education
We design programs to delight, inspire, and engage via STEM-based explorations. Our programs within the museum walls, on the road, or online provide opportunities for deep engagement and creative self-expression.
daily programs & early learning
Weekday programs at the museum are sometimes messy, always fun, and cultivate curiosity! The morning sessions focus on skill building for younger pre-K children, while the afternoon sessions offer additional materials and science content or explorations for school-age children.
Tuesdays @ 11: Messy Art
A unique program for younger children that features open-ended activities that encourage playful sensory explorations. Skills practiced in Messy Art promote fundamental primary language and math skills, creativity, self-expression, and fine motor skills, and increase self-confidence in self-expression. Materials and supplies are generally safe for children 3 and over.
Wednesdays @ 11 & 3:30: Seeds of Science
Each week we explore fundamental STEM concepts with tactile, sensory art-making activities. Paint, paper, and colors, combined with special sensory experiences like scented doughs, homemade brushes, and easy crafts for always fun, hands-on activities that support creativity, self-expression, and early science literacy.
Thursdays @ 11 & 3:30: Nature Time
Animals, plants, shells, rocks, weather, stars, water! With your child, explore our wide, wild, and wonder-filled world with live animal encounters and special materials and activities from our natural history collections. Nature time is a special program to instill empathy and respect for all things from nature while supporting early science literacy skills like making observations, contrasting, and comparing.
Fridays @ 11 & 3:30: Smart Art
Is your child always tinkering and inventing? Make smart art with us! Each week your child can practice problem-solving skills and use their creativity and imagination with simple and fun building and crafting activities like turning recyclables into woodland critters, experiencing color mixing with opaque art materials, or playing with natural materials to explore tensile strength.
Saturdays @ 2 PM: Cultivate Creativity
Saturdays programs feature art-making, crafting, or science explorations. Families can also learn about featured cultural or historical events. Saturday Family Activities offer bigger projects that encourage collaboration or require a gentle hand to help children realize their creative visions.
community outreach
Invite one of our Educational Program Coordinators to your organization or event for an engaging science experience. Our specially designed programs are meant to meet the unique needs of an array of settings for an engaging experience. Our hands‐on activities will enrich your science-minded guests and cultivate curiosity about the world around them.
My Day to Play
My Day to Play (MDTP) is a grant-funded program developed in collaboration with MAIER (Maine Access to Inclusive Education) to provide children with disabilities, on the autism spectrum, and with other sensory needs with a safe, comfortable environment to explore! MDTP also aims to give families who face similar challenges a place to connect.
From 1 PM - 4 PM on select Sundays, this program features activities like gross motor sensory play, animal time, or unique science or art activities, in addition to free play on all 3 floors of the museum!