New Year, New January Exhibits And Films - Ignite Adventure And Imagination At The Museum Of Discovery And Science

“The new year is filled with so many exciting opportunities to refresh, recharge and refocus our minds,” said Joseph P. Cox, President and CEO of MODS. “We’re absolutely thrilled about the opening of Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: The Exhibit, an incredible STEAM-based literary and multimedia phenomenon that inspires children’s viewpoints through the eyes of past historical school-aged heroes. We’re grateful to our community partner attractions and sponsors for sharing the enthusiasm with fun, inventive passport scavenger hunt that unites fact-finding teamwork and a love of learning. Plus, adults can experience the blockbuster eagle-eye’s view of our Navy’s Blue Angels in flight and revisit an award-winning space epic on the big screen.”

Calling all creators…LEGO® Weekends are back beginning January 4th on Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 12:00 p.m. Noon – 5:00 p.m. Unleash your imagination and build the change by experimenting with LEGO® bricks, Build the Change by experimenting with creative solutions, coding dance moves in a LEGO® Coding Dance Party and designing imaginative animal habitats. Celebrate the power of play and innovation on International LEGO® Day on January 28th! All activities are included in admission.

Travel back in time and unravel the secrets of world-famous heroes when Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: The Exhibit, presented locally by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans, opens on Friday, January 17th, 2025. This new exhibit brings to life the acclaimed PBS KIDS® TV series, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, which follows kid adventurers Xavier Riddle, his little sister Yadina, and best friend Brad as they tackle everyday problems by doing something extraordinary: traveling back in time to learn from real-life inspirational figures when they were kids. The exhibit runs through May 11th, 2025. Young adventurers will sneak through a hidden passage to the Secret Museum and use a hologram to unlock three different times in history to meet inspirational heroes. Uncover a dinosaur skeleton with paleontologist Mary Anning, explore a secret garden with botanist George Washington Carver and look at x-rays with chemist Marie Curie. In the Hall of Heroes, learn the traits of a hero and how you can be a hero today. The PBS KIDS® TV series, Xavier Riddle and The Secret Museum is based on the highly acclaimed children’s book series Ordinary People Change the World by #1 New York Times bestselling author and South Florida resident Brad Meltzer and award-winning letterer and illustrator Chris Eliopoulos. Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: The Exhibit is a national traveling exhibit created by The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum in collaboration with 9 Story Media Group, Inc.

To celebrate the arrival of this exhibit based on the beloved public television series, MODS is partnering with area attractions to inspire future learning with a fun and fulfilling twist. Dive into the continuing excitement with the Xavier Riddle Scavenger Hunt: Passport to Broward — an adventure packed with exploration, learning and the chance to win a prize. Follow the trail, discover local heroes and create unforgettable memories at some of South Florida’s top attractions:

• African American Research Library and Cultural Center

• Art & Culture Center/Hollywood

• Bonnet House

• Broward County Libraries Main Branch

• Coral Springs Museum of Art

• Flamingo Gardens

• History Fort Lauderdale

• Old Davie School Museum

• Stranahan House

• Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts

• Young At Art Museum

Soar to new heights on January 17th with the Museum’s exciting premiere of The Blue Angels, a breathtaking new IMAX® documentary film from legendary producer J.J. Abrams and actor Glen Powell. This immersive, larger-than-life documentary takes viewers into the cockpit of the Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron for an unparalleled firsthand look at their precision flying. The aerial shots capture the Blue Angels’ spectacular maneuvers, showcasing the extraordinary teamwork, passion and pride of the Navy and Marine Corps personnel who have served in this iconic squadron. The Blue Angels is a Bad Robot, Zipper Bros Films, IMAX® Entertainment and Dolphin Films Production, in association with Amazon MGM Studios, Sutter Road Picture Company, Diamond Docs and Barnstorm Productions. To purchase tickets, visit: https://mods.org/movies/blue_angels.

From the stratosphere into the deep, dark reaches of space…filmgoers won’t want to miss the 10th anniversary of Academy Award®-winning Director Christopher Nolan’s landmark epic INTERSTELLAR as it returns to the AutoNation® IMAX® 3D Theater for an exclusive limited engagement in 15/70mm IMAX beginning January 15th. With our time on Earth coming to an end, a team of explorers undertakes the most important mission in human history; traveling beyond this galaxy to discover whether humanity has a future among the stars. Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey stars as the ex-pilot turned farmer who is forced to leave his family and a foundering Earth behind to lead an expedition traveling beyond this galaxy. To purchase tickets, visit: https://mods.org/movies/interstellar.

For more information about MODS’ January exhibits, films, programs and special events, please visit: https://mods.org.

About the Museum of Discovery and Science

Founded in 1976 as the Discovery Center, today the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) is at the forefront of science education, innovation and exploration. MODS connects people to inspiring science, providing STEM education and cultural experiences for 450,000+ visitors annually in the 150,000 square foot facility. MODS is a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Organization that has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) for three decades. MODS has added to that distinction by being named Broward’s Hub for Resilience Education by the Board of the Community Foundation of Broward, selected by the LEGO Foundation as one of only 15 museums nationwide to join the Playful Learning Museum Network and awarded the prestigious 2023 IMLS National Medal for Museum Service.

The Museum celebrates diversity and welcomes visitors from all walks of life. The Museum hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. MODS is located downtown at 401 Southwest Second Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312. For more information about the Museum, please visit: https://mods.org - Or call: (954) 467-MODS (6637).