July Programs
Sunday, July 1
Celebrate International Joke Day!
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumCelebrate International Joke Day with a round of silly songs and stories that are sure to get you giggling. Bring some of your own jokes and share them with the group!
Rhythm Kids Family Concert
11:00 a.m. The Discovery MuseumsJoin Tom Foote and Greg Nikitas at this silly, strumming, dancing, drumming celebration!
We'll make music together with plenty of drums and other instruments to share, plus our voices and bodies for singing-a-long, clapping, and stomping fun. It's a percussion party for the whole family! Outdoor, weather permitting.
Tuesday, July 3
Fourth of July Flags
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumGet into the Spirit of Independence Day by making your own American Flag complete with shiny stars.
FETCH!™ Tempest in a Teacup
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumIt’s hot! It’s cold! It’s bubbly! You won’t believe the wild chemical reactions you can create in a cup! Sponsored by Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Red Hat, Inc. © 2011 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Wednesday, July 4 - Closed
Happy Independence Day! See you tomorrow.
Thursday, July 5
Messy Masterpiece: Veggie Printing
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumSummertime veggies are great for eating, but also fun for painting! Use a variety of food found in the garden to create a work of art almost good enough to eat!
Thursday’s Tales
11 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumJoin us for our weekly story time. We’ll bring the books; you bring your imagination!
LEGO™ Zone
Drop-in All Day Science Discovery MuseumJoin LEGO lovers of all ages in community building projects. Design structures, spaceships, and more. Add your creation to our community board for display at the Museum.
Friday, July 6
Silly Sculptures
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumUse your imagination and our fun collection of tools to mold dough into unique sculptures.
LEGO™ Zone
Drop-in All Day Science Discovery MuseumJoin LEGO lovers of all ages in community building projects. Design structures, spaceships, and more. Add your creation to our community board for display at the Museum.
Free Friday Night Fun!
4:30 to 8:30pm, both Museums openJoin us for Free Friday Night Fun all summer, through August 31! Both museums will be open with free admission beginning at 4:30 p.m. Explore the museums at night and picnic under the stars. Bring a picnic dinner or purchase food from the Chef on Wheels grill—burgers, hotdogs, veggie burgers, pretzels, slushies and more. Donations for the Acton Food Pantry will be gratefully accepted. Sponsored by MathWorks and Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Emerson Hospital.
Saturday, July 7
Build It!
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumLEGO building for toddlers! Bring your imagination to build, stack, and sort using our enormous collection of DUPLOS. Construct your own architectural wonder or work together to build a museum-community sculpture.
LEGO™ Zone
Drop-in All Day Science Discovery MuseumJoin LEGO lovers of all ages in community building projects. Design structures, spaceships, and more. Add your creation to our community board for display at the Museum.
Sunday, July 8
LEGO™ Zone
Drop-in All Day Science Discovery MuseumJoin LEGO lovers of all ages in community building projects. Design structures, spaceships, and more. Add your creation to our community board for display at the Museum.
Monday, July 9
LEGO™ Zone
Drop-in All Day Science Discovery MuseumJoin LEGO lovers of all ages in community building projects. Design structures, spaceships, and more. Add your creation to our community board for display at the Museum.
Tuesday, July 10
FETCH!™ Thrill Ride
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumJoin with others and build a variety of roller coaster marble runs in our education room. Create tracks with tubes, cardboard, and wooden pieces to add to a community marble run inspired by Ruff Ruffman! Sponsored by Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Red Hat, Inc. © 2011 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Wednesday, July 11
New! PEEP Science Adventures: Painting with Water
Drop-in 10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumTry painting with water on different surfaces and watch what happens. What effect does the water have on the different types of ground? Where does the water go? Which surfaces absorb the water? Which surfaces does the water roll off of? © 2012 WGBH Educational Foundation. Presented by MEFA’s U.Fund and Fidelity Investments, with additional support from Emerson Hospital.
Mystery Summer Science Book Club Series:
The Desperate Case of the Diamond Chip, Galactic Academy of Science #1, by Pendred Noyce
Pre-registration class
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumTime travel as you read this exciting mystery about the theft of a secret next-generation computer chip. Learn about the history of electronics as you visit famous scientists and engineers of the past: Dmitri Mendeleev, Niels Bohr, John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Robert Noyce. After you read the mystery, come to the Museum for a book discussion and guided hands-on activities including: making an electroscope, observing spectra, investigating heat transfer, sun photolithography, and cutting through an ice cube.
The Desperate Case of the Diamond Chip from Tumblehome Learning is 130 pages with color pictures. This is the first in a three-part summer series, each based on a different book. Registration will be required for each event but it is not necessary to attend all three.
Instructors: Penny Noyce and Peter Wong
Ages: 9 to 12
Fee: $20 for members; $24 for non-members; book included.
Pre-registration required by July 5; please register and pay online at http://tinyurl.com/sciencemystery1. After you register, pick up your book from the Science Discovery Museum admission desk to read before the class!
Thursday, July 12
Suncatchers
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumUse materials gathered from nature and the sun’s bright light to create a beautiful suncatcher to decorate your windows at home!
Thursday’s Tales
11 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumJoin us for our weekly story time. We’ll bring the books; you bring your imagination!
Reaction Station: Adventures for Young Chemists
Drop-in 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumImagine yourself a chemist and use real laboratory tools to do experiments. Try your hand at doing wet chemistry in a model glove box and learn why some chemists use glove boxes and hoods. Reaction Station is funded by The Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation.
Friday, July 13
Music and Movement with Miss Carolyn
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumExplore sound through singing and playing. Move, make music, listen, learn, and get a multi-sensory workout! Music improves your child’s memory, cognitive development, learning skills, and ability to express emotion. Plus, it’s fun! Miss Carolyn is a professional musician, serves as a faculty member at Indian Hill Music School, and has been a licensed Kindermusik Educator for 7 years.
Free Friday Night Fun!
4:30 to 8:30pm, both Museums openJoin us for Free Friday Night Fun all summer, through August 31! Both museums will be open with free admission beginning at 4:30 p.m. Explore the museums at night and picnic under the stars. Bring a picnic dinner or purchase food from the Chef on Wheels grill—burgers, hotdogs, veggie burgers, pretzels, slushies and more. Donations for the Acton Food Pantry will be gratefully accepted. Sponsored by MathWorks and Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Emerson Hospital.
Saturday, July 14
Bessie Needs a Bath!
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumPlenty of soap bubbles and sponges will be on hand to ensure our favorite dinosaur gets nice and clean. Don’t forget in between her toes!
FETCH!™ Crazy About Kites
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumChallenge yourself to build a kite that’s different from one that you’ve ever seen before. What changes can you make so that it flies even better? Up, up, and away! Sponsored by Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Red Hat, Inc. © 2011 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Sunday, July 15
Magic Show with Rupayan Neogy
1 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumJoin us as local young magician Rupayan Neogy shares his talents with us! Showcasing a variety of tricks, he will confound and amaze in an interactive performance geared toward family audiences. For more information about Rupayan’s magic, visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rneogymagic.
Monday, July 16
Meet a Wolf!
1 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumMeet a live wolf and an educator from Wolf Talk to learn firsthand about wolves. Gain an appreciation for these intelligent animals as you learn about their behavior in captivity and in the wild, eating habits, pack structure. See a display of furs, skulls, and discover how wolves play an important role in our wilderness ecology. www.wolftalk.net. This program, first in a series, is sponsored by the Rosemary Davis Memorial Fund.
Wednesday, July 18
Ice Cube Art
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumTake a break from the heat of summer as we use ice cubes to create beautiful and colorful art!
Cold As Ice: A 300lb Block of Ice!
Drop-in 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumMake chilly discoveries when you put salt, coins, and food coloring on a 300-pound block of ice. Experiment with sand, salt, ice melt, and Magic Salt and to learn about the various ways to deal with icy roads and walkways in winter. Explore the unique characteristics of this solid state of water and learn about the environmental impact of different methods of ice control. Outdoor program, weather permitting.
Thursday, July 19
Music and Movement with Miss Carolyn
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumExplore sound through singing and playing. Move, make music, listen, learn, and get a multi-sensory workout! Music improves your child’s memory, cognitive development, learning skills, and ability to express emotion. Plus, it’s fun! Miss Carolyn is a professional musician, serves as a faculty member at Indian Hill Music School, and has been a licensed Kindermusik Educator for 7 years.
Thursday’s Tales
11 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumJoin us for our weekly story time. We’ll bring the books; you bring your imagination!
Summer Tree Walk
11 a.m. Science Discovery MuseumTrees provide refreshing summer shade! Learn about these massive plants as you walk around the museum grounds with science teacher Frank Meehan. Make a mini collection of leaves, find ways to preserve them, and learn how to identify trees in your own backyard. Outdoor program, rain or shine. Note: The walk is not handicap accessible.
Friday, July 20
Moon Day
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumLet your imagination soar as we commemorate the day the first man walked on the moon. Learn about the moon, test out your moon weight and create your own mini rocket to help you take aim at space!
FETCH!™ Target Practice
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumHow good are you at flinging things? Design and test catapults and discover how to leverage your power! Sponsored by Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Red Hat, Inc. © 2011 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Free Friday Night Fun!
4:30 to 8:30pm, both Museums openJoin us for Free Friday Night Fun all summer, through August 31! Both museums will be open with free admission beginning at 4:30 p.m. Bring a picnic dinner and explore the museums at night! Donations for the Acton Food Pantry will be gratefully accepted. Sponsored by MathWorks and Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Emerson Hospital.
Saturday, July 21
Messy Masterpiece: Sponge Painting
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumUse a variety of squishy sponges to make a colorful textured masterpiece.
Sunday, July 22
FETCH!™ Tempest in a Teacup
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumIt’s hot! It’s cold! It’s bubbly! You won’t believe the wild chemical reactions you can create in a cup! Sponsored by Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Red Hat, Inc. © 2011 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Tuesday, July 24
Take Aparts
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumAre you curious about what’s inside telephones and computers? Discover resistors and capacitors as you uncover the inner workings of everyday objects.
Wednesday, July 25
Meet A Firefighter!
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumCome meet some real-life neighborhood heroes when members of the Action Fire Department pay a visit. These on-duty firefighters will answer questions about fire safety, talk about being firefighters and let you interact with their gear.
Mystery Summer Science Book Club Series: Kelvin McCloud and the Seaside Storm, by Michael Erb
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumMystery, weather, and friendship in a seaside town. A wealthy banker dead in a hailstorm -- but was it hail that killed him? A boy and his eccentric scientist uncle turned "weather detective" investigate. Read this mystery and then come to the Museum for a book discussion and guided hands-on activities related to weather, winds, storms, lightning, and the seasons.
Kelvin McCloud and the Seaside Storm from Tumblehome Learning is 266 pages with color pictures. This event is the third in a three-part summer series, each based on a different book. Registration will be required for each event but it is not necessary to attend all three.
Instructors: Penny Noyce and Peter Wong
Ages: 9 to 12
Fee: $20 for members; $24 for non-members; book included.
Pre-registration required by July 18; please register and pay online at http://tinyurl.com/sciencemystery2 . After you register, pick up your book from the Science Discovery Museum admission desk to read before the class!
Thursday, July 26
New! PEEP Science Adventures: Guessing What Floats
Drop-in 10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumUsing a variety of familiar objects make guesses about which items will "sink" and "float". Why? Put your theories to the test.© 2012 WGBH Educational Foundation. Presented by MEFA’s U.Fund and Fidelity Investments, with additional support from Emerson Hospital.
FETCH!™ Crazy About Kites
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumChallenge yourself to build a kite that’s different from one that you’ve ever seen before. What changes can you make so that it flies even better? Up, up, and away! Sponsored by Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Red Hat, Inc. © 2011 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Friday, July 27
Rolie Polie Guacamole
11 a.m. The Discovery MuseumsRolie Polie Guacamole is a grooving kindie band that sings about healthy foods (açai, apples, hummus, worms, & of coarse guacamole), natural places to visit (Botanical Garden, Prospect Park, Museum Of Natural History) and good habits (Red Light Green Light, Always Brush Your Teeth). Movement is a key component to the show especially in songs like (Upside Down, Sing With Me, Kangaroo & Billy Too, Bird Belly Full). Parents love their original tunes as well as the positive influence their songs have about healthy eating and staying active. For more info please visit www.roliepolieguacamole.com.
Free Friday Night Fun!
4:30 to 8:30pm, both Museums openJoin us for Free Friday Night Fun all summer, through August 31! Both museums will be open with free admission beginning at 4:30 p.m. Bring a picnic dinner and explore the museums at night! Donations for the Acton Food Pantry will be gratefully accepted. Sponsored by MathWorks and Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Emerson Hospital.
Saturday, July 28
Noisy Parrots
10 a.m. Children’s Discovery MuseumWe will create and decorate a parrot with our collection of feathers, beads and pom poms that will really squawk! What kind of noise will your parrot make?
FETCH!™ Thrill Ride
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumJoin with others and build a variety of roller coaster marble runs in our education room. Create tracks with tubes, cardboard, and wooden pieces to add to a community marble run inspired by Ruff Ruffman! Sponsored by Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Red Hat, Inc. © 2011 WGBH Educational Foundation.
Saturday, July 28
Especially for Me! Free Evening for Families with Children on the Autism Spectrum
5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Discovery MuseumsCome join in all the fun during this special free evening for families with children on the autism spectrum. Pre-registration required. Visit http://tinyurl.com/EspeciallyforMe2012-5 to register. Funding provided by CVS, DCU for Kids, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School’s Youth in Philanthropy Club, and the Local Cultural Councils of Acton, Billerica, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Dracut, Framingham, Harvard, Hudson, Lawrence, Leominster, Lexington, Littleton, Natick, Waltham, Wayland, Westford, and Weston, with in-kind support provided by Not Your Average Joe’s.
Monday, July 30
FETCH!™ Target Practice
Drop-in 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Science Discovery MuseumHow good are you at flinging things? Design and test catapults and discover how to leverage your power! Sponsored by Middlesex Savings Bank, with additional support from Red Hat, Inc. © 2011 WGBH Educational Foundation.
.jpg){kind=small}
