The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis will host “All-Star Shoot for the Stars,” a space-themed exhibit featuring NASA astronauts and basketball legends during WNBA All-Star Weekend, July 17-19. The event celebrates women in sports and space exploration.
NASA’s Glenn Research Center will debut a temporary exhibit that includes a meet-and-greet with Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover on July 19 only. Visitors will also be able to explore the Evolution of the Spacesuit display, which features both historic and prototype suits. The Cosmic Selfie Station will allow guests to interact with Eva the astronaut mascot.
In addition, there will be a range of virtual reality experiences, including Mars Habitat tours and ISS work simulations. Visitors can also try their hand at astronaut suit simulations. Lastly, there will be a hands-on activity with the Orion Spaceflight Simulator.
NASA Glenn News Chief Jan Wittry, an Indianapolis native, looks to encourage the youth: the next set of lightspeed travelers.
“We hope to inspire the next generation,” Wittry said. “Whether you’re an astronaut or an athlete … we all train, practice and push our limits to reach the top of our game.”
Basketball programming highlights include a clinic led by WNBA Hall of Famer and Indianapolis entrepreneur Tamika Catchings at 2:30 p.m. on July 17. at the Pacers Fever Basketball Experience, all-weekend access to 17 my-size basketball hoops, dribbling drills and shot-clock challenges and Marvella Mobile sports and leadership activities as part of an outreach initiative for Indiana and Illinois.
Museum president Jennifer Pace Robinson called it the “ultimate summer celebration” for young fans.
“We’re offering families a one-of-a-kind experience that inspires big dreams — both on the court and among the stars,” Robinson said.
Additional features of the event include NASA photo opportunities throughout the museum, space-themed STEM workshops in the Corteva Agriscience STEMLab on Level 4 and activities organized by the Catch the Stars Foundation that focus on youth empowerment.
The museum opens daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On-site registration is required for Catchings’ clinic.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on Facebook @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more education coverage, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
