Project Supernova
A massive reimagination of the LSC experience, indoors and out
In November 2025, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority announced its approval of $40 million in tax credits in support for Liberty Science Center’s Project Supernova, a far-reaching and visionary planned transformation of the Center’s physical spaces and programs. This strategic expansion, which involves both indoor and outdoor renovations and new experiences, will celebrate New Jersey’s scientific heritage and broaden LSC’s appeal for New Jersey families, tourists, and visitors from New York.
The upgrades and expansions include:
9/11 Memorial Garden
A new 9/11 Memorial Garden will honor the memory of those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The garden will feature two steel beams salvaged from the Twin Towers and donated to LSC by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in recognition of the Center’s role as a staging area for recovery efforts in the aftermath of the attacks. The outdoor memorial plaza will be publicly accessible without entry fees.
River Rising
The River Rising renovation of Our Hudson Home gallery will offer a fresh, innovative, sensory inclusive experience that deepens visitors’ understanding of the Hudson River and the urgent challenges it faces due to climate change. River Rising will have themed areas including the Global Climate Change, Land Connection, and River Connection zones. The new exhibition is expected to expand audience reach and increase engagement in climate action.
New Premium Exhibition Gallery
LSC will convert its Skyscaper! space to a premium exhibition gallery. The size of the 4th floor gallery currently housing premium, temporary exhibits limits the scale and types of exhibitions LSC can host. The new space’s greater square footage and higher ceilings will allow larger, more visually dynamic installations. The reimagined 1st floor space could accommodate such brand-name blockbuster exhibits as The Van Gogh Expo and The Harry Potter Experience.
Planetarium Expansion
The Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium at LSC is the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. LSC will upgrade the planetarium’s projectors and system software with state-of-the-art technology. Just outside the planetarium, New Jersey’s only publicly accessible Science on a Sphere will be updated with new technology and data sets to be displayed on the six-foot glowing sphere. These assets symbolize LSC’s leadership in public science engagement.
River Otter Habitat
LSC will design and build a North American River Otter habitat to enhance the story of the Hudson River told in the River Rising exhibition. A new building positioned along both a pool and dry land areas of the habitat will offer visitors unique views of the otters from inside, regardless of weather conditions. The building will house the water quality system, food preparation room, otter holding areas, veterinary exam room, and quarantine spaces.
Kids Corner: For Children and Goats
To create this compelling, year-round experience, LSC will build a combined goat barn and children’s playground. The clever playground design will feature parallel play between goats and youth. The climbing structures for goats and children are visually connected and run parallel, but are not physically linked—ensuring that goats and children remain a safe distance apart. At ground level, trained staff will facilitate supervised interactions between visitors and goats.
Weston Family Pollinator Garden
Liberty Science Center's eco-friendly green roof will soon be home to a carefully plotted garden lush with native plantings that support local pollinators and other wildlife. This hard-working landscape will also provide vegetation to sustain the Science Center's resident species, especially such arthropods as sthe colony of busy leaf-cutter ants. The plantings will be planned to provide seasonal harvests throughout the year as well as perennial opportunities for science students to experience hands-on horticulture lessons. A garden path will wind thorugh the space, dotted with seating and viewing areas. The Science Center's massive second-floor glass will ensure that all indoor guests can enjoy a view of the garden's beauty as well.
Physics Mini Golf
LSC will build an innovative mini golf course that communicates physics concepts through play. Each hole will demonstrate a core physics principle, making for an active, hands-on science learning experience. The course will be designed for universal access to players of all ages and abilities.
Big Balloon
Designed by internationally exhibited Argentine conceptual artist Leandro Erlich, the Big Balloon will be clearly visible from the nearby turnpike and flight paths to the Newark airport. The work will have the familiar shape of the classic Montgolfier hot air balloon, a key invention that in 1783 carried people aloft for the first time in recorded history. Erlich’s 90-foot-tall balloon playfully defies gravity: It is upside-down, with the payload basket on top.
Amphitheater
As the outdoor experiences at LSC proliferate, guests will enjoy a natural gathering and resting spot at the grassy Amphitheater. The gentle slope of lawn beyond Dino Dig Adventure is well suited to built-in tiers of seating. The flexible outdoor space will be used for presentations, casual gatherings, and viewing the Manhattan skyline.
We are seeking both individual and corporate support for each Project Supernova component and would be glad to tailor a giving opportunity to align with your interests, including naming rights and other forms of recognition.
For additional information, please contact:
Christine Arnold-Schroeder, VP, External Affairs; 201.253.1362 or cschroeder@lsc.org
Lisa Hayward, Senior Director, Individual Giving; 201.253.1327 or lhayward@lsc.org
Kristina Reintamm, Senior Director, Institutional Giving; 201.253.1473 or kreintamm@lsc.org