A day of thematic programs and tabletop activities!
During our Discovery Day series, our regularly scheduled educator-led Science Discovery programs all connect to the day's exciting theme! You'll also find bonus drop-in activities for additional hands-on exploration.
Schedule
Discover the fascinating role math plays in our world through interactive programs and hands-on activities.
Themed Programs:
- 11:00 am – Science Discovery: Math In Nature
- 12:30 pm – Science Discovery: Count on That
- 2:45 pm – Science Discovery: Puzzling Probability
All aboard! Take a trip on the Explorer Express Train and join EcoTarium educators to learn about how trains have shaped our world, from changing clocks to stowaway plants.
Themed Programs:
- 11:00 am – Pesky Passengers
- 12:30 pm – Trains through Time
- 2:45 pm – Time Zone Travels
Explore the outer reaches of our universe with us! Join EcoTarium educators as we uncover the mysteries of the cosmos and the wonders of outer space.
Themed Programs:
- 11:00 am – Science Discovery: Near and Far
- 12:30 pm – Science Discovery: Sun and the Seasons
- 2:45 pm – Science Discovery: Exoplanets
Ongoing Activities:
- Orbit Craft
- Comet Collision
Get down and dirty with everything from mud pies and mud painting to mud toss games and creature sculptures! Bring a change of clothes; this will be a delightfully messy event the whole family will enjoy!
Themed Programs:
- 11:30 am - Science Discovery: Mud Story Time
- 12:45 pm - Science Discovery: Decomposers
- 3:00 pm - Science Discovery: Animals in Mud
Ongoing Activities:
- Mud Exploration
- Mud Painting
- Mud Sculptures
Did you know that almost half of known animal species are insects? We think that’s something to celebrate! Embrace the things that bug you as we identify these amazing creatures up close, learn fun facts, dress up in costumes, create beautiful art, and even learn to dance like your favorite arthropods!
Themed Programs:
- 11:30 am - Science Discovery: Insect Story Time
- 12:45 pm - Science Discovery: Invertebrates
- 3:00 pm - Science Discovery: Insect Walk
Ongoing Activities:
- Bug Bingo
- Insect Inspection
- Camouflage
Join us as we celebrate space travel and the science that propels us! Build basic physical and chemical rockets, and count down to blastoff as we launch a model rocket into the sky. We're aiming high using physics, chemistry, imagination, and ingenuity!
Themed Programs:
- 11:30 am - Science Discovery: Rocket Story Time
- 12:45 pm - Science Discovery: Rocket Launch
- 3:00 pm - Science Discovery: Under Pressure
Ongoing Activities:
- Pocket Solar System
- Acid/Base Rockets
- Stomp Rockets
Do you think dinosaurs are so 66 million years ago? Think again! Come join us to learn all about dinosaurs and other ancient life. See and touch real fossils, discover how the Earth changes over geologic time, and learn how to find modern-day dinosaurs in the world around you!
Themed Programs:
- 11:30 am - Science Discovery: Siegfried Story Time
- 12:45 pm - Science Discovery: Reptiles
- 3:00 pm - Science Discovery: Dinosaur Tracking
Ongoing Activities:
- Fossil or Not
- Dino Discoveries
- Dino Dig
Feeling bird-brained? That’s a good thing! Join us to spy some frequent flyers, use tools to simulate birds’ eating habits, practice your calls and warbles, and meet a favorite feathered friend. Discover the fascinating world of birds in this avian adventure!
Themed Programs:
- 11:30 am - Science Discovery: "Ruby's Birds" Story Time
- 12:45 pm - Science Discovery: Fill the Bill
- 3:00 pm - Science Discovery: Is it an Egg?
Ongoing Activities:
- Feathers Investigation
- Bird Scavenger Hunt
What do pizza, pesticides, and penicillin have in common? We wouldn’t have them without fungi! Join us in taking stalk of the fungus among us, and in tipping our caps to these gilled glories.
Themed Programs:
- 11:00 am - Science Discovery: "Fungus is Among Us" Story Time
- 12:30 pm - Science Discovery: Fungus - Friend or Foe?
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2:45 pm - Science Discovery: Elephant Toothpaste
Ongoing Activities:
- Fermentation Station
- Fungi ID
- Mushroom Hunt
- Mycoart: Mushroom Arts and Crafts