Enjoy Free Admission to OMA on Select Days in 2012
The Oceanside Museum of Art is pleased to announce free admission to the museum every Tuesday in 2012. The Free Tuesdays in 2012 promotion is in addition to free admission on the first Sunday of the month, and free admission on Free Family Art Days.
About the Oceanside Museum of Art
Opened in 1995 and housed in side-by-side buildings designed by two of southern California’s most renowned Modernist architects, Irving Gill and Frederick Fisher, the Oceanside Museum of Art fosters and promotes the study, appreciation and understanding of art, with special focus on regional art, through its exhibitions, collections, and educational programs.
In addition to more than fifteen highly praised modern and contemporary art exhibitions per year, museum programming includes concerts, films, culinary events, fundraising parties, evening events, docent tours and chartered travel to other local, national and international cultural art venues and destinations.
Open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, the Oceanside Museum of Art is located at 704 Pier View Way in downtown Oceanside, California within walking distance from the Oceanside transit center with Amtrak, Coaster, Sprinter and Metrolink stops.
Free Family Art Activities and Events at the Oceanside Museum of Art
The Oceanside Museum of Art continues to host Free Family Art Days, a program designed to provide the community with educational art experiences. Bring the whole family to this fun-filled free event where children are encouraged to view the artwork featured in the Museum’s Exhibitions (with special kid-friendly docent guided tours) and participate in hands-on art activities that reflect concepts and themes from the Exhibits.
Each Free Family Art Day includes all the necessary materials and is open to the public. Activities are geared towards children of all ages and no art experience is required. Healthy refreshments are provided.
The following Free Family Art Days are scheduled at the Oceanside Museum of Art for 2012, each one paired with art projects that reflect the themes and concepts of the Exhibits:
Sunday, March 4, 2012 – 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Create Our Own Boats – inspired by the works of John Taylor, a Southern California artist, kids will be able to use a variety of materials to create, decorate, name and float their own boats! Special guests School of Rock from Vista will be performing. Inspiring kids to rock…on stage and in life, the School of Rock is a performance based classic rock music school featuring students aged 12 to 17 who play music ranging from Led Zepellin, Yes, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, The Who, Primus and more.
Sunday, October 14, 2012 – 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Details to be announced
The Oceanside Museum of Art is located just north of San Diego at 704 Pier View Way in downtown Oceanside, within walking distance from the Oceanside transit center with Amtrack, Coaster, Sprinter and Metrolink stops. For more information about Free Family Art Days and other events taking place at the Museum, visit the Oceanside Museum of Art website.
February 21, 2012 – 18th Annual Gaslamp Quarter Mardi Gras
One of the most anticipated festivals on the West Coast, Gaslamp Mardi Gras, returns to downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter on Fat Tuesday, February 21, 2012. With over 40,000 people expected to attend, this year’s Mardi Gras will build on the success of last year’s revamped event with five stages featuring live music performances, elaborately themed areas, special guest appearances and the world’s top Electronica, Dubstep and House DJs.
Mardi Gras will also feature an incredible grand masquerade parade that travels straight down Fifth Avenue as well as multi-dimensional street performers that will entertain on over 16 blocks throughout the Gaslamp Quarter. Cutting edge lighting, sound and visuals will enhance the ambiance as they draw Mardi Gras through the pulsating streets of the Historic Gaslamp Quarter.
Gaslamp Mardi Gras 2012 takes place on Fat Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 6:00 pm to midnight. Tickets to this Mardi Gras madness are $20.00 dollars in advance and $25.00 at the door; attendees must be 21 years or older and have a valid photo ID to enter. Visit the website for more information and to order your tickets.
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.
January 30, 2012 – Cafe Coyote Dishes Out the Heat During Live Viewing of Heat Seekers
Cafe Coyote Old Town will be featured on Food Network’s Heat Seekers on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 8:00 pm! To celebrate this special occasion, Cafe Coyote is inviting the public to come to the restaurant on Monday and join the gang for a live viewing of the show. Guests who attend the live viewing will be able to enjoy a complimentary salsa bar stocked with the salsas that are featured on the show.
El Diablo Spicy Salsas (counterclockwise starting from bottom left): 1. Verde Espanta features Ghost Chilies, 200,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units); 2. Hot Habanero this bright orange salsa really packs a punch, 350,000 SHU; 3. Scorpion Salsa the scorpion chilies lend some serious heat to this salsa, 500,000 SHU; 4. Naga Dragon Salsa – try these naga chilies if you dare! 650,000+ SHU
Whether at the restaurant or at home, you are invited to tune into the show to see owner Lehn Goetz cook up her Extra Spicy Salsa Sampler & Famous Old Town Carnitas for the show’s two hosts Chefs Aaron Sanchez and Roger Mooking. These two hosts live dangerously as they see who can handle the heat in this television series that focuses on discovering restaurants from across the country that are dishing up the spiciest foods. Sanchez and Mooking will brave the ultimate challenge to see who can handle the heat as Lehn provides them with not one, not two, but three “hot, hot, hot” dishes to dive into including Carnitas Taco with Naga, Carnitas Taco with Scorpion and Habanera Margarita to wash it all down.
In addition to Cafe Coyote’s fun and festive atmosphere captured on the show, make sure to look out for shots of its Fried Ice Cream, friendly staff and of course the famous Tortilla Lady making her incredible flour and corn tortillas. This is not the first television show that Cafe Coyote has been featured on, as it was also showcased on the Travel Channel’s Fried Paradise 2.
Cafe Coyote will be hosting the live viewing and free salsa bar on Monday, January 30, 2012. Arrive early; the show begins at 8:00 pm. Winner of Best Mexican 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, Cafe Coyote showcases traditional and award winning Mexican Cuisine. The restaurant is located in Old Town at 2461 San Diego Avenue, San Diego, CA 92110.
New Sea Life Exhibit, Star Wars Miniland Expansion, Pirate Reef Water Ride & More Planned for 2012
At a recent Press Conference, LegolandCalifornia Resort’s General Manager, Peter Ronchetti, announced several new projects which will be unveiled in 2012. Not only is the Force returning to Legoland California Resort this year, but a swashbuckling pirate adventure ride – Pirate Reef – and a new interactive exhibit at Sea Life Aquarium – Claws – await guests coming to the family theme park in Carlsbad in 2012.
Here are some of the highlights of what to expect from Legoland California Resort in 2012:
Lego Star Wars Miniland
Star Wars Miniland is expanding to include new Lego models in each scene as well as a never-before-seen Lego Star Wars Gallery. Guests can already enjoy seven of the most famous scenes from the six live action Star Wars movies, as well as a scene from the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars all made out of 1.5 million Lego bricks and built in 1:20 scale. On March 29, 2012, Star Wars and Lego fans alike will be delighted to find even more detail in each scene. For example, in the Naboo area, guests will discover an “underwater” scene featuring an opee sea killer as it pursues Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn and Jar Jar Binks as they try to reach the city of Theed. Other new Lego models include a Jawa sandcrawler in the Tatooine scene, Rebels caught in a net trap set by Ewoks on Endor and a new crystal tower standing more than 6-feet-tall on Christophsis.
For the first time, guests will be further immersed into the Star Wars experience as they walk through the Lego Star Wars Gallery encountering Lego “friends,” similar to giant mini-figures, from the Star Wars Universe. Each Lego model will be 3-feet-tall and displayed on a podium for guests to get an up-close look. The 12 characters featured in the Lego Star Wars Gallery are: Wicket, Princess Leia, R2-D2, Clone Captain Rex, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Anakin, Boba Fett, Chewbacca, Yoda and Darth Maul. In fact, two new Darth Maul Lego models will be introduced in honor of the re-release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace in 3-D in February, 2012. One of the Darth Maul models will stand in the Lego Star Wars Gallery while the other Lego model will be life-sized, posed in a combat position grasping his double-bladed light-saber in one hand and reaching forward with the other.
The new models for Star Wars Miniland are being developed and built by Legoland Model Builders all over the world but it will be up to the Master Model Builders at Legoland California to bring the scenes to life with the help of animation electricians, technicians and landscapers.
Pirate Reef – New Water Ride
Legoland’s newest attraction, Pirate Reef, is scheduled to make its debut on May 24, 2012. Guests are invited to battle each other on the high seas as they blast water cannons, try to avoid getting drenched on the main bridge and plunge 25-feet down a chute that splashes through the battle between Captain Red Brick and Captain Blue Brick. The splash bridge, water cannons and brick building play area are the three main interactive components of this multi-million dollar attraction which will be the first to be accessible not only through Pirate Shores within Legoland California, but also via the Legoland Water Park, the world’s first Lego-themed Water Park which opened in 2010. Captain Red Brick and Captain Blue Brick’s ships will stand more than 20-feet high and 40-feet long. The highest part of the ride will be 32-feet and families will plunge down the chute at 26 miles per hour. (Note: Minimum height requirement for Pirate Reef is 36 inches tall. Guests 42 inches tall or taller can ride alone; guests 36 inches to 41 inches tall may ride with an accompanying rider who is 42 inches tall or taller.)
Claws – New Exhibit at Sea Life Aquarium
This Spring, crustaceans will be scuttling around at Sea Life Carlsbad Aquarium at the Legoland California Resort with the opening of its newest interactive exhibit, “Claws.” The five new displays will include Japanese spider crabs – which can grow to 13-feet across – and coconut crabs – named for their ability to crack open coconuts with the power of their claws. Along with the gigantic Japanese spider crabs and coconut crabs, the exhibit will feature land crabs, lobsters and nephrops, commonly referred to as “prawns.”
The Claws Exhibit will allow guests to see the extraordinary weapons and defenses of these fascinating clawed creatures and will also include: an interactive floor projection that reacts when kids move over it; a touch display allowing guests to feel the shell textures of different crabs; plus a new daily educational presentation and feed.
A Look Ahead to 2013 – Legoland Hotel
At the entrance to Legoland California Resort, the nation’s first Legoland Hotel is currently under construction. Guests entering the Resort can now see images along the construction fences of what the guest rooms will look like when the unique hotel opens in 2013.
All of the new 2012 guest experiences are included in the cost of admission to Legoland California Resort properties.
About Legoland California Resort
Legoland California Resort includes Legoland California and Sea Life Carlsbad Aquarium, both geared for families with children between the ages of 2 and 12. At Legoland California, you’ll find more than 60 rides, shows and attractions including the 5.5 acre Legoland Water Park, the all-new Star Wars Miniland and Pirate Reef opening May 2012. Sea Life Carlsbad Aquarium incorporates Lego models into a child’s voyage to the depths of the ocean and features play zones, fun facts and quiz trails and the new interactive exhibit Claws, coming in the Spring of 2012. Legoland California and Sea Life Carlsbad Aquarium are located in San Diego North at One Legoland Drive, Carlsbad, California.
Sneak Peek at Legoland Attractions for 2012 – 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 takes a closer look at what’s in store at Legoland California in 2012, including footage of a life-sized Lego Darth Maul, plans for the new Lego Star Wars Gallery, a mini Lego model of the new water ride Pirate Reef and footage about Claws, the new Sea Life Aquarium Exhibit. Also in this video are highlights from the Press Conference delivered by Peter Ronchetti, General Manager of Legoland California Resort.
WOW First Wednesdays Concert Series = Free Concerts at CCAE
The California Center for the Arts, Escondido presents WOW First Wednesdays, a free concert series. The free concerts are presented to the public on the first Wednesday of each month with two shows, at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Seats are on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of reserved seats are also available for $7.00 each and can be reserved by calling the Box Office at 1-800-988-4253.
Here is a list of upcoming WOW First Wednesdays concerts:
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 – The Bayou Brothers – Influenced by Zydeco, Blues, R&B and classic Mardi Gras sound, this show delivers endless New Orleans enthusiasm.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 – Brazilian Sounds and Dance with Solemar –Brazil comes to Escondido in a percussion and dance collaboration! It’s a concert of band music including bossa nova and modern samba.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 – Malashock Dance –Malashock communicates through Modern Dance and entertains through dynamic performance that ignites the imagination.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 – Ballet Folklorico Tierra Caliente – The history of Mexico through the art of dance in costumes that reflect their traditional culture. Led by award winning Director Jose Jaimes.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012 – Too Much Fun Band – Born from a desire to make audiences smile, Too Much Fun Band pours out a toe tapping, hand clapping sound that resonates with the American heart.
The California Center for the Arts, Escondido is located at 340 North Escondido Boulevard, Escondido, CA. There will be two WOW First Wednesdays performances on the first Wednesday of each month, at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. All performances are free and open to the public. A limited number of Reserved Seats are also available for $7.00 each and can be purchased by calling the Box Office.
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Birch Aquarium at Scripps With Half Off Admission
To mark 20 years at its current location along Expedition Way in La Jolla, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, is offering San Diego County residents half-off admission on the 20th of every month through the Aquarium’s anniversary month of September 2012.
“We are very grateful to the San Diego community for embracing the aquarium and its mission over the last two decades,” said Nigella Hillgarth, Aquarium Executive Director. “We’re offering half-off admission as a way to say thank you to residents and invite them to rediscover our fantastic facility.”
The 20th Anniversary special half off admission to Birch AquariumOffer is valid on the 20th of each month through September 2012:
Friday, January 20, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Friday, July 20, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Half off admission is extended to all San Diego County residents living in zip codes 91901-92199. Aquarium visitors must show a valid ID with the zip code to receive the offer (limit two children per paid adult; cannot be combined with other offers).
About the Birch Aquarium at Scripps:
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the aquarium features more than 60 habitats of fish and invertebrates from the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest to the tropical waters of Mexico and beyond. An interactive museum showcases research discoveries by Scripps scientists on climate, earth and ocean science and features five dozen interactive elements. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Birch Aquarium has an annual attendance of more than 405,000, including 45,000 school children.
Scripps Oceanography has dedicated itself to maintaining a public aquarium since its inception in 1903. Birch Aquarium at Scripps opened in September 1992 along Expedition Way, replacing the Scripps Aquarium-Museum, which operated for four decades near Scripps Pier. Native San Diegans often recall visiting the facility when they were school children.
The new $14 million facility, named in honor of the Delaware-based Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation, a nonprofit organization that granted $6 million for the Aquarium’s redesign, was three times larger than its predecessor and became a testament to the breadth of Scripps research explorations and the Institution’s commitment to sharing ocean and earth science discoveries with the public.
In the last 20 years, Birch Aquarium at Scripps has welcomed more than 6 million visitors from across the United States and around the world, including U.S. presidents and other high-ranking government officials, royalty and Hollywood superstars. The Aquarium remains one of San Diego’s top cultural destinations and was voted San Diego’s Best Museum in the 2011 A-List, coordinated by 10News.com. More than 40,000 school children take part in the Aquarium’s on- and off-site education programs each year.
Today, visitors can explore more than 60 marine tanks – up from 36 on opening day – teeming with fishes, corals and invertebrates from the chilly waters of the Pacific Northwest to the warm currents of the tropical seas. A showcase 70,000-gallon tank houses a forest of gently swaying kelp, treating visitors to a serene view of a complex marine community that flourishes off the San Diego coast.
In addition to marine-life exhibits, the aquarium showcases ocean and earth science in its interactive, award-winning museum. Boundless Energy, the Aquarium’s newest exhibit, opened last summer. This outdoor, interactive playground – celebrating ways we can harness clean energy from the planet – is a natural extension of Feeling the Heat: The Climate Challenge, an adjacent exhibit that presents the science of global climate change.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is located at 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA. Free parking (for up to three hours) is available to Aquarium visitors.
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.
The Oceanside Museum of Art is pleased to announce free admission to the museum every Tuesday in 2012. The Free Tuesdays in 2012 promotion is in addition to free admission on the first Sunday of the month, and free admission on Free Family Art Days.
The Oceanside Museum of Art continues to host Free Family Art Days, a program designed to provide the community with educational art experiences. Bring the whole family to this fun-filled free event where children are encouraged to view the artwork featured in the Museum’s Exhibitions (with special kid-friendly docent guided tours) and participate in hands-on art activities that reflect concepts and themes from the Exhibits.
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.
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.
The Science Center’s newest exhibit, Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists
Cafe Coyote Old Town will be featured on Food Network’s Heat Seekers on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 8:00 pm! To celebrate this special occasion, Cafe Coyote is inviting the public to come to the restaurant on Monday and join the gang for a live viewing of the show. Guests who attend the live viewing will be able to enjoy a complimentary salsa bar stocked with the salsas that are featured on the show. 
At a recent Press Conference, Legoland California Resort’s General Manager, Peter Ronchetti, announced several new projects which will be unveiled in 2012. Not only is the Force returning to Legoland California Resort this year, but a swashbuckling pirate adventure ride – Pirate Reef – and a new interactive exhibit at Sea Life Aquarium – Claws – await guests coming to the family theme park in Carlsbad in 2012.
For the first time, guests will be further immersed into the Star Wars experience as they walk through the Lego Star Wars Gallery encountering Lego “friends,” similar to giant mini-figures, from the Star Wars Universe. Each Lego model will be 3-feet-tall and displayed on a podium for guests to get an up-close look. The 12 characters featured in the Lego Star Wars Gallery are: Wicket, Princess Leia, R2-D2, Clone Captain Rex, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Anakin, Boba Fett, Chewbacca, Yoda and Darth Maul. In fact, two new Darth Maul Lego models will be introduced in honor of the re-release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace in 3-D in February, 2012. One of the Darth Maul models will stand in the Lego Star Wars Gallery while the other Lego model will be life-sized, posed in a combat position grasping his double-bladed light-saber in one hand and reaching forward with the other.
Legoland’s newest attraction, Pirate Reef, is scheduled to make its debut on May 24, 2012. Guests are invited to battle each other on the high seas as they blast water cannons, try to avoid getting drenched on the main bridge and plunge 25-feet down a chute that splashes through the battle between Captain Red Brick and Captain Blue Brick. The splash bridge, water cannons and brick building play area are the three main interactive components of this multi-million dollar attraction which will be the first to be accessible not only through Pirate Shores within Legoland California, but also via the Legoland Water Park, the world’s first Lego-themed Water Park which opened in 2010. Captain Red Brick and Captain Blue Brick’s ships will stand more than 20-feet high and 40-feet long. The highest part of the ride will be 32-feet and families will plunge down the chute at 26 miles per hour. (Note: Minimum height requirement for Pirate Reef is 36 inches tall. Guests 42 inches tall or taller can ride alone; guests 36 inches to 41 inches tall may ride with an accompanying rider who is 42 inches tall or taller.)
This Spring, crustaceans will be scuttling around at Sea Life Carlsbad Aquarium at the Legoland California Resort with the opening of its newest interactive exhibit, “Claws.” The five new displays will include Japanese spider crabs – which can grow to 13-feet across – and coconut crabs – named for their ability to crack open coconuts with the power of their claws. Along with the gigantic Japanese spider crabs and coconut crabs, the exhibit will feature land crabs, lobsters and nephrops, commonly referred to as “prawns.”
The California Center for the Arts, Escondido presents WOW First Wednesdays, a free concert series. The free concerts are presented to the public on the first Wednesday of each month with two shows, at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Seats are on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of reserved seats are also available for $7.00 each and can be reserved by calling the Box Office at 1-800-988-4253. 
To mark 20 years at its current location along Expedition Way in La Jolla, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, is offering San Diego County residents half-off admission on the 20th of every month through the Aquarium’s anniversary month of September 2012. 
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is the public exploration center for the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the aquarium features more than 60 habitats of fish and invertebrates from the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest to the tropical waters of Mexico and beyond. An interactive museum showcases research discoveries by Scripps scientists on climate, earth and ocean science and features five dozen interactive elements. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Birch Aquarium has an annual attendance of more than 405,000, including 45,000 school children. 
