Outings: Albuquerque

She Blinded Me With Science

Experiment: Take a date to Adult Night at ¡Explora! science center and children’s museum.

Hypothesis: ¡Explora! routinely ranks high on every “Best Places for Kids” list in Albuquerque, but in 2010 it also received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the highest honor that can be awarded one of the nation’s 17,500 museums. Still, the thing about children’s museums is that, to get your own adult hands on those hands-on exhibits, you have to contend with, well . . . children. (Note: Shoving the tykes aside is generally frowned on.) Ergo, ¡Explora! – kids = more fun for grown-ups.

Materials: 2 passes, 1 lab partner (preferably attractive)

Process: In no particular order, perform the following steps: Impress your lab partner by riding a bicycle on a high wire; fly a model airplane in a wind tunnel; construct a freestanding arch; play with lasers, bubbles, and magnets; use a camera lucida to sketch a portrait of your lab partner; collaborate on a stop-motion video; use infrared imagery to find the “hot spots” on your lab partner’s body. Continue steps until closing time. (Note: You will not have time to complete them all.)

Observations/Results: Most of ¡Explora!’s exhibits require a cooperative effort that puts you in close proximity with your lab partner and encourages curiosity. Those factors, coupled with the absence of kids, tend to produce quantifiable magnetism. (Note: Next time, bring breath mints.)
Conclusion: Adult Night at ¡Explora! is a totally sweet place to take a date—er, lab partner.

Adults $8. (Regular admission: Kids $4, Seniors $5.) 1701 Mountain Rd. NW, (505) 224-8300, www.explora.us. Adult Night is usually the third Friday of each month (May 20), 6:30–10 p.m.—Stephen Ausherman