Tuesday, May 8, is the next installment of our monthly series – Titanic Tuesdays.

The series – offered the second Tuesday of each month through September - features a 7 p.m. presentation and gives visitors an after-hours opportunity to see Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition as well as the other exhibits in Henry Ford Museum. When planning your visit, keep in mind that entry to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is timed, and we highly recommended that you purchase tickets in advance. The final entry to the exhibition is 9 p.m. on Titanic Tuesdays. (The rest of the museum closes at 9 p.m.)

This month’s presenter is award-winning filmmaker Stephen Low who will share his experience making the IMAX film Titanica. The film is currently being shown at The Henry Ford’s IMAX Theatre.

A look at the bow of the Titanic from the IMAX film Titanica.

The film was shot during the expedition of the Russian research vessel Akademik Mstislav Keldysh to the North Atlantic. The team made 17 dives in two state-of-the-art submarines. A self-proclaimed “ocean freak,” Low is known as a hands-on director. As a diver and adventurer, he understands the demands of the IMAX format like few other directors. Bringing the ill-fated Titanic to the big screen had been Low’s dream since its discovery in 1985.

April's presenter was Edward Tenner who is a historian of technology and culture and a visiting scholar at Rutgers University, the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center and Princeton University.

Upcoming presenters for Titanic Tuesday include underwater photographer Tony Gramer, archeologist Ken Vrana, author Bruce Beveridge, and Titanic Historical Society member Ron Bartsch of The Henry Ford.

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition runs through Sept. 30, 2012. Vistors can purchase tickets online or through the call center at 313-982-6001.

There’s a lot happing at The Henry Ford this weekend. But before we get to all that good stuff, here’s a gentle reminder to purchase tickets in advance for our popular events that sell out.

A Day Out with Thomas

Thomas The Tank Engine will be rolling along the track at Greenfield Village April 28-29, and May 5-6 and 12-13. Purchase tickets online or through the call center at 313-982-6001. This event sells out. So be sure to plan ahead and buy tickets in advance for your timed trip around the village lead by this Really Useful Engine.

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

Selling out each weekend since it’s opening last month, this exhibition is in Henry Ford Museum through Sept. 30, 2012. The exhibition tells the moving story of the innovation and tragedy that surrounds this most famous ship. Timed tickets for the exhibition may be purchased online or via the call center at 313-982-6001.

Visitors have a photo made on the grand staircase in Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.

Here’s a look some weekend highlights.

Greenfield Village

Having opened last weekend for the 2012 season, the village is already bustling with the activities that make it such a special place. Its historic districts take visitors into the treasured stories of America’s past with dramatic presentations, Model T rides and carousel turns, time-honored farming, good food, good fun and so much more.

If you come for a visit this weekend, be sure to make a stop in at the shops that make up the Liberty Craftworks.

Liberty Craftworks is one of the seven historic districts in Greenfield Village. The district includes the buildings around Stony Creek Mill Pond: Armington & Sims Machine Shop, a glass shop, Gunsolly Carding Mill, Loranger Gristmill, pottery shop, printing office, tin shop, and weaving shop.

A highly skilled presenter demonstrates the Jacquard Loom at the weaving shop in the Liberty Craftworks historic district in Greenfield Village. The presenter explains how the loom is a forerunner of modern computer programming.

Skilled artisans practice authentic period crafts and trades each day while demonstrating techniques that are – in some cases – centuries old.

In the tin shop, an artisan solders pieces of tin using historic tinsmithing techniques.

Henry Ford Museum

Titanic: The Exhibition (daily)

Limited time slots still have available tickets for Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, however, they are selling out. Please be sure to buy tickets in advance to avoid the disappointment of arriving to a sold-out crowd. Tickets may be ordered online or through the call center.

The Rouge Factory Tour

Ford Rouge Factory Tour is a self-guided five-part experience that includes: Legacy Theater, Art of Manufacturing Theater, Observation Deck, Dearborn Truck Plant and the Legacy Gallery. Public tours begin on the historic grounds of The Henry Ford with busses departing for the Factory Tour every 20 minutes from 9:20 a.m. –3 p.m. Busses return regularly from the Visitor Center with the last bus returning to The Henry Ford at 5 p.m.

The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre

And, of course: There’s always the IMAX!

Come and experience the Titanic – James Cameron style – and in 3D at Michigan’s largest IMAX screen. James Cameron’s Titanic: A 3D Imax Experience is now showing as is the interesting documentary that takes viewers to the ocean floor and debris field of the Titanic - Titanica.

James Cameron's Titanic: An IMAX 3D Experience is now showing.

Between Saturday’s much-anticipated opening day at Greenfield Village and events surrounding the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s voyage – there’s a lot to get excited about at The Henry Ford.

Greenfield Village opens Saturday

After a winter of preparation, it’s time again to open the gates and welcome visitors back to Greenfield Village. The village opens at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, April 14.

Whether it’s learning about springtime farming activities, hopping on multiple modes of historic transportation, strolling through the village streets, exploring the workspaces and homes and of some of America’s greatest innovators, or grabbing a bite to eat – a trip to the village is a walk through time gone by.

Visitors touring one of the historic homes in Greenfield Village.

The gates open at 9:30 a.m.  Check out The Henry Ford website for Greenfield Village hours and ticket prices. (Admission is free for members.)

Titanic: The Exhibition (every day)

Limited time slots still have available tickets for Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, however, they are selling out. Please be sure to buy tickets in advance to avoid the disappointment of arriving to a sold-out crowd. Tickets may be ordered online or through the call center.

Visitors have a photo made on the grand staircase in Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.

Titanic Anniversary Event (Saturday night)

Saturday night is the sold-out Titanic Remembered 100th Anniversary Event in Henry Ford Museum. This promises to be a memorable night for those who attend

Memorial Service for those lost to the Titanic Disaster (Sunday morning)

In memory of the 1,503 souls lost 100 years ago during the Titanic disaster, there will a special Sunday morning service at Henry Ford Museum.

This wall memorializes those lost and saved in Titanic disaster.

Doors to the museum will open at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, April 15.

The 8:30 a.m. service will take place in the center plaza of the museum. The service will conclude just prior to 9 a.m., at which time attendees will be asked to exit the museum floor in order to prepare for its 9:30 opening. The IMAX lobby and museum promenade will remain open for those planning to visit the museum 9:30 a.m.

The 8:30am service will be free of charge. Members and staff along with their guests are welcome to attend.

 The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre

And, of course: There’s always the IMAX!

Come and experience the Titanic – James Cameron style – and in 3D at Michigan’s largest IMAX screen. James Cameron’s Titanic: A 3D Imax Experience is now showing as is the interesting documentary that takes viewers to the ocean floor and debris field of the Titanic - Titanica.

With so much to do, we hope to see you this weekend at The Henry Ford.

It’s a great weekend to explore two great stories at one great place.

Saturday is opening day for Titanic: An Artifact Exhibition at Henry Ford Museum. Tickets are for timed entrances beginning as early as 9:30 a.m. This 10,000 square foot exhibition features more than 300 artifacts, complete room recreations as well as a replica of the ship’s grand staircase.

More than 250 of the 300 artifacts displayed at Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition have never before been shown in Michigan.

Moving through this exhibition, visitors will be taken back in time to 1912 and travel through the life of the Titanic – from the ship’s construction, to its on-board passengers, its ill-fated voyage and the amazing artifact rescue efforts that involved divers returning to the sunken ship in recent years.

Check out the website for more information on ticket prices and available entry times.

The IMAX documentary film Titanica also opens this weekend. Our blogger gave it nice review, and says the whole family will enjoy it. The 45-minute movie is a great accompaniment to the exhibition.

The film has a start time every hour in The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre throughout the days Saturday and Sunday beginning at 10 and 11:05 a.m.; 12:10, 1:15, 2:20, 3:25, 4:30, 5:35 and 6:40 p.m.

This 1912 Rambler Knickerbocker Limousine would have carried first-class passengers of the Titanic in style. You can see the car for yourself in our Driving America exhibition..

While you’re here, be sure to make the rounds through the museum and spend some time enjoying the story that Driving America tells. Check out the interactive kiosks, explore the Driving America Timeline, take a lunch break at Lamy’s Diner and then sit back and relax while you watch the short film in the Drive-in Theater.

Oh, and be sure to take a look at our newest artifact in Driving America.

If you aren’t  yet, it’s a good time to consider becoming a member at The Henry Ford. It has its privileges, and with all the good things happening in the museum and the upcoming April 14 opening of Greenfield Village, it’s the perfect time to put a membership to use.

When I was a kid, I loved the TV show “In Search of …” It was narrated by Leonard Nimoy who played Mr. Spock on Star Trek. With its contemplative baratone guide, the show trekked the earth seeking answers to some of life’s mysteries. Viewers were taken in search of Big Foot, Noah’s Arc, killer bees, mummy’s curses, Amelia Earhart, pyramid secrets, UFOs, tidal waves, Dracula and more.

But the episode I remember waiting for in great anticipation was “In Search of … the Titanic.” Which, in 1981, had not yet been found. So, obviously, they didn’t find it on the show. True to form, viewers were left with more questions than answers. I just remember being completely bummed out.

Well, ladies and gentleman, Leonard Nimoy has left the building.

As you know, the Titanic has since been found (in 1985). You may not know, however, that the IMAX documentary Titanica takes you to the depths of the ocean – in the way that only IMAX can – to see it for yourself.

Titanica opens Saturday, March 31, on The Henry Ford’s huge IMAX screen –  the same day as Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition opens in Henry Ford Museum.

I tried to get a peek at what's going on in the museum with Titanic: The Artifact Exhibit opening next week, March 31. All I could see was a hugely expanded exhibit space.

Titanica is a 45-minute documentary that chronicles an international deep-sea expedition to the wreck site of the R.M.S. Titanic, which sank in April 1912. Although it was filmed in 1992, Titanica takes viewers on an undersea journey with the spectacular clarity of 70 mm IMAX film. The Henry Ford is showing a brand new print of the film, and although there are some clues in the documentary that give away when it was filmed, the clarity of IMAX movie-going remains unparalleled.

Titanica tells the story of the ship and expedition through the eyes a survivor of the wreck and the explorers looking for it. The survivor, Eva Hart, was seven in 1912 when she and her parents boarded the vessel to journey across the ocean.

I found myself riveted.

I have to confess that the idea of underwater sea travel makes me a little nervous. So, the thought of being more than 12,500 feet deep in the pitch black sea – in a Russian submersible the size of (maybe) a minivan – kept me slightly on edge. Add that fact to the touching recollections of Eva Hart, the excitement of the explorers as they found and filmed the remnants of the ship and its artifacts, and the underlying awareness of the magnitude of the sadly tragic consequences of the Titanic’s sinking, I found the movie very engaging.

Ron Bartch in the projection room after a preview of the IMAX documentary Titanica, opening at The Henry Ford March 31. Ron's also getting ready to splice the more than 100 reels of 70 mm film for the April 4 opening of James Cameron's Titanic in 3-D.

The Henry Ford’s IMAX projection manager, Ron Bartch, reminded me after the film, the IMAX experience takes you to and puts you in places that you cannot go. Boy, does it ever.

In some scenes of the film, viewers see untouched on the ocean floor artifacts that are now part of Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition: au gratin bowls, wine bottles, plates, to name a few. The ability to see some original photographs from the building of the Titanic on the huge IMAX screen also struck me with regard to the sheer enormity of the ship. The image of the Titanic became complete for me when the submersibles explored up close the ship’s iconic bow – made famous by another very popular Titanic movie that’ll also soon be showing at The Henry Ford IMAX Theater.

Titanica is most definitely a great accompaniment to vistors going to the artifact exhibit. It’s recommended by the filmmakers for audiences of all ages. I agree with that, but will say that younger children may have some challenges understanding what they are seeing. It may be more meaningful for them to see the artifact exhibit first so they can relate some of what they see in the movie with what they viewed at the exhibit.

Tickets for Titanica can be purchased online or by calling 313.271.1570,

I highly recommend this movie. In addition to being engaging and educational, it is sensitive in its telling of the Titanic tragedy. There are some curriculum resources that would be useful to educators, parents and anyone who wants to look a little deeper into the film. The IMAX experience at The Henry Ford is extraordinary because it is the largest IMAX screen in Michigan. 

James Cameron’s Titanic: An IMAX 3D Experience opens April 4. Stay tuned for more information.

Kristine Hass is a writer and long-time member of The Henry Ford.

Weather-wise, there’s a common phrase for March: “In like a lion, out like a lamb.”

Well, this month at The Henry Ford, we’re going in the opposite direction…and going out with a Titanic-sized finish.

We hope you’ll join us for all the excitement!

Learning Series – Evolution of Science and Technology, March 2: Catch the morning session (it’s free and open to the public) as Dr. Charles Dershimer explores how objects from everyday life demonstrate how people think about environmental issues, alter technology to suit their needs, and use technology to solve environmental problems. Find all the details here.

Local Roots Spring Evening Dining, March 8: Our award-winning culinary team is “Touring the Mitten” with a delectable dinner filled with Michigan treats! Get the info (and some recipes!) here.

Macy’s 2nd Mondays, March 12: We’re going green for St. Patrick’s Day during this fantastic outing designed just for preschoolers; from 10 a.m.-noon, kids can enjoy scavenger hunts, make-and-take activities, storytelling and more! (It’s free with your membership or admission to Henry Ford Museum.)

And then – the big one…

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, opening March 31: One hundred years ago, the Titanic sank in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. During this significant anniversary, you’ll be able to tour this premier exhibition chronicling the life of the ship and its passengers through more than 300 artifacts, extensive re-creations of the ship’s rooms and even a full-size replica of the Grand Staircase. If you only visit The Henry Ford once this year, make THIS the time to visit – this exhibition is truly not to be missed!

And while you’re here, make sure to see…

TITANICA at The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre, opening March 31: This traditional IMAX documentary film takes you down to the ocean floor to see the Titanic itself in astonishingly vivid and life-size detail on Michigan’s largest screen.

It’s February! The groundhog has seen his shadow, so it looks like we’re in for six more weeks of winter…which makes it the perfect time to explore Henry Ford Museum and the Ford Rouge Factory Tour.

Here’s what’s going on this month at The Henry Ford:

Driving America – now open at Henry Ford Museum! The wait is over – and now you can explore the world’s premier automotive exhibition for yourself! Take a trip through 80,000 square feet of automotive history, and a look at where we’re headed next. And don’t forget to tell us the story of your first car!

• Celebrate Black History!: Throughout the month of February, we have a wide range of performances and activities available at Henry Ford Museum to explore Black History in America.
• The last day to see Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol on Michigan’s largest screen – including that incredible Burj Khalifa climbing scene! – is Thursday, February 9.
• The Henry Ford Learning Series: American Democracy and Civil Rights, February 10: Our monthly Learning Series lectures continue, this time focusing on leadership in American democracy. Guests are invited to attend the morning lecture featuring Donna Braden, our own curator of public life and lead experience developer, along with Kidada Williams, assistant professor of African American History at Wayne State University. This morning session is free and open to the public.
• Macy’s 2nd Mondays, February 13: Join us from 10 a.m.-noon for this fun morning out with your little ones! This month’s theme is “Driving America,” and as usual, there will be lots of hands-on activities and fun for them. Don’t forget – admission to Henry Ford Museum is always FREE for children under five!
• Target Family Days, February 20 (Presidents Day!): Thanks to our friends at Target, you can enjoy free admission to Henry Ford Museum on this day – along with make-and-take activities, live musical performances and even a presidential-themed scavenger hunt through the museum. It’s also another great opportunity to experience our Celebrate Black History! activities.
• Open house for our Summer Discovery Camps, February 22: Did you know that we offer a summer day camp program for kids? It’s true! If you have a youngster in grades 2-9, you’ll want to stop by to learn more about this history-based, week-long program. Past campers have created old-fashioned toys, hiked through the restored Rouge River Oxbow area of Greenfield Village, built robots – and even served as an apprentice in a historic craft!

For more information and additional activities, keep an eye on our online calendar, or import these activities directly to your own online calendar program from the blog.

Hope you can join us for a fantastic February!

We spent a not-so-quiet New Year’s Day enjoying Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol at the IMAX Theatre at The Henry Ford. 

Starting with the six-minute Dark Knight Rises prologue – all the way through most of Mission: Impossible – we were on the edge of our seats. If you’re a Mission: Impossible fan, this is the movie for you. And The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre is definitely the place to see it since a number of scenes were actually shot with IMAX film.

Here we are with Ethan Hunt (aka Tom Cruise) and MI 4 crew.

That IMAX clarity, plus Tom Cruise clinging to the outside of the world’s tallest building (the Burj Khalifa in Dubai), added to the giant IMAX screen and the awesome audio, pretty much equaled me holding on to that seat I was precariously on the edge of.

We enjoy making special trips to The Henry Ford’s IMAX Theatre for theatrical films and IMAX features. When our daughters were completely taken in by the release of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast for IMAX way back in 2002 – a movie they had both seen who-knows-how-many times – we got the clue that the experience was worth going a little out of our way for. When we saw Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince in 3-D, our then young teen daughter Helen walked out of the theater and said, “That was like a million times better.” We had also already seen the movie at a local multiplex theater. And I could only agree. She was – like – totally right.

I can say we equally enjoy seeing many of the IMAX-only releases. After a recent viewing of the films Tornado Alley 3D and Conquering Everest during the theater’s fall Xtreme Adventures Film Festival, our 10-year-old son Henry said he loved those movies because they were cool AND educational. That statement is music to this former homeschooling mother’s ears. But he’s right, too. We’ve yet to be disappointed.

IMAX projection manager, Ron Bartch, shows us a 15,000-watt liquid-cooled, short-arc xenon lamp.

So what makes the IMAX Theatre at The Henry Ford such a cool movie-going experience? I had the opportunity to ask Ron Bartch, the head projectionist at the theater, that very question. To help me understand, he showed me a piece of IMAX film – which is ten times the size of standard 35-millimeter movie film. He also explained about the perforated material used for the screen, which allows the multi-channel audio to come from directly behind the image in addition to the speakers around the theater. He also explained that the screen at the theater is specifically designed for the projection of IMAX film – the theater wasn’t converted for IMAX like some at neighborhood multiplexes. The screen is proportionately designed – it’s eight stories wide (84 feet) and six stories tall (62 feet) – so no part of the original IMAX film picture is lost. He also told me that The Henry Ford’s IMAX Theatre has the largest screen in Michigan.

There’s actually a lot of interesting science behind the whole IMAX movie experience. The light that projects that large film onto that very large screen comes from two 15,000-watt liquid-cooled, short-arc xenon lamps. The average luminance of one of these xenon lamps is approximately 1.6 billion candles per square yard. That’s close to equal that of the sun as viewed from the earth’s surface! That’s some serious light.

Ron shows some of the ballistics gear worn to protect the projectionists when they change the highly pressurized xenon lamps.

Because of the extreme high pressure of the xenon gas inside the quartz glass housing of each lamp, Ron and his crew have to wear ballistic safety gear when they change the lamps (about four times each year). My son Henry was most fascinated with this fact: if the bulbs were dropped, the xenon lamp would explode with the same destructive force of a hand grenade. You can read some cool facts about IMAX theater here.

Checking out the IMAX projection room and xenon bulb on the third floor of The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre.

All visitors to the theater can take a look at the enormous million-dollar IMAX projectors at The Henry Ford since the projection room has a windowed wall that is open for viewing before and after films. It’s up on the third floor and is accessible by stairs or elevator.  The projector is the size of a compact car and is the most advanced, highest-precision, and most powerful projector ever built. I guess it makes sense that the projector is the size of the a car, since Ron informed me that an IMAX camera is about the size of a lawn mower.

Movies playing at the IMAX Theatre are Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol, Born Wild 3D, Tornado Alley 3D and Rescue 3D. You can check out showtimes and purchase tickets online.

If you want to learn more, check out this cool video. It’s always worth a watch. Learning about what makes the IMAX Theatre at The Henry Ford so unique, makes me appreciate the whole IMAX experience that much more.

Kristine Hass is writer and a long-time member of The Henry Ford. She frequently blogs about her family’s visits to America’s Greatest History Attraction.

I like the IMAX Theatre at The Henry Ford.

And you should, too.

This week, The Henry Ford is having an IMAX Theatre “like fest” to go along with its Xtreme Adventures Film Festival. And of course, in the spirit of the season, there’s some trick or treating involved.

The trick? If the theater gets to 5,000 Facebook likes by Saturday ,October 29, on Sunday, October 30, moviegoers will get a treat.

The treat? A free small popcorn with purchase of a movie ticket.

All you have to do is mention this trick or treat “like fest” when you buy your ticket for one of the five Xtreme films playing Sunday at The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre, and you’re on your way to some real movie magic with a tasty snack to boot. The offer is only good on Sunday.

Just so you know, here’s the list of what’s playing and when on Sunday.

10:00 AM Coral Reef
11:05 AM Lewis & Clark
12:10 PM Rescue 3D
1:15 PM Tornado Alley 3D
2:20 PM Conquest of Everest: The Wildest Dream
4:10 PM Coral Reef
5:15 PM Tornado Alley 3D
6:20 PM Rescue 3D
7:25 PM Tornado Alley 3D
8:30 PM Conquest of Everest: The Wildest Dream

You can purchase tickets here. But remember, the theater needs to get up to 5,000 likes by the end of the day Saturday.

I want free popcorn, so share, share, share The Henry Ford IMAX Theater page with your Facebook friends.

I took my 10-year-old son Henry to see Tornado Alley 3D last week, and it was awesome. We’re hoping this weekend to catch Rescue 3D with some of his friends and take the littler ones back to the Wizard of Oz exhibit for some more fun exploration.

If you want to know more about what makes IMAX movies so special, and why The Henry Ford’s IMAX Theatre the real deal in the IMAX movie experience, check out this cool video.

Kristine Hass is a mother of five, a freelance writer and a long-time member of The Henry Ford. She frequently blogs about her family’s visits to America’s Greatest History Attraction.

Anyone who has read the Harry Potter book series or seen any of the films knows that Quidditch is THE sport in the wizarding world. But did you know that Muggles (non-magical folk) now play the sport as well? That’s right – you, too, could grab a broomstick and catch your own golden snitch!

According to the International Quidditch Association, nearly 300 full-fledged teams have been formed worldwide since 2005, and over 100 are now officially registered members of the IQA league. The United States boasts the highest number of teams with 272!

Many of these are collegiate teams and play intramural games regularly. The highlight of league play is the Quidditch World Cup, which takes place in late fall in New York. This year will mark the 5^th Annual World Cup.

But how do you play Quidditch if you can’t fly?

Muggle Quidditch was adapted from the game that appears in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books. The teams have the same players: three chasers, two beaters, one keeper and one seeker. Teams receive points if their chasers successfully pass the quaffle ball downfield and throw/kick it through one of three hoops at the opposing team’s goal, which the keeper guards. The beaters try to knock opposing players temporarily out of play by throwing bludger balls at them. Games end when a team’s seeker successfully catches the golden snitch (which, in Muggle play, is a person).

And did I mention all of this has to take place while riding on a broom? That’s right – players have to hold onto a broomstick while all of this running takes place!

Still having trouble picturing it?

On July 15 – the opening day of Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2: An IMAX 3D Experience – The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre is proud to host two Michigan Quidditch collegiate teams! Joining us on the front lawn of Henry Ford Museum will be the teams from Michigan State University and Oakland University. These teams will play at 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – come on out and join us in cheering for your favorite team! Clinics will also be offered at 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. for guests interested in learning the game. See you there!

Tickets for Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2: An IMAX 3D Experience can be purchased online, by phone or in person here at The Henry Ford. Hurry, shows are selling fast!