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DAILY EVENTS
Animals	Farmyard Up-Close! Daily, except Thursday, 4:30 p.m. Help the animal keepers close the Farmyard for the evening while learning about the care and feeding of the animals. Snake and Alligator Feedings Thursday, 4 p.m. Come to Carolina Wildlife, meet an animal keeper, and learn more about reptiles. Spiders, Frogs, and Other Feeding Frenzies Daily, 2:30 p.m. Watch large spiders, poison dart frogs, and other predators devour a meal of their favorite prey. Chat with our entomologist in the Insectarium and learn more about the realities of the food chain. Meet the Keeper Daily, 2:00 p.m. Join Animal Keepers at our new Explore the Wild animal exhibits to learn more about black bears, red wolves and lemurs. Each day will feature a different species. Call (919) 220-5429 x339 for the day's program.
Insect Releases	Butterflies Mon.–Sat., 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sun., 3 p.m. Join us as we release the exotic butterflies in the tropical conservatory. Ladybugs Sat. and Sun., 2 p.m. Help our horticulturalist release ladybugs in the tropical conservatory and learn about other methods of pest control.
Discovery Rooms	Treehouse and Scientifica Discovery Rooms Our Discovery Rooms are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Hours are subject to change. The Treehouse encourages visitors to explore the world of nature. Feel the fur of a bear, listen to your friend's heartbeat, or observe bees making honey. Sit beside a human skeleton.
The Lab	The Lab in Investigate Health! The Lab in Investigate Health! is now open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10:30-12:30 and 1:30-3:30. Complete experiments and explorations relating to health issues. Click here for more information on The Lab and activities.
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MARCH 2008
March 27	Kilowatt Ours documentary Award-winning filmmaker and environmentalist, Jeff Barrie, will present his documentary “Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America,” on Thursday, March 27 at 7:00 PM at the Museum of Life and Science. Barrie will be on hand to lead discussions about the film and energy efficiency efforts after the screening. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with displays from local energy conservation companies and non-profits. Beer and wine will be available at a cash bar, and DVD copies of the film will be available for purchase. Tickets for the screening and discussion are $5 and can be purchased by clicking here. In the film, Barrie traces the wires from our light switches to the power source, revealing how electricity is generated in the United States. This acclaimed documentary provides a hopeful look at how energy conservation and renewable power can help to improve the quality of life in America and provides practical solutions that are accessible to everyone.
March 29 – April 6	Join Museum staff and area scientists as we celebrate NanoDays; a week of hands-on programs and demonstrations about nanoscale science, engineering and technology. Museum staff will present various nanoscience activities deisgned to excite, engage and educate people of all ages about the science of the very small. Click here to learn more about what programs and events we will have.
March 31 – April 4	Spring Break Camp Plan a great spring break full of discovery and exploration for your child! The Museum's Spring Break Camp offers learning, indoor/outdoor discovery and social time led by qualified Museum educators. Age-appropriate camps available for age 4 to grade 5. 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. $215 members / $235 non-members Extended hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. $45 Lunch option available Grades K-5 To learn more, contact reservations at 919-220-5429 x313.
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APRIL 2008
April 3	Nanotechnology and Alternative Energy Public Forum: Climate change concerns, rising energy costs, and dwindling natural resources are causing people everywhere to take a closer look at the relationship between human activity and our environment. The emerging field of nanotechnology presents great promise to address these issues, but it carries a great deal of uncertainty — and perhaps its own environmental risks. In this forum, participants become the decision makers, weighing the possible environmental benefits of nanotechnology against its potential pitfalls. April 3, 2008 7-9 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m. Pre-registration required: Click here to register for the forum
April 12	Second Saturday Science Event Join us for Butterfly Bash, celebrating the ninth birthday of our Magic Wings Butterfly House. SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES To learn more about the scheduled activities below, or to register, contact reservations at 919-220-5429 x313. 11 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Butterfly/Bug Costume Workshops with Scrap Exchange— Make special, funky butterfly and bug outfits for the Museum’s Butterfly Bash Parade of Bugs. $5 per child. 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Bug Safaris Join the Museum’s entomologist to our woodland insect safari! Explore bug hide-outs and search for evidence to find and identify insects, their predators and hiding arthropods. $5 per person. 2 p.m. Parade of Bugs Costumed participants and all visitors can stroll the parade route set to live music by Alex Weiss’ A Different Drum and led by very special guest Paperhand Puppet Intervention. 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. All About Insects workshops for K-3 graders 2:30 p.m. for K-1st graders and 3:30 p.m. for 2nd/3rd graders; features live insects. $5 per child. 3:15 p.m. Butterfly Gardening Program—(recommended for adults) Join Magic Wings’ expert gardener and learn how to enhance your gardening techniques to attract butterflies. DAYLONG ACTIVITIES Outdoor Insect Games—Learn and engage in outdoor frolic and join our Dung Beetle Race (simulate these beetles pushing large dung balls along a course), Aphid Popping (dart “aphid balloons” to fight pests) and Leafcutter Ant “Schlepp” (enter our simulated obstacle course and transfer life-size leaves to a ‘fungal site’). Area Expert Displays—Meet representatives from regional and national organizations that research, promote and support a number of insect research and nature programs including the Entomology Society, Eno River Association, Ellerbee Creek Association, Orange County Bee Keeper Association, USDA, EPA, BASF and Cooperative Ag Extension Service. Plant & Garden Art Sales—Get ready for spring with area nature artists and butterfly house staff and enjoy nature photography, garden art items and live butterfly plants for purchase. Other featured fun includes playing with ‘bugs’, cockroach races, face painting, butterfly releases, juried art walk contest, Raleigh/Triangle Photo Club’s photo exhibit, insect feedings, make and take art, special Café menus and other inspired activities to celebrate invertebrates for a perfect spring tribute to the Museum’s famed tropical butterflies and insects!
April 14-19	Come celebrate the Week of the Young Child 2008 at the Museum The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world's largest early childhood education association, with nearly 100,000 members and a network of over 300 local, state, and regional Affiliates. The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. The theme for this year is Bring Communities Together for Children--Children Bring Communities Together. NAEYC first established the Week of the Young Child in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years (birth through age 8) lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. The Week of the Young Child is a time to plan how we--as citizens of a community, of a state, and of a nation--will better meet the needs of all young children and their families.
MAY 2008
May 10	Bats: The True Story Learn about bats from around the world- up close and personal! Rob Mies, TV personality and Director for the Organization for Bat Conservation speaks about the benefits of bats, why we need to conserve them, and what you can do to help these unique mammals. Meet a local bat from North America and hear its high-pitched sound with a bat detector! You will also meet a Straw-Colored Fruit Bat from Africa, A Golden Bat from the Indian Ocean Island of Rodriquez and the largest bat in the world, the Gigantic Flying Fox from Malaysia which has a nearly 6 foot wingspan! Rob Mies is a conservation biologist, bat expert and author. He has appeared on many television shows including the Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Martha Stewart. Rob and his wife Kim, are the authors of over 12 books including the first field guide to the bats of the United States and Canada, the “Stokes Beginners Guide to Bats. His research includes work with the endangered Indian Bat of the United States, the endangered Rodrigues Fruit Bat in the Indian Ocean, and the threatened Spectacled Flying Fox Bat in Australia. SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES Call to reserve your space for Bats: The True Story today! There will be two programs offered, Registration is required. Contact the Reservation and Membership Department at 919-220-5429x313 to reserve your space. 11:00 a.m. Program is recommended for families with children PreK-age 6. 1:00 p.m. Program is recommended for families with children 7 and up. Program Fee: Save up to 50% if you register before May 2! Ticket prices are $10 for members or $17 for non-members (including Museum admission). However, if you call to register by noon on Friday, May 2nd, we’ll take an additional $5 off for members or $3 off the already discounted non-member price! Call now to reserve tickets at only $5 for members and $14 for non-members!
May 11-17	Bear in Mind it is Bear Awareness Week A behind-the-scenes tour. Special exhibits, talks from bear-keepers, interactive activities, arts and crafts, storytelling, scavenger hunts, educational demonstrations, games and more. See all that is happening at the Museum for Bear Awareness Week!
June 2008
June 14	Science for Little Peeps Please join us for a day of science activities for kids ages 3-6. Science for Little Peeps is inspired by the popular TV series "Peep and the Big Wide World," funded in part by the National Science Foundation and appears on The Learning Channel and Discovery Kids networks. We will use actual activities from the show. These easy-to-do ideas are fun ways for you and your kids to learn simple science concepts. Each activity extends the science ideas of each Peep and the Big Wide World story. Please come back to our web site for featured activities and more information as it becomes available!
July 2008
July 12	Dino Day—Dig This! See hundreds of real fossils and talk with NC Fossil Club members about their collecting adventures. Try out the new Fossil Dig Site before it opens – collect and bring home your own fossils! Programs for adults, families and children including lectures, dinosaur drawing and paleoartists, story times and more. Stay tuned for more details on this event!
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