for free) and you have younger children, your entire family can enjoy the Museum for free or a significantly discounted rate. Check with the individual museum for admission prices.
December 9, 2011 to January 1, 2012 – Celebrate the Holidays at the San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is decked out for the holidays! Now in its third year, Jungle Bells has quickly become a fun, family holiday tradition full of lights, music, acrobats and animals.
The San Diego Zoo’s Jungle Bells celebration runs from December 9, 2011 to January 1, 2012 and is free with paid admission to the Zoo. During Jungle Bells, the Zoo grounds offers extended hours and will stay open until 8:00 pm (except for December 24, 2011, when the Zoo will close at 5:00 pm).
During the three-week Jungle Bells celebration, guests of the San Diego Zoo will be greeted by a traditional English hand bell choir, be amazed by elves who dance in the air and be delighted by a flashy light show. There also are twinkling lights in the shape of animals, sing along fun nightly at 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm, Santa’s workshop, extra encounters with animal ambassadors, Candy Cane Lane, the Treehouse “Blitzen” Light Experience, a Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer theme at the Skyfari, the “Reindeer Express” bus ride to see the lights and Dr. Zoolittle’s holiday show in the Children’s Zoo.
Also making its debut during Jungle Bells is the Zoo’s new 4-D theater. The theater is a fun, family oriented sensory experience sure to delight the kids. The 50 seat theater combines the visual drama of a 3-D film with a variety of sensory effects that are built into the seats and theater environment, such as water mist, blustery wind, snow, bubbles, scents, seat vibrations, and more. Two films, each about 15 minute long, will alternate in the theater. The theater is across from the Skyfari’s west-end station, near the Conrad Prebys Polar Bear Plunge exhibit. Films show throughout the day to provide a great entertaining and educational experience for guests. The cost of viewing a film is $6.00 per person and is in addition to Zoo admission.
Got the munchies? Again this year, the Zoo’s talented chefs are cooking up some holiday deliciousness to put guests’ taste buds in the spirit! Jungle Bells will be celebrated at Albert’s with “Happy Holidays Happen at Albert’s.” The event features a $6.00 appetizer, wine, beer and cocktail menu from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm daily. There also will be a $30.00 prix fixe dinner featuring a tender baby greens salad, slow-roasted pork medallions and Amarula spiced cheesecake for dessert. Special taste treats will also be available throughout the Zoo, including holiday colored cotton candy for the kids while they coo over camels, coffee with Kahlua for adults catching the polar bears in play, and much more.
Social Media Events During Jungle Bells
There are several fun opportunities to get online and share your Jungle Bells experiences in the social media:
The Tweeting of the Bells (Twitter): Five bell-shaped “Jungle Bells” will be placed throughout the Zoo during Jungle Bells. If you find one, complete the photo challenge and tweet the photo to www.twitter.com/sandiegozoo to be entered into a drawing to win a Backstage Pass for four.
foursquare Battle for the Mayor (foursquare): Whoever is the mayor of the Zoo on foursquare gets to light the Conservation Tree on December 10, 2011 to kick off Jungle Bells 2011.
Conservation Tree Photo Contest (Zoo Website): Submit photos of you and your loved ones in front of the Conservation Tree for a chance to win a behind the scenes experience. Every week during Jungle Bells one photographer will win an Inside Look tour for four, and one grand prize winner at the end of the month will score a Backstage Pass for four! Enter photos at http://sandiegozoo.org/junglebells
Holiday Wishes for our Animals (Facebook): Post holiday wishes for the Zoo animals on the San Diego Zoo’s Facebook page and they’ll choose one every week to share with all of their fans.
The San Diego Zoo’s Jungle Bells 2011 runs from December 9, 2011 to January 1, 2012. This family friendly event is free with paid admission to the Zoo. During Jungle Bells, the Zoo will stay open until 8:00 pm (except for December 24, 2011, when the Zoo will close at 5:00 pm).
The San Diego Zoo is located adjacent to downtown San Diego in Balboa Park (at 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA, 92101).
Bears are notoriously camera-shy. Those spotted on earlier scouts had warily kept their distance. Perhaps this female was savvy enough to understand that the human presence might afford her some protection against more dangerous company – roaming male polar bears hungry enough to see her babies as an easy meal. Even so, she was forced to repel four separate raids by much larger males in the five days that MacGillivray and his team helplessly kept watch – rooting for her but knowing that, in any event, they could not interfere. The most dramatic of these clashes, caught on film, began when the ever-vigilant mother picked up the scent of an approaching threat. Greg MacGillivray recounts, “With a warning bark, she sent her cubs scurrying into the water ahead and dove in behind them to block the male during what became a grueling four-mile pursuit. Snarling and snapping whenever he got close, she finally stopped and held her ground, growling as if to say, ‘If you want to kill my cubs, you‘ll have to kill me first.’ Finally, the male turned away, ending the longest and most thrilling chase I have ever captured.”
ROCK THE DOME is an interactive digital concert featuring some of the greatest bands of all time. Imagine Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Metallica in 16,000-watt digital surround sound and 32 million pixels, accompanied by mesmerizing retro graphics inside a 76-foot dome – it’s an experience you won’t soon forget! Pulsating graphics fill the screen while the Dome’s state-of-the-art sound system play your favorites like you’ve never heard them before. Sit back and relax as you become completely immersed in a 360-degree swirl of imagery and music.
Editor’s Note: Black Holes have arrived at the Science Center! Check out this article and video (featuring interviews with Dr. Jeffrey Kirsch, Executive Director of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and Mary Dussault, Black Holes Specialist and Project Director of the current Black Holes exhibit) to learn about the new Exhibit and Planetarium Show: 
Black holes once defied the imagination. But now, the more scientists look for evidence of them, the more they find, and the more they learn about the role of black holes in the universe.
The Science Center’s newest exhibit, Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists
The San Diego Zoo’s Jungle Bells celebration runs from December 9, 2011 to January 1, 2012 and is free with paid admission to the Zoo. During Jungle Bells, the Zoo grounds offers extended hours and will stay open until 8:00 pm (except for December 24, 2011, when the Zoo will close at 5:00 pm).
Also making its debut during Jungle Bells is the Zoo’s new 4-D theater. The theater is a fun, family oriented sensory experience sure to delight the kids. The 50 seat theater combines the visual drama of a 3-D film with a variety of sensory effects that are built into the seats and theater environment, such as water mist, blustery wind, snow, bubbles, scents, seat vibrations, and more. Two films, each about 15 minute long, will alternate in the theater. The theater is across from the Skyfari’s west-end station, near the Conrad Prebys Polar Bear Plunge exhibit. Films show throughout the day to provide a great entertaining and educational experience for guests. The cost of viewing a film is $6.00 per person and is in addition to Zoo admission. 
Got the munchies? Again this year, the Zoo’s talented chefs are cooking up some holiday deliciousness to put guests’ taste buds in the spirit! Jungle Bells will be celebrated at Albert’s with “Happy Holidays Happen at Albert’s.” The event features a $6.00 appetizer, wine, beer and cocktail menu from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm daily. There also will be a $30.00 prix fixe dinner featuring a tender baby greens salad, slow-roasted pork medallions and Amarula spiced cheesecake for dessert. Special taste treats will also be available throughout the Zoo, including holiday colored cotton candy for the kids while they coo over camels, coffee with Kahlua for adults catching the polar bears in play, and much more. 
