With Hollywood adapting Isaac Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica into an action film starring Megan Fox and Burton Gilliam, many are scrambling to brush up on scientific basics before hitting the multiplex. Get a leg up on learning with today's Groupon: for $9, you get a one-day admission, plus a round of mini-golf and access to the Science Playground, from the New York Hall of Science (up to a $19 value). This Groupon is valid through August 22, 2010.

The New York Hall of Science was initially built as a pavilion for the 1964 World's Fair; more than 45 years later, it has become a landmark of hands-on learning. Explore the interactive exhibits of the educational center while preserving the structural integrity of your exoskeleton with a one-day combination ticket ($19 for adults, $15 for children ages 2–17 or college students with ID). With a combination ticket, guests get general admission to the Hall of Science, as well as a round of mini-golf at Rocket Park Mini Golf and admission to the Science Playground. The New York Hall of Science boasts more than 450 permanent exhibits—strap on proton packs and explore the world of atoms or discover the secrets of trajectory and velocity known only to Johan Santana with the Sports Challenge exhibit's educational tests of skill. An array of temporary and touring exhibits also appear at the New York Hall of Science throughout the year, with Amazon Voyage: Vicious Fishes and Other Riches taking guests on an interactive tour of the South American river, complete with appearances by electric eels, marbled hatchetfish, and that beloved house-pet, the piranha.

Guests can take a break from brain stuffing with a round of putt-putt on the Rocket Park Mini Golf course. As two NASA rockets tower in the background, players will hit the links for nine holes of mini-golf, with each hole boasting a different space-themed lesson in physics, motion, and gravity. After acing the course, guests can seesaw and slide their way into a comprehensive understanding of simple machines, sound, sight, and the natural elements at the Science Playground, with numerous pieces of playground equipment spread out over 60,000 square feet of play space. Keep your kids' craniums occupied during the perpetual brain-yawn that is summer while also picking up some useful knowledge for yourself with a trip to the New York Hall of Science.

Reviews

The Hall of Science is a New York magazine Critics' Pick and a Frommer's Highly Recommended Destination, and it was named the Best Museum for Big Kids by Nickelodeon Parents Connect in 2008. Yelpers give it 4.5 stars, and lilaguide reviewers give it four.

• Since 1964, the museum has undergone several major expansions, and its hands-on exhibits have changed to keep up with progress in biology, chemistry, and physics. – Lauren Aaronson, New York
• This place is amazing for school-age kids. Exhibits let them float on air in an antigravity mirror, compose music by dancing in front of light beams, and explore the more-than-miniature world of microbes. – Frommer's
• …the New York Hall of Science is one of America's very best science museums, and worth a visit from almost anywhere. Everywhere you look, there's something kids are longing to get their hands on, and here, they can. – Parents Connect
• I bring my daughter here several times a year. Its [sic] a great place to bring the kids to. There is a lot of interactive things for them to touch and learn. There are exhibits for kids of all ages. There is even a seperate [sic] area just for toddlers. – Sheella M., Yelp