CSI: The Experience at the Discovery Times Square Center

Whether you are a fan of CSI or not, if you are curious and would like to see if you have what it takes to solve a crime, you are sure to enjoy CSI:The Experience exhibit at the Discovery Time Square Center in N.Y.

When you enter the exhibit, you are offered a vest to wear for the investigation that looks pretty nifty in the photos that are taken with the option to purchase as a souvenir later. You are assigned to one of three crime scenes and given a clip board, pencil, and report to fill out.

Next, you head to the briefing area in which you are given a quick background of the CSI show by its creator, Anthony Zuiker, followed by an overview of the exhibit You are then led to your crime scene and are given 10 minutes to study it, taking notes of what you see on the report you were given to fill out.

Scene 1 is called “A House Collided,” in which a car collided into a house and the driver is still strapped into the car in the visible wreck. Scene 2 is called “Who Got Served,” in which a waitress is found dead by a dumpster. Scene 3 is called “No Bones About It,” in which you are given a desert scene in the Grand Canyon where a human skeleton is in the sand. Don’t worry if your party happens to get separated when assigned to a scene. They are literally right next to each other as are the labs, so you won’t be far from each other.

I took a friend that studied forensics and is a criminalist who had a good time and thought that besides calling us agents versus investigators it was pretty true to life.

We were assigned to Scene 3 which at first seemed to be the least exciting of the three (no gore, no body- just a skeleton), but really taught me how important every little detail is when it comes to crime scene investigation. Things that you would not see with the naked eye, like particles from a plant, or be able to identify, like trace evidence of hair, can make or break a case.

In the labs that you enter after the crime scenes, you are able to take a closer look at the evidence in an interactive set up with touch screens and microscopes. You are also presented with an autopsy confirming the cause of death. It is presented in an interesting and easy to understand way that makes you feel like you truly solved a crime. Though a little less glamorous than it might seem on TV, it helps you appreciate the hard work and attention to detail that goes into the real life work of a crime scene investigator.

Finally, you present your report to Supervisor Gil Grissom, which is actually another photo opportunity at his desk.

You can then fill in a final report on the computers available and have a diploma emailed to you or purchase one right there in the gift shop.

If you are visiting N.Y. for the holidays or are just looking for a fun and educational exhibit to visit with the family, CSI:The Experience is a nice way to spend an hour or two. It is only here for a limited time, so catch the exhibit while you can.