For many of us, Angry Birds was the first game we played on an iPhone. It got us hooked. And subsequently, it got our kids hooked on gaming on iPhones and iPads.

Toys, movies and dozens of upgrades later, Angry Birds has become part of the fabric of our lives. That is why I was so excited to learned the New York Hall of Science was going to have an Angry Birds exhibit.

I was a little skeptical, though, but they had me at life-sized slingshots you could use to destroy structures and knock down pigs. No actual pigs were harmed in this exhibit, they are just large green vinyl pillows. We went early in the afternoon and the exhibit was not very full. Which was good.

The highlight of the exhibit is the slingshot area. You have to build a structure, place your “pigs” and then fire Angry Bird kickballs at them. You could hear squeals of delight and laughter as kids and grownups alike played. The staff keeps it safe by being very firm with the rules about when you could fire. Since there were very few people there, we were able to go back in line over and over. During busy times, there may be a wait.

But there is more. There are stations where you can play the classic version of the game. It is actually behind a beautiful display of the Angry Birds, with descriptions of the characters. There are stations where you can draw, compose music, design scenes on the computer and even make short animations.

One of my favorite parts is the interactive pulley display. There are three birds that say they weigh 25kg and you can try to pull them up by a rope. The secret is each of the pulleys attached to the birds makes it easier or harder to lift the bird. My son insisted that one of the birds was heavier. Then I explained the pulleys and he saw why one seemed much heavier than the others.

On weekends this exhibit will be really crowded (especially at first) but take the opportunity to see some of the other great exhibits. My personal favorite is Connected Worlds, which is basically a virtual waterfall room. It is beautiful and relaxing and simply amazing.

Whenever and wherever you are the New York Hall of Science, you should interact with the staff. They are all very enthusiastic, great with kids and love sharing their love of science. The staff that developed the Angry Birds Universe exhibit, are very clever as they snuck in a lot of science in the fun. Just don’t tell the kids they are learning.

The exhibit runs through August 27, and is free with museum admission. The New York Hall of Science is located at 47-01 111th St, Corona, NY 11368.

**Disclosure: Sony Pictures / KidzVuz provided complimentary transportation on the FlyNYOnair helicopter to facilitate these photos and helping me achieve a bucket list item! 

I have an internal bucket list that includes an African Safari, sleeping in a thatched hut over emerald green water in Bora Bora, visiting Harry Potter Land at Universal Studios, and flying in a helicopter around NYC among other things.

This week, I was able to cross off a bucket list item because of an incredible marketing stunt and collaboration with Sony Pictures, NYonAir, and my friends Nancy and Rebecca at KidzVuz.

I was whisked away on a custom Angry Birds helicopter and immersed among the midtown skyscrapers with a true bird’s eye view of Manhattan!  For the ultimate Angry Birds experience, I was harnessed into the helicopter like the pros, doors were removed (you read that right!), and my feet (and wings) were literally dangling over the side – see “foot selfie” photo below – to provide the ultimate visual access to iconic buildings, parks, rivers, and bridges in New York City.

With a fear of heights and vertigo, I was determined to break out of my comfort zone for unparalleled views of the city that I love.  Completely scared out of mind and holding onto the roof-handle of the helicopter for dear life, I tried my best to capture photos of New York City while hovering in the sky.  Overall, an unforgettable experience that I will cherish for years to come.  Now, I need to soar into the movie theater with my family this weekend when The Angry Birds Movie hits the big screen!